Recycling of multi—use digital instant printing camera systems

• US 6,312,070 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stewart, Jr., Charles W.
• Application Number:
  US09/112,766
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 347/2, 347/3, 347/5, 347/14, 347/19, 358/296, 358/474, 358/400, 358/401, 358/482, 348/207
• US Class Current: 347/2
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

A handheld camera system is disclosed comprising an image sensor device for sensing an image; a processing means for processing the sensed image; a storage means for storing images and programs for utilization by the processor means; a print media stored internally to the camera system; a print head for printing the sensed image on the print media; an alterable switch for storing a current state of output types of the camera system; a switch interconnected to the processing means and having a number of predetermined states and the processing means adapted to monitor the switch state and process the sensed image in accordance with the switch state to cause the print head to output a corresponding modified image in accordance with the switch state.

Claims

1. A recyclable, one-time use, print on demand, digital camera comprising:

an image sensor device for sensing an image;

a processing means for processing said sensed image;

a storage means for storing images and programs for utilisation by said processing means;

a supply of print media stored internally to said camera;

a pagewidth print head for printing said sensed image on said print media, the print head being fixedly mounted on a structure of the camera; and

a solid state control means, fixed within the camera, to which said processing means is responsive to modify characteristics of the image to be printed on said print media depending on a state of the control means.

2. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein when said control means is in a first state, said processing means causes the print media to print modified images selected from the group of:

digitally enhanced standard color images, sepia color images, black and white images, black and white images with minor color additions, multi-passport photograph images, sketch simulated images, bordered images, panoramic images, images with additional clip arts, kaleidoscopic effect images, and color modified images.

3. A camera as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a detachable jacket having printed information on its surface which is indicative of the type of effect produced by said control means when said control means is in said first state.

4. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein said image sensor device, said processing means and said control means are created on a single integrated circuit device, said device being programmable by, and connectable to, a programming device arranged externally of said camera with said control means being responsive to a command from said programming device to cause it to change its state.

5. A recyclable, one-time use, print on demand, digital camera comprising:

an image sensing means for sensing an image;

a processing means for processing said sensed image;

a solid state control means, fixed within the camera, for controlling operation of the processing means, the control means causing, subject to a state of the control means, modification of said sensed image by the processing means to provide an application-specific modified image;

a pagewidth print head responsive to the processing means for printing said sensed image, the print head being fixedly mounted on a structure of the camera; and

a supply of print media on to which the modified, sensed image is printed by the print head to be output from the camera.

6. A camera as claimed in claim 5 in which the processing means includes a microprocessor and in which the control means includes a memory device associated with the microprocessor.

7. A camera as claimed in claim 6 in which the memory device is inaccessible by a user of the camera.

8. A camera as claimed in claim 6 in which the memory device is a programmable memory device which is accessed for re-programming upon recycling of the camera.

9. A camera as claimed in claim 5 in which the application-specific, modified image is selected from the group comprising digitally enhanced standard color images, sepia color images, black and white images, black and white images with minor color additions, multi-passport photograph images, sketch simulated images, bordered images, panoramic images, images with additional clip arts, kaleidoscope effect images, color modified images, and images related to predetermined events.