Prints remaining indicating for camera with variable length print capability

• US 6,356,715 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• 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): Mahoney, Christopher E.
• Application Number:
  US09/113,058
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 396/208, 396/284, 396/515, 396/429, 346/134, 346/136, 347/16, 347/19, 347/101, 347/104
• US Class Current: 396/284
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• 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: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 1/66 Counting number of exposures
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/26 Holders for containing light sensitive material and adapted to be inserted within the camera holders for X-ray films G03B42/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• 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 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 : for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00965 : using a plug-in memory module, e.g. memory card, memory stick
• 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 1/32101 : Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 : on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 : of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 : of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• 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 print roll including an integrated circuit device measuring the amount of consumable materials left within said print roll.

Claims

1. A digital instant printing camera device with a selectable photograph print size, said camera device including

a replaceable print roll, the print roll containing ink, a supply of print media and an integrated circuit, said integrated circuit including memory storage of the amount of print media remaining in said print roll;

a photograph size selecting means for selecting a size of a photograph to be printed on the print media, the selecting means being in communication with the integrated circuit;

a processing means which controls a printing process, the processing means being in communication with the integrated circuit of the print roll and responsive to the selecting means for calculating the current number of photographs, based on the selected size, that can still be printed on the print media remaining on the print roll, the processing means obtaining an initial length of the print media from the integrated circuit on installation of the print roll and using that information and the selected size to calculate the number of photographs which can still be printed; and

a display means associated with the processing means for displaying the current number of photographs still able to be printed in dependence on the selected size of the photograph.

2. The cameradevice as claimed in claim 1 in which said processing means updates said integrated circuit to reflect a new amount of print media left upon printing a picture.

3. The camera device as claimed in claim 1 in which said sizes are selected from the group consisting of classic (C), HDTV (H), and panoramic (P).

4. The camera device as claimed in claim 3 in which the selecting means selects between sekid three sizes of C, H, and P.