Customized form output apparatus and method

• US 7,061,629 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2001
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hitchin, Trevor D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHIMI, IRAJ A
• Application Number:
  US09/918,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20030020955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,779 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.6, 358/1.18, 358/1.1, 705/401, 709/108
• US Class Current: 358/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/485 Means for selecting a type of copy material amongst different types of copy material in the printing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/46 Printing mechanisms combined with apparatus providing a visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

In a unitary business machine with a top, bottom, front, back and two sides, a customized form output apparatus includes an electronic data storage device for storing preselected customized forms. A display is connected to the data storage device for displaying stored forms. A selector is connected to the data storage device for selecting forms from the display and an integral hard copy printer is connected to the data storage device for printing a hard copy of the forms as selected. In one aspect of the invention, the apparatus includes a wall mount connected to the back for mounting the apparatus on a wall. In further aspects of the invention, the display is a flat panel display and the selector is a touch screen overlaying the display.

Claims

1. A customized form output apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a) electronic data storage in a unitary business machine with a top, bottom, front, back and two sides, for storing preselected customized forms;

b) a display on said unitary business machine connected to the data storage for displaying information identifying stored forms;

c) a selector connected on said unitary business machine connected to the data storage for selecting forms from the display; and

d) an integral hard copy printer in said unitary business machine connected to the data storage for printing a hard copy of said forms as selected, wherein dimensions of the unitary business machine conform with approximate dimensions of a printed hard copy of one of said forms.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a wall mount connected to the back for mounting the apparatus on a wall.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said data storage is a hard drive conformed to receive electronic input for new customized farina and to store a input forms, hard copies of stored forms having a pre-arranged format with instructions for supplying information within blank spaces provided on the hard copies of the forms.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display is a flat panel.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said selector is a touch screen overlaying said display.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a battery for providing power for operation.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said selector further comprises user selections from a group including select, print, and cancel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a paper holder connected to said integral printer and to the back of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hard copy of a selected form is dispensed from the bottom of the apparatus and paper for printing is input at the top of the apparatus.

10. A wall mounted print on demand form kiosk comprising:

a) a unitary box with a top, bottom, front, back and two sides,

b) an electronic data storage means for storing customized forms in electronic form located within said unitary box;

c) a flat panel display means connected to said data storage means for displaying information identifying stored forms;

d) a touch screen selection means connected to said data storage means overlaying said flat panel display means for selecting forms from the display means;

e) an integral hard copy printer means connected to the data storage means for printing a hard copy of a form as selected by a user, wherein the unitary box is conformed in size to approximately match the length and width of a sheet of letter sized or legal sized paper; and

f) a power source connected to the unitary box.

11. The kiosk of claim 10 further comprising a paper holder connected to die printer means at the back of the unitary box.

12. The kiosk of claim 10 wherein hard copies of selected forms are dispensed from the bottom of the unitary box and paper for printing is input at the top of the unitary box.

13. The kiosk of claim 10 wherein said box is conformed to hold fifty one hundred sheets of paper for printing.

14. The kiosk of claim 10 wherein said power source is a battery.

15. The kiosk of claim 10 wherein said data storage means is a hard drive conformed to receive electronic input for new customized forms and to store input forms, hard copies of stored forms having a pre-arranged format with instructions for supplying information within blank spaces provided on the hard copies of the forms.

16. A method of providing customized printed forms from a wall mounted print on demand form kiosk comprising the steps of:

a) constructing a unitary box with a top, bottom, front, back and two sides;

b) connecting a hard drive within said unitary box for storing electronic copies of customized forms;

c) connecting a flat panel display on said unitary box and to said hard drive for displaying information identifying stored forms;

d) connecting a touch screen selector to said hard drive and overlaying said flat panel display for selecting forms from the display;

e) connecting a hard copy printer within said unitary box and to said hard drive for printing a hard copy of a form as selected by a use;

f) connecting a power source to said unitary box;

q) loading customized forms on said hard drive;

h) selecting a form to be printed; and

i) printing said form, wherein the box is the approximate size of a length and width of a sheet of paper that is used in printing the form.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of conforming the box to the approximate size of the length and width of a sheet of letter sized or legal sized paper.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising attaching a paper holder to the back of the unitary box.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of constructing the unitary box so that hard copies of selected forms are dispensed from the bottom of the box and paper for printing is input at the top of the unitary box.