Printing device with reader for removable media storage container

• US 7,327,486 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2001
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• 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: Renda, Arthur A
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe; Aung S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huntsinger; Peter K.
• Application Number:
  US09/938,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20030038971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,357 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.16, 358/1.15, 700/94, 711/115, 704/500, 704/501, 704/270, 707/1, 709/217, 709/219, 709/238, 399/81
• US Class Current: 358/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0082 Architecture adapted for a particular function
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A printer has a removable media storage container reader and detects data in a file in a memory of a removable media storage container. The printer is capable of printing a report of the data upon detection without a user intervention.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

inserting a PC Card in a PC Card reader integrated in a printing device;

retrieving data from a file in a memory of the PC Card that is in an AV predetermined format, the file comprising compressed audio data and other data;

assembling a key from the other data;

establishing direct communication between the printing device and an AV information support system;

supplying the key to the AV information support system directly from the printing device and, with the AV information support system, locating information identified by the key;

downloading the information identified by the key directly to the printing device without communication of the printing device with an interconnected computing device; and

printing a report with the printing device utilizing the downloaded information.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein downloading the information further comprises accessing a remote site and determining if the key is matched at the remote site in order to download the information.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein downloading the information further comprises accessing a telephone number of a remote access site in the key and utilizing the telephone number to locate and download the information.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein downloading the information further comprises accessing a universal resource locator (URL) in the key and utilizing the URL to locate and download the information.

5. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions to perform a method as recited in claim 1.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein assembling a key further comprises transmitting the key from the printing device to a remote site, and wherein downloading the information further comprises downloading the information identified by the key directly to the printing device from the remote site without communication of the printing device with an interconnected computing device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the AV predetermined format includes one of an encoded audio format, an encoded video format, an encoded audio-video format, a WINDOWS Media Audio (WMA) format and a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio data includes a musical recording, and the other data includes one of a title, an artist indication, an album indication, a year indication, a comment field, and a genre indication of the musical recording.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said printing occurs without user intervention.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

generating a listing from the other data; and

printing a report of the listing with the printing device,

wherein generating the listing and printing the report occur without communication of the printing device with an interconnected computing device.

11. A method, comprising:

detecting insertion of a removable memory in a removable memory reader integrated in a printing device;

recognizing an AV file stored on the removable memory;

assembling a key from data stored with the AV file on the removable memory;

transmitting the key over a network to an AV information support system directly from the printing device;

using the key by the AV information support system and locating information on the network associated with the AV file;

downloading the information associated with the AV file directly to the printing device over the network without an interconnected computing device; and

printing at least a portion of the information associated with the AV file with the printing device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the removable memory includes a PC Card, and the removable memory reader includes a PC Card reader integrated in the printing device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the key includes a universal resource locator (URL) identifying a location on the network of information associated with the AV file.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein a format of the AV file includes one of an encoded audio format, an encoded video format, an encoded audio-video format, a WINDOWS Media Audio (WMA) format, and a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the AV file includes an audio file of a musical recording, and the data stored with the AV file includes one of a title, an artist indication, an album indication, a year indication, a comment field, and a genre indication of the musical recording.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the printing of the at least a portion of the information associated with the AV file occurs without user intervention.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

generating a listing from the data stored with the AV file; and

printing a report of the listing with the printing device,

wherein generating the listing and printing the report occur without an interconnected computing device.