Postcard printing system including postage paid print roll

• US 7,334,855 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2004
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, An H.
• Application Number:
  US10/846,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20040212684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 347/2, 347/109, 348/376
• US Class Current: 347/2
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17506 Refilling of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/60 for printing on both faces of the printing material
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/58 Baseboards, masking frames, or other holders for the sensitive material G03B27/53 takes precedence ; for electrophotographic copiers G03G15/65
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 9/40 Double plate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0018 of images captured using a loaned, rented or limited-use still digital camera, e.g. recyclable or disposable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/193 using electrically scanned linear arrays , e.g. linear CCD arrays
• 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 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

A postcard printing system is provided which combines a digital camera and a supply of print media. The digital camera has an image sensor device for sensing an image, processing means for processing the sensed image, a pagewidth print head for printing the sensed image, an ink supply means for supplying ink to the print head. The sensed image is printed onto the supply of print media by the print head. The supply of print media is premarked with tokens designating that postage has been paid so that each image printed out on the print media has one such token associated with it.

Claims

1. A postcard printing system comprising, in combination:

a digital camera comprising an image sensor device for sensing an image, a processing means for processing said sensed image, a pagewidth print head for printing said sensed image, an ink supply means for supplying ink to the print head; and

a supply of print media on to which said image is printed, the supply of print media being pre-marked with tokens at regularly spaced intervals on one surface of the print media designating that postage has been paid so that each image printed out on the print media has one such token associated with it.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the supply of print media is in the form of a roll.

3. The system of claim 2 in which each token has an address zone and a blank zone for writing associated with it on said one surface to provide a postcard effect.

4. The system of claim 2 in which each image is printed on an opposed surface of the print media.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the token is in a currency of a country in which the camera is bought, with a notice to that effect being carried on an exterior of the camera.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the supply of print media is replaceable.