Stand alone printer with hardware/software interfaces for sharing multimedia processing

• US 7,528,976 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2004
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Piersol, Kurt W., Graham, Jamey, Hart, Peter E., Hull, Jonathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; James A
• Application Number:
  US10/813,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/1.4, 358/1.9, 358/518, 382/117, 382/118, 382/170, 345/505, 709/220
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/005 only locally
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/007 only remotely, e.g. at a host computer dedicated computer interfaces to print systems G06F3/1201
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/086 for transcription of raw audio or music data to a displayed or printed staff representation or to displayable MIDI-like note-oriented data, e.g. in pianoroll format
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/056 MIDI or other note-oriented file format

Abstract

A printing system for time-based data enables the printing of time-based media by sharing processing resources on a printer and on an external media processing system such as an external service, for example, a web service. The media processing may similarly be shared, as determined by a resource allocation module, between the printer and an external media processing system coupled via a communication interface to the printer or via a network. An example of such an external media processing system is an external device such as a personal computer or an external service such as a web service. A stand-alone version of the printer with embedded time based data in multiple media is described with a display and user interface so that a user can walk up to the printer and perform multimedia processing at the printer. The stand alone version has a network connection or other communication interface so that an external service or device can interface directly with the printer in performing media processing or a user can interface with the external service or device directly through the printer.

Claims

1. A system for printing time-based media, the system comprising:

a media processing system for determining an electronic representation of the time-based media wherein the media processing system resides at least in part on a printer and at least in part on an external media processing system;

the printer including;

an interface for transferring time-based media between the external media processing system and the printer, the interface comprising a first media interface for communicating with a first peripheral device external to the printer and a second media interface for communicating with a second peripheral device external to the printer;

an electronic output system in communication with the media processing system to receive the electronic representation, the electronic output system producing a corresponding electronic output from the electronic representation of the time-based media; and

a resource allocation module for receiving a request for at least one media processing task and determining processing allocation for at least one media processing task among the printer and the external media processing system based on criteria.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the resource allocation module determines whether the printer interacts as a master or as a slave with an external system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the media processing system determines a printed representation of the time-based media;

and the printer further comprises a printed output system in communication with the media processing system to receive the printed representation, the printed output system producing a corresponding printed output from the printed representation of the time-based media.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the external media processing system includes a user interface that provides information to a user about at least one of the printed representation and the electronic representation of the time-based media, the user interface further accepting input from a user to cause the media processing system to modify at least one of the printed representation and the electronic representation of the time-based media.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the media processing system determines at least one of the printed representation and the electronic representation with assistance from an external media processing system that is an external computing device.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the printer further comprises:

an input source for receiving time-based media; and

a display.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the input source comprises a communication interface allowing the printer to be communicatively coupled to an electronic device, the electronic device providing the media to the printer.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the input source comprises a removable media storage reader.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the input source comprises a media input device selected from a group consisting of:

a DVD reader, a video cassette tape reader, a CD reader, an audio cassette tape reader, and a flash card reader.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the input source comprises a media broadcast receiver that can be tuned to a media broadcast.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the input source comprises an embedded receiver selected from a group consisting of:

an embedded TV receiver, an embedded radio receiver, an embedded short-wave radio receiver, an embedded satellite radio receiver, an embedded two-way radio, and an embedded cellular phone.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the input source comprises an embedded device selected from a group consisting of:

an embedded heat sensor, an embedded humidity sensor, an embedded National Weather Service radio alert receiver, and an embedded TV Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) alert monitor.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the input source comprises embedded screen capture hardware.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the input source comprises an ultrasonic pen capture device.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein the input source comprises an embedded video recorder, wherein the external source of media is a series of images captured by embedded the video recorder, converted into an electrical format, and then provided to the media processing system.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein the input source comprises an embedded audio recorder, wherein the external source of media is a series of sounds that are converted into an electrical format by the embedded audio recorder and then provided to the media processing system.

17. The system of claim 6, wherein the second output source is configured to write the electronic representation to a removable media storage device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the removable storage device is selected from a group consisting of:

a DVD, a video cassette tape, a CD, an audio cassette tape, a flash card, a computer disk, an SD disk, and a computer-readable medium.

19. The system of claim 6, wherein the second output source comprises a handling mechanism to accommodate a plurality of removable storage devices.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the handling mechanism is selected from a group consisting of:

a feeder, a bandolier, and a tray.

21. The system of claim 6, wherein the second output source comprises a media writer selected from a group consisting of:

a disposable media writer and a self-destructing media writer.

22. The system of claim 6, wherein the second output source is coupled to a speaker system and sends an audio signal to the speaker system.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second output source comprises an embedded sound player for generating the audio signal.

24. The system of claim 6, wherein the second output source comprises an embedded web page display.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the external media processing system is a remote external service system coupled to a network, the external service system in communication with the media processing system by the network and for performing at least some processing steps for the time-based media.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the external media processing system is an external device coupled to the printer by the Internet.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a communication interface allowing the system to be communicatively coupled to an electronic device, the electronic device providing the time-based media to the system.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a removable media storage reader.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a media input device selected from a group consisting of:

a DVD reader, a video cassette tape reader, a CD reader, an audio cassette tape reader, and a flash card reader.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a media broadcast receiver that can be tuned to a media broadcast.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an embedded receiver selected from a group consisting of:

an embedded TV receiver, an embedded radio receiver, an embedded short-wave radio receiver, an embedded satellite radio receiver, an embedded two-way radio, and an embedded cellular phone.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an embedded device selected from a group consisting of:

an embedded heat sensor, an embedded humidity sensor, an embedded National Weather Service radio alert receiver, and an embedded TV Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) alert monitor.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises embedded screen capture hardware.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an ultrasonic pen capture device.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an embedded video recorder, wherein the external source of media is a series of images captured by embedded the video recorder, converted into an electrical format, and then provided to the media processing system.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an embedded audio recorder, wherein the external source of media is a series of sounds that are converted into an electrical format by the embedded audio recorder and then provided to the media processing system.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic output system is configured to write the electronic representation to a removable media storage device.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the removable storage device is selected from a group consisting of:

a DVD, a video cassette tape, a CD, an audio cassette tape, a flash card, a computer disk, an SD disk, and a computer-readable medium.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic output system comprises a handling mechanism to accommodate a plurality of removable storage devices.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the handling mechanism is selected from a group consisting of:

a feeder, a bandolier, and a tray.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic output system comprises a media writer selected from a group consisting of:

a disposable media writer and a self-destructing media writer.

42. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic output system is coupled to a speaker system and sends an audio signal to the speaker system.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the electronic output system comprises an embedded sound player for generating the audio signal.

44. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic output system comprises an embedded web page display.

45. The system of claim 1, wherein the media processing system comprises an embedded multimedia server.

46. The system of claim 1, wherein the media processing system comprises an embedded audio encryption module.

47. The system of claim 1, wherein the media processing system comprises an embedded video encryption module.

48. The system of claim 1, wherein the media processing system comprises an embedded audio sound localization module.

49. The system of claim 1, wherein the media processing system comprises an embedded video motion detection module.