Image capture and processing device for a print on demand digital camera system

• US 7,551,201 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2003
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz; David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LUONG TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/729,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20040119828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 348/373, 348/375, 348/376
• US Class Current: 348/207.2
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0005 Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/70 cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/04 Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1433 Structure of nozzle plates
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16505 Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16517 Cleaning of print head nozzles B41J2/16505, B41J2/1707 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14419 Manifold
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/19 Assembling head units
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/53 for automatically delivering a finished picture after a signal causing exposure has been given, e.g. by pushing a button, by inserting a coin
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2219/045 : adapted for unloading the film in the processing laboratory, e.g. disposable, reusable or recyclable cameras
• 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 19/073 : Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• 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: G07F 7/08 : by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 : Card verification
• 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 1/00965 : 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 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/02402 : Arrangements for positioning heads, e.g. with respect to other elements of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3222 : of processing required or performed, e.g. forwarding, urgent or confidential handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3261 : of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 : of sound signals
• 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 23/51 : Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

An image capture and processing device includes an image sensor integrated circuit. A plurality of analogue-to-digital converters (ADC'"'"'s) are connected to the image sensor integrated circuit to convert analogue signals generated by the image sensor integrated circuit into digital signals. Image processing circuitry is connected to the ADC'"'"'s to carry out image processing operations on the digital signals. A print head interface is connected to the image processing circuitry to receive data from the image processing circuitry and to format that data correctly for a printhead.

Claims

1. An image capture and proccssing integrated circuit comprising:

an image sensor including a plurality of sensor columns for capturing an image;

a plurality of analogue-to-digital converters (ADC'"'"'s) that are connected to the image sensor to convert analogue signals generated by the image sensor into digital signals;

image processing circuitry that is connected to the ADC'"'"'s to carry out image processing operations on the digital signals;

a print head interface that is connected to the image processing circuitry to receive data from the image processing circuitry and to format that data for a printhead; and

a high current drive transistor configured to drive a capping solenoid of the printhead, wherein the high current drive transistor is driven when the image sensor is not in use so as to avoid effecting the captured image via a voltage fluctuation in the image capture and processing integrated circuit;

wherein the integrated circuit defines a CMOS active pixel sensor array, and wherein the integrated circuit incorporates a plurality of analog signal processors, each analog signal processor being dedicated to process one or more signals generated by a respective one of the plurality of sensor columns, wherein the plurality of analog signal processors are configured to carry out enhancement processes on analog signals generated by the active pixel sensor array.

2. An image capture and processing integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, which includes a memory device that is interposed between the image sensor and the image processing circuitry to store data relating to an image sensed by the image sensor integrated circuit.

3. An image capture and processing integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, in which the image processing circuitry includes color interpolation circuitry to interpolate pixel data.

4. An image capture and processing integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, in which the image processing circuitry includes convolver circuitry that is configured to apply a convolution process to the image data.

5. An image capture and processing integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, in which the print head interface is configured to format the data correctly for a pagewidth printhead.

6. An image capture and processing integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, which is a single integrated circuit.

7. A camera system which includes the image capture and processing integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1.