Image sensing and printing device

• US 7,808,610 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2004
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Peter B
• Application Number:
  US10/853,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20040218049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,323 Days
• Field of Search: 396/429, 396/211, 355/18, 717/147, 235/380, 235/494, 358/1.1, 358/1.8, 358/468, 358/296, 348/27.1, 348/373, 348/233, 348/231.99, 348/222.1, 348/232, 347/15
• US Class Current: 355/18
• 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 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/044 Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1635 dividing the wafer into individual chips
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1637 molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 : Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 : Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 : electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 : Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 : Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 : Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17516 : comprising a collapsible ink holder, e.g. a flexible bag
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/44 : Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms having dual functions or combined with, or coupled to, apparatus performing other functions
• 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 17/00 : Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/00 : Photographic printing apparatus
• 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 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 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0002 : Handling the output data
• 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 1/00127 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 : for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00477 : Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• 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 1/32133 : on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32561 : using a programmed control device, e.g. a microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0008 : Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another 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 23/40 : Circuit details for pick-up tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 : Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

An image sensing and printing device includes a housing. An area image sensor is positioned on the housing for sensing a viewed image to be printed on media and for generating pixel data representing the viewed image. A printing mechanism is arranged on the housing. The printing mechanism defines a media feed path and includes a printhead assembly that includes a pagewidth printhead having at least one printhead chip that spans the media feed path. A feed mechanism feeds media along the media feed path so that the printhead can carry out a printing operation on the media. A processor is positioned in the housing. The processor includes processing circuitry. An image sensor interface is connected to the processing circuitry for receiving pixel data from the image sensor, converting the pixel data into an internal format and writing the converted pixel data to the processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to convert the pixel data to print image data. A printhead interface is connected to the processing circuitry for receiving the print image data from the processing circuitry and for providing signals representing the print image data to the printhead so that the printhead can carry out the printing operation to generate a printed representation of the viewed image.

Claims

1. An image sensing and printing camera unit which comprises

a viewer for viewing an image of a scene;

an area image sensor for sensing the viewed image of the scene and for generating pixel data representing the sensed image;

a print media feed and printing mechanism comprising a printhead configured to carry out a printing operation on print media;

a card reader for receiving and reading image processing script inkjet printed on a card;

a processor for converting the pixel data into print image data in accordance with the inkjet printed image processing script read by the card reader; and

a printhead interface for providing signals representing the print image data to the printhead so that the printhead can carry out said printing operation.

2. A camera unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the area image sensor is one of a charge coupled device and an active pixel sensor.

3. A camera unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the processor defines a VLIW processor that is configured to perform image processing operations on the pixel data.

4. A camera unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the processor is configured to be programmable with any of a number of image processing programs so that the processor can carry out image processing operations on the pixel data in accordance with a selected program loaded on the processor.

5. A camera unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the card reader has an interface for writing the script to the processor.

6. A camera unit as claimed in claim 5, in which the card reader is an optical reader for reading a two-dimensional pattern inkjet printed on the card, the two-dimensional pattern representing a program in an image processing language, the optical reader being configured to generate program data and the reader interface being configured to receive the program data and to write the program data, in an internal format, to the processor.