Device for image capture and processing

• US 7,221,867 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• 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): PERKEY, WILLIAM B
• Application Number:
  US11/071,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20050162449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 396/429, 348/207.2, 348/294, 348/231.99, 348/231.3, 348/231.6
• US Class Current: 396/429
• 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

A device for image capture and processing for a print-on-demand camera includes image sensing circuitry. The device also includes memory circuitry for storing an image sensed by the image sensing circuitry. Analogue to digital conversion circuitry is interposed between the image sensing circuitry and the memory circuitry to digitize the image data from the sensing circuitry for storage in the memory circuitry. Decoding and processing circuitry is connected to the memory circuitry to decode and process the digitized image data stored in the memory circuitry. Drive circuitry is connected to the decoding and processing circuitry to drive at least one component of a printing mechanism of the print-on-demand camera.

Claims

1. A device for image capture and processing for a print-on-demand camera, the device comprising a single intergated circuit incorporating:

image sensing circuitry;

memory circuitry for storing an image sensed by the image sensing circuitry and incorporating flash memory storing authentication code for preventing reverse engineering of the device;

analogue to digital conversion circuitry interposed between the image sensing circuitry and the memory circuitry to digitize the image data from the sensing circuitry for storage in the memory circuitry;

decoding and processing circuitry connected to the memory circuitry to decode and process the digitized image data stored in the memory circuitry; and

drive circuitry connected to the decoding and processing circuitry to drive at least one component of a printing mechanism of the print-on-demand camera.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the image sensing circuitry includes a CMOS active pixel sensor array.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which the image sensing circuitry includes row decoding circuitry to enable appropriate rows of the active pixel sensor array.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which the image sensing circuitry includes a number of analogue signal processors, each of which correspond with a number of columns of the active pixel sensor array for at least amplifying a signal generated by each of the columns.

5. A device as claimed in claim 2, in which the decoding and processing circuitry includes printhead interface circuitry for providing decoded and processed image data to a pagewidth printhead.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the drive circuitry is transistor drive circuitry capable of driving at least a stepper motor of the print-on-demand camera.