User interface for a hand-operated printer

• US 7,399,129 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Incorporated (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Writt, John Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): COLILLA, DANIEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US11/312,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20070140770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 400/240, 400/88, 400/70, 400/193, 400/29, 400/248, 400/124.1, 347/101, 347/188, 347/224, 347/109, 347/87, 358/451, 358/296, 358/171, 358/188, 358/1.18, 358/473, 101/486, 345/163, 345/169, 345/161, 345/156, 361/681
• US Class Current: 400/29
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/46 Printing mechanisms combined with apparatus providing a visual indication

Abstract

A hand-operated printer includes a body. A printhead is mounted to the body. A display device is mounted to the body, and a user interface is communicatively coupled to the display device. The user interface provides a user input to the display device that is based on movement of the hand-operated printer.

Claims

1. A hand-operated printer, comprising:

a body;

a printhead mounted to said body;

a display device mounted to said body; and

a user interface communicatively coupled to said display device and configured with a position encoder to sense movement of said hand-operated printer, said user interface providing a user input to said display device based on movement of said hand-operated printer sensed by said position encoder, wherein;

said display device displays a plurality of thumbnail images and a selection icon; and

said user interface is configured to accommodate a selection of an image to be printed from said plurality of thumbnail images by a manipulation of a position of said selection icon based on a first movement of said hand-operated printer sensed by said position encoder, and

wherein said hand-operated printer commences printing said selection on a print medium, based on a second movement of said hand-operated printer detected by said position encoder, after said hand-operated printer has moved a predetermined distance to a designated print position.

2. The hand-operated printer of claim 1, said user interface including:

a controller communicatively coupling said position encoder to said display device.

3. The hand-operated printer of claim 1, wherein said position encoder includes a one-dimensional sensor unit to accommodate said selection of said image to be printed from said plurality of thumbnail images by a sequential manipulation of a position of said selection icon.

4. The hand-operated printer of claim 3, wherein said position encoder is an optical encoder.

5. The hand-operated printer of claim 3, wherein said display device includes a LCD screen.

6. The hand-operated printer of claim 1, wherein:

said position encoder includes a two-dimensional sensor unit to accommodate said selection of said image to be printed from said plurality of thumbnail images by a sequential manipulation or a two-dimensional manipulation of a position of said selection icon.

7. The hand-operated printer of claim 1, wherein said display device displays said image to be printed and said user interface being configured to select a crop area of said image of said plurality of thumbnail images that is selected to be printed.

8. A hand-operated printer, comprising:

a body;

a printhead mounted to said body;

a display device mounted to said body; and

a user interface communicatively coupled to said display device, said user interface providing a user input to said display device based on movement of said hand-operated printer, said user interface including a position encoder configured to sense a movement of said hand-operated printer and a controller communicatively coupling said position encoder to said display device,

wherein said display device displays an icon for performing drawing based on a first movement of said hand-operated printer detected by said position encoder, and during a printing operation commence printing said drawing on a print medium, based on a second movement of said hand-operated printer detected by said position encoder, after said hand-operated printer has moved a predetermined distance to a designated print position.

9. A hand-operated printer, comprising:

a body;

a printhead mounted to said body;

a position encoder mounted to said body;

a display device mounted to said body, said position encoder being communicatively coupled to said display device to provide a user interface with said display device; and

a controller,

said controller communicatively coupling said position encoder to said display device,

said display device displays a plurality of thumbnail images and a selection icon; and

said position encoder being configured to sense a first movement of said hand-operated printer detected by said position encoder to accommodate a selection of an image to be printed from said plurality of thumbnail images by a manipulation of a position of said selection icon, and

wherein said hand-operated printer commences printing said selection on a print medium based on a second movement of said hand-operated printer detected by said position encoder, after said hand-operated printer has moved a predetermined distance to a designated print position.

10. The hand-operated printer of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of buttons communicatively coupled to said controller, said plurality of buttons including a select button which when actuated confirms a selection made from said plurality of thumbnail images via said selection icon.

11. The hand-operated printer of claim 10, wherein said plurality of buttons includes a print button, and said controller controls said printhead to print said image on a print medium corresponding to said selection made, when said print button is actuated.

12. A hand-operated printer, comprising:

a body;

a printhead mounted to said body;

a position encoder mounted to said body, said position encoder being configured to sense a movement of said hand-operated printer;

a display device mounted to said body, said display device displaying a plurality of thumbnail images and a selection icon; and

a controller communicatively coupled to each of said printhead, said position encoder, and said display device, said controller communicatively coupling said position encoder to said display device, said position encoder providing a user interface with said display device to accommodate a selection of an image to be printed from said plurality of thumbnail images by a manipulation of a position of said selection icon when said position encoder senses a first movement of said hand-operated printer, and

wherein said hand-operated printer commences printing said selection on a print medium based on a second movement of said hand-operated printer detected by said position encoder, after said hand-operated printer has moved a predetermined distance to a designated print position.

13. The hand-operated printer of claim 12, wherein said position encoder includes a one-dimensional sensor unit to sense said movement of said hand-operated printer to accommodate said selection of said image to be printed from said plurality of thumbnail images by a sequential manipulation of a position of said selection icon.

14. The hand-operated printer of claim 12, wherein said position encoder includes a two-dimensional sensor unit to sense said movement of said hand-operated printer to accommodate said selection of said image to be printed from said plurality of thumbnail images by a sequential manipulation or a two-dimensional manipulation of a position of said selection icon.

15. The hand-operated printer of claim 12, wherein said position encoder is an optical encoder.

16. The hand-operated printer of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of buttons communicatively coupled to said controller, said plurality of buttons including a select button which when actuated confirms a selection made from said plurality of thumbnail images via said selection icon.

17. The hand-operated printer of claim 16, wherein said plurality of buttons includes a print button, and said controller controls said printhead to print said image on a print medium corresponding to said selection made, when said print button is actuated.

18. A hand-operated printer, comprising:

a body;

a user input device coupled to said body, said user input device including a print button and a select button;

a printhead mounted to said body;

a display device mounted to said body displaying a plurality of images,

a position encoder mounted to said body, said position encoder being configured to sense a movement of said hand-operated printer; and

a controller communicatively coupled to each of said user input device, said printhead, said position encoder, and said display device, said controller making an operation selection based on an input from said user input device of;

using said position encoder when said select button is actuated to provide a user interface with said display device to select an image of said plurality of images to be printed, and

using the same said position encoder when said print button is actuated to control said printhead to commence printing said image on a print medium after said hand-operated printer has moved a predetermined distance to a designated print position.