Stand alone multimedia printer with user interface for allocating processing

• US 7,508,535 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2004
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• 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:
  US10/814,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20050068571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,820 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/518, 358/1.9, 358/1.4, 382/117, 382/118, 382/162, 382/170, 345/405, 345/619, 345/505, 709/205, 709/220
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00283 with a television apparatus

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, or as indicated by a user via a user interface, 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 printer for printing time-based media, the printer comprising:

a media processing system embedded within the printer for generating an electronic representation of the time-based media;

an electronic output system for producing a document on a media from the electronic representation of the time-based media;

a housing for supporting an interface for transferring the time-based media between the printer and an external processing system, and for supporting the electronic output system in communication with the media processing system to receive the electronic representation;

a resource allocation module embedded within the printer for determining processing allocation for one or more tasks among the printer and the external processing system; and

a task policy manager for determining whether the printer will interact with the external processing system as a master processor or as a slave processor to process the one or more tasks, the determination based on a policy stored in association with the one or more tasks.

2. The printer of claim 1, wherein the external system is another multimedia printer coupled via a network to the interface for transferring time-based media.

3. The printer of claim 1, wherein the external system is a remote external service system coupled via a network to the interface for transferring time-based media, the external service system in communication with the media processing system for performing at least some processing steps for the time-based media.

4. The printer of claim 1, further comprising a user interface for receiving user input indicating selection of one or more media processing resources from among resources of the printer and the external system.

5. The printer of claim 4 wherein the user interface displays a request for user input from the external system.

6. The printer of claim 4 wherein the user interface displays processing status of task being processed by the external system.

7. The printer of claim 1, wherein the printer is coupled to the external system providing a user interface to the printer, the user interface for receiving user input indicating selection of one or more media processing resources from among resources of the printer and the external system.

8. The printer of claim 7 wherein the user interface displays a request for user input from the printer.

9. The printer of claim 7 wherein the user interface displays processing status of task being processed by the printer.

10. The printer 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.

11. The printer of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a removable media storage reader.

12. The printer 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.

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

14. The printer 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.

15. The printer 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 Alert System (LAS) alert monitor.

16. The printer of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises embedded screen capture hardware.

17. The printer of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an ultrasonic pen capture device.

18. The printer of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an embedded video recorder, wherein the time-based media is a series of images captured by the embedded video recorder, converted into an electrical format, and then provided to the media processing system.

19. The printer of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an embedded audio recorder, wherein the time-based 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.

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

21. The printer of claim 20, 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.

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

23. The printer of claim 22, wherein the handling mechanism is selected from a group consisting of:

a feeder, a bandolier, and a tray.

24. The printer 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.

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

26. The printer of claim 25, wherein the electronic output system comprises an embedded sound player for generating the audio signal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

and the system 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.

34. The printer of claim 33 wherein the printed output system is one of the group of a laser printer, an inkjet printer, a thermal wax transfer printer, a dye sublimation printer, a dot matrix printer, or a plotter.

35. The printer of claim 33, farther comprising 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.

36. The printer of claim 33, wherein the media processing system determines at least one of the printed representation and the electronic representation with assistance from the external system that is an external computing device.

37. A method for printing time-based media in a printer for printing time-based media comprising a media processing system for generating an electronic representation of the time-based media, the method comprising:

receiving user input indicating selection of one or more media processing resources from among resources of the printer and an external processing system;

determining processing allocation for one or more tasks among the printer and the external processing system determining whether the printer will interact with the external processing system as a master processor or as a slave processor to process the one or more tasks, the determination based on a policy stored in association with the one or more tasks; and

determining the electronic representation of the time-based media using the determined allocation of resources.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein a user interface embedded on the printer displays a request for the user input.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the user interface displays processing status of task being processed by the external system.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein a user interface that is a part of the external system displays a request for the user input.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the user interface displays processing status of a task being processed by the printer.