Printer with hardware and software interfaces for peripheral devices

• US 7,528,977 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2004
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Graham, Jamey, Hart, Peter E., Hull, Jonathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; James A
• Application Number:
  US10/814,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.15, 358/1.16, 358/1.9, 358/518, 382/117, 382/118, 382/162, 382/180, 382/170, 345/505, 709/220, 715/738
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A printing system enables the printing of multimedia received from a device that is docked on the printer. Based on received multimedia data, the printing system produces a paper or other printed output as well as a related electronic output. Together, the printed and electronic outputs provide a representation of the multimedia. The printer is also capable of communicating and controlling the functionality of the peripheral device. Depending on the desired application for the printer, the printer may include any combination of mechanisms for receiving media data, printing the printed output, and producing the electronic output.

Claims

1. A system for printing multimedia data, the system comprising:

an interface for receiving multimedia data from at least one of a plurality of different types of peripheral devices;

a multimedia processing system coupled to the interface to receive the multimedia data, the multimedia processing system for generating an electronic representation and a printable representation of the multimedia data;

a formatting module for formatting the printable representation in a predefined format configured for a specific type of peripheral device providing the multimedia data, wherein the formatting module generates the printable representation in a predefined video paper format responsive to receiving the multimedia data from a video recording device, and wherein the formatting module generates the printable representation in an audio paper format responsive to receiving the multimedia data from an audio recording device;

a first output device coupled to the formatting module, the first output device for printing the printable representation of the multimedia data to a printable tangible medium; and

a second output device coupled to the multimedia processing system, the second output system for electronically outputting the electronic representation of the multimedia data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic output is stored on a media recorder.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic output is stored on a removable storage device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the removable storage device is selected from a group consisting of a DVD, a CD-ROM, an audio cassette tape, a video tape, a flash card, a memory stick, and a computer disk.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic output comprises a web page.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a parallel port.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a wireless communication interface.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a serial interface.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the serial interface is an USB interface.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a docking station.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the docking station is built into the system.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises an optical port.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a video port.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a port for connecting the peripheral device, the port selected from a group consisting of SCSI, IDE, RJ11, composite video, component video and S-video.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a removable storage reader.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the removable storage reader comprises media reader selected from a group consisting of a DVD reader, a flash card reader, a memory stick reader, a CD reader, a computer disk reader, and an SD reader.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different types of peripheral devices comprises a cellular telephone.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different types of peripheral devices comprises a video camcorder.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different types of peripheral devices comprises a digital audio recorder.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia data is received from 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, a flash card reader, digital video recorder, a video capture device, and a meeting recorder.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia data comprises a video stream.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising generating a web page representation of the multimedia data.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia processing system is configured to control functionality in one of the plurality of different types of peripheral devices.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the multimedia processing system resides at least in part on one of the plurality of different types of peripheral devices.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to automatically detect a communicative coupling of the plurality of different types of peripheral devices.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to automatically download the multimedia data from the plurality of different types of peripheral devices.

27. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication module for sending a request to one of the plurality of different types of peripheral devices for the multimedia data to be downloaded via the interface.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the video paper format comprises key frames with bar codes linking the key frames to different segments of the multimedia data.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the processing system instructs a playback device to play a first segment of the multimedia data linked with a first bar code responsive to a user controlling playback device to capture an image of the first bar code from the printable representation in the video paper format.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the video recording device comprises a portable meeting recorder for recording a meeting, wherein the key frames of the video paper format show at least one image of every attendee at the meeting.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the video recording device comprises a fixed position meeting recorder capturing content written on a whiteboard during a meeting, wherein the video paper format comprises images of the whiteboard captured when the content of the whiteboards changes.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the video recording device comprises a head-mounted video camera worn by a person, wherein the key frames of the video paper format represent images captured when significant movements of the head are detected.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the video recording device comprises an experience capture system for capturing events in an office, wherein the key frames of the video paper format comprise images of each visitor that entered the office.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the plurality of different types of peripheral devices include at least one of a cell phone, a digital audio recorder, a portable meeting recorder, a fixed position meeting recorder, a head-mounted video camera, an office-based experience capture system, and a PC frame buffer.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the video paper format comprises key frames with bar codes linking the key frames to different segments of the multimedia data, the key frames selected from the multimedia data based on the specific type of peripheral device providing the multimedia data.

36. The system of claim 28, wherein the video recording device comprises a PC frame buffer for monitoring a display on a PC, wherein the key frames of the video paper format comprises images captured when there is a significant change to the display on the PC.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio paper format comprises bar codes linked to points in an audio recording of the multimedia data.

38. The system of claim 1, wherein the video recording device comprises a camcorder, wherein the video paper format comprises a date and time of when the multimedia data was recorded and a location of where the multimedia data was recorded.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio recording device comprises a digital audio recorder, wherein the audio paper format includes information indicating when the multimedia data was recorded.

40. A method for printing multimedia data, the method comprising:

receiving multimedia data using an interface adapted to communicatively coupled with a plurality of different types of peripheral devices;

determining an electronic representation of the multimedia data;

generating a printable representation of the multimedia data in a predefined format configured for a specific type of peripheral device providing the multimedia data, wherein the printable representation is formatted in a predefined video paper format responsive to receiving the multimedia data from a video recording device, and wherein the printable representation is formatted in a predefined audio paper format responsive to receiving the multimedia data from an audio recording device;

printing the printable representation of the multimedia data to a printable tangible medium; and

producing a corresponding electronic output comprising the electronic representation of the multimedia data.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the electronic output is stored on a media recorder.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the electronic output is stored on a removable storage device.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the removable storage device is selected from a group consisting of a DVD, a CD-ROM, an audio cassette tape, a video tape, a flash card, a memory stick, and a computer disk.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the electronic output comprises a web page.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of different types of peripheral devices comprises a cellular telephone.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of different types of peripheral devices comprises a video camcorder.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of different types of peripheral devices comprises a digital audio recorder.

48. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of different types of peripheral devices 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, a flash card reader, digital video recorder, a video capture device, and a meeting recorder.

49. The method of claim 40, wherein the multimedia data comprises a video stream.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the video paper format comprises key frames determined according to steps including:

calculating a difference measure between successive frames of the video streams; and

determining that a frame is a key frame if the difference measure exceeds a predetermined threshold.

51. The method of claim 40, further comprising generating a web page representation of the multimedia data.

52. The method of claim 40, further comprising controlling a functionality in one of the plurality of different types of peripheral devices.

53. The method of claim 40, further comprising automatically detecting a communicative coupling of one of the plurality of different types of peripheral devices.

54. The method of claim 40, further comprising automatically downloading the multimedia data from one of the plurality of different types of peripheral devices.

55. A system for printing multimedia data, the system comprising:

an interface for receiving multimedia data from a plurality of different types of peripheral devices;

a multimedia processing system coupled to the interface to receive the multimedia data, the multimedia processing system for generating an electronic representation and a printable representation of the multimedia data;

a formatting module for formatting the printable representation in a predefined video paper format configured for a specific type of peripheral device providing the multimedia data;

a first output device coupled to the formatting module, the first output device for printing the printable representation of the multimedia data to a printable tangible medium; and

a second output device coupled to the multimedia processing system, the second output system for electronically outputting the electronic representation of the multimedia data.