Remote control apparatus for printer appliances

• US 7,694,048 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FotoNation Limited (Adeia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: FotoNation Vision Limited (Adeia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mehra, Sumat, Steinberg, Eran, Bigioi, Petronel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai; Henry W. H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSENG, CHENG YUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/123,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 710/10, 710/303, 710/62, 710/8, 709/208, 709/231, 715/744, 715/771
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

An apparatus for the remote wireless control of a printer appliance includes a remote control handset and a wireless receiver for connection to the appliance. The remote control unit is adapted to transmit data and control codes to the receiver. The receiver is responsive to the data and control codes to control the appliance to print the data. The remote control unit includes a reader for a storage medium for printing the data, or a cable or wireless interface to an image acquisition device such as a digital video or still camera.

Claims

1. An apparatus for remote wireless control of a printer appliance, comprising

a remote control handset configured to control a printer appliance directly or indirectly through a wireless receiver for transitioning, editing, or printing audio or visual data, or both (hereinafter “

A/V”

data), or combinations thereof, the remote control handset including a push-button image processing interface including multiple push-buttons configured to be depressable by one or more fingers or a thumb or both of a same hand within which the remote control handset is being held by a user, and a second interface for receiving printer data from an acquisition device; and

a wireless receiver coupled to the printer appliance,

wherein the remote control handset is configured to transmit the data and control codes wirelessly to the receiver, and

wherein the receiver is configured to be responsive to the data and control codes from the remote control handset, and to process the data responsive to metadata associated with the data, and to control the printer appliance to print the data, and

wherein the wireless receiver processes the data, including dust or other blemish removal, motion blur compensation, transition effects, color correction, exposure correction, red eye reduction, rotating, panning, scrolling or cropping, or editing an object, selecting which objects to display, or erasing and reordering objects, or combinations thereof, under the push-button control of the remote control handset for providing a processed image or processed printer data, or both, to be printed at the printer appliance based on the processed printer data.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote control handset is further configured to directly control the printer appliance.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote control handset is configured to indirectly control the printer appliance through the receiver.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said receiver is configured to control the printer appliance for transitioning, editing, or printing said data, or combinations thereof.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein processing according to the wireless receiver processing the data comprises correcting color, correcting exposure, reducing red eye, rotating or cropping, or combinations thereof.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface of the remote control handset comprises a reader for a removable storage medium for data, such that data transmitted to the receiver is read from the storage medium by the reader.

7. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said remote control handset further comprises an internal storage for storing data.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface of the remote control handset comprises a cable or wireless communication interface to an A/V device for receiving the data, such that said data transmitted to the receiver is read from the A/V device.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the interface comprises a wireless interface and the data is wirelessly readable from the A/V device.

10. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said data is read from a storage medium on said A/V device.

11. The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said remote control handset comprises internal storage, wherein data is saved on said internal storage.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said interface is configured according to PictBridge Protocol.

13. The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said interface is configured according to uPnp Printing Protocol.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the A/V device comprises a digital stills camera.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the A/V device comprises a digital video camera.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the A/V device comprises a digital audio player, and words contained within the audio are printed as text.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote control handset comprises a display unit.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to directly control the printer appliance.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the receiver is connectable to a further electronic appliance and controls the printer appliance to print data via the further electronic appliance.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the further electronic appliance comprises a digital camera.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the further electronic appliance comprises a home server appliance.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the further electronic appliance comprises a centralized remote control unit.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the further electronic appliance comprises a docking station.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver is incorporated in the printer appliance.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the wireless receiver is incorporated in the further electronic appliance.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote control handset is configured for processing data prior to transmission to the wireless receiver.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless receiver is configured for processing the data prior to printing the data.

28. A method for the remote wireless control of a printer appliance, comprising

receiving printer data from an acquisition device at an interface of a remote control handset that is configured to control a printer appliance directly or indirectly through a wireless receiver for transitioning, editing, or printing audio or visual data, or both (hereinafter “

A/V”

data), or combinations thereof;

transmitting the printer data and control codes wirelessly to a wireless receiver coupled to a printer appliance, wherein the receiver is configured to be responsive to the data and control codes received from the remote control handset to control the printer appliance to print the data;

performing image processing at the wireless receiver in response to metadata associated with the printer data, wherein the processing at the wireless receiver includes dust or other blemish removal, motion blur compensation, transition effects, color correction, exposure correction, red eye reduction, rotating, panning, scrolling or cropping, or editing an object, selecting which objects to display, or erasing and reordering objects, or combinations thereof;

controlling the image processing with the remote control handset including holding the remote control handset in a single hand of a user and, using a push-button image processing interface including multiple push-buttons of the remote control handset, selectably depressing the buttons with one or more fingers or a thumb or both of the same hand within which the remote control handset is being held by the user; and

printing processed printer data or a processed image, or both, based on the image processing.

29. The method as in claim 28, further comprising directly controlling the printer appliance.

30. The method as in claim 28, further comprising indirectly controlling the printer appliance through the receiver.

31. The method as in claim 30, wherein said controlling indirectly through the receiver comprises controlling the receiver to control the printer appliance for transitioning, editing, or printing said data, or combinations thereof.

32. The method as in claim 28, wherein said processing according to the wireless receiver processing the data comprises correcting color, correcting exposure, reducing red eye, rotating or cropping, or combinations thereof.

33. The method as in claim 28, further comprising receiving at said interface a removable storage medium having printer data stored thereon, and reading the data for transmitting to the receiver.

34. The method as in claim 28, further comprising storing printer data at an internal storage.

35. The method as in claim 28, further comprising interfacing with the acquisition device via a cable or wireless communication interface for receiving the data for transmitting to the receiver.

36. The method as in claim 28, further comprising configuring said interface according to PictBridge Protocol.

37. The method as in claim 28, further comprising configuring said interface according to uPnp Printing Protocol.

38. The method as in claim 28, wherein said acquisition device comprises a digital stills camera.

39. The method as in claim 28, wherein said acquisition device comprises a digital video camera.

40. The method as in claim 28, further comprising processing data prior to transmitting to the receiver.

41. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied thereon, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving printer data from an acquisition device at an interface of a remote control handset that is configured to control a printer appliance directly or indirectly through a wireless receiver for transitioning, editing, or printing audio or visual data, or both (hereinafter “

A/V”

data), or combinations thereof;

transmitting the printer data and control codes wirelessly to a wireless receiver coupled to a printer appliance,

wherein the receiver is configured to be responsive to the data and control codes received from the remote control handset to control the printer appliance to print the data;

performing image processing at the wireless receiver in response to metadata associated with the printer data, wherein the processing at the wireless receiver includes dust or other blemish removal, motion blur compensation, transition effects, color correction, exposure correction, red eye reduction, rotating, panning, scrolling or cropping, or editing an object, selecting which objects to display, or erasing and reordering objects, or combinations thereof;

controlling the image processing with the remote control handset including holding the remote control handset in a single hand of a user and, using a push-button image processing interface including multiple push-buttons of the remote control handset, selectably depressing the buttons with one or more fingers or a thumb or both of the same hand within which the remote control handset is being held by the user; and

printing processed printer data or a processed image, or both, based on the image processing.

42. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, further comprising a program to directly control the printer appliance.

43. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, further comprising a program to indirectly control the printer appliance through the receiver.

44. The one or more storage devices of claim 43, wherein said controlling indirectly through the receiver comprises controlling the receiver to control the printer appliance for transitioning, editing, or printing said data, or combinations thereof.

45. The one or more storage devices of claim 44, wherein processing according to the wireless receiver processing the data comprises correcting color, correcting exposure, reducing red eye, rotating or cropping, or combinations thereof.

46. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, further comprising an interface to receive a removable storage medium having printer data stored thereon, and to read the data for transmitting to the receiver.

47. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, further comprising an internal storage to store printer data.

48. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, further comprising a cable or wireless communication interface for receiving the data from the acquisition device for transmitting to the receiver.

49. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, wherein the interface is configured according to PictBridge Protocol.

50. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, wherein the interface is configured according to uPnp Printing Protocol.

51. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, wherein said acquisition device comprises a digital stills camera.

52. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, wherein said acquisition device comprises a digital video camera.

53. The one or more storage devices of claim 41, further comprising a program to process data prior to transmitting to the receiver.