Method of printing a voucher based on geographical location

• US 7,991,432 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Memjet Technology Ltd. (Memjet Limited)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul, Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): CAI, WAYNE HUU
• Application Number:
  US11/124,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20050200637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,276 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 455/466, 455/556, 455557-558, 455/41.3, 4554141-4144, 342/450, 705/14, 358/1.18, 358/1, 358/1.5, 434/355, 347/3, 347/107, 347/116, 281/5, 235/61.11, 235/434
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of using a mobile device to print onto a print medium, the mobile device comprising: a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving data via a telecommunications network; and a printer; the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining a geographical location of the mobile device; (b) determining a product or service available at, in or within a predetermined distance of, the geographical location; (c) formatting a voucher containing information associated with the product or service; and (d) printing the voucher using the printer.

Claims

1. A method of printing a voucher comprising the steps of:

providing a hand-held mobile telecommunications device that has a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving data via a telecommunications network, a printer for printing on a print medium with a predetermined print resolution and a sensor in a media fee path of the printer for sensing a data track and second coded data distributed across an area of the print medium during printing on the print medium, the data track extending parallel to a media feed direction in which the print media passes the printer, the second coded data encoding information indicative of a unique identity for the print medium;

determining a geographical location of the hand-held mobile telecommunications device;

determining a product or service available at, in or within a predetermined distance of, the geographical location;

formatting a voucher containing information associated with the product or service;

printing the voucher using the printer by generating a fire control signal from the sensor output as the sensor senses the data track in order to determine a registration between what is printed in the area of the print medium and the second coded data; and

transmitting information associating the unique identity of the print medium and the voucher to a remote computer system via the wireless transceiver.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the information is indicative of a location of a commercial entity.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the hand-held mobile telecommunications device includes a GPS receiver, the method comprising determining the geographical location using the GPS receiver.

4. A method according to claim 2, including deriving the geographical location using an Uplink Time Difference of Arrival technique.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the information is indicative of an inducement to buy the product or service.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the inducement is a price discount.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the price discount is only valid at an outlet of a commercial entity at the location.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the price discount is valid at any of a number of outlets of the commercial entity.

9. A method according to claim 1, including the step of using the hand-held mobile telecommunications device to determine the geographical location.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the hand-held mobile telecommunications device incorporates a wireless receiver for receiving radio-frequency data from a transmitter, the step of determining the geographical location including the step of receiving, via the transmitter, radio-frequency data regarding the geographical location.

11. A method according to claim 1, further including the step of sending the information to an electronic address associated with the user of the hand-held mobile telecommunications device.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the geographical location is an area.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the area is defined by a postal or zip code.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the area is a city, suburb or town.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the area is at least partially defined by a transmission footprint of one or more cells of a telecommunications network.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data track is printed with infrared ink, the light-emitting device emits light in the infrared spectrum and the photosensor is sensitive in the infrared spectrum.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data track is a clock track containing only a clock code, the method including the step of generating a clock signal generated from the sensed data track, the fire control signal being based on the clock signal.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data track includes first information, the first information including an embedded clock signal, the method including the step of extracting a clock signal from the sensed data track, the fire control signal being based on the clock signal.