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12/07/06 - USPTO Class 400 | 92 views | #20060275067 | Prev - Next | About this Page

Digital palm computer with built-in printhead for external printing

USPTO Application #: 20060275067
Title: Digital palm computer with built-in printhead for external printing

Abstract: A digital palm PC includes a housing. An elongate printhead extends along a side of the housing. A pair of rotationally mounted wheels flanks the printhead at either end of the printhead. The wheels are engageable with a sheet of print media. One of the wheels is an optical encoder wheel and the other one of the wheels is an idler wheel. A controller is arranged to control printing from the printhead responsive to signals received from the optical encoder wheel.

(end of abstract)
Agent: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd - Balmain, AU
Inventor: Kia Silverbrook
Related Keywords: built-in, computer, encoder, media
USPTO Applicaton #: 20060275067 - Class: 400088000 (USPTO)

Related Patent Categories: Typewriting Machines, Pocket Typewriter
The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060275067.
Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/503,899, filed on 9 Aug. 2004, which is a 371 of PCT/AU03/00162, filed on Feb. 12, 2003, all of which is herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The following invention relates to a hand-held personal computer known as a "palm PC", having a built-in printer.

BACKGROUND TO INVENTION

[0003] Known palm PCs have no means of providing an "instant" print-out of text and/or images therefrom. Instead, if a print-out is needed, the palm PC must communicate data stored therein to another PC to which there is attached a printer.

[0004] The mere incorporation into a palm PC of a known conventional printer device would not result in a compact, easily portable palm PC. This is because prior printers incorporate a supply of print media and employ a print media feed mechanism to transport the print media past the printheads to effect printing onto the print media. Moreover, known printers, having a supply of print media, are large and heavier than would be desirable in a portable palm PC that is sized and shaped to fit conveniently with a user's pocket or purse for example.

CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS

[0005] Various methods, systems and apparatus relating to the present invention are disclosed in the following co-pending applications filed by the applicant or assignee of the present invention simultaneously with the present application: TABLE-US-00001 PCT/AU03/00154 PCT/AU03/00151 PCT/AU03/00150 PCT/AU03/00145 PCT/AU03/00153 PCT/AU03/00152 PCT/AU03/00168 PCT/AU03/00169 PCT/AU03/00170 PCT/AU03/00162 PCT/AU03/00146 PCT/AU03/00159 PCT/AU03/00171 PCT/AU03/00149 PCT/AU03/00167 PCT/AU03/00158 PCT/AU03/00147 PCT/AU03/00166 PCT/AU03/00164 PCT/AU03/00163 PCT/AU03/00165 PCT/AU03/00160 PCT/AU03/00157 PCT/AU03/00148 PCT/AU03/00156 PCT/AU03/00155

[0006] The disclosures of these co-pending applications are incorporated herein by cross-reference. TABLE-US-00002 RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS AND PATENTS U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,652 U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,588 U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,589 U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,163 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,795 U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,581 U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,691 U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,704 U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,168 U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,694 U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,705 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,794 U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,610 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,793 U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,306 U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,342 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,792 U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,307 U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,220 U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,611 U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,528 U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,582 U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,821 U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,547 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,796 U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,977 U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,603 U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,843 U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,653 U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,107 U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,653 U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,609 U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,040 U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,415 U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,654 U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,989 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,791 U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,710 U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,153 U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,167 U.S. Pat. No. 6,243,113 U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,581 U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,790 U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,953 U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,469 U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,544 U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,048 U.S. Pat. No. 6,420,196 U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,558 U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,689 U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,989 U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,181 U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,735 U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,513 U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,323 U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,912 U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,810 U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,920 U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,422 U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,786 U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,810 U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,135 U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,858 U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,946 U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,970 U.S. Pat. No. 6,442,525 U.S. Pat. No. 09/505,951 U.S. Pat. No. 6,816,968 U.S. Pat. No. 6,757,832 U.S. Pat. No. 6,795,215 U.S. Pat. No. 09/575,109 U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,289 U.S. Pat. No. 6,977,751 U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,332 U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,573 U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,923 U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,044 U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,661 U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,605 U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,195 U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,110 U.S. Pat. No. 6,480,089 U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,778 U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,788 U.S. Pat. No. 6,426,014 U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,453 U.S. Pat. No. 6,457,795 U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,624 U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,399 U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,548 U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,319 U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,431 U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,425 U.S. Pat. No. 6,991,320 U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,833 U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,332 U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,591 U.S. Pat. No. 7,018,016 U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,417 U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,194 U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,779 U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,745 U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,757 U.S. Pat. No. 7,075,677 U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,139 U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,549 U.S. Pat. No. 09/693,079 U.S. Pat. No. 6,854,825 U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,142 U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,193 U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,786 U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,787 U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,908 U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,503 PCT/AU98/00550 PCT/AU00/00516 PCT/AU00/00517 PCT/AU00/00511 PCT/AU00/00754 PCT/AU00/00755 PCT/AU00/00756 PCT/AU00/00757 PCT/AU00/00095 PCT/AU00/00172 PCT/AU00/00338 PCT/AU00/00339 PCT/AU00/00340 PCT/AU00/00341 PCT/AU00/00581 PCT/AU00/00580 PCT/AU00/00582 PCT/AU00/00587 PCT/AU00/00588 PCT/AU00/00589 PCT/AU00/00583 PCT/AU00/00593 PCT/AU00/00590 PCT/AU00/00591 PCT/AU00/00592 PCT/AU00/00584 PCT/AU00/00585 PCT/AU00/00586 PCT/AU00/00749 PCT/AU00/00750 PCT/AU00/00751 PCT/AU00/00752 PCT/AU01/01332 PCT/AU01/01318 PCT/AU00/01513 PCT/AU00/01514 PCT/AU00/01515 PCT/AU00/01516 PCT/AU00/01517 PCT/AU00/01512 PCT/AU01/00502 PCT/AU02/01120 PCT/AU00/00333 PCT/AU01/00141 PCT/AU01/00139 PCT/AU01/00140 PCT/AU00/00753 PCT/AU01/01321 PCT/AU01/01322 PCT/AU01/01323 PCT/AU00/00594 PCT/AU00/00595 PCT/AU00/00596 PCT/AU00/00597 PCT/AU00/00598 PCT/AU00/00741 PCT/AU00/00742

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In accordance with the invention, there is provided a digital palm PC comprising: [0008] a housing; [0009] a digital storage device to store digitally text and/or image data; and [0010] a printer located within the housing and receiving digital information from the digital storage device, the printer being configured to print an image on media external thereto as the palm PC traverses the media in a printing orientation.

[0011] Preferably, the palm PC further includes a movement sensor configured to measure the relative movement of the palm PC as it traverses the media in the printing orientation. More preferably, the movement sensor includes a wheel configured to engage the media as the palm PC traverses the media in the printing orientation,

[0012] In one embodiment, the wheel is an optical encoder wheel including a series of circumferential markings, the movement sensor further including an optical sensor for detecting relative movement of the markings as the wheel rotates in engagement with the media.

[0013] Alternatively, the movement sensor forms part of an optical tracking system for tracking relative movement of the palm PC as it traverses the media in the printing orientation. In one form, the optical tracking system includes pattern recognition means for recognising relative movement of the palm PC with respect to the media. The optical tracking system can be configured to recognise a predetermined pattern on the media, and to recognise the relative movement of the palm PC with respect to the media by determining relative movement of the palm PC with respect to the predetermined pattern.

[0014] Preferably, the housing also includes a print controller including a processor into which image data can be input and converted into a sequence of drop ejection control signals. The print controller operates said ink ejection nozzles in accordance with said drop ejection control signals to cause printing on said print media at a rate determined by the measured relative movement of palm PC with respect to the media.

[0015] Preferably, the printer includes a drop-on-demand color inkjet printhead.

[0016] In a preferred form, the palm PC further includes an ink reservoir in fluid communication with the printhead for providing ink thereto. Preferably, the ink reservoir includes at least one ink inlet via which the ink reservoir can be recharged with ink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of a palm PC having a built-in printer in use, printing an image on a page;

[0019] FIG. 2 is perspective illustration of a palm PC shown from above;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective illustration of a palm PC shown from below;

[0021] FIG. 4 is a schematic parts-exploded perspective view of the palm PC;

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Printing system and method
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Printing device and method for printing on a surface
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