U.S. patent application number 10/982343 was filed with the patent office on 2005-04-21 for apparatus having a printer unit.
This patent application is currently assigned to SONY CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Higuchi, Yoshinari, Ishihara, Junya, Ishimitsu, Hajime, Morikawa, Seiichi, Sakata, Koichi.
Application Number | 20050083410 10/982343 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18581842 |
Filed Date | 2005-04-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050083410 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Higuchi, Yoshinari ; et
al. |
April 21, 2005 |
Apparatus having a printer unit
Abstract
A stable condition for a printing operation regarding an
apparatus having a printer unit and a battery unit, eliminating
problems related to lack of a battery power during the printing
operation performed by the battery, specifically for a portable
apparatus using the battery, is obtained by an apparatus having the
printer unit in which the printing operation is performed by
processing data inputted from outside an embodiment thereof and/or
data stored therein, in which the apparatus having the printer unit
can be activated by the battery and perform communication with the
battery so that, based on received information related to the
remaining power of the battery as well as calculating the printing
enabling power based on, for example, temperatures outside and/or
inside the apparatus and the amount of data to be printed out, the
remaining power of the battery is compared with the printing
enabling power and, if the remaining power of the battery is lower
than the printing enabling power, then a condition of inability of
execution of printing operation is established and informed to a
user in order to restrain printing action.
Inventors: |
Higuchi, Yoshinari; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Morikawa, Seiichi; (Kanagawa, JP) ;
Ishimitsu, Hajime; (Saitama, JP) ; Sakata,
Koichi; (Tokyo, JP) ; Ishihara, Junya; (Aichi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FROMMER LAWRENCE & HAUG LLP
745 FIFTH AVENUE
NEW YORK
NY
10151
US
|
Assignee: |
SONY CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
18581842 |
Appl. No.: |
10/982343 |
Filed: |
November 4, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10982343 |
Nov 4, 2004 |
|
|
|
09799981 |
Mar 6, 2001 |
|
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
348/207.99 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 1/00885 20130101;
B41J 2/2132 20130101; H04N 1/00283 20130101; H04N 1/2154 20130101;
H04N 1/00899 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/207.99 |
International
Class: |
H04N 005/225 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 7, 2000 |
JP |
2000-061743 |
Claims
1-7. (canceled)
8. An apparatus for processing and printing an image comprising: a
processing means for processing images; a printer means for
printing a selected image from said images; a battery unit having a
battery for powering the apparatus; and a power determining means
for receiving information from said battery relating to the
remaining power in said battery, calculating the amount of power
necessary for performing a printing operation by said printer
means, comparing the remaining power and the power necessary for
said printing operation, and alerting a user when the remaining
power in said battery is less than the power necessary for
performing said printing operation, wherein said determining means
calculates said amount of power necessary for performing a printing
operation based on the contrast of the image to be printed out.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said determining
means calculates the amount of power necessary for performing a
printing operation based on external and internal temperatures of
the apparatus.
10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein upon determination
that the remaining power is less than the power necessary for
performing said printing operation, a warning action is
performed.
11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein upon determination
that the remaining power is less than the power necessary for
performing said printing operation, a warning action is performed
and the printing operation is restrained.
12. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein upon determination
that the remaining power is less than the power for performing said
printing operation, the printing operation is restrained.
13. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein upon determination
that the remaining power is less than the power necessary for
performing said printing, the printing operation is restrained and
a message is provided in order to notify the user.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a technology for
application in an apparatus having a printer unit, in which a
stable condition for printing operation can be realized by
eliminating an inconvenience of lack of power when executing the
printing operation using a battery.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] For an apparatus having a printer unit, and especially for a
portable apparatus, a battery supplies power for each part or
portion of the apparatus including the printer unit itself. For
example, a printing operation is performed by the power supplied by
the battery.
[0005] The printing operation performed by the printer unit
generally requires a large amount of power, so that it requires a
means of restraining the printing operation if the actual remaining
power of the battery is lower than the amount of power required for
enabling the thorough execution of the printing operation. As the
means of restraining the printing operation, there is for example a
way in which a voltage of the battery is monitored so that the
printing operation is halted when the voltage becomes lower than a
specified threshold value.
[0006] However, the method mentioned above of restraining the
printing operation by monitoring the battery voltage has a problem
that the printing operation is started if the voltage level is at
the threshold value or higher, even when the battery does not have
power enough to complete the printing operation. In such case, the
printing operation is halted at the time the battery voltage
becomes lower than the threshold voltage with the printing
operation already started, thus causing a waste of printing
paper.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
solution to problems related to a lack of battery power during the
printing operation as explained above, and to realize a stable
condition for the printing operation.
[0008] In order to solve the problems mentioned above, according to
the present invention, information related to a remaining power of
a battery is collected by establishing a communication with the
battery as well as calculating a printing enabling power based on
information regarding such as temperatures outside and/or inside
the apparatus and/or the amount of data to be printed out, etc.
Then, the remaining power of the battery is compared with the
printing enabling power and, if the remaining power is lower than
the printing enabling power, then a condition of inability to
execute the printing operation is established and then informed to
a user in order to restrain printing action.
[0009] Thus, from the procedure described above, the problems
caused by the lack of battery power during the printing operation
executed by a printing unit can be solved.
[0010] The present invention includes an apparatus having the
printing unit integrated in a body, that has a means such as a
built-in microprocessor for processing printing data originated
from, for example, inputted data from outside and/or data stored
inside, and also includes a battery integrated to the body. Such
apparatus performs communication with the battery and, based on
received information related to the remaining power of the battery
as well as calculating the printing enabling power based on
information regarding for example temperatures outside and/or
inside the apparatus and the amount of data to be printed out, the
remaining power of the battery is compared with the printing
enabling power and, if the remaining power is lower than the
enabling power, then a condition of inability of execution of the
printing operation (herein after referred to simply as "condition
of inability of printing") is established and informed to a user in
order to restrain printing action.
[0011] There are many alternative ways of restraining printing
operation for the apparatus having a printing unit according to the
present invention, such as one in which, when the condition of
inability of printing is determined, a warning display or the like
informs a user in order to restrain printing action due to the
condition of inability of printing. By doing so, a loss of
resources such as waste of printing paper can be avoided and,
consequently, a stable condition for printing can be realized.
[0012] Alternatively, the apparatus having a printing unit
according to the present invention can be set so that, when the
condition of inability of printing is determined, the printing
operation is immediately restrained, thus avoiding a waste of
resources like the printing paper and, consequently, realizing a
stable environment for printing. There is still a possibility of
providing, at the same time, in addition to the restraining of the
printing operation, the warning of the condition of inability of
printing such as a message display, so that a user can restrain
printing action.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent from the following
description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the
invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing an overall structure of a
video tape recorder integrated to a camera as a description of a
preferred embodiment of the present invention applied to a video
tape recorder integrated to a camera having a printer unit
integrated to one body;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a plan showing an upper view of a video tape
recorder integrated to a camera according to a preferred embodiment
of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is graph showing a change of a printing enabling
power according to temperature;
[0017] FIG. 4 is graph showing a change of a battery power level
according to temperature;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process flow according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
[0019] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a control portion for the
printing operation according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] A detailed description of an apparatus having a printing
unit according to a preferred embodiment the present invention is
made with reference to the drawings mentioned above, as follows.
The preferred embodiment hereof is an application of the present
invention to a video tape recorder (VTR) integrated to a camera
(herein after referred to as "camcorder") having a printing
apparatus incorporated to a same body.
[0021] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an external appearance of a camcorder
1 having a printer unit incorporated to a same body.
[0022] The camcorder 1 has a main body 3 incorporating an image
pickup lens 2, a VTR apparatus, etc.; in which the main body 3 has
a printing apparatus (herein after referred to as "printer unit") 4
integrated therewith. In addition, an image displaying portion
(herein after referred to as "liquid crystal panel") 5 having a
free open-close feature and a viewfinder 6 are attached
respectively in a left side 3a and on a top of the main body 3.
When in use, the liquid crystal panel 5 is open as shown in FIG. 2
and, when not in use, the liquid crystal panel 5 is closed as shown
in FIG. 1.
[0023] Moreover, the liquid crystal panel 5 and the viewfinder 6
are used for displaying images to be selected and confirmed for
printing, as well as a status of a printing operation by the
printer unit 4, other than for confirmation of pictures during
shooting, verification of the images taken or the like.
Furthermore, on a rear side 3b of the main body 3, a battery 7 is
attached in order to supply electric power to each part of the
camcorder 1 including the printer unit 4, during its use as a
portable apparatus.
[0024] As explained afterwards, the camcorder 1 constantly grasps
information related to a condition of the battery 7 so as to
allowing decision-making over the execution or not of the printing
operation by the printer unit 4.
[0025] In other words, as shown in a flowchart in FIG. 4, the
battery 7 has a built-in microprocessor, shown in FIG. 6 as battery
microprocessor 77, that constantly monitors and allows grasping of
information like those related to a remaining power of the
battery(an actual battery power level) R(T). In addition, after
determining whether communication between the main body 3 and the
battery 7 is possible (Step 1), the information R(T) on the
remaining power of battery 7 is sent according to demand to a
built-in microprocessor at the main body 3 side (Step 2), and
utilized for the process described below.
[0026] Likewise, at a side of main body portion 2, another built-in
microprocessor allows the grasping of data to be printed out, that
is, every information regarding image data of the camcorder 1, such
as information on image contrast r(x,y), external and/or internal
temperature (hereinafter referred to simply as "temperature") or
the like. As an example, a temperature sensor 16 built in the
printer unit 4 in FIG. 6 grasps the temperature for the process
described below.
[0027] The built-in microprocessors described above related to the
body of the camcorder 1 are represented in FIG. 6 as body
microprocessor 44 in which data such as the data required for the
process described herein, like the remaining battery power R(T),
information on image contrast r(x,y) and temperature T, and
commands for controlling the printing operation, displaying of
image data or the like. The body microprocessor 44 is also
responsible for controlling the printing operation by sending
commands for example to the printer unit 4, the liquid crystal
panel 5 and the viewfinder 6.
[0028] In fact, body microprocessor 44 represents a processing
device or a plurality of processing devices that may include the
microprocessors described above having, for example, a function of
processing the battery data, the image data, the temperature data
or the like such as in the processing and calculations described
below.
[0029] Further, when applicable, numbers in FIG. 6 are set in order
to correspond to numbers of portions of the preferred embodiment
according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
[0030] A relation between the temperature and a power required for
printing W(T), as shown in FIG. 3, shows that a required printing
enabling power decreases with increasing temperature. Moreover, if
using a power that is equal to the power required for printing W(T)
or higher, it is possible to increase a contrast of a printing
image.
[0031] On the other hand, a relation between a battery level of
battery 7 and the temperature, as shown in FIG. 4, shows that the
level of the battery 7, that is, the capacity of the battery 7 of
supplying power, apparently increases with increasing
temperature.
[0032] However, the power required for printing W(T) for printing a
desired image data can be calculated from conditions like the
temperature and the image contrast mentioned above, through the
function described below:
W(t)=f(T,t)Xr(x,y)
[0033] Furthermore, f (T, t) is a function of temperature T that
increases with decreasing temperature so that a larger amount of
power is required, and r (x, y) is an image contrast regarding a
point (x, y) of the image. In a case of a so-called heat fusion
type printing in which ink is fixed on the printing paper through
melting by means of heat, the required power involves the contrast
mentioned above. As already mentioned, the relation between the
level of battery 7 and the temperature, as shown in FIG. 4, shows
that the level of the battery 7, that is, the capacity of the
battery 7 of supplying power apparently increases with increasing
temperature.
[0034] Moreover, as the printing operation requires a certain
period of time to be performed, a value obtained by integration of
the time (dt) required for printing one sheet of paper, i.e.,
.intg. W (t) dt, becomes the printing enabling power for one sheet
of paper.
[0035] If the temperature during printing is constant, the value
can be simplified to
PRINTING ENABLING POWER=f'(T)X.SIGMA.r(x, y).
[0036] After calculating the printing enabling power for one sheet
of paper within the camcorder as described above, the printing
enabling power is compared against a remaining power obtained
through communication with the battery 7 (Step 4). In other words,
the remaining power R(T) is the information regarding the remaining
power available for consumption in the battery 7 at actual time. As
a consequence, by comparing the printing enabling power with the
remaining power of the battery 7, it can be determined whether the
printing operation can be completed with the remaining power
R(T).
[0037] In addition, regarding the camcorder 1, although the printer
unit 4 is started if it is determined that printing is possible, an
appropriate warning indication (for example, indication of a lack
of battery power or indication of a remaining battery power) is
done in the liquid crystal panel 5, the view finder 6 or the like,
so that attention of a user is called, and judgment on later
procedures is entrusted to the user (Step 5) or, printing is
restrained, warning is performed (for example, a display indication
of inability of printing) is done in the liquid crystal panel 5,
the view finder 6 or the like so that the printing operation is
restrained beforehand, or the printing operation is forcibly
halted.
[0038] Furthermore, a paper-supplying aperture 8 of the printer
unit 4 is covered when the liquid crystal panel 5 is closed. Hence,
according to the upper elevation of the camcorder 1 as shown in
FIG. 2, a printing paper 9 is drawn from the paper-supplying
aperture 8 into a printer unit 4 in the direction shown by arrow
10, so that the printing paper is ejected after printing through a
printout ejection aperture, not shown in the figure, in the
direction of arrow 11.
[0039] Still, for the camcorder 1, since the printing operation is
not performed at least as far as the paper supplying aperture 7 set
in the main body 3 is not in an exposed mode with the liquid
crystal panel 5 open, it is not necessary to keep the power of the
printer unit 4 turned constantly ON. Accordingly, regarding the
camcorder 1, the power of the printer unit 4 is set so as to either
have an on-off switch in the left side 3a of the main body 3 which
is the portion that is covered by the liquid crystal panel 5 when
the panel is closed, in a similar way to the paper supplying
aperture 8, or interlocked with the open-close of the liquid
crystal panel 5 in order to have the power of the printer unit 4
automatically turned on (turn ON) when the liquid crystal panel 5
is open and automatically turned off (turn OFF) when the liquid
crystal panel 5 is closed. Such on-off state of the liquid crystal
panel 5 may be detected by a panel sensor 5a of FIG. 6 comprising
an optical, a mechanical, an electrical sensor device or the
like.
[0040] In addition, data subject to be printed out by the printer
unit 4 such as image data include input images from outside
captured by the image pickup lens 2 as well as data like images and
pictures stored in an image data storage 22 according to FIG. 6
such as video tapes, integrated memories, freely removable
memories, etc.
[0041] Moreover, as for the camcorder 1 that comprises an apparatus
having a printer unit, at a stage previous to printing of data like
image data by means of the printer unit 4, the remaining power R(T)
of the battery 7 is detected and, after compared to the printing
enabling power required for the data mentioned above, as the
printing operation is done only when the remaining power R(T) is
equal to the printing enabling power or higher, it is possible to
avoid the problem of interruption of the printing operation due to
lack of power of the battery 7 as well as a waste of printing
paper. In addition, information like those related to the remaining
power of the battery are informed to the camcorder's user, thus
providing a printing opportunity in a planned fashion and
permitting the realization of a stable printing environment.
[0042] Finally, the configurations and structures of respective
units and portions described specifically with respect to the
preferred embodiments hereof. are only one example of a realization
of the invention, so the embodiments thereof should not be
construed as to limit the technical scope of the present
invention.
* * * * *