Patent Application
20080043275
The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.
Referring briefly to
For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components. Additional examples of an information handling system may be a camera or video recorder.
The camera 150 (e.g., a digital camera) enables users to take pictures and save them in digital (electronic) format. The camera 150 enables users to take pictures (i.e., images), which are saved in memory within the camera 150 as digital image data. After taking and storing the images, the user can connect the digital camera 150 to the information handling system 100 to upload the digital images to the non-volatile memory 106 of the information handling system 100. Alternately, the digital images may be provided directly to the printer 160. Once the digital images are uploaded to the information handling system 100, the user can erase the digital images from the memory of the camera 150 so that the user can take and store additional images using the camera 150. Typically, the camera 150 is connected to the information handling system 100 only while the user is uploading images to the non-volatile memory 106 of the information handling system 100.
After the digital images are stored on the information handing system 100, a user can perform various operations on the digital images. For example, an image viewer application enables viewing the images or a photo editor application enables modifying or touching-up of the images. Also, an electronic messaging (e.g., e-mail) application enables transmission of the digital images to other users.
Referring to
The processor 210 is also coupled to an audio controller 230. The audio controller is coupled to a microphone 232 as well as a speaker 234.
The processor 210 is also coupled to user interface buttons 240, memory 242, a media device 244 (e.g., a storage card), a universal serial bus connection 246 and a display controller 248. The display controller 246 is in turn coupled to a display 250 such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) type display.
The memory 242 includes both volatile memory such as synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) and non-volatile memory such as FLASH memory. An image preference file 260 is stored on the memory 244 and executed by the processor 210. The image preference file 260 enables the digital camera 150 provide print functions to a user via a camera interface presented on the display 250.
Referring to
In operation, a user initially places a memory card in a card slot of the printer 160 at step 320. The system 300 then determines whether the media device includes an image preference file at step 322. If the media device does not include an image preference file, then the printer creates such a file at step 324. The image preference file contains a list of options and option value settings that correspond to the particular printer 160. At some time thereafter, the media device is removed from the printer at step 326.
The card is then inserted into a digital camera 150 at step 330 during which the image preference file is transferred to the camera 150. The user then takes pictures with the camera at step 332. The user can then use a menu presented on the display 250 via the image preference file to select various options for each image to be printed at step 334.
The media device 244 is then inserted into the printer 160 again where the printer accesses the image preference file at step 322. The user is then prompted regarding whether to print the images on the media device at step 340. If the user instructs the printer to not print images, then the printer does nothing with the file and the printer is returned to a default user mode at step 342.
If the user indicates a desire to print images, then the printer reads the image preferences file and adjusts the settings of the printer according to the preferences set by the user via the camera 150 at step 350. Next, the images are printed according to the options selected by the user at step 352.
Next, the printer display presents a message asking the user if they would like to reset the file at step 360. If the user ignores the message or indicates a desire to leave the file as is, then the printer does nothing with the file at step 342. If the user chooses to reset the file, an empty image preference file is stored on the card at step 362. The empty (or default) image preference file thus writes over the image preference file that was associated with the pictures that were printed. Accordingly, the image preference file resets the printer settings and options to the default settings and options.
Referring to
The display 250 presents a screen presentation 420 based upon information stored within the image preference file 260. The image preference file presents a paper settings tab 450 as well as at least one options tab 452. The particular tab 450, 452 may be selected by the user actuating the select button 414 when the cursor is positioned over the tab.
The image preference file 260 also presents an image navigation portion 460. The image navigation portion 460 enables a user to scroll through the various images stored on the media device 244.
When selected, the paper settings tab 450 provides the user with a plurality of options relating to paper and print settings. For example, the user may select how many copies of the selected image to print, the paper size for the prints, the paper type for the prints, whether to print borderless prints and a size to crop the print. A user uses the user interface buttons 260 to select and change the various paper and print settings. These settings are then stored back to the image preference file 260 for later use by the printer 160. It will be appreciated that other paper and print settings may also be provided.
The present invention is well adapted to attain the advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein. While the present invention has been depicted, described, and is defined by reference to particular embodiments of the invention, such references do not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The invention is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those ordinarily skilled in the pertinent arts. The depicted and described embodiments are examples only, and are not exhaustive of the scope of the invention.
For example, other types of peripherals which can generate digital images (e.g., personal digital assistants (PDAs), video cameras, telephones, etc.) are contemplated.
Also for example, the above-discussed embodiments include software modules that perform certain tasks. The software modules discussed herein may include script, batch, or other executable files. The software modules may be stored on a machine-readable or computer-readable storage medium such as a disk drive. Storage devices used for storing software modules in accordance with an embodiment of the invention may be magnetic floppy disks, hard disks, or optical discs such as CD-ROMs or CD-Rs, for example. A storage device used for storing firmware or hardware modules in accordance with an embodiment of the invention may also include a semiconductor-based memory, which may be permanently, removably or remotely coupled to a microprocessor/memory system. Thus, the modules may be stored within a computer system memory to configure the computer system to perform the functions of the module. Other new and various types of computer-readable storage media may be used to store the modules discussed herein. Additionally, those skilled in the art will recognize that the separation of functionality into modules is for illustrative purposes. Alternative embodiments may merge the functionality of multiple modules into a single module or may impose an alternate decomposition of functionality of modules. For example, a software module for calling sub-modules may be decomposed so that each sub-module performs its function and passes control directly to another sub-module.
Consequently, the invention is intended to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims, giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects.
