Patent Application
20050270578
The description herein relates generally to print devices, and more particularly to print devices featuring a storage device.
As the value and use of information continue to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system (“IHS”) generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Some conventional print devices include removable storage devices that store, information (e.g., pictures and documents), which the print devices are capable of printing. With such print devices, an amount of user information that can be stored by the removable storage device is limited by the removable storage devices' storage capacities.
What is needed is a technique without the disadvantage discussed above.
Accordingly, a print device including a removable storage device is disclosed. The print device also includes a fixed storage device operable to be coupled to the removable storage device. The storage device further includes a print engine operable to be coupled to the removable storage device and the fixed storage device.
A method of operating a print device that includes a print engine, a removable storage device, and a fixed storage device coupled to the removable storage device, is also disclosed. The method includes storing, on the fixed storage device, information stored by the removable storage device.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is an information handling system (“IHS”). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, IHS's often vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. Such variations in IHS's allow for IHS's to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHS's include a variety of hardware and software components that are for processing, storing, and communicating information. Also, IHS's often include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
For purposes of this disclosure, an IHS includes 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. Example of an IHS include, personal computer (“PC”), a network storage device, personal digital assistant, or any other suitable device with variations in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. An IHS also includes other components such as, random access memory (“RAM”), one or more processing resources (e.g., central processing unit (“CPU”)), hardware or software control logic, read only memory (“ROM”), other types of memory, one or more disk drives, one or more network interfaces, one or more input/output devices and/or one or more buses.
The chipset 110 further acts as a controller for main memory 115 which is coupled thereto. The chipset 110 also acts as an input/output (“I/O”) controller hub (ICH) which performs I/O functions. A USB controller 170 is coupled to chipset 110 so that devices such as a print device 175 can be connected to the chipset 110 and the processor 105. Examples of the print device 175 include ink jet printers, laser printers, dot matrix printers, and other devices capable of printing information on a medium (e.g., paper or transparency). Although the print device 175 communicates with the IHS 100 via a USB interface in the illustrative embodiment, in other embodiments, the print device 175 communicates with the IHS 100 via another type of interface such as serial, parallel, FireWire, and/or any other suitable connection interface. A system basic input-output system (“BIOS”) 140 is coupled to chipset 110 as shown. The BIOS 140 is stored in CMOS or FLASH memory so that it is nonvolatile.
A local area network (LAN) controller 145, alternatively called a network interface controller (NIC), is coupled to the chipset 110 to facilitate connection of the IHS 100 to other IHSs. A media driver controller 150 is coupled to chipset 110 so that devices such as media drives 155 can be connected to the chipset 110 and the processor 105. Examples of the media devices 155 capable of being coupled to the media controller 150 include CD-ROM drives, DVD drives, hard disk drives and other fixed or removable media drives. An expansion bus 120, such as a PCI bus, PCI Express bus, serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) bus or other bus is coupled to the chipset 110 as shown. The expansion bus 120 includes one or more expansion slots (not shown) for receiving expansion cards which provide the IHS 100 with additional functionality.
The print device 175 includes a print engine 202. The print engine 202 includes one or more apparatuses for performing the print operation of the print device 175. Accordingly, for each of the printer types discussed above, the apparatuses included by the print engine 202 vary. In one example, for a liquid ink jet printer, the print engine 202 includes apparatuses such as a print head and one or more ink cartridges for delivering ink on to a surface of a paper. In another example, for a laser printer, the print engine 202 includes apparatuses such as a toner, laser unit, a photoreceptor drum, and a fuser for using electrostatic charges to print on a printable medium.
The print device 175 also includes a USB interface 214 coupled to the print engine 214 for coupling the print device 175 to the USB controller 170 of the IHS 100. Via the USB interface 214, the print device 175 communicates with (e.g., outputs information to and receives information from) the IHS 100. Accordingly, the print device 175 is capable of printing information received from the IHS 100.
Moreover, the print device 175 includes a removable storage device 206, which is coupled to the print engine 206. Examples of the removable storage device 206 include a Compact Flash card device (Compact Flash is a trademark of the Compact Flash Association), a Smart Media card device (SmartMedia is a trademark of Toshiba Corp.), a Memory Stick device (Memory Stick is a trademark of Sony Corp.), a MultiMediaCard (“MMC”) device (MultiMediaCard is a trademark of Infineon Technologies AG), and any other storage device that is capable of reading information from and/or storing information to a suitable removable storage medium. For each of the removable storage devices discussed above as examples, removable storage device 206 includes the device's respective removable storage medium.
Referring again to
On the fixed storage device 210, a user is capable of storing information such as pictures and text documents. In one example, the user is capable of transferring files from the removable storage device 206 to the fixed storage device 210, and vice versa. Accordingly, the print device 175 is operable by the user to store, on the fixed storage device 210, information that is stored by the removable storage device 206. The print device 175 is also operable to store, on the removable storage device 206, information that is stored by the fixed storage device 210.
Also, on the fixed storage device 210, the print device 175 is operable by the user to store information received from the IHS 100. Moreover, the print device 175 is operable to output information stored by the fixed storage device 210 to the IHS 100.
Although, the print device 175 is capable of operating while coupled to the IHS 100, the print device 175 is also capable of operating while not coupled to the IHS 100. For example, while operating independently of the IHS 100, the print device 175 is operable to print information stored by the fixed storage device 210 and/or the removable storage device 206.
The camera 500 also includes a storage device 506. The storage device is a fixed storage device (e.g., a fixed storage device that is substantially similar to the fixed storage device 210 of
Referring again to
In at least one embodiment, the print device 175 of
At the step 604, the user operates the print device 175 so that the print device 175 prints information directly from the storage medium or the peripheral device 418. After the step 604, the operation continues to a step 606.
At the step 606, the user operates the print device 175 so that, on the fixed storage device 210, the fixed storage device 310, or the fixed storage device 410, the print device 175 stores the information that was printed in the step 604. After the step 606, the operation continues to a step 608.
At the step 608, the user erases from the removable medium or the peripheral device 418 (or a storage device of the peripheral device 418), the information that was printed at the step 604. However, because the print device 175 stored the information on the fixed storage device 210, the fixed storage device 310, or the storage device 410 as discussed above, the user is still able to access the information later.
Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure. Also, in some instances, some features of the embodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be constructed broadly and in manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.
