US 5,927,872 A · Handy printer system

Abstract

A system and a method of printing an image represented by a frame of image data utilize a hand-held printer having optical sensors for tracking positions of the hand-held printer relative to the surface of a print medium during a printing process. The change in position of the hand-held printer during the printing process is monitored in real time using navigation information generated by the optical sensors. Each optical sensor contains an array of optoelectronic elements to capture images of the surface of a print medium at fixed time intervals. Preferably, the optical sensors can detect slight pattern variations on the print medium, such as paper fibers or illumination patterns formed by highly reflective surface features and shadowed areas between raised surface features. These features can then be used as references for determining the position and the relative movement of the hand-held printer. During the printing process, the printed portions of the image can also be used as reference positions by the hand-held printer. In the preferred embodiment, the hand-held printer contains a navigation processor and a printer driver. Using the printer driver, the navigation processor drives the hand-held printer to print segments of the image onto a print medium as the hand-held printer travels across the print medium during a printing process. Each segment of the image is printed onto a particular location on the print medium to form a composite of the image.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A hand-held printing system for printing an image onto a print medium comprising:

a printer housing;
interface means affixed to said printer housing for receiving data representative of said image to be printed;
optical means affixed to said printer housing for forming navigation information that is responsive to optically imaged surface variations during non-linear navigation of said printer housing along said print medium, thereby generating non-linear navigation information, said optical means having an output indicative of two-dimensional positions of said printer housing relative to said print medium;
a supply of print-forming material;
and
print means for depositing said print-forming material onto said print medium in a sequence that is responsive to said non-linear navigation information and in an image pattern that is responsive to said data.

3 more elements

A printing system comprising:

a printer housing;
an input/output port attached to said printer housing for establishing a connection with an external device;
a printing mechanism contained within said printer housing, said printing mechanism having a print-forming region at an exterior surface of said printer housing to form an image onto an external surface in response to a two-dimensional movement of said printing mechanism with respect to said external surface;
and
an optical sensor having an array of optoelectronic elements located on said printer housing for monitoring pattern variations on said external surface, said optical sensor generating navigation information indicative of non-linear navigation of said print-forming region with respect to said external surface on which said image is to be printed, said optical sensor being operatively associated with said printing mechanism such that said printing mechanism is responsive to said navigation information and such that printing onto said external surface is in a sequence that is determined by said non-linear navigation information.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Handy printer system

Life of this patent

Handy printer system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19