Abstract:
A portable printer which can be removably attached to a variety of models and types of portable devices, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), cell phones, or other terminal devices. The portable devices can be attached to the portable printer via a clip-on adapter, thereby providing a universal clip-on printer. The adapter can take on a variety of shapes to hold the device and is unique for the model and type of each portable device, and contains mating electronic interconnectivity to electrically, wirelessly, or optically connect the portable device to the portable printer to enable communication between the portable device and the portable printer. The portable device connected to the portable printer can operate the portable printer in a controlling relationship.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/338,870, filed Dec. 7, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to printers, particularly miniature portable printers which can be hand-held, and which printers are adapted to be physically and electrically connected to a plurality of different models and types of portable data handling or communication devices, sometimes called personal devices, because of their small size which enables the devices to be hand-held and/or carried in a user&#39;s pocket. Such portable devices include personal digital assistants and miniature personal computers (both usually called PDAs), cellular telephones, and other terminal and display devices. The printer is provided in accordance with the invention with a mounting mechanism which functions as an adapter to enable removable attachment of the portable device to the printer and operation therewith. Since the mounting mechanism provides a removable attachment for the portable device, it is referred to herein for convenience as a “clip-on”, and the printer may be called a “clip-on printer”. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The printers, which are embodied in the invention, may be miniature, portable printers which have been used on factory floors, in warehouses, and in retail establishments for ticket printing and inventory control. For example, such portable printers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,004,053, 5,806,993, and 5,267,800, and in the Monarch Model 6015 and 6017 printer data sheets. These printers print indicia, such as text, barcodes, or graphics, on media, such as adhesive-back label stock or paper, from a roll in the printer&#39;s housing. Being miniature, such portable printers, compared to heavier stationary or briefcase printers, are of a small weight and size to be easily carried, worn by a user. 
   Portable printers may be attached to portable devices, such as terminals or Personal Data Assistant (PDA), such as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,270,271, 5,816,725, 5,209,583, and 4,881,839. However, these portable printers are limited for use with a particular model or type of portable device, and have no facility for allowing a user to easily attach different models, types, or kinds of portable devices for use with the printer. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a portable printer easily attachable to different models, types, or kinds of portable devices. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable printer that attaches to a variety of different models, types, or kinds of portable devices via interchangeable adapters. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable printer attachable to one of a variety of portable devices by providing an adapter that releasibly attaches the portable device to the portable printer to enable the portable device to connect with the portable printer such that portable printer can operate responsive to the portable device. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable printer attachable to one of a variety of different portable devices which can utilize data entry facilities provided in the housing of the portable printer. 
   It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a portable printer attachable to one of a variety of different portable devices which can utilize communication facilities, such by radio (RF) or infrared (IR), provided in the housing of the portable printer. 
   Briefly described, the invention embodies a universal clip-on portable printer having a print engine with a housing, and one of multiple adapters releasibly attached to the housing, where each of the adapters is capable of connecting a different model, type, or kind of portable device for communication with the portable printer. Portable devices may represent a Personal Data Assistant (PDA), cell phone, portable data handling terminal, or hand-holdable computer or data processing unit. Each adapter is shaped to hold the model, type, or kind of portable device for use with the adapter, and contains mating electronic interconnectivity to electrically, wirelessly, or optically connect the portable device to the portable printer to enable communication between the portable device and the portable printer. A portable printer equipped with such an adapter may be called a universal clip-on printer as it is attachable to different portable devices by either using the same adapter with portable devices of similar model and type, or interchanging the adapter with different adapters for different models, types, or kinds of portable devices. The portable device so attached to the portable printer can operate the portable printer in a controlling relationship to print indicia, such as text, barcodes, or graphics. 
   When a portable device is connected to the portable printer, the portable printer can determine the type of portable device connected to the printer and whether the portable device has the proper driver software for enabling communication with the portable printer. If needed, the portable printer can transmit such driver software into memory of the portable device to enable the portable device to communicate with the portable printer, or a user may load driver software to the portable device, such as by using a personal computer system typically programmed to communicate with the portable device when coupled or docked thereto. 
   The portable printer may have one or more data entry facilities to provide information that may be communicated to the portable device when attached to the portable printer. For example, data entry facilities may represent IR circuitry, magnetic card reader, smart card reader/writer, RFID Tag reader/writer, image scanner, or radio (RF), which may optionally be present in the housing of the portable printer. Further, the portable device may communicate with the portable printer using such radio or IR enabled facilities, and the portable device may utilize said communication facilities of the portable printer to communicate with devices other than the printer. 
   A method is also provided by the present invention for a universal clip-on portable printer by: attaching a portable device adapter to a portable printer; locating a portable device in the adapter to provide one of electrical, RF, or optical connection between the portable device and the printer; determining the type of portable device in the adapter, and communicating commands and data between the portable device and printer in accordance with the type of portable device. When a user desires to use a different portable device which necessitates the use of another adapter, the method further provides: replacing the adapter with a different adapter for attachment of the different portable device to the portable printer; locating the different portable device in the different adapter; and repeating the determining and communicating steps with the different portable device. Optionally, the portable device may be located in the adapter when the adapter is attached (or clipped onto) the portable printer. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view of a universal clip-on printer according to the present invention showing a portable device attached to the printer; 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are exploded view of the universal clip-on printer of  FIG. 1  from a top and bottom perspective, respectively, with the portable device of  FIG. 1  removed from the printer; 
       FIG. 2  is the universal clip-on printer of  FIG. 1  with another portable device adapter; 
       FIG. 2A  is an exploded view of the universal clip-on printer of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 3  is another view of the universal clip-on printer of  FIG. 1  showing the media cover in an open position; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic, block diagram of the universal clip-on printer in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 4A  is a flow-chart showing the software in the printer which adapts the universal clip-on printer to operate with the portable device attached thereto; and 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric exploded view of the universal clip-on printer of  FIG. 1  from a different perspective. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  1 A,  1 B and  3 , a portable printer  8  provides a common print engine  10  having a housing  11  with a print head  12 , a power indicator LED (light emitting diode)  14 , an online/status LED  15 , a media cover  16 , a media cover hinge  17 , a universal docking connector  18  ( FIG. 1A ), a battery  19  ( FIG. 3 ), a platen  21  ( FIG. 3 ), a media cover release latch  22 , and a portable device adapter  20  fixably mounted stationary to housing  11  and releasably there from. The portable device adapter  20  represents a cradle, sled, clip, or other portable device holder having a housing shaped to receive a portable device  24  and clip-on attach to housing  11 . As best shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  with the adapter  20  detached from the housing  11  and the portable device  24  removed, portable device adapter  20  interfaces with the portable device  24  via a device docking connector  26  (e.g., pins or contacts) which mates with the input/output (I/O) connector(s) or port of the portable device  24 . 
   Connector  26  may be located in the interior of the adapter  20  on either on the top  28 , bottom  29  (along bottom surface  29   a ), sides  30  (along side surfaces  30   a ), or back wall  31  (along surface  31   a ) of the adapter, depending on the I/O connector orientation of the portable device  24 . The adapter  20  may contain an optional detenting latch or hook  32  which can be received in a ledge or groove along the portable device&#39;s housing to prevent the portable device from falling out of the adapter  20  if inverted, or accidentally jarred. However, other latching means may be used to retain the portable device  24  in adapter  20  depending on whether the portable device has hook(s), slots, or tracks, to be received in corresponding groove(s) or ridge(s) which may be provided along the adapter&#39;s interior. The portable device  24  can be a PDA, cell phone, or other portable terminal, such as the Hewlett Packard Journada Model 500 series, Compaq Model iPAQ, Symbol Model SPT-2800, Nokia, Ericsson, or Motorola cell phones. The adapter  20  may be provided by a single piece of molded plastic. The portable device adapter  20  provides the mounting mechanism or “clip-on” for the portable printer. Together, the common print engine  10  and portable device adapter  20  weigh less than two pounds. 
   Within the housing  11  of common print engine  10  is contained the printer electronics  34  and printer mechanism. The printer mechanism includes print head  12  and a motor for driving platen roller  21  to advance the media across the print head  12 , upon which media, indicia, such as text, graphics, or barcodes may be printed. Media access cover (or door)  16 , to which the platen roller  21  is mounted, permits easy loading of the various media. The media is usually in the form of a roll, which is contained in housing  11 . The housing  11  may further have windows  16   a , such as of plastic, coupled to sides of cover  16  as shown best in  FIG. 5 . 
   The print engine  10  is referred to as a common print engine in that it can be connected to different portable devices  24  by the use of an adapter  20  appropriate for connecting the portable device to the printer  8 . Thus, depending on the portable device  24 , different ones of adapter  20  may be used having the appropriate interface connector  26  for communication with the portable device  24 . However, a single adapter  20  may be used with different portable devices  24  of similar model having the same I/O connector(s) or port for mating with interface connector  26 . The device docking connector  26  is connected to an adapter docking connector  27 , such as by either a flex cable, or printed circuit board fastened to the portable device adapter  20 . Either connection means may be provided along a recess or housed in a compartment at end  20   a  of the adapter  20 , or other similar connection means may be used for proper electrical connection between the connectors  26  and  27 . 
   The adapter connector  27  is located along the outer surface  29   b  of bottom wall  29  so that when the adapter  20  is attached to the print engine  10 , as described below, surface  29   b  lies adjacent and facing the upper surface  11   a  of housing  11 , and universal docking connector  18  aligns and mates with the corresponding adapter docking connector  27 . Although the connectors  18 ,  26 , and  27  are shown as physical (electrical-based) connections, connector  26  may be an optical connector for communication to an optical port of the portable device  24 , such as by IR (Infrared) light, or connectors  18  and  27  may be optical connectors enabling communication by IR light. 
   As best shown in  FIG. 1B , the adapter  20  is attached or mounted to the print engine&#39;s housing  11  by latch keys  36  extending from the outer surface  29   b  of bottom wall  29  of adapter  20  towards housing  11 . The portable device adapter  20  is affixed to the print engine  10  by aligning and inserting the latch keys  36  into key slots  37  of housing  11 . Each slot  37  has an opening (or first slot)  37   a  sized to receive the base  36   a  of key  36 , such that the key  36  may be pushed into a narrower opening (or second narrow slot)  37   b  which extends from opening  37   a  to capture the neck  36   b  of key  36 . Although four slots  37  are shown for receiving a corresponding number of keys, other number of, or different oriented slots and corresponding keys may be used. Such mounting means enables the adapter  20  to be easily removable from housing  11  and replaced with another adapter. An optional detecting latch  38  may be provided on the adapter  20  which can be aligned and coupled to an extending portion or bump  39  from housing  11 . 
   As stated earlier, the universal docking connector  18  aligns and mates with the corresponding adapter docking connector  27  when the adapter  20  is attached to print engine  10 . Thus, when the portable device  24  is inserted in adapter  20 , the device docking connector  26  aligns and mates with the I/O connector(s) of the portable device  24 , thereby enabling the portable device  24  to communicate with the print engine  10  via docking connectors  18 ,  26  and  27 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 2A , a common print engine  10  is depicted with another portable device adapter  20   a  mounted to provide portable printer  8 . The portable device adapter latch keys  36  are depicted which insert into the key slots  37  when the adapter  20   a  is docked to the common print engine  10 , such as described earlier for device adapter  20 . The adapter  20   a  may be made by a single piece of molded plastic, or a two-piece assembly  40 ,  41  of molded plastic. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , a diagram of printer electronics  34  is shown having a microprocessor or micro-controller  35  connected to a power source, such as battery  19 , optional image (or barcode) scanner  42 , power indicator LED  14  and status indicator LED  15 , power management circuits  43 , paper sensor circuits  44 , printer mechanism control circuits  45 , optional additional memory  46 . The microprocessor and micro-controller  35  is referred to hereinafter as controller  35 . The optional input circuits which may be provided in housing  11  to facilitate data entry into the portable device  24  include: an IR circuit  48 , magnetic card reader circuit  49 , smart card reader/writer  50 , radio (RF interface and antenna)  51 , and an RFID Tag reader/writer  47 . The radio  51  can be a short-range radio such as a Bluetooth type radio supplied by Ericsson, or a long-range wireless LAN (Local Area Network) radio adhering to the 802.11a or 802.11b type standards such as the Cisco Model 350 or Symbol Spectrum  24 . Radio  51  or IR circuitry  48  may provide communication with other devices, such as a remote computer or server. Also, radio  51  and IR circuits  48  may provide an alternative input/output communication means for use by the portable device  24  through controller  35  when the portable device is attached to the portable printer via adapter  20 . The RFID Tag reader/writer  47  may be such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,401, which is herein incorporated by reference. The magnetic or smart card readers may be used to input credit card or smart card information. The printer mechanism control circuits  45  are connected to the printer mechanism  52 , which contains print head  12 , stepper motor, and platen  21 . The controller  35  is connected to universal docking controller  18 . 
   The software of the portable printer  8  may be in accordance with  FIG. 4A  to enable the detection of different universal docking connectors  18  ( FIG. 4 ). The electronics  34  run similar printer software to that currently used to operate printers as for example, described in the above referenced patents and publications. The electronics  34  may be the same as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,800 or 5,806,993, which are herein incorporated by reference. The cover, platen roller, and driving of the platen roller to advance paper from a roll of paper may be as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,053, which is herein incorporated by reference. The media cover release latch  22  may be the same as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/035,496, filed Nov. 9, 2001. 
   The universal docking connector  18  may be constructed of physical contacts, such as conductive metal contacts, such as of copper. For example, universal docking connector  18  may represent spring-biased contacts sold by Bourns, Inc., Riverside Calif., under Model No. 70ADM, and mates with contacts of adapter docking connector  27  which may be of Model No. 70ADF. Universal docking connector  18  may have seven contacts as shown in  FIG. 1A , for mating with a corresponding number of contacts of adapter docking connector  27  as shown in  FIG. 1B , but other number of contacts may be used for these connectors. For instance, three contacts on the universal docking connector can be reserved to define the type of portable device adapter, allowing the software to select up to eight (8) possible portable devices. Depending on whether or not the individual contacts are set to a logical 0 or logical 1 state, usually controlled by either a pull-down resistor, pull-up resistor, or programmable register on the portable device adapter board, the portable device can be identified by controller  35 . The controller  35  may also use query commands to the portable device  24  (or to electronics on the adapter board, if present) which can respond with the type of portable device (or an identifier associated with the type and/or model) of the portable device for use with the adapter. 
   Alternatively, universal docking connector  18  may utilize optical connections, such as infrared light, and optical interface communication protocol. For example, a common optical interface uses IrDA (Infrared Data Association) protocol to communicate with a portable device  24 , which has a similar IrDA communications port, where connectors  26  and  27  also utilize optical connections. 
   Software running on the controller  35  can either read the status of the contacts or query the optical or physical connections, and enable the appropriate printer driver based on these contact settings or information identifying the portable device. The portable device  24  has a software driver operating on the printer to provide an interface, via an input means of the portable device, to the print engine  10  for enabling the user to control operation of the print engine. For example, such input means may be a graphics user interface having a display (e.g., touch screen) and/or keypad, or microphone (voice input), or radio, or other typical input means for a portable device of a PDA, cell phone, or other data handling terminal. Thus, the portable device can operate as a host system or terminal for the printer. If the printer software driver is not installed, the printer software driver can be transmitted to the portable device via the universal docking connector  18 , where it is then runs on the portable device to control printing. Different software drivers may be loaded in memory of the printer for the different portable device types. The controller  35  can send information to the print head for printing on paper from the roll, in response to commands and data received from the portable device  24  when coupled to the printer  10  via adapter  20 . Further, the controller  35  can send information to the portable device  24 , such as image or decoded bar code data, or data received by any of the optional data entry facilities  42 ,  47 – 50 , which may be displayed to the user via the display of the portable device  24 . Such data entry facilities may represent optional peripherals that can be used to input data to the portable device  24 , and in the case of facilities  47 – 50 , provide data output from the portable device  24 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4A , a flow chart is shown for the software in the print engine  10  for adapting the portable printer to operate with portable devices of various types, kinds, or models. With the adapter  20  mounted to the print engine  10 , as described earlier, and the portable device  24  inserted in the adapter  20 , the controller  35  reads the contact status or queries the portable device to identify the device type (step  53 ). This may occur when the printer is turned on. The read contact status may be compared to a look-up table in memory of controller  35  or memory  46  for associating the read contact status with the type of portable device  24 , and to identify the software driver needed to be installed for enabling communication with the portable device  24 . If a query command is used, the portable device  24  sends its device type to the controller  35  in response to the query command. If the device type is not valid, i.e., not found in the look-up-table (step  54 ), the controller ignores any commands or data which may have been received via universal docking connector  18  (step  55 ), or other communication interface (IR  48  or RF  51 ), and sets an error flag (step  56 ). If the portable device type is valid (step  54 ), the controller  35  checks the software loaded in the portable device  24  to determine if the printer driver software is installed (step  57 ). If installed, the print engine controller  35  is ready to accept print commands and data from the portable device  24  (step  58 ). If the printer driver software is not installed on the portable device  24  (step  57 ), software is transmitted (downloaded), such as using a PC software installation disk on a personal computer system typically programmed to communicate with the portable device, when coupled or docked thereto, such that the proper driver software for the portable device may be selected, transmitted and installed on the portable device (step  59 ). Alternatively at step  59 , the driver software may be transmitted from memory of the printer by controller  35  (or requested by controller  35  as file(s) downloaded from a host computer server, via IR  48  or RF  51  communication interface, or cable connector of the print engine) to the portable device. This accounts for different portable devices possibly needing different software drivers installed for enabling operation with the print engine  10  and for the print engine  10  to account for any differences in communication protocols between different portable devices. Once software is installed, the controller  35  at step  60  verifies that the device type is operational (e.g., receives command and data of a test print). If the device type verifies, the controller  35  is ready to accept print commands and data from the portable device  24  (step  58 ), otherwise, the controller  35  retries transmitting the driver software at step  59  for a maximum (max) number of retries (step  61 ) and reports an error message (step  62 ). The max number of retries is a variable stored in memory of the controller  35  or memory  46  of the printer. For example, the maximum number of retries may be three. If after a max number of retries the device type does not verify, an error flag is set (step  56 ). If the error flag is set, the controller  35  may notify the user of the problem via status LED&#39;s. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , the common print engine  10  houses the battery  19 , optional image scanner  42 , and media roll  66 . The optional image scanner  42  can capture images via a window  64  located in an opening in the housing, and decode images, such as barcodes. Image scanner  42  may be a 1D linear or 2D array scanner, for capturing barcodes or graphics. As stated earlier, it can be used to facilitate data input to the portable device  24  when connected to the printer  10  via adapter  20  appropriate for the portable device. For example, image scanner  42  may be the Symbol model SE923, a charged coupled device (CCD), such as the Sony model ICX205P, Hand Held Products IT4000, or CMOS sensor with light source. The image scanner  42  can be activated using the optional scanner trigger  65 . The housing  11  may have a lower housing section  11   b  and an upper housing section  11   c  which covers the lower housing section, and attached thereto by screws through holes  11   e  and molded threaded holes  11   d . The cover  16  is pivotally connected by a hinge  17  ( FIG. 1 ) to the lower housing section  11   b  to enable an operator to load a roll  66 , such that the motor driven platen roller  21  can advance paper from the roll across the print head. The adapter  20  mounts via keys into slots, as described earlier, along the upper housing section  11   c , thereby providing a facility for use with portable devices  24  via adapters  20  for the type and model of the portable device. 
   To use the print engine  10  with a different model, type, or kind of portable device  24 , the user removes the adapter  20  from attachment to the print engine&#39;s housing  11  and replaces it with a different adapter  20  suitable for the different portable device  24 . This may be easily achieved by the user pushing the adapter  20  in the direction of arrow  6  ( FIG. 1 ) to position each of keys  36  from narrow slot opening  37   b  to extending opening  37   a  to release the adapter from the print engine  10 . The adapter is then replaced with the different adapter  20  for the different portable device  24  to be used with the printer by locating the keys  36  of the adapter in slot openings  37   a , and pushing the adapter in the direction of arrow  7  ( FIG. 1 ) to position the neck  36   b  of each of the keys in slot openings  37   b , thereby mounting the adapter  20  to the print engine  10 . Each of the adapters  20 , although for different portable devices, has similar keys  36  (and optional detenting latch(es) and adapter docking connector  27  for releasable attachment to and electrical connection with the print engine. A portable device  24  may be located or not located in an adapter  20  when the adapter is attached or detached from the print engine  10 . Prior art portable printers do not utilize an adapter to easily clip on and remove from a printer for adapting the printer for use with different types or models of portable devices (e.g., PDA&#39;s, cell phones, portable hand-held computers, terminals, and the like). 
   The portable printer  8  is thus adaptable for attachment to any portable device  24  by using one of the multiple adapters  20  for the particular portable device a user desires to use with the print engine  10 . Since the relatively inexpensive adapter  20  is the only part of portable printer  8  that requires redesign and retooling for different portable devices  24 , users upgrading to newer portable devices  24  can use the same printer engine by simply purchasing a less expensive adapter, rather than replacing the entire printer. Further, a portable printer is readily convertible into a universal clip-on printer  8  without redesigning the entire printer, thus providing portable printers with the advantageous feature of universal adaptability and connectivity to portable devices  24 . The portable printer  8  attached to portable device  24 , such as a stand-alone terminal, is suitable for use as a secure printing device for such applications as airline, retail, hospitality, inventory control, warehousing, and other portable printing applications. 
   In summary, a portable printer  8  has been provided which is automatically adaptable and removably connectable in controlled or controlling relationship with a selected one of several model, types, and kinds of portable devices  24 . The removable connectability is provided by adapters representing facilities that adapt the portable device to be mechanically and electrically attached to the printer engine  10 . The adapters  24  may differ for each kind, type or model of portable device  24  to be connected but are common to the printer. The adapter  20  may represent separate sleds or clips and are unique to each model, type, or kind of portable device  24 . Each portable device adapter  24  contains terminal-specific connectors and geometry, so that it can mount by either attaching to the top, bottom, or back surface of the portable device, which is to be attached in operating relationship with the printer. In addition, the adapter  20  contains the mating electrical connector(s)  27  to connector( 2 )  18  of the common print engine  10 . A multitude of adapters are provided all having the same docking feature, such as extending key members  26 , for releasable attachment to features, such as into slots  37 , of the common printer engine  10 . The adapter  20  can also include various electronics, such that the common printer engine software can automatically determine which portable device  24  is attached. Depending on the type of adapter that is attached, different printer driver software can be enabled. The portable device adapter  20  can be oriented to the common print engine  10 , such that the paper exits from the bottom, top, left, or right surface relative to the portable device  24 . 
   From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that there has been provided a universal clip-on portable printer having adapters enabling the printer to be attached for operation with different portable devices. Variations and modifications in the herein described portable printer in accordance with the invention will undoubtedly suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be taken as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.