Personal digital assistant (PDA) printer apparatus and printing method

A Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) printer and printing method. The printer includes a user interface that allows a user, through a display, to select a fax note which is stored in memory, insert/remove fax headers, set margins, and input fax transmission instructions. The printer includes a memory that stores fax notes fax header insertion/removal instructions, and fax note margin instructions. The printer also includes a processor that initializes a fax modem and sets an environment for fax transmission to a receiving fax machine upon input of the fax transmission instructions. The processor also inserts and removes a fax header based on information stored in the header information flag when fax transmission is ready, reads fax header data and the fax note and margin information and generates bit map image data. The processor also converts the bit map image data into a data format for fax transmission, transmits the data converted by the data format converter, and terminates fax connection when data is completely transmitted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to a personal digital assistant (PDA), and
 more particularly, to a PDA printer and a printing method containing a
 display capable of displaying characters and graphic data, a fax modem
 capable of transmitting and receiving fax data, and a memory capable of
 storing data.
 2. Description of the Related Art
 As society becomes more complex and diversified, user demands for data
 communication services also become diversified. These demands have been
 satisfied through developments in data communication technology. In this
 context, the PDA has emerged. The PDA, serving as a portable computer,
 fax, and electronic pocket book, is so named because it provides personal
 and multimedia services which incorporate recent data communication
 technology. The PDA enables a user to easily access a small and portable
 terminal using a pen or voice, instead of a conventional keyboard, and
 provides a graphic user interface (GUI) environment. In addition, the PDA
 serves as a notebook computer which allows external communication.
 Data communication, including Internet connection, PSTN connection to an
 information media like UNITEL, and fax communication, has recently become
 the most significant function of the PDA.
 Generally, PDA fax transmission is performed by means of a simple note made
 on a memo pad included in the PDA. In a conventional PDA, a note is
 printed by direct connection to a printer or by using fax transmission.
 However, the former method requires a driver program for driving the
 printer, which results in development constraints upon the driver program
 and portable printer. Therefore, the latter method is used.
 However, because the purpose of conventional fax transmission is simply to
 transmit a note by fax, it is inconvenient to transmit a formal document
 and utilize fax transmission for printing. Header output such as reception
 time, fax number, and page number on the upper portion of a fax note
 creates inconvenience to a user.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The objective of the present invention is to provide a PDA printer and a
 printing method in which a fax transmission function is improved by
 outputting a note without a header, as if the note were printed by a
 printer.
 To meet this objective, a PDA printer has been developed which contains a
 display capable of displaying characters and graphic data, a fax modem
 capable of transmitting and receiving fax data, and a memory capable of
 storing data, that comprises:
 a user interface through the display that allows a user to select a fax
 note which is stored in the memory, insert/remove a fax header, set
 margins, and input fax transmission instructions;
 a fax note storage for storing the fax note selected by the user;
 a header information flag for storing fax header insertion and removal
 instructions provided by the user;
 a margin information storage for storing fax note margin instructions
 provided by the user;
 a fax connection setter for initializing the fax modem for fax transmission
 and setting an environment for fax transmission to a receiving fax machine
 upon input of the fax transmission instructions;
 a fax header information controller for inserting or removing a fax header
 based on information stored in the header information flag when fax
 transmission is ready;
 a bit map image generator for reading fax header data inserted by the fax
 header information controller, and the fax note and margin information
 from the fax note storage and the margin information storage, and
 generating bit map image data;
 a data format converter for converting the bit map image data into a data
 format for fax transmission;
 a data transmitter for transmitting the data converted by the data format
 converter; and
 a fax connection releaser for terminating fax connection when data is
 completely transmitted by the data transmitter.
 A printing method has also been developed for a PDA which has a display
 capable of displaying characters and graphic data, a fax modem capable of
 transmitting and receiving fax data, and a memory capable of storing data.
 The printing method comprises the steps of:
 (a) providing a user interface through the display that allows a user to
 select a fax note stored in the memory, insert/remove a fax header, and
 set upper, lower, right, and left margins;
 (b) selecting one of an insertion and removal menu item provided by the
 user interface;
 (c) setting upper, lower, right, and left margins for a fax note through
 the user interface;
 (d) selecting a fax note to be transmitted through the user interface;
 (e) initializing the modem for fax transmission, setting an environment for
 fax connection to a receiving fax and preparing for transmission;
 (f) reading the selected header insertion/removal instructions, inserting a
 fax header if fax header insertion is indicated, converting the inserted
 fax header into bit map image data, converting the bit map image data into
 fax transmission data, and if fax header removal is indicated, the
 procedure goes to the next step without data transmission;
 (g) converting the note and the margin instructions into bit map image
 data, converting the bit map data image into fax transmission data, and
 transmitting the fax transmission data; and
 (h) terminating fax connection if the fax note is completely transmitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 Referring to FIG. 1, a PDA printer according to the present invention
 includes: a display 180 that displays characters and graphic data; a fax
 modem 160 that transmits and receives fax data; a memory 100 that stores
 data, and a processor 120 that processes data stored in the memory 100.
 Memory 100 includes: a fax note storage 102; a header information flag
 104; and a margin information storage 106. Processor 120 includes: a user
 interface 122; a fax connection setter 124; a fax header information
 controller 126; a bit map image generator 128; a data format converter
 130; a data transmitter 132; and a fax connection releaser 134.
 User interface 122 provides a user interface through display 180, for
 selecting a fax note which is stored in memory 100 and is to be
 transmitted by fax, inserting/removing a fax header, setting upper, lower,
 right, and left margins of the fax note, and receiving fax transmission
 instructions. Interface 122 enables a user to edit a note or output a note
 using a facsimile telegraph. For example, when a lease contract is to be
 output, a corresponding note is selected and interface 122 allows the user
 to determine whether to insert or remove a header before fax transmission.
 In addition, the user can set upper, lower, right, and left margins. The
 information selected by the user is stored in a flag register so that it
 can be referred to in a fax transmission module. After the user selects a
 note, the fax transmission instruction is issued.
 Fax note storage 102 stores a fax note which is selected for transmission
 by the user.
 Header information flag 104 stores header insertion or removal information
 provided by the user through user interface 122.
 Margin information storage 106 stores information regarding the upper,
 lower, right, and left margins for the fax note selected by the user
 through user interface 122.
 Fax connection setter 124 performs a predetermined initialization for
 receiving a fax upon input of the fax transmission instruction from user
 interface 122, sets the PDA to a fax transmission stand-by state for
 detecting a ring signal of the other part which receives a fax, and
 prepares for transmission by setting an environment for fax transmission.
 Fax header information controller 126 reads information stored in header
 information flag 104 and inserts or removes the fax header according to
 the flag information, when fax connection setter 124 is ready for fax
 transmission.
 Bit map image generator 128 reads fax header data inserted by fax header
 information controller 126, reads fax note and margin information from fax
 information storage 102 and margin information storage 106, and generates
 bit map image data.
 Data format converter 130 converts the bit map image data generated by bit
 map image data generator 128 into Modified Huffman (MH) codes which are a
 data format for fax transmission.
 Data transmitter 132 transmits the data converted in data format converter
 130.
 Fax connection releaser 134 terminates the fax connection when the data is
 completely transmitted by data transmitter 132, informs the receiving fax
 machine of the end of transmission, turns off the modem and returns an
 allocated memory when a confirm message is received from the other fax
 machine, and notifies the user via interface 122 that fax transmission has
 been completed.
 FIG. 2 is a flowchart outlining the operation of the PDA printer according
 to the present invention. Header information flag 104 is set to `NO` to
 indicate that no header information is needed and the upper, lower, right,
 and left margins of the fax note are set to 10, in step 200. Then, the fax
 header insertion or removal menu item provided through user interface 122
 is selected in step 210. If `HEADER NEEDED`, that is, `HEADER=YES`, is
 selected, the selected information is stored in header information flag
 104, in step 220. If `HEADER NOT NEEDED` is selected, the upper, lower,
 right, and left margin items are selected through user interface 122 in
 step 230, and the selected margin information is stored in margin
 information storage 106, in step 240. A fax note to be transmitted is
 selected through user interface 122 and the selected fax note is stored in
 fax note storage 102, in step 250. Then, fax transmission is performed and
 the procedure ends, in step 260.
 FIG. 3 is a detailed flowchart outlining the operation of fax transmission
 step 260. First, fax connection setter 122 initializes the fax modem to
 transmit a fax, sets a transmission environment for fax connection to a
 receiving side, and prepares for transmission, in step 300. The fax
 initialization includes executing a modem initialization instruction and
 initializing buffers and flags which are used.
 If a fax connection to the receiving side is successfully completed in step
 300, the header insertion/removal information stored in header information
 flag 104 is read to determine whether a header is needed or not, in step
 320. In step 330, a fax header is inserted if the header information flag
 104 indicates that header information is required. In step 340, fax
 transmission is performed. If the header information flag 104 indicates
 that fax header insertion is not required, the procedure goes to the next
 step.
 After fax header insertion step 330, the fax note to be transmitted and the
 margin information are read from fax note storage 102 and margin
 information storage 106, respectively, in step 350, and transmitted in
 step 360. Steps 320 to 360 are repeated until there is no data to be
 transmitted, in step 370. If there is no data to be transmitted, the fax
 connection is released in step 380.
 FIG. 4 is a detailed flowchart of steps 340 and 360. In step 400, the
 inserted fax header and the stored note and margin information are
 converted into bit map image data in bit map image data generator 128. In
 step 410, the generated bit map image data is converted into fax
 transmission data in data format converter 132. In step 420, the converted
 data is transmitted via data transmitter 132.
 According to the present invention, when notes such as a customer
 specification, a temporary contract, and a customer consultation statement
 are to be output by fax, the notes can be printed by fax as if they were
 printed by a general printer, by removing header information in the upper
 portions of the notes.
 While only certain embodiments of the invention have been specifically
 described herein, it is apparent that numerous modifications may be made
 without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.