Abstract:
A computer-connectable portable memory device is specifically adapted for storing digital data files for the purpose of transferring the files to other equipment and/or displaying the files. The device has program code permanently residing therein and causing the device to identify itself as a printer when connected to a multi-purpose computer.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No. 07103915.0, filed in the European Patent Office on Mar. 12, 2007, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a computer-connectable portable memory device that is specifically adapted for storing digital data files for the purpose of transferring the files to other equipment and/or displaying the files. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Background Art 
         [0005]    As an example of such a device, a memory stick, such as a USB stick, may be considered. As is known in the art, a USB stick may be physically connected to a computer, e.g. a personal computer, a laptop or the like, by plugging the same into a USB socket of the computer. When the stick is plugged in, this triggers a short log-on procedure wherein the computer detects and identifies the device that has been connected. To that end, the stick has permanently stored therein, e.g. on a ROM, a data item that identifies the type of the device. By reading the data item, the computer will recognize the type of device and will enter it into a list of connected devices. Other computer-connectable devices such as an external disk drive, a digital camera, a printer and the like are identified in a similar way. In case of a memory stick, the computer will identify the device as a mass storage device, and, typically, an icon representing that device will be displayed on a desktop screen of the computer. Then, a user may upload data files to the stick by means of drag-and-drop or by means of a save command, in the same manner as files are usually saved on an internal volume or folder on the computer. 
         [0006]    When the device is to be disconnected from the computer, it is common to enter an eject command before the device is physically disconnected. This makes sure that the device is logically disconnected from the computer in a defined manner. When the device is disconnected, the device is removed from the list of connected devices and its icon disappears from the desktop screen. 
         [0007]    Then, the memory stick may for example be plugged into another computer on which the files may then be downloaded. Thus, the memory stick is a useful tool for transferring digital files between computers that are not connected to a common network. 
         [0008]    In a publication of the applicant: Océ VarioPrint® 1055/1065/1075/2062/2075 “Océ Scan to Pocket Mailbox” and “Océ Print From Pocket Mailbox” (http://www.oceusa.com/main/view_media.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673371922&amp;FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id9852723696639482bmUID=1168357549484&amp;content_path=/media/Assets/PDFs/TSS/externalVP1000/Documentation/VP1055_QRS_IC_GB.pdf; 16.02.2007), a multifunctional printing, scanning and copying device (MFD) has been disclosed, which is equipped with a USB port, so that a USB stick of the type described above may be plugged into the MFD which will then treat the memory stick as a user mailbox from which the files stored on the stick may be printed. In this way, the storage device may be used for printing documents that have been stored or created on the computer. Thus, the storage device may be used as a tool for printing documents without having to connect the computer and the printer to a network, which will also circumvent many problems related to firewalls, access rules and the like. When the storage device is connected to the printer, the mailbox function may be used for interactively printing selected ones of the data files that are stored on the device. In a more straightforward approach, the printer might just interpret the data stored on the device as a print job and print them all when a print button of the printer has been pressed. 
         [0009]    In these cases; however, the data files to be printed must of course be stored on the memory stick in a printable format such as PDF, PostScript or PCL. Consequently, the user will have to convert the files into a printable format on his computer before he uploads the files onto the memory stick. This may for example be achieved by means of a “print to file” function that is frequently implemented in application software for computers. Thus, in order to store a file on the memory stick to print the same, the user may open the file with a suitable application software on his computer, enter a print command and select the option “print to file.” Then, after clicking the print button, the user will be prompted to designate a target volume where the file is to be saved, and he may then designate the memory stick as the target volume. 
         [0010]    Other examples of portable storage devices to which the present invention is applicable comprise palmtop computers, PDAs, smart phones, e-paper devices and the like. These devices may also be connected to a PC or laptop and possibly a printer by means of a USB connection or any other suitable wireline or wireless connection, e.g. Bluetooth, WLAN or the like. Some of these devices will have a display function for displaying the contents of the files that have been stored thereon. This is particularly the case for an e-paper device that is specifically designated to that purpose. In these cases; however, the files should have a format that suitably matches the specifications of the display of the portable device, especially the screen size, display resolution and the like. 
         [0011]    The document “User&#39;s Guide to Creating PDFs for the Sony® Reader,” published by Sony Electronics, Inc. (http://download.oreilly.com/make/PDFsforSONYreader.pdf; 16.02.2007) discloses a procedure for creating, on a personal computer, data files that are suitable for being displayed on the e-paper device (the reader). This procedure requires the user to make a number of suitable settings for adapting the file format to the specifications of the reader. 
         [0012]    U.S. Application Publication No. 2005/190399 A1 describes a memory device that has the form of a USB stick, which has permanently stored thereon an identification of a printer as well as printer driver for that printer. When the stick is plugged into the computer, it identifies itself as a USB device, and an auto run function automatically installs the printer driver. Documents to be printed will then be converted into a printable format in accordance with printer specifications included in the permanent memory on the stick, and the print file will be stored in the mass memory of the stick. When the USB device is disconnected from the computer, the printer driver will automatically be uninstalled again. Finally, when the stick is plugged into the specified printer, the print file may be printed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable storage device that is particularly suited for the purpose of printing and/or displaying digital data files and is easy to handle even for an inexperienced user. 
         [0014]    In order to achieve this object, the program code causes the device to identify itself as a printer that is adapted to be driven by a printer driver that may permanently be installed on the multi-purpose computer. 
         [0015]    Thus, when the device according to the present invention is connected to a computer such as a PC or a laptop, the computer will recognize the device as a printer of a specific type, not as a mass storage device. Then, when a printer driver that is compatible with that specific type of printer is already installed on the computer, the computer will enter the device into its list of connected printers. When this “printer” is selected for printing, the storage device will interact with the printer driver in the same manner as a true printer would do, with the only difference being that the files are not really printed but are just stored on the device in a printable format. 
         [0016]    Consequently, when a user runs a software application on his computer and wants to print a document from this application, but the computer is not connected to any real printer (e. g. when the computer is a laptop that is used during a travel on a train), the user may simply enter the print command in the software application, and then select the storage device as the “printer” in the print dialogue of the software application and click the print button, with the result that the file will automatically be converted into the printable format and stored on the memory device. Thus, from the view point of the user, the procedure is identical with a normal print operation, and the user is relieved from the burden of using the “print to file” option and designating a target volume. Further, this procedure can be applied even when no “print to file” option is available. 
         [0017]    Similarly, when the memory device is an e-paper device, and the user wants to upload a document to that device, he may simply use the normal print function and will not have to bother with any settings for converting the document into a suitable display format. In other words, the procedure of converting the file to the display format and designation of the target volume are replaced by the simple step of entering a print command, with suitable selection of the printer. 
         [0018]    With regard to the selection of the printer, it should be noted that most commercial application software, such as text processing software and the like, will store the printer that has been used earlier in the same application as the default printer, so that, when a subsequent document is to be uploaded to the memory device, the correct printer has been selected already and the procedure just consists of entering the print command. 
         [0019]    In the above description of the most general features of the present invention, it has been assumed that the suitable printer driver has already been installed on the computer, so that the device according to the present invention can only be used after the computer has been prepared therefor by installing the suitable printer driver. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention; however, the printer driver software is included on the memory device itself, and the device is configured to automatically install the printer driver when the device is connected to the computer. Of course, this installation step may be skipped when it is detected that the driver has been installed already. 
         [0020]    As another useful option, the memory device may be configured to define itself as the default printer in the log-on procedure. Then, when the memory device has been connected to the computer, all software applications on the computer will automatically print to the memory device unless the user selects another printer. Even more preferably, the device is configured to store the identity of the printer that was used as a default printer before the device was connected, and to re-establish the former default printer in the log-off procedure when the memory device is ejected. 
         [0021]    When the memory device according to the present invention is actually to be used for printing purposes, then, of course, the printer driver should be compatible with at least one available printer. This implies at least that the printable format to which the files are converted is a format that can be printed on the real printer. Further, the printer should be capable of appropriately interacting with the memory device when this device is connected to the printer. For this reason, the present invention also includes a combination of the memory device with a printer that is adapted to co-operate with that device. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the memory device may be offered as an accessory to the printer. 
         [0022]    Although the memory device identifies itself as a printer when connected to a multi-purpose computer, the real printer should recognize this device as a memory device from which the print files can be downloaded. To this end, the printer may be configured to ignore the identification of the memory device as a printer. As an alternative, the memory device may be configured to detect whether it is connected to a multi-purpose computer or to a printer and to identify itself as a printer only when connected to the computer. 
         [0023]    In a preferred embodiment, the memory device is configured to identify itself as both, the printer and a mass storage device (or a PDA, if the device is a PDA, and so on). Then, when the device is connected to the computer, it will be listed not only as a printer but also as a mass storage device, and a corresponding volume icon will appear on the desktop screen of the computer, so that the device may also be used for storing normal files, that need not be in a printable format, by means of a usual save operation or a drag-and-drop. Then, the memory device may provide two different storage areas, one for print files and one for other user documents. The ratio of the sizes of these two storage areas may be variable in accordance with the demand. This may simply be achieved by distinguishing the different types of files from one another by suitable extensions of the file names. Then, when the memory device is connected to the printer, the printer will “see” all the files that are stored on the device, and it will identify the print files by their file extension and will treat these files as a print queue or a user mailbox. 
         [0024]    In view of the print application and, especially, the printer mailbox function, it is preferable when the memory device is also capable of permanently storing personal data of the user, e.g. the user name, another identification or authentication token of the user, a password and the like, so that the device may be personalized for a specific user. The personal data may be entered in the course of an initializing routine, which may, for example, be called up automatically when the device is connected to a computer on which the printer driver has not yet been installed. Thus, the initializing routine may be integrated with the routine for installing the printer driver on the computer. 
         [0025]    When the device is connected to a printer having a mailbox function, the user identification may be used for identifying the mailbox, so that the user may select his mailbox on an operating panel of the printer. Then, the user may also choose to copy his mailbox from the memory device to a local memory of the printer. Further, the user identification may be used for accounting purposes in order to check whether the user is authorized to use the printer and to charge the user for the prints that he makes on the printer. In a more elaborate embodiment, the memory device may also be configured to store and manage a prepaid account of the user. 
         [0026]    A password may be stored for preventing others from getting access to the mailbox, if the memory device is lost. When the mailbox on the memory device is protected by a password, the associated printer, another PC or any other element connected to the device will open the mailbox only after the user has entered the password, e.g. on the operating panel of the printer. 
         [0027]    Further, the printer driver may include an option to encrypt the print files, preferably by means of an encryption code that is constructed in accordance with a specific algorithm from the password. Then, when the correct password is entered at the printer, the printer will decrypt the print files with a corresponding decryption code that is constructed from the password by a corresponding algorithm. 
         [0028]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0030]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a set of devices that are adapted to co-operate with one another in the framework of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  is an example of a data structure of a memory stick according to the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of a procedure that is carried out when a device according to the present invention is connected to and disconnected from a computer; 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of a procedure for storing a print file on the memory device; 
           [0034]      FIG. 5  is an example of a data structure for an e-paper device according to the present invention; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of a procedure for storing a file on the e-paper device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]    The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals will be used to identify the same or similar elements throughout the several views. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1  shows a laptop  10  as an example of a multi-purpose computer, a memory stick  12 , an e-paper device  14  and a printer  16 . 
         [0038]    The laptop  10  has a USB socket  18  where the memory stick  12  may be plugged in. When the memory stick is connected to the laptop  10  in this way, the computer reads data that is permanently stored on the memory stick and, on the basis of this data, the stick is recognized as a printer. In the example shown, the memory stick  12  is also recognised as a mass storage device, in addition to being recognized as a printer, and an icon  20  for a mass storage device appears on a desktop screen  22  of the laptop. 
         [0039]    The laptop  10  and the e-paper device  14  have respective interfaces, e.g. bluetooth interfaces, for establishing a wireless connection  30  therebetween. The e-paper device  14  has a display screen  32  for displaying documents that have been uploaded to the device in a suitable display format. 
         [0040]    The printer  16  may, for example, be a multifunctional device (MFD) for printing, scanning and copying, and has an operating panel  34  where a local user may enter control commands for the various print, scan, and copy functions. In addition, in this example, the printer  16  is equipped with a USB socket  36  and a bluetooth interface  38 , so that it may communicate and interact with both, the memory stick  12  and the e-paper device  14 . 
         [0041]    When the bluetooth connection  30  between the laptop  10  and the e-paper device  14  is established, suitable software that resides permanently in a memory of the e-paper device  14  will assure that the laptop  10  recognizes the e-paper device as a specific type of printer. The memory stick  12  and the e-paper device  14  will generally identify themselves as different types of printers but might also identify themselves as printers of the same type. 
         [0042]      FIG. 2  shows a data structure of the memory stick  12 , which permits this memory stick to act as a memory device according to the present invention. The memory stick  12  comprises a read only memory (ROM) that is represented in  FIG. 2  by boxes with a double frame, and a random access memory (RAM) that is represented by boxes with a single frame. The ROM contains data that are programmed during production of the memory stick and remain permanently on the stick, whereas the RAM contains data that may be changed by a user. 
         [0043]    The ROM contains a data block  38  with data and/or program code for a log on procedure. This data is read by the laptop  10  when the memory stick is connected thereto and permits identification of the memory stick as a specific type of printer. In the example shown, the data block  38  also contains data and/or program code for a log off procedure that is performed when the memory stick is to be disconnected from the computer. 
         [0044]    The ROM further includes a data block  40  for a set-up procedure that is performed when the memory stick is connected to the laptop  10  for the first time. Among other things, the set-up procedure permits a user to personalize the memory stick by entering user specific data that will be stored in a data block  42  of the RAM. It will be understood that the program code for the set-up procedure will be read and executed by the processor of the laptop, when the memory stick is connected thereto. 
         [0045]    The ROM further includes a data block  44  that contains driver software, i.e. program code for a printer driver that may be installed on the laptop  10  (e.g. in the set-up procedure). The printer driver in the data block  44  corresponds to the specific type of printer that the memory stick identifies itself as to the laptop  10 . This driver software includes conversion software for converting data files into a printable format such as PDF, PostScript or PCL. 
         [0046]    The main part of the RAM is reserved for storing user files. For illustration purposes, this part of the RAM has been shown as being separated into a memory space  46  where the user may store data files of any format, and a memory space  48  for storing data files that have been converted into the printable format. Thus, the memory space  46  permits use of the memory stick  12  as a conventional mass storage device, whereas the memory space  48  permits the user to use the memory stick  12  as a print mailbox from which the print files can be called up when the stick has been connected to the printer  16 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 3  illustrates the main steps that are performed when the memory stick  12  is connected to the laptop  10  and disconnected therefrom. 
         [0048]    In step S 1 , the memory stick is plugged into the USB socket  18  of the laptop  10 , and the log-on data in the ROM assures that the laptop will recognize the memory stick as a specific type of printer. Further, the processor of the laptop reads program code from the ROM of the memory stick and executes this code to perform the subsequent steps. 
         [0049]    In step S 2 , the laptop processor reads the user data from data block  42  to decide whether the memory stick  12  has been personalized already, i.e. whether the user name and/or another identification or authentication token has been stored in the data block  42 . If this is not the case, a set-up dialogue (step S 3 ) appears on the screen of the laptop and invites the user to enter his personal data. These data are then stored in the data block  42 . Further, the user name may be added to a device name in the icon  20  on the desktop screen, so that the name of the device may then read for example: “pocket mailbox of &lt;user name &gt;.” If the stick had been personalized already, the step S 3  will be skipped. 
         [0050]    Then, it is checked in step S 4  whether a printer driver for the specific type of printer, that the memory stick  12  has identified itself as, has been installed already on the hard disk of the laptop  10 . If this is not the case, the printer driver is installed in step S 5 . Otherwise, step S 5  is skipped. 
         [0051]    In step S 6 , the laptop processor lists the memory stick  10  as a connected printer that will be available for printing. Further, in this example, the memory stick  12  is selected as the default printer. Thus, unless the user actively selects another printer, a print command entered from any application software will cause the corresponding file to be “printed” to the memory stick  12 . 
         [0052]    When the user wants to disconnect the memory stick  12  from the laptop, he may select (activate) the icon  20  and enter an “eject” command. This will be detected in step S 7  and will trigger a log-off procedure (step S 7 ) in which the printer (memory stick  12 ) is removed from the list of available printers, the icon  20  is cancelled and the previous default printer, the one that had been defined as the default printer prior to step S 6 , is restored. As a consequence, any future print commands will automatically be directed to the printer (if present) that is normally utilized by the user. 
         [0053]      FIG. 4  illustrates a procedure for “printing” onto the memory stick  12  in the condition that is found during the time between the steps S 6  and S 7  in  FIG. 3 . It is assumed that the user has opened a document with a software application, e.g. a text processing program that supports a print command. 
         [0054]    The print command is entered in step S 11  and triggers a print dialogue (step S 12 ) as usual. Since the memory stick  12  has been set as the default printer, the print dialogue will indicate that this “printer” is going to be used. If the user does not change the printer, but simply clicks the “print” button in the dialogue, the printer driver (that has been installed in step S 5 ) will convert the document into a printable file (step S 13 ). 
         [0055]    The print dialogue (step S 12 ) may offer an option to protect the print file by entering a password. This is checked in step S 14 , and when a password has been entered, this password is added to the print file in step S 15 . Optionally, if a password had been entered for the memory stick as a whole in the set-up dialogue in step S 3 , then this password may be used as a default. 
         [0056]    Optionally, depending on the settings made by the user in the print dialogue, the print file may be encrypted and marked as an encrypted file in step S 16 . Finally, the print file (converted into the printable format, with or without a password and with or without being encrypted) will automatically be stored in the memory space  48  on the memory stick (step S 17 ). 
         [0057]    It will be appreciated that the procedure described above is very convenient and transparent, even for an inexperienced user, since it is identical to the procedure for a “normal” print command, except for the options that are additionally offered for protecting the file. 
         [0058]    In this way, the user may store a plurality of print files on the memory stick. When the stick has been disconnected from the computer and has been plugged into the USB socket  36  of the printer  16 , the printer will recognize the memory stick (only) as a mass storage device and will treat the memory space  48  as a mailbox. In order to print the files, the user may indicate on the operating panel  34  that he wants to print from the mailbox, and, possibly after having entered his password, he may open his mailbox, and the files contained therein will be listed on a display on the operating panel  34 . The user may then select one or more of these files and press the print button in order to have the files printed. 
         [0059]    The e-paper device  14  shown in  FIG. 1  is another example of a memory device according to the invention. A possible data structure for this device, analogous to the data structure shown in  FIG. 2 , has been illustrated in  FIG. 5 . In this example, it is assumed for simplicity that the device  14  shall not be used for having files printed on the printer  16  but shall only be used for viewing the documents represented by these files on the display screen  32 . 
         [0060]    The data blocks  38  and  40  in  FIG. 5  are equivalent to the ones described in conjunction with  FIG. 2 . The option to personalize the device has been omitted in this example. 
         [0061]    A data block  50  in  FIG. 5  corresponds to the data block  44  in  FIG. 2 , but in this case the conversion software will not necessarily convert the documents into a printable format, but rather into a format that is suitable for being displayed on the screen  32 . This conversion will include an adaptation of the image size to the dimensions of the screen  32 , and a suitable adaptation of the image resolution to the resolution of the display screen. The RAM of the device  14  simply consists of a memory space  52  for the files that have been converted into the display format. 
         [0062]      FIG. 6  illustrates a procedure for “printing” a document to the e-paper device  14 . Again, it is assumed that a document has been opened with an application software on the laptop  10  and the user has entered the print command in step S 21 . Further, it is assumed that the driver and conversion software for the device  14  has been installed on the laptop  14  beforehand, by means of a procedure analogous to what has been described in conjunction with  FIG. 3 . 
         [0063]    Then, in step S 22 , a print dialogue will open, and the e-paper device  14  will already be set as the default printer. Thus, the user simply has to confirm the print command by clicking into the print button in the dialogue. The driver and conversion software will then automatically convert the document into the display format in step S 23  and store the converted file in the memory space  52  in step S 24 . 
         [0064]    Optionally, although not shown in the drawing, the device  14  may also be configured to be useable as a “normal” mass storage device, as has been described above for the memory stick  12 . 
         [0065]    If the display format to which the files are converted in step S 23  is at the same time a printable format, then it will also be possible to establish a bluetooth connection between the device  14  and the printer  16  and to have the files printed on the printer  16 . 
         [0066]    In a modified embodiment (not shown), the device  14  may also be configured to offer a possibility to store documents in both, a display format and a printable format, i.e. each document will be converted into two files that will be distinguished by the extension of their file name and/or are stored in separate memory spaces of the RAM of the device  14 . As another alternative, the print dialogue may offer a selection of whether the user wants to store the document as a display file or as a print file, preferably with the option “display file” as a default setting. 
         [0067]    The option to use the device  14  not only for viewing documents but also for having them printed on a printer may be attractive, for example, in a situation where the user wants to travel to a conference to hold a speech. He may then print his manuscript to the lightweight and portable device  14  and may use the device for reading the manuscript in order to prepare for the speech while he is on his way. Then, when he has arrived at the conference location, he may connect to a printer and have the manuscript printed as hand-outs for the audience. 
         [0068]    While only a memory stick and an e-paper device have been described here as illustrations of a memory device according to the present invention, it will be understood that the invention may also be applied to other types of memory devices such as smart phones, PDAs and the like. 
         [0069]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.