Abstract:
This invention relates to printing stations. Such structures of this type, generally, proved for a printing station to be located in the back of mass transit vehicle seats such that the mass transit rider can be able to view and subsequently print that viewed information.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to printing stations. Such structures of this type, generally, provide for a printing station to be located in the back of mass transit vehicle seats such that the mass transit rider can be able to view and subsequently print that viewed information.  
         DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART  
         [0002]    Prior to the present invention, as set forth in general terms above and more specifically below, it is known, in the printer art, to employ centralized printers in mass transit vehicles, such as airplanes. Exemplary of such prior art are U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,514 (&#39;514) to F. Hildebrandt et al., entitled “Method and Apparatus for Carrying Out Passenger-Related and Flight Attendant-Related Functions in an Airplane,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,288 (&#39;288) to D. P. Reed et al., entitled “Passenger Service and Entertainment System,” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,887 (&#39;887) to G. A. Jerome, entitled “Multi-Passenger Vehicle Catering and Entertainment System.” While the &#39;514, &#39;288, and &#39;887 references disclose printers for use in mass transit vehicles, the printers are centralized printers which require that an attendant shuttle printed materials back to the passengers and/or the passengers would be required to get out of their seats in order to retrieve the printed materials which could cause safety concerns. Also, the passenger is not afforded much privacy with respect to who has access to the printed document. Therefore, a more advantageous system, then, would be presented if each passenger had access to his/her own printer located in the seatback in front of the passenger so that the passenger is afforded some privacy without having to get out of his/her seat.  
           [0003]    It is also known, the mass transit vehicle seat art, to install a telephone and a display panel in the seat back. While this affords the passenger some convenience in being able to use the telephone without having to leave his/her seat, if the passenger wants to print something, these prior art systems do not allow for such printing. Therefore, a further advantageous system, then, would be provided if the passenger were able to print out the desired information at his/her seat.  
           [0004]    It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a printer system for use in a mass transit vehicle which allows the user to print documents without having to get out of the passenger seat, but which at the same time provides the user with a modicum of privacy with respect to who can view the document to the printed. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Generally speaking, this invention fulfills these needs by providing a mass transit vehicle seat printing station, wherein the station is comprised of: a mass transit vehicle seat having a seat back; a display means located within the seat back; a printing means located within the seat back and operatively connected to the display means; and a control means located within the seat back and operatively connected to the display means and the printing means in order to control the display means and the printing means.  
           [0006]    In certain preferred embodiments, the mass transit vehicle can be, but is not limited to, an airplane, a bus, a train, passenger ship or the like. Also, the display means includes a display monitor for Web based interaction and, possibly, a smaller 2-4 line display. Also, the printing means includes a small inkjet or thermal color printer. Also, the control means can be a control panel that includes alphanumeric keys, print buttons, and scroll buttons. Finally, the printing station may include an IR port or other such types of connectors that will provide access to and power for the user&#39;s mobile devices, such as laptop computers, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) or the like.  
           [0007]    In another further preferred embodiment, the user is able to view information on the display located in the mass transit vehicle seat back printing station and, possibly, print that information without having to leave his his/her seat or have to share the information with others.  
           [0008]    The preferred mass transit vehicle printing station, according to this invention, offers the following advantages: excellent printing characteristics; excellent document viewing characteristics; excellent document controlling characteristics; increased privacy; increased passenger safety; ability to interact with mobile devices; and excellent economy. In fact, in many of the preferred embodiments, these factors of excellent printing characteristics, excellent document viewing characteristics, excellent document controlling characteristics, increased privacy, increased passenger safety, and ability to interact with minimal devices are optimized to an extent that is considerably higher than heretofore achieved in prior, known mass transit vehicle printing stations.  
           [0009]    The above and other features of the present invention, which will become more apparent as description proceeds, are best understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters represent like parts throughout the several views and in which: 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a mass transit vehicle printing station, according to one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of another mass transit vehicle printing station, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]    With reference first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated one preferred embodiment for use of the concepts of this invention. FIG. 1 illustrates printing station  2 . Printing station  2  includes, in part, conventional mass transit vehicle seat back  4 , conventional mass transit vehicle seat back tray  5 , display  6 , printer  8 , printed document  10 , control panel buttons  11  and  12 , secondary display  14 , IR port  16 , and power and workstation/Internet access connections  18 .  
         [0013]    Display  6 , preferably, is any suitable display monitor that will adequately fit within mass transit vehicle seat back  4  and allow for the display of any Internet based interaction between the user and printing station  2 . Printer  8 , preferably, is any suitable small inkjet or thermal color printer which is capable of printing document  10  and which will adequately fit within mass transit vehicle seat back  4 . Printed document  10 , preferably, is any document that is printed on conventional 4″ by 6″ media or any other suitable media size. Control panel buttons  11  and  12 , preferably, should include a keyboard having alphanumeric keys, scroll keys, print keys or the like which will allow the user to interact with and/or manipulate the information displayed on display  6  and/or any mobile devices (not shown) connected to printing station  2  through power and workstation/Internet access connections  18 . Mobile devices can be, but are not limited to, laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDA) or the like. As a possible addition, secondary display  14 , preferably, is a smaller 2-4 line display that can be added to allow the user to view various documents at printing station  2  at the same time. IR port  16 , preferably, allows the user to conventionally, electronically transmit machine-readable data from any mobile devices (not shown) to printing station  2  so that the data can be viewed on displays  6  and/or  14  and/or printed by printer  8 . Power and workstation/Internet access connections  18 , preferably, allow the user to connect any mobile device (not shown) to printing station  2  so that the mobile device can be powered by printing station  2  and/or the mobile device can conventionally download information to and receive information from printing station  2 . It is to be understood that printing station  2  is, preferably, conventionally connected to the Internet in order to allow the user to have Web based interaction access.  
         [0014]    With reference to FIG. 2, there is illustrated another preferred embodiment for use of the concepts of this invention. FIG. 2 shows printing station  50 . Printing station  50  includes, in part, conventional mass transit vehicle seat back  4 , display  6 , printer  8 , printed document  10 , control panel buttons  11  and  12 , secondary display  14 , IR port  16 , power and workstation/Internet access connections  18 , telephone head set  52 , telephone display  54 , printer  56 , and document  58 . It is to be understood that printer  56  is, preferably, constructed in the same manner as printer  8  (FIG. 1).  
         [0015]    During the operation of printing station  2  (FIG. 1), the user may elect to fold down mass transit vehicle seat back tray  5  and place a mobile device (not shown), such as a laptop computer on tray  5 . The user then would be able to do many things with print station  2 . For example, the user may already have information on the laptop computer that the user wants to be printed. The user conventionally transmits the information from the mobile device to IR port  16  where the information can be subsequently printed by printer  8 . Also, the user may need to utilize the power and workstation/Internet access connections  18  in order to provide power to the mobile device and/or transmit information to printing station  2  so that it can be printed by printer  8  if the mobile device lacks the proper equipment to interact with IR port  16 . Power and workstation/Internet access connections  18  can also be used to transfer information from the Internet to printing station  2  and/or the mobile device. After the user has connected to printing station  2 , the user may use the alphanumeric keyboard located on the mobile device in order to manipulate the information on displays  6  and  14  and/or the display on the mobile device. The user may also elect to manipulate control panel buttons  11  and  12  in order to manipulate the information on displays  6  and  14  and/or the display on the mobile device. Finally, the user may decide to use the telephone (FIG. 2) for variety of personal/business-related reasons. As shown in FIG. 2, printer  56  can be used to print document  58  that is a hard copy of what is displayed on telephone display  54 .  
         [0016]    Finally, it is to be understood that printing station  2  can be located adjacent to the seat that the passenger is sitting in, such as a seat compartment beside the seat and/or below the seat, so long as the passenger has easy access to printing station  2 .  
         [0017]    Once given the above disclosure, many other features, modifications or improvements will become apparent to the skilled artisan. Such features, modifications or improvements are, therefore, considered to be a part of this invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the following claims.