Abstract:
A digital palm PC ( 10 ) includes a housing, a storage device to store digital text and/or image data, and a printer located within the housing and receiving digital information from the storage device. The printer built into the palm PC ( 10 ) casing is configured to print an image ( 12 ) on print media ( 11 ) external to the casing as the palm PC ( 10 ) traverses the media ( 11 ).

Description:
This Application is a national phase application of PCT/AU03/00162, filed on Feb. 12, 2003, all of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The following invention relates to a hand-held personal computer known as a “palm PC”, having a built-in printer. 
     BACKGROUND TO INVENTION 
     Known palm PCs have no means of providing an “instant” print-out of text and/or images therefrom Instead, if a print-out is needed, the palm PC must communicate data stored therein to another PC to which there is attached a printer. 
     The mere incorporation into a palm PC of a known conventional printer device would not result in a compact, easily portable palm PC. This is because prior printers incorporate a supply of print media and employ a print media feed mechanism to transport the print media past the printheads to effect printing onto the print media. Moreover, known printers, having a supply of print media, are large and heavier than would be desirable in a portable palm PC that is sized and shaped to fit conveniently with a user&#39;s pocket or purse for example. 
     CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS 
     Various methods, systems and apparatus relating to the present invention are disclosed in the following co-pending applications filed by the applicant or assignee of the present invention simultaneously with the present application: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 PCT/AU03/00154 
                 PCT/AU03/00151 
                 PCT/AU03/00150 
               
               
                   
                 PCT/AU03/00145 
                 PCT/AU03/00153 
                 PCT/AU03/00152 
               
               
                   
                 PCT/AU03/00168 
                 PCT/AU03/00169 
                 PCT/AU03/00170 
               
               
                   
                 PCT/AU03/00162 
                 PCT/AU03/00146 
                 PCT/AU03/00159 
               
               
                   
                 PCT/AU03/00171 
                 PCT/AU03/00149 
                 PCT/AU03/00167 
               
               
                   
                 PCT/AU03/00158 
                 PCT/AU03/00147 
                 PCT/AU03/00166 
               
               
                   
                 PCT/AU03/00164 
                 PCT/AU03/00163 
                 PCT/AU03/00165 
               
               
                   
                 PCT/AU03/00160 
                 PCT/AU03/00157 
                 PCT/AU03/00148 
               
               
                   
                 PCT/AU03/00156 
                 PCT/AU03/00155 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The disclosures of these co-pending applications are incorporated herein by cross-reference. 
     RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS AND PATENTS 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 US6,227,652 
                 US6,213,588 
                 US6,213,589 
                 US6,231,163 
               
               
                 US6,247,795 
                 US6,394,581 
                 US6,244,691 
                 US6,257,704 
               
               
                 US6,416,168 
                 US6,220,694 
                 US6,257,705 
                 US6,247,794 
               
               
                 US6,234,610 
                 US6,247,793 
                 US6,264,306 
                 US6,241,342 
               
               
                 US6,247,792 
                 US6,264,307 
                 US6,254,220 
                 US6,234,611 
               
               
                 US6,302,528 
                 US6,283,582 
                 US6,239,821 
                 US6,338,547 
               
               
                 US6,247,796 
                 US09/113,122 
                 US6,390,603 
                 US6,362,843 
               
               
                 US6,293,653 
                 US6,312,107 
                 US6,227,653 
                 US6,234,609 
               
               
                 US6,238,040 
                 US6,188,415 
                 US6,227,654 
                 US6,209,989 
               
               
                 US6,247,791 
                 US6,336,710 
                 US6,217,153 
                 US6,416,167 
               
               
                 US6,243,113 
                 US6,283,581 
                 US6,247,790 
                 US6,260,953 
               
               
                 US6,267,469 
                 US6,273,544 
                 US6,309,048 
                 US6,420,196 
               
               
                 US6,443,558 
                 US09/422,892 
                 US6,378,989 
                 US09/425,420 
               
               
                 US09/422,893 
                 US09/609,140 
                 US6,409,323 
                 US6,281,912 
               
               
                 US09/575,113 
                 US6,318,920 
                 US6,488,422 
                 US09/693,644 
               
               
                 US6,457,810 
                 US6,485,135 
                 US09/112,763 
                 US6,331,946 
               
               
                 US6,246,970 
                 US6,442,525 
                 US09/505,951 
                 US09/505,147 
               
               
                 US09/505,952 
                 US09/575,108 
                 US09/575,109 
                 US09/575,110 
               
               
                 US09/607,985 
                 US6,398,332 
                 US6,394,573 
                 US09/606,999 
               
               
                 US6,238,044 
                 US6,425,661 
                 US6,390,605 
                 US6,322,195 
               
               
                 US09/504,221 
                 US6,480,089 
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                 US6,305,788 
               
               
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                 US6,364,453 
                 US6,457,795 
                 US09/556,219 
               
               
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                 US6,315,399 
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                 US09/575,190 
               
               
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                 US09/575,127 
                 US6,383,833 
               
               
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                 US6,390,591 
                 US09/575,152 
                 US6,328,417 
               
               
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                 US09/575,177 
                 US09/575,175 
                 US6,417,757 
               
               
                 US09/608,780 
                 US6,428,139 
                 US09/607,498 
                 US09/693,079 
               
               
                 US09/693,135 
                 US6,428,142 
                 US09/692,813 
                 US09/693,319 
               
               
                 US09/693,311 
                 US6,439,908 
                 US09/693,735 
                 PCT/AU98/00550 
               
               
                 PCT/AU00/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00517 
                 PCT/AU00/00511 
                 PCT/AU00/00754 
               
               
                 00516 
               
               
                 PCT/AU00/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00756 
                 PCT/AU00/00757 
                 PCT/AU00/00095 
               
               
                 00755 
               
               
                 PCT/AU00/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00338 
                 PCT/AU00/00339 
                 PCT/AU00/00340 
               
               
                 00172 
               
               
                 PCT/AU00/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00581 
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                 PCT/AU00/00582 
               
               
                 00341 
               
               
                 PCT/AU00/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00588 
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                 PCT/AU00/00583 
               
               
                 00587 
               
               
                 PCT/AU00/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00590 
                 PCT/AU00/00591 
                 PCT/AU00/00592 
               
               
                 00593 
               
               
                 PCT/AU00/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00585 
                 PCT/AU00/00586 
                 PCT/AU00/00749 
               
               
                 00584 
               
               
                 PCT/AU00/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00751 
                 PCT/AU00/00752 
                 PCT/AU01/01332 
               
               
                 00750 
               
               
                 PCT/AU01/ 
                 PCT/AU00/01513 
                 PCT/AU00/01514 
                 PCT/AU00/01515 
               
               
                 01318 
               
               
                 PCT/AU00/ 
                 PCT/AU00/01517 
                 PCT/AU00/01512 
                 PCT/AU01/00502 
               
               
                 01516 
               
               
                 PCT/AU02/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00333 
                 PCT/AU01/00141 
                 PCT/AU01/00139 
               
               
                 01120 
               
               
                 PCT/AU01/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00753 
                 PCT/AU01/01321 
                 PCT/AU01/01322 
               
               
                 00140 
               
               
                 PCT/AU01/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00594 
                 PCT/AU00/00595 
                 PCT/AU00/00596 
               
               
                 01323 
               
               
                 PCT/AU00/ 
                 PCT/AU00/00598 
                 PCT/AU00/00741 
                 PCT/AU00/00742 
               
               
                 00597 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, there is provided a digital palm PC comprising:
         a housing;   a digital storage device to store digitally text and/or image data; and   a printer located within the housing and receiving digital information from the digital storage device, the printer being configured to print an image on media external thereto as the palm PC traverses the media in a printing orientation.       

     Preferably, the palm PC further includes a movement sensor configured to measure the relative movement of the palm PC as it traverses the media in the printing orientation. More preferably, the movement sensor includes a wheel configured to engage the media as the palm PC traverses the media in the printing orientation, 
     In one embodiment, the wheel is an optical encoder wheel including a series of circumferential markings, the movement sensor further including an optical sensor for detecting relative movement of the markings as the wheel rotates in engagement with the media. 
     Alternatively, the movement sensor forms part of an optical tracking system for tracking relative movement of the palm PC as it traverses the media in the printing orientation. In one form, the optical tracking system includes pattern recognition means for recognising relative movement of the palm PC with respect to the media. The optical tracking system can be configured to recognise a predetermined pattern on the media, and to recognise the relative movement of the palm PC with respect to the media by determining relative movement of the palm PC with respect to the predetermined pattern 
     Preferably, the housing also includes a print controller including a processor into which image data can be input and converted into a sequence of drop ejection control signals. The print controller operates said ink ejection nozzles in accordance with said drop ejection control signals to cause printing on said print media at a rate determined by fit measured relative movement of palm PC with respect to the media. 
     Preferably, the printer includes a drop-on-demand color inkjet printhead. 
     In a preferred form, the palm PC further includes an ink reservoir in fluid communication with the printhead for providing ink thereto. Preferably, the ink reservoir includes at least one ink inlet via which the ink reservoir can be recharged with ink. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective illustration of a palm PC having a built-in printer in use, printing an image on a page; 
         FIG. 2  is perspective illustration of a palm PC shown from above; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective illustration of a palm PC shown from below; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic parts-exploded perspective view of the palm PC; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic perspective illustration of the major internal components of the palm PC; 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of the palm PC; 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of the palm PC; 
         FIG. 8  is an end elevational view of the palm PC; and 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic cross-sectional elevational view of the palm PC taken at IX—IX in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In  FIG. 1  of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a palm PC  10  having an integral printer. The palm PC is sized and shaped to fit within a typical purse or pocket user and is shown in the figure traversing a page of print media  11  to print an image  12  thereon. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the palm PC includes a housing having a top molding  13  and a base molding  14 . These moldings house the internal components of the device. The palm PC includes a color liquid crystal display (LCD) and touch screen  20 . A stylus  21  fits within a receptacle in the palm PC and is used to touch the LCD and touch screen  20  to operate the device. Function buttons  19  also serve to control the functioning of the palm PC. 
     At the bottom edge of the palm PC  10  there is provided a printhead  15  flanked at either end by wheels  16  and  22 . Wheel  16  is an optical encoder wheel, whereas wheel  22  is an idler wheel. These wheels may be connected so as to rotate in unison upon a common shaft. The operation of optical encoder wheel  16 , idler wheel  22  and printhead  15  is described in detail our co-pending application (AP46) entitled “Portable Printer and Copier”, the content of which is specifically incorporated herein by cross-reference. 
     The printhead  15  can be capped and uncapped selectively by a capping device (not shown), which is described in our co-pending application (AP44) entitled “Capping Device for a Portable Printer”, the content of which is specifically incorporated herein by cross-reference. As an alternative to a capping device, an ink seal  36  may be provided. This might be in the form of a removable strip of elastomeric material. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the palm PC  10  includes ink inlets  17  via which an internal ink reservoir having separate compartments can be refilled with ink. A battery charger and communications port module  18  are located, in this embodiment, on the same side of the palm PC as the ink inlets  17 . 
     As shown in the exploded perspective illustration of  FIG. 4 , the LCD and touch screen  20  sits upon a printed circuit board  26 . A number of function switches  37  are mounted on the PCB  26  and aligned with function buttons  19  so as to be depressed when the buttons  19  are used. A battery  23  which is preferably a lithium-ion rechargeable battery resides alongside the PCB and is connected electrically to the charger port module  18  and the PCB  26 . A speaker  24  is also provided. The ink inlets communicate with respective compartments within reservoir  29 . These compartments are best illustrated in  FIG. 9 . The individual ink compartments relay ink to the printhead unit  15 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 5 , the PCB  26  has attached thereto a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chip  31 , a print engine controller (PEC) chip  30 , a QA chip  27  and a flash memory chip  28 . The battery  23  connects to the PCB at connector block  38  and a ribbon cable for flexible PCB  39  connects the power and communications port module  18  to the PCB  26  via a connector block  40 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the ink reservoir  29  is divided into a number of longitudinal compartments. In the depicted embodiment, there are separate compartments for cyan ink  32 , magenta ink  33 , black ink  34  and yellow ink  35 . Ink from these compartments is transferred to printhead  15 . 
     Power and data transfer from the PCB  26  to the printhead  15  can be by direct connection between those two units. That is, the printhead  15  may have electrical contacts soldered directly onto the PCB  26 . However, in alternate configurations, an intermediate flexible PCB extending between the printhead  15  and PCB  26  can be used. 
     In use, the palm PC  10  can be operated by use of the stylus  21  upon the color LCD and touch screen  20 . 
     Function buttons  19  can also be manipulated as required. When a printed image of text and/or graphics is desired, a print command can be initiated either by use of a stylus  21  or function buttons  19 . A user then draws the printhead  15  over a sheet of print media (in this case paper) as shown in  FIG. 1 . The ejection of ink by printhead  15  upon print media  11  is controlled by the PEC chip  30  in response to signals received from the optical encoder wheel  16  which contacts the surface of the print media  11  and rotates in use. Details of this interaction can be found in our co-pending application AP46 as cross-referenced above. 
     The internal configuration of components within the housing of the palm PC can vary depending upon requirements. For example, the printhead and ink cartridge can be an integral unit or formed separately. The printhead can extend generally normal to the extent of the ink cartridge or parallel thereto. In a further embodiment, instead of providing only two wheels  16  and  22  (one optical encoder wheel and one idler wheel) on a narrow edge of the palm PC, three, four, or more wheels might be provided say in the broad back face of base molding  14 . In the case of four wheels being provided, they can be disposed in a rectangular layout in plan. One of the wheels would be an optical encoder wheel and the other wheels idler wheels. The printhead can be located generally within a space defined by a rectangle with a wheel at each corner. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to a number of specific embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention can be embodied in many other forms.