Abstract:
In a projector image printing system, a projector receives an image, projects the image from the projector, and communicates the image from the projector to a printer. In an embodiment, a projector includes a graphics connectivity to receive an image from an information handling system (IHS), a projection system to project the image away from the projector, a graphics capture system to capture the image as a data file, and a communication system to communicate the data file to a printer. In another embodiment, a method to print an image from a projector includes receiving a print instruction from a user, converting a projected screen by the projector to an image, and sending the image to a printer.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a projector image printing system. 
         [0002]    As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. 
         [0003]    Presentations are often given using a projector to project an image (presentation material) from an IHS to a screen or wall in a size large enough for the audience to view the image via a projector. It would be beneficial to be able to print the presentation material so members of the audience can use it for later reference. However, the presenter may only have a portable IHS having the digital files of the presentation material and no means of printing the images. Additionally, printing the presentation material while away from the presenter&#39;s home or office may be limited due to a lack of proper printer driver or access to printers in a network environment at the site of the presentation. Furthermore the presenter may not be comfortable in sharing the full soft version of presentation material and sometime even if such presentation material is shared, the interested party may not have specific application to display the presentation material. Still more, network administrators at the site of the presentation may not want to give access to the presenter for use of a local network to print the presentation material. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved projector image printing system absent the deficiencies described above. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    According to one embodiment, a projector image printing system includes one or more subsystems to receive an image into a projector, project the image from the projector, and communicate the image from the projector to a printer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of an information handling system (IHS). 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a projector image printing system. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates a screen shot of an embodiment of a network printer setup screen. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of a method to add a shared network printer. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of a method to print a projected image. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    For purposes of this disclosure, an IHS  100  includes any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an IHS  100  may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The IHS  100  may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, read only memory (ROM), and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the IHS  100  may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The IHS  100  may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one IHS  100 . The IHS  100  includes a processor  102  such as an Intel Pentium™ series processor or any other processor available. A memory I/O hub chipset  104  (comprising one or more integrated circuits) connects to processor  102  over a front-side bus  106 . Memory I/O hub  104  provides the processor  102  with access to a variety of resources. Main memory  108  connects to memory I/O hub  104  over a memory or data bus. A graphics processor  110  also connects to memory I/O hub  104 , allowing the graphics processor to communicate, e.g., with processor  102  and main memory  108 . Graphics processor  110 , in turn, provides display signals to a display device  112  via a graphics connectivity  113 . The graphics connectivity  113  may be wired, or wireless and may use VGA, high definition, and/or other type of communication to communicate information between the graphics processor  110  of an IHS  100  to the display device  112 . 
         [0013]    Other resources can also be coupled to the system through the memory I/O hub  104  using a data bus, including an optical drive  114  or other removable-media drive, one or more hard disk drives  116 , one or more network interfaces  118 , one or more Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports  120 , and a super I/O controller  122  to provide access to user input devices  124 , etc. The IHS  100  may also include a solid state drive (SSDs)  126 . It is understood that any or all of the drive devices  114 ,  116 , and  126  may be located locally with the IHS  100 , located remotely from the IHS  100 , and/or they may be virtual with respect to the IHS  100 . 
         [0014]    Not all IHSs  100  include each of the components shown in  FIG. 1 , and other components not shown may exist. Furthermore, some components shown as separate may exist in an integrated package or be integrated in a common integrated circuit with other components, for example, the processor  102  and the memory I/O hub  104  can be combined together. As can be appreciated, many systems are expandable, and include or can include a variety of components, including redundant or parallel resources. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of a projector image printing system  140 . In an embodiment, the display device (e.g., an image projector)  112  couples with an IHS  100  via a connectivity  113 . As commonly understood in the art, images may be communicated from the IHS  100  to the projector  112  via the connectivity  113  for projecting/displaying. For example, an image may be created, downloaded, or otherwise obtained by the IHS  100  sent to the projector  112  and the projector  112  may then project the image to a screen, wall, or other surface using high intensity lighting. 
         [0016]    The projector  112  may connect with a network  142  for communicating between components of the network  142 . In an embodiment, the network  142  is a secured network and may only be accessed by authorization. The network  142  may be a wide area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), or a personal area network (PAN, e.g., Bluetooth). The network  142  may connect components of the network  142  by cables or wires or wirelessly. In an example, a presenter may provide the images to be projected using the projector  112  via the presenter&#39;s IHS  100 , but neither the presenter nor the presenter&#39;s IHS  100  may have access to the network  142 . Thus, the presenter would not gain access to the network  142  to distribute files of the images or send files of the images to a printer connected to the network  142 . 
         [0017]    In an embodiment, the projector image printing system  140  includes one or more printers  144 . The projector  112  may communicate with one or more of the printers  144  using a projector/printer communication  146 . In an embodiment, the projector/printer communication  146  may be WAN, LAN, and/or PAN communication. 
         [0018]    When instructed, the projector  112  may capture the image being projected/displayed by creating an image file relating to the image. In an embodiment, the projector may capture the image similar to using a print screen option on an IHS  100 . However, other methods for capturing the image by the projector  112  may be used. Then, the projector  112  may communicate the image file to one or more printers  144  via a communication  146 . After receiving the image file, the printer  144  may then print the image. In an embodiment, the projector  112  may send a single image at a time to the printer  144  and in an embodiment, the projector  112  may send multiple images to the printer  144 . 
         [0019]    A projector control device  150  controls operations of the projector  112  via a projector control communication  152 . In an embodiment, the projector control communication  152  is wired or otherwise coupled communication and in an embodiment, the projector control communication  152  is wireless communication (e.g., infrared (IR), ultra high frequency (UHF), radio frequency (RF), or any other wireless communication). 
         [0020]    In an embodiment, the projector control device  150  includes a print button  154 , setup buttons  156  and/or a menu button  158 . The print button  154  instructs the projector  112  to enter a print mode to print the captured image. The setup buttons  156  allow the user to setup printing options (e.g., page to print, select printer, printer options, and a variety of other options). The menu button  158  allows a user to enter setup configurations for the projector  112 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates a screen shot of an embodiment of a network printer setup screen  170 . Thus, if the menu button  158  is pressed, the projector  112  may project/display a setup screen  170  such as, the one shown in  FIG. 3 . Then, the user may use the setup buttons  156  on the control device  150  to make printer setup selections. For example, the user may select a setup field  172  for the desired printer  144 . In an embodiment, the user may press the up and/or down setup buttons  156  to indicate the desired printer for printing the image from the projector  144 . Then, the user may press the enter button in the setup buttons  156  enter the selection into the projector  144 . It is to be understood that other control buttons  154 ,  156 , and/or  158  may be used to control operation of printing from the projector  112  to a printer  144 . Other setup screens are not shown for simplicity, but should be readily understood by one having ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment of a method  180  to add a shared network printer  144 . The method  180  begins at  182  where the projector  112  is coupled with a network  142 . The method then proceeds to block  184  when a user presses a setup button (e.g., menu button  158 ) on the control device  150 . The method  180  then proceeds to block  186  when the user selects a printer setup option. Then, the method  180  proceeds to block  188  where the method  180  queries whether the projector is connected to a network  142 . The method  180  then proceeds to decision block  190  where the method  180  determines whether the projector  112  is associated with a network  142 . If no, the projector  112  is not associated with a network  142 , the method  180  proceeds to block  192  where the method  180  allows a user to configure the network settings for the projector  112 . After network settings are completed the method  180  returns to block  188 . If yes, the projector  112  is associated with a network  142  in decision block  190 , the method  180  proceeds to decision block  194  where the method  180  determines whether the projector  112  is to auto search for a printer  144  on the network  142 . If no, the projector  112  is not to auto search for a printer  144 , the method  180  proceeds to block  196  where a user may add a printer  144  to a list of available printers  144  for the projector  112 . For example, the user may enter a network address for a printer  144  to the projector  112 . After a printer  144  is added, the method  180  proceeds to decision block  198  where the method  180  determines whether more printers are to be added to a list of available printers  144  for the projector  112 . If no, more printers  144  are not to be added, the method ends at  200 . If yes, the more printers  144  are to be added, the method returns to block  196 . Returning now to decision block  194 , if yes, the method  180  is to auto search for a printer  144 , the method  180  proceeds to decision block  202  where the method  180  determines whether a printer  144  is found on the network  142  by the projector  112 . If no, no printer  144  is found on the network  142 , the method  180  proceeds to block  204 . At block  204 , the method  180  informs the user that no printer has been found on the network  142  and then the method  180  ends at  200 . If yes, a printer  144  is found on the network  142 , the method  180  proceeds to block  206  where the user is allowed to select a printer  144  to add to a printer list such as, by using the selection field  172  on the projector print screen  170 . After the user selects a printer  144 , the method  180  ends at  200 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  illustrates an embodiment of a method  212  to print a projected image from a projector  112 . The method  212  starts at  214  where the projector  112  is projecting/displaying an image. The method  212  proceeds to block  216  when a user presses the print button  154  on the control device  150 . The method  212  then proceeds to block  218  where the projected image is converted to an image file capable of being received by a printer  144  and printed. In an embodiment, the image may be converted to an image file similarly to using a print screen button on an IHS, as is commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art. The method  212  then proceeds to decision block  220 , where the method  212  determines whether the projector  112  is associated with a network  142 . If no, the projector  112  is not associated with a network  142 , the method  212  proceeds to block  222  where the method  212  informs the user that the projector  112  is not associated with a network  142  and then the method  212  ends at  224 . If yes, the projector  112  is associated with a network  142 , the method  212  proceeds to decision block  226  where the method  212  determines whether there are printers  144  available in a printer list. If no, printers  144  are not available in a printer list, the method  212  proceeds to block  228  where the method  212  informs the user that printers  144  are not available in the printer list and then the method  212  ends at  224 . If yes, printers  144  are available in the printer list, the method  212  proceeds to block  230  where the projector  112  sends the captured image to the preferred or selected printer  144  in the printer list. The method  212  then proceeds to block  232  where the projector  112  projects/displays a dialog box to inform the user that the print image file has been sent to a printer  144 . 
         [0024]    In summary, an embodiment of the projector image printing system  140  enables direct printing of presentation material projected on a screen using a printer  144 , such as a shared printer  144 . In other words, printing the screen shot using a projector  112 . Printing is enabled using a print Button  154  on the projector control device  150  without the need of printer driver to be installed on the IHS  100  that is used to make presentation (e.g., no interventions are required on the host IHS  100  (used to make presentation) to enable the printing). At the presentation site, the presenter does not have access to the host&#39;s network  142  environment, which may be access controlled. To make presentation, the presenter usually connects his/her IHS  100  to the available projector  112  through a VGA or similar connectivity  113  even if the projector  112  is associated with a network  142 . In an embodiment, the projector  112  may communicate with the shared network printer devices  144  via wireless or wired LAN; and connectivity between the projector  112  and remote control  150  may be via IR communication. Network settings configuration may be first performed on the projector  112  so that projector  112  is associated with a network  142  and able to communicate with other devices on the same network  132 . Depending on the connectivity type such as wireless, wired LAN, or others, a predefined network configuration method can be used. To add a printer  144  to the projector&#39;s  112  printer list, a user (usually a network administrator) may select the printer setup option, which is provided under a projector setup menu, such as via the menu button  158 . A User may use an auto-search option that will locate shared printers  144  that are available on the same network  142  as projector or input the network address of the printer  144 . After a printer search, available printers  144  are listed as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Once a printer  144  is found it is then added to the projector&#39;s printer list. In an embodiment, at any time during the presentation, the user may select the print button  154  on the projector control device  150  to print the projected contents. Data projected on the screen may be captured as an image (e.g., JPEG or other image format). The projected captured image may then be sent to a preferred network printer  144  in the projector&#39;s printer list via wired or wireless protocols. The projector image printing system enables easy printing of presentation material. Direct printing of presentation material via a projector  112  in an environment different than the presenter&#39;s is possible, even when a presentation in progress 
         [0025]    Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of the embodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.