Abstract:
A printing capable device includes a printing mechanism for printing on a printable medium and an onboard user manual storage device communicating with the printing mechanism and storing an onboard user manual. The onboard user manual storage device sends the onboard user manual to the printing mechanism and the printing mechanism prints at least a portion of the onboard user manual upon a predetermined event.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to an onboard user manual, and more particularly to an onboard user manual for a printing capable device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Computers and computerized devices are very popular and are widely used for data manipulation, data storage, and data presentation. One aspect of a computer&#39;s usefulness is the ability to generate a printed output through a printer. The printed output may be used for documentation, sharing of information, etc. Therefore, a common and frequent computer use is the printing out of any manner of reports, papers, graphs, charts, pictures, etc. Consequently, printers are heavily used, both at home and in institutional settings, such as schools, businesses, etc. 
     As a result of widespread use and high demand, printers are becoming increasingly powerful and flexible. The drawback to this increasing printing power and flexibility is the increasing knowledge required by users to properly and fully use a printer. Therefore, it is a common practice to provide some form of user manual with a printer. 
     One prior art approach is a printed user manual that is typically provided with each new printer. A printed user manual is very useful and powerful. The printed manual allows the user to repeatedly refer back to particular sections. 
     However, a printed user manual has several drawbacks. Printing costs are significant and therefore the printed user manual is relatively expensive. Obtaining the printed user manual will require additional lead time before shipping. Extra cost and manpower are required for the requisite handling and packing. In addition, a printed manual may be later misplaced or lost by the user. The user may have difficulty in obtaining a replacement, and such replacement may entail a significant delay. 
     Another prior art approach, and one that is becoming increasingly popular, is the provision of a user manual on a compact disc (CD). A CD user manual is small and easy to ship, and is more convenient for the manufacturer than a bulky printed user manual. In addition, an electronic version on CD may be easily updated over successive versions of a printer. 
     However, a CD user manual has drawbacks similar to a printed user manual in that it must be packed with a printer at the factory, and can get misplaced, lost, or damaged over time. In addition, the user must either load the CD in order to read the contents, or must print out part or all of the user manual. This may require additional delay and frustration on the part of the user. Moreover, the user will still have difficulty in obtaining Ea replacement, and such replacement may entail a significant delay. 
     Therefore, there remains a need in the art for improvements in user manuals for printing capable devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A printing capable device comprises a printing mechanism for printing on a printable medium and an onboard user manual storage device communicating with the printing mechanism and storing an onboard user manual. The onboard user manual storage device sends the onboard user manual to the printing mechanism and the printing mechanism prints at least a portion of the onboard user manual upon a predetermined event. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic of a printing capable device according to one embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates, in flowchart form, a printing operation of an onboard user manual during normal operation, according to another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates, in flowchart form, a printing operation of an onboard user manual upon a power-up occurrence, according to yet another embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIG. 4 illustrates, in flowchart form, a printing operation of an onboard user manual upon an initial power-up occurrence, according to yet another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic of a printing capable device  100  according to one embodiment of the invention. The printing capable device  100  may include a printing mechanism  107 , a user interface  112 , a power-up detector  118 , and an onboard user manual storage device  102 . The onboard user manual storage device  102  may include a processor  103  and a storage device  122 . 
     The printing capable device  100  may be any manner of printer. Alternatively, the printing capable device  100  may be any device incorporating a printing mechanism, such as for example, a calculator, an adding machine, a fax machine, etc. In one embodiment, the printing capable device  100  comprises a printer including an onboard disk drive, wherein the onboard disk drive may even allow user storage of frequently printed documents, such as forms, etc. 
     The processor  103  may be any type of general purpose processor. The processor  103  executes a control routine contained in the storage device  122 . In addition, the processor  103  receives inputs and conducts operations of the printing capable device  100 . 
     The printing mechanism  107  may be any manner of printing mechanism. For example, the printing mechanism  107  may be a laser printer, an inkjet or bubble jet printer, a mechanical printer such as a daisy wheel or dot matrix printer, a thermal printer, etc. 
     The user interface  112  may be any manner of user interface capable of accepting user inputs, displaying outputs to the user, or both. The user interface  112  may include any manner of input devices, such as buttons, switches, menus, etc. In addition, the user interface  112  may include any manner of visual output display, such as an LCD screen, a lamp indicator, such as incandescent or LED indicators, or a touch screen, for example. The user interface  112  allows a user of the printing capable device  100  to input printing selections and control operation of the printing capable device  100 . In addition, the user interface  112  may display printer selections and operational data. For example, the user interface  112  may display a number of copies to be printed, a size reduction, etc. Moreover, the user interface  112  enables a user to print out the onboard user manual (explained in detail below). 
     The power-up detector  118  detects a power-up occurrence of the printing capable device  100 . The power-up detector  118  may be any manner of available power regulator or reset chip. Whenever the printing capable device  100  experiences a power-up cycle, the power-up detector  118  sends a power-up signal to the processor  103 . 
     The storage device  122  may be any type of digital memory. For example, the storage device  122  may be any type of volatile or non-volatile memory device, including transistor memory or any type of magnetic or optical storage media. In one embodiment, the storage device  122  is a hard drive employing one or more readable magnetic discs. The storage device  122  may store, among other things, an onboard user manual  131  and a page count  135 . In addition, the storage device  122  may store software or firmware to be executed by the processor  103 . 
     The onboard user manual  131  may be any combination of text and/or graphics that form a user manual for the printing capable device  100 . The onboard user manual  131  may be permanently or temporarily stored in the printing capable device  100 . In one embodiment, the onboard user manual  131  may be deleted by the user. In another embodiment, the onboard user manual  131  may not be deleted by the user. For example, the onboard user manual  131  may be stored in any type of non-erasable or non-volatile memory. 
     The page count  135  is a count of total pages printed. The page count  135  will be a predetermined number, such as zero, for example, when the printing capable device  100  is first powered-up by a purchaser. A predetermined page count number stored in the page count  135  therefore indicates it has not been used (i.e., a power-up at a zero page count may be an initial power-up). 
     In operation, when the printing capable device  100  is powered-up, the power-up detector  118  and the processor  103  detect the power-up occurrence. The processor  103  may then check the page count  135 . If the page count  135  is the predetermined number, the processor  103  may assume that an initial power-up of the printing capable device  100  is occurring. The processor  103  may subsequently prompt the user with a user manual print option. If the user selects the user manual print option, the printing capable device  100  may print all or part of the onboard user manual  131  (using the printing mechanism  107 ). The processor  103  retrieves the onboard user manual from the storage device  122  and sends it to the printing mechanism  107  for printing. 
     The user may optionally select and print only a portion of the onboard user manual, in order to reduce the printing time and/or to conserve paper. The selection may be accomplished through appropriate manipulation of the user interface  112 . For example, the user interface  112  may be manipulated to select a page number range, a section, or a topic of the onboard user manual. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates, In flowchart form, a printing operation  200  of an onboard manual during normal operation, according to another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a user manual print option may be periodically or persistently presented to the user during operation of the printing capable device  100 . For example, the user manual print option may be presented whenever the printing capable device  100  is in a powered-up state. The presentation may include any manner of menu, input button, etc., such as in the user interface  112 . The ability to print the onboard user manual may be very helpful when multiple users are using a common printing capable device  100 , and may additionally be advantageous over time when the originally printed onboard user manual at the initial power-up may have been lost, misplaced, destroyed. etc. 
     In block  201 , an onboard user manual is stored in the storage device  122  of the printing capable device  100 , such as in a digital memory or hard drive, for example. In one embodiment of the printing capable device  100 , the onboard user manual  131  may be electronically downloaded into the storage device  122  through an available input/output (I/O) port, via an infrared (IR) port, etc. This may be done at the factory, or may be later added to a printing capable device  100  by a dealer or service shop. 
     In block  206 , a user manual print option is presented to the user of the printing capable device  100 . This may be in the form of a graphics message on user interface  112 , may be a light indicator with accompanying text, may be part of a menu, etc. 
     In decision block  210 , the printing capable device  100  determines whether a user has selected the user manual print option. If the user has not, control is terminated; otherwise control is transferred to block  214 . 
     In block  214 , all or part of the onboard user manual is printed. Therefore, the user may obtain a copy of the user manual. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates, in flowchart form, a printing operation  300  of an onboard user manual upon a power-up occurrence, according to yet another embodiment of the invention, This may include presenting the user manual print option at every power-up occurrence. This embodiment does not require the page count to be checked. 
     In block  302 , an onboard user manual is stored in the printing capable device, as previously discussed. 
     In decision block  305 , the printing capable device  100  determines whether a power-up has occurred. If a power-up has not occurred, control is terminated; otherwise control is transferred to block  316 . 
     In block  316 , a user manual print option is presented to the user of the printing capable device  100 , as previously discussed. 
     In decision block  324 , the printing capable device  100  determines whether the user has selected the user manual print option. If the user manual print option has not been selected, control is terminated; otherwise control is transferred to block  327 . 
     In block  327 , all or part of the onboard user manual is printed, as previously discussed. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates, in flowchart form, a printing operation  400  of an onboard user manual upon an initial power-up occurrence, according to yet another embodiment of the invention. An initial power-up occurrence is detected when the page count  135  is the predetermined number at a power-up occurrence. It should be understood that more than one initial power-up occurrence may be detected if no printing occurs at the true initial power-up occurrence. 
     In block  402 , an onboard user manual is stored on the printing capable device  100 , as previously discussed. 
     In decision block  406 , the printing capable device  100  determines whether a power-up has occurred. If a power-up has not occurred, control is terminated; otherwise control is transferred to block  411 . 
     In decision block  411 , the printing capable device  100  checks a page count  135  and determines if the page count is equal to the predetermined number. If the page count is equal to the predetermined number, the printing capable device  100  determines that an initial power-up has occurred. If the page count  135  is not the predetermined number, control is terminated; otherwise control is transferred to block  414 . 
     In block  414 , a user manual print option is presented to the user, as previously discussed. 
     In decision block  418 , the printing capable device  100  determines whether a print user manual option has been selected. If it has not been selected, control is terminated; otherwise control is transferred to block  425 . This block therefore waits for a user selection that specifies whether or not to print the user manual. This block may be included to guard against the situation where printing does not occur after the initial power-up (i.e., power is cycled without printing). In such a case, the printing capable device  100  may still prompt the user at the next power-up. Moreover, the printing capable device  100  may continue to do so until printing occurs and the page count  135  is changed from the predetermined number. 
     In block  425 , all or part of the onboard user manual is printed, as previously discussed. 
     The onboard user manual according to the invention provides several benefits to the user. The user may easily and conveniently obtain a printed user manual. The user manual may be printed at the convenience of the user. In addition, the user can easily and conveniently obtain a replacement user manual at no cost. Moreover, the user may select and print all or a portion of the onboard user manual. 
     The onboard user manual according to the invention provides several benefits to the manufacturer. The onboard user manual is cheaper and easier to provide than other forms of user manuals. The invention eliminates the need for the printer manufacturer to bear the cost of printing and packing a user manual. In addition, there is less lead time in introducing a new printer. An electronic master version of the onboard user manual is easily updated over revisions of a printing capable device, and the revised version is immediately available. Moreover, the onboard user manual may be provided in printing capable devices where there is no ability of a user to view the stored user manual (i.e., a stored user manual cannot be practically viewed on a printer).