Mobile phone with swipe printer
View Patent ↗A mobile telecommunications device, such as a mobile telephone, includes an internal printer for printing on print media external to the device. A speed sensor measures the speed at which a user moves the device relative to the print media and controls the rate of ink ejection accordingly. The device may print images displayed on a display screen of the device or may print image data received through a wireless telecommunications network.
1. A mobile telecommunications device comprising a casing, a display, circuitry for wireless telecommunications housed within the casing and a printer housed within the casing, the printer comprising:
a printhead arrangement adapted to effect printing onto print media as the printer is moved relative to the print media, the printhead arrangement including a plurality of ink ejection nozzles;
an ink supply adapted to store ink and to supply the ink to the printhead arrangement;
a speed sensor adapted to measure the speed at which the printhead arrangement is moved relative to the print media and to generate speed data; and
a print controller adapted to:
(a) receive image data from an image source;
(b) convert the image data into a plurality of drop ejection control signals;
(c) receive the speed data from the speed sensor; and
(d) operate the ink injection nozzles in the printhead arrangement in accordance with the drop ejection control signals at a rate determined using the speed data, to thereby effect printing of the image data onto the print media wherein the speed sensor comprises:
an optical encoder wheel adapted to be in contact with the print media and to rotate as the device is moved relative to the print media, the optical encoder wheel having a series of circumferentially spaced markings thereon; and
an optical sensor adapted to:
(a) detect the markings as the markings pass the optical sensor during rotation of the optical encoder wheel; and
(b) generate the speed date from the detected markings;
the mobile telecommunications device further comprising a capping arrangement moveable between a capped position in which the capping arrangement substantially obstructs the ejection of ink from the ink ejection nozzles and a un-capped position in which the capping arrangement does not substantially obstruct the ejection of ink from the ink ejection nozzles, the capping arrangement being actuated by a capping actuator disposed on the device so as to be operable by a user as the user moves the printhead arrangement relative to the print media.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the ink supply is removable from the printer.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the image data is received at the circuitry for wireless telecommunications from a wireless telecommunications network.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the printer further comprises a replaceable ink cartridge.
5. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more ink inlets through which the ink supply may be replenished.
6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a digital camera including a lens and CCD array, and wherein image data captured by the CCD array is displayed on the display of the telecommunications device.
7. The device of claim 6 wherein the printer is adapted to print images captured by the digital camera.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein the print controller receives the image data from the image source via the circuitry for wireless telecommunications.