WO2002076082A1

WO2002076082A1 - Portable camera having scanning and printing functionality

Info

Publication number: WO2002076082A1
Application number: PCT/IL2002/000205
Authority: WO
Inventors: Amiram Carmon
Original assignee: Ink Jet Technology Ltd.
Priority date: 2001-03-18
Filing date: 2002-03-14
Publication date: 2002-09-26
Also published as: IL142057A0

Abstract

A collapsible camera (10) includes a housing (30) having a base (31) and a cover unit (32) that is moveable relative to the base between a closed position and an open position, an imaging unit (11) within the housing for producing an image of an object, and a first optics (12) within the housing being optically coupled to the imaging unit when the cover unit is in the open position for focusing substantially on the base. A second optics (13) may also be disposed within the housing so as to optically coupled to the imaging unit when the cover unit is in the closed position for long distance focusing. A printer (18) within the housing operates in conjunction with a transport mechanism (23) and a processor (14) coupled to a memory (15) that stores data representative of a pixelated image produced by the imaging unit (11) or downloaded via a communication interface (16) for printing on material disposed on the base. The communication interface (16) is preferably a wireless interface such as a cellular telephone interface.

Description

Portable camera having scanning and printing functionality

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to portable cameras and, in particular, to a portable camera having a cellular telephony interface allowing for data messaging.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With cellular telephony becoming the most common personal communicating device, used in 2000 by close to 700 million people, wireless communication is expanding rapidly from voice to data and imaging. SMS (short messaging system) and WAP (wide area protocol) are two main data transmission and reception standards developed in the West. In the East, Japan's DoCoMo's iMode is already a de facto standard, and is rapidly spreading to the USA and Europe. All these activities are based on satisfying a genuine need of enabling communication not only by voice but also of data. The rapid transition from voice to data triggered also other applications where the digital transmission includes not only textual data but also digitized images such as still photographs and even video streams. However, the small physical size which is required from handsets and handheld devices, imposed serious limitations on the ease of usage and therefore on their practicality. The currently available wireless communication devices, being telephony based such as cellular phones, or PDA based such as wireless enabled Palm of 3Com or Visor of Handspring, all rely on textual input from an alphanumeric keypad that may be real or virtual (i.e. a touch screen). They can all receive, however, not only text but also images and display them on a small graphic LCD screen that constitutes an integral part of the phone or PDA. Not only those familiar with the art but most users of such devices are aware of the limitations imposed by small keyboards and displays. The small keyboard, particularly the minimal one (12 keys) of cellular telephones is an impediment to composition of alphanumeric messages even in the presence of specialized software such as supplied by Tegic, a division of America On Line internet company or by Zi Corporation of Calgary, Canada. The touch screen keyboard of the Palm and the Visor, while depicting all the 26 letters of the alphabet, as well as numerals and symbols, is easier to operate but it is a far cry in terms of user friendliness from typing on a full QWERTY keyboard. Indeed, some manufacturers, such as Ericsson of Sweden, offer a keyboard attachment to cellular phone. Other manufacturers, such as Blackberry of Research in Motion and Communicator of Motorola, both US companies, produce dedicated pocket messaging devices. However, in all such devices the QWERTY keyboards are veiy small in order that the device can be inserted into the pocket, and thus it is not easy to type messages with them, typing normally being done using both thumbs. Some devices which include touch screens such as Palm and Visor (mentioned above) and Kyocera's Smartphone (a combination of cellular phone and PDA) employ a handwriting input, with a stylus, where such handwriting is sometimes converted into data through OCR (optical character recognition), but the user must write special block letters for satisfactory recognition. While the touch screen based devices can use conventional hand scribbling, there is another limitation, namely a very limited number of pixels for both writing input and display of the written characters. This makes the use of touch screens inconvenient to a degree. As for the viewing function, the display in standard cellular phones is very small, generally allowing up to 5 lines each having up to 12 characters. This limits its ability to depicting simultaneously text of no more than two or three short sentences, and the rest of the text has to be scrolled into the display. With less than 120 pixels across and 160 pixels vertically in many cellular phones, the ability to depict graphics is also severely curtailed.

An exception can be found in the case of the Ericsson 380 cellular phone, which has an oversize display at the expense of not having a keyboard. The Ericsson 380 display has 360 pixels across and 120 vertically and allows depicting 7 lines, each having about 50 small characters. Among the pocketable PDA's, the widely popular Palm IIIx and Palm V of 3COM, have only 160 x 160 pixels. In Kyocera's Smartphone which acts both as a cellular phone and as PDA, the display size is slightly smaller than Palm's.

These numbers should be compared to the number of pixels used in computer displays and in printing. Today's computer screens are growing bigger and bigger and can have more than a million pixels. The lowest standard, VGA has 640 x 480 pixels, which is 12 times more than the Palm and 6.73 times more than the Ericsson 380 mentioned above. These numbers are mentioned in order to give an impression of the relative amount of information that can be presented to the user at any given moment of time. The reason for the limited information in small displays is the inherent resolution of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) which is only 72 dots per inch. In another type of digitized display, namely printers, the situation is different. Today's ink jet and laser printers use a minimum of 300 dots per linear inch minimum, and it can go up to 1,440 dpi. As the resolution in print is far better, and print clarity exceeds by far that displayed on liquid crystal displays, more visual information can be packed in print than can be displayed within the same size format.

Wireless communication is expanding nowadays into additional realms. In many cases additional functions are achieved by physical additions to the cellular telephone. One added feature that is becoming widely popular is transmitting images captured by an attached or embedded digital camera modules. Such are provided for cellular phones by Kyocera in Japan (the "Treva") and for PDA's by Ideo in the USA (the Eyemodule). Sharp Corp. and Matsushita Corp. both of Japan are producing cellular telephones having an embedded camera. JP 2001157101 A2 assigned to Hitachi Ltd. published June 8, 2001 and entitled "Device for inputting video information" discloses a device provided with a camera component which uses a CCD image pickup device, etc., and fetches external video through a lens. A focus-switching ring switches the focal distance of the lens to each of modes that are a link stick mode for close-up, a short-distance view mode for photographing a short-distance view such as a close person and a long-distance view mode for photographing a landscape, etc. In the close-up mode, a focus stick is unfolded from a casing of the device and an interface cable performs fetching/image recognition of a still image on paper under control of a push button by using the stick which displaces the device from the paper so that the paper is properly in focus. In any other mode, the stick is folded into the casing, and the focus ring is switched to the desired focal length for short-distance or longdistance as required.

Such a device is thus not adapted to allow macro (i.e. close-up) focusing on a document that is fixed relative to the camera but rather merely ensures that the camera lens is displaced from a document that is external to the camera by an appropriate distance for the document to be in focus. However, even though the link stick offers some measure of stability it is very difficult to avoid camera shake since the camera is still free to tilt about the end of the link stick. Such tilting induces both vertical and lateral displacement of the camera relative to the document thus severely reducing image quality.

Foldable or collapsible cameras are known. A typical example is disclosed in US Patent No. 4,074,296 published February 14, 1978 and assigned to Fuji of Japan. The lens mount is supported by linkage assemblies so as to be foldable within the camera casing but to be ejected into an operating position when the camera is opened. In the operating position, a cover of the camera casing is tilted upwards to allow the lens mount to be pushed forward. The lens is a standard wide angle lens for general photography and is unsuited for close-up work. The camera accommodates a conventional halide film at an inside surface of the casing opposite the lens. Thus, the lens is inevitably directed outside the camera body. As a result, even if the lens were changed to a macro lens, there would be no way to support the camera other than by an external support such as a tripod and the lens could not be focused on an article retained by the camera casing.

Cellular telephones having imaging capability are also known. EP 930770 (Mitsubishi) published July 21, 1999 and entitled "Portable cellular phone having the function of a camera" discloses a portable cellular phone including an audio input, means for transmitting audio data to a calling/called party, a keypad and digital camera which photographs an image and a memory which stores the image. The image data may be converted to audio information for transmission by the cellular telephone. Such a device combines a camera and cellular telephone in a compact unit that allows the camera to be removed if desired and is intended for imaging a distance scene. The display is intended to display stored images of addressees, whose images are captured by the camera and stored in association with a respective contact telephone number. On selecting the image of a desired addressee, the telephone number is extracted from memory and the cellular telephone automatically dials the selected addressee.

The device disclosed in EP 930770 has no close-up facility and is thus not configured to photograph in macro mode. There is thus no suggestion to use the camera to scan documents for onward transmission to a remote party. Image data received from a remote party may be processed by the device for storage in the image memory and subsequent display. However, there is no suggestion to provide a printer function for printing image data stored in the memory.

EP 1178421 (Hitachi) published February 6, 2002 and entitled "Electronic coupon system" discloses a cellular telephone having a display and adapted to produce and display coupons. By such means, electronic coupons can be presented in a store where a product or service is purchased, and the electronic coupons can be scanned by an existing bar code scanner connected to a POS system. However, there is no suggestion to scan documents or coupons by the telephone device itself. Nor is there any suggestion to print such coupons by the device; indeed part of the rationale of the invention appears to be to avoid the need to use printed coupons.

WO 98/19478 (System Innovation Ab) published May 7, 1998 and entitled "A printing and scanning device for Internet and facsimile cellular services" discloses a printing and scanning device to be used for communication via a telephone or data network, in particular a cellular network. The device includes a printer, scanner, keypad and microprocessor and can interact with a cellular telephone, allowing transmission and reception of facsimiles, e-mails, browsing, downloading and printout of any information available at a global computer network such as the Internet, and setting up of a personal server by scanning a document and storing it in a memory. Such a device does not include a cellular telephone interface but rather is a separate unit that can be connected to a cellular telephone. Moreover, the facsimile is a table-top device that operates by scanning a document in conventional manner and is not a camera that can image the complete document in one fell swoop.

In conclusion, none of the above mentioned discloses a collapsible camera that allows small documents, such as business cards to be scanned by imaging and that also includes a cellular telephone interface. Furthermore, none of these references relates to such a device also having an integral printer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a dual focus camera having a first optics that is adapted to focus on distant objects and a second optics that is adapted for macro work and serves to scan documents placed on a base of the camera.

This object is realized in accordance with a broad aspect of the invention by means of a camera comprising: a housing having a base and a cover unit that is moveable relative to the base between a closed position and an open position, an imaging unit within the housing for producing an image of an object, a first optics within the housing being optically coupled to the imaging unit when the cover unit is in the closed position for long distance focusing, and a second optics within the housing being optically coupled to the imaging unit when the cover unit is in the open position for focusing on the base.

Thus, in accordance with the invention there is provided a dual-focus camera that may be used when the cover is in a closed position as a compact "instant" camera focused on infinity. Alternatively, the camera may be opened so as to focus on the base plate, thus allowing a document placed on the base plate to be imaged. Thus, in the open position, the camera serves as a scanner for producing an image of a document.

Preferably, the housing accommodates a miniature printer, such as a thermal printer, allowing data to be printed on a document placed on the base of the housing and further includes a transport mechanism for transporting a document relative to the base so that data can be printed along its length. Likewise, there is preferably provided a display that may display data downloaded to the camera from a remote location. According to a preferred embodiment, the device further includes a communication interface for allowing connection to a remote server, whereby data can be downloaded by the device from the server via the communication interface for printing and/or display and uploaded by the device to the server for remote processing. The communication interface may be a cellular telephone interface allowing communication using standard cellular telephony or alternatively may be a

WAP or Bluetooth or even a regular computer interface thus allowing connection to a server using wireless or wired connection.

Instead of typing messages, the invention is based on either transmitted preprinted or handwritten messages, thus overcoming the limitations of keyboards which are difficult to operate. The input is achieved by digital scanning of the messages. However in contrast to conventional scanners which require relative movement of the scanned material in relation to the scanning element, the present invention achieves scanning without any movement, both scanned material and scanning elements being stationary during the process. Instead of displaying text and/or graphics on an LCD, the invention may effect the display of information by printing although an LCD or other display may be provided to extend the versatility of the device. The amount of information displayed can be quite large, even when only a small piece of paper is used. Some very tiny print mechanisms such as direct thermal printer which can typically print at 200dpi, can achieve the same VGA image on a 3.20 x 2.40 inch piece of paper, about the size of a business card.

While the structure and operation are similar to those of a facsimile, the invention includes significant improvements over conventional facsimiles. These improvements are in three aspects - mode, size and function. The novel stationary mode of scanning was mentioned above. As there is no movement of the scamied material and/or the scanning element, no motor and transport mechanism are required, and thus the physical size and weight are kept to a minimum, a very desirable feature in pocketable devices. As for function, the stationary scanning process can be implemented far more speedily than in conventional scanning, and problems like scanned paper getting stuck are avoided.

The stationary scanning is performed by a CCD or CMOS image sensor array such as are used today in digital cameras. Not only are they low cost due to mass production, but scanning is faster than with conventional linear CCDs and the same sensor can perform the functions of a digital camera with the captured images being sent over the wireless network. This "double action" of a single miniature integrated circuit is achieved by devising two optical systems, one for close up (or macro), for "scanning" the image on a piece of paper, and the other used for normal photography.

Preferably, the switching between the two diverse functions is achieved simply by opening or closing the cover of the device, this operation also changing the position of the optical sensor: when the cover is closed the device operates as a regular camera having a wide angle optics suitable for imaging over a wide field of view. When the cover is opened, the camera operates in the scanning mode using the second optics which is a macro lens. As will be seen from the detailed description, the invention constitutes, in the document processing mode, a truly portable, pocket-sized facsimile device which can be operated almost anywhere, as it can transmit and receive messages through the cellular telephony network. Furthermore, the invention can be used not only to display messages that are sent by conventional facsimile protocols (CCITT) but also such as are generated by conventional computerized messaging software such as e-mail, and also to print Internet pages which have been adapted to be transmitted by cellular phones according to protocols such as WAP, HDML, MML etc. Those familiar with the art will appreciate that standard facsimile cannot receive and print material sent directly from e-mail or Internet software without the mediation of a personal computer, and thus the present invention which is specifically designed to be used within the cellular telephony network constitutes an improvement by virtue of its functionality and versatility.

The ability to receive messages and print them combined with real portability gives the invention a capability not available in dedicated cellular messaging devices that can only depict the received message on the display, but cannot provide a hard copy. As today many electronic transactions are already performed on the Internet the device of the invention can serve a further function, namely remote printing of a receipt. It is true that receipts for Internet transactions are printable when the transaction is done with a personal computer that is connected to a printer as is commonly done, but this can be performed only from a stationary location (as portable PCs are not normally equipped with a portable printer) while the device of the present invention can print a receipt anywhere and at any time. This capability is not insignificant as most people trust a printed receipt more than a displayed receipt. The device of the invention provides also a unique messaging ability. In many cases a handwritten note is easier to generate than a typed one, in particular when the keyboard is very small and particularly when it has fewer keys than a QWERTY keyboard. In such cases the device of the present invention offers a better alternative, enabling the sending of handwritten notes which, by being combined with full portability, provides an easy and universal mode for written communication from anywhere, anytime.

It is true that handheld PDA's can also transmit messages written on their touch screen with a stylus. However, the present invention is an improvement over the PDA in this particular function. First, it is easier to write with a pen on paper than on a touch screen with a stylus, and second, and more important, is that more information can be generated on the paper than on a touch screen of the same size due to the low resolution of the display as discussed above.

Those familiar with the art will appreciate that by creating a practical portable bi-directional communication device, with connectivity available any time and any place, and with abilities of both visual scanning and printing it is possible to support not just facsimile functions, e-mails and limited printing of Internet pages but more. One example for an application that can be carried more efficiently than in any wireless PDA or cellular phone is the supply of maps on request. Mobile telephony allows the user to communicate from wherever he is located. Thus, one common and attractive application is to provide the user with information about a place where he is currently situated or where he intends to visit. One of the most important pieces of information in this respect is providing maps of the area and/or maps with directions how to go there. As mentioned above, the typical LCD of a cellular phone and even the larger LCD of wireless PDAs are small and the maps they can provide are extremely limited. Given that small alphanumeric characters require an array of 7 x 7 pixels at a minimum, those familiar with the art can understand that there is serious limitation in depicting names on a map displayed on such LCD's. On the other hand, those familiar with the art will understand that in a map printed in VGA format, much more comprehensive maps, including names and directions can be depicted.

Those familiar with the art will understand that while the compact dimensions of the device allow printing on very narrow pieces of paper, having the width of a business card, the amount of printed information on such paper can nevertheless be many sentences, when a small and easily readable font such as 9 points is used. It should be noted that such font is about 2.7 mm high and therefore consists of about 30 pixels in height. In the case of an LCD display, in comparison, even the advanced LCD used in the Ericsson 380 WAP telephone, having a 0.23 mm dot pitch, the smallest letters are 7 pixels high and the largest are 14 pixels high. As more pixels translates to higher font clarity, the advantage of print over LCD display is clear. Moreover, a larger number of clearer letters can be printed than can be displayed in a given area. In the case of the Ericsson display which is 83 x 28 mm the total number of pixels is 320 x 120. Thus assuming a print resolution of 200 dpi, the total number of pixels available in an identical area will be 648 x 216. Such difference affects not only the letter quality but also allows a much larger number of letters, and therefore more content, to be displayed.

Furthermore as graphic transmission via cellular telephones, including stationary images such as maps, is a common application, there is a clear advantage of the present invention over displays of cellular phones and wireless PDA's, as more detailed and clear information, both textual and graphical, can be obtained.

Moreover, as was stated above, the length of either the scanned paper or the printed paper is not limited in principle, and it depend on the length of paper fed in. Thus a very large amount of data written on a narrow and long strip of paper can be scamied and transmitted by the sending unit, and the same amount of data can be printed on a piece of paper with same length or more that is fed into the printer of the receiving unit. While a display has similar capability in principle, due to scrolling, viewing a complete picture is advantageous over scrolling a picture part by part. While a main function of the device is to scan and transmit handwritten notes via the cellular telephony network to similar devices within the network, those familiar with the art can understand that content can be transmitted from the device to other hand held or portable or desktop computing devices using appropriate software. Such transmission can be executed under standard facsimile protocols. Similarly, the device in the invention can receive data transmitted from such other computing devices that are equipped with appropriate software, such as facsimile protocols which have been tailored to send to devices of the width mentioned above. In particular, with the acceptance of General Radio Packet Service (GRPS) protocol of communication as a possible standard of G2.5 wireless data transmission, the software of the device of the invention can be rendered compatible therewith and thus allow very efficient communication of the scanned data and the printed data since both can be transmitted according to GRPS.

But at the same time, since the device of the invention preferably employs standard digital cellular protocols, it can receive textual messages such as e-mails, SMS and WAP generated messages. This feature is a clear improvement over standard facsimiles. Also, the device allows for simultaneously scanning of, and printing on, the same piece of paper.

Such functionality is becoming necessary in the developing market situation, where commercial transactions are performed over the Internet and from cellular phones. Having a "scan and print" communication enables creating hard copy evidence of the transaction at both sides — the user terminal and the transaction server. A receipt of a transaction can be transmitted to the device and printed thereby. The recipient can then sign it, scan the receipt and send it back in an analogous manner to credit card transactions.

Other applications of the device are also contemplated. Thus, pre-printed orders or forms may be marked by a user, and the marked forms scanned and sent to a server where the markings are analyzed, the results of the analysis being sent back to the device to for printing on the form or on another piece of paper. In one specific application, this function allows marking a specially designed preprinted Lottery card for winning numbers, scanning the card, sending the selected list of numbers to the server at the Lottery system offices, having the server confirm the transaction and sending back the confirmation to the device to be printed on same card. The confirmation can be printed on a dedicated area on the preprinted card. Such area may be constituted by a thermal sensitive paper that can be printed by a thermal line printer of the device.

In another preferred embodiment, the device is used for helping keeping schedules by timely alerts. In this case, a specially designed paper with preprinted weekly or monthly calendar is marked for a scheduled event by day and time of the day, and the information related to the appointment is scribbled by hand. A special preprinted line allows the user to select at what time of the day he wants to be alerted about the scheduled event. The card is then scanned and the scanned data including this information is sent to the server of a service provider. In this server, the scanned image is analyzed for the event and alert time marking and this information is stored together with the scribbled image. When the requested alerting time arrives, the server sends the scribbled message to be printed on the device of the invention, including also the time of the event. The user then gets an alert not only of time but also of the content of the alerting message.

Those familiar with the art will understand that owing to the combination of scanning and printing, the invention makes it possible to utilize any preprinted marking card to be scanned by the device, sending it to be analyzed at a central server location. Based on optically identified markings, any action elicited at the server can result in it sending a printed message back to the device. The above examples of the interaction between the device and a server are just two illustrations of a myriad of ossibiliti.es.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a device according to the invention having integral imaging, scanning and printing functionality;

Fig. 2 shows pictorially a partial sectional elevation of the device in a closed position; Fig. 3 shows pictorially a partial sectional elevation of the device in an open position;

Figs. 4a, 4b and 4c show pictorially successive stages in printing a lottery receipt using the device according to the invention;

Figs. 5a and 5b show pictorially successive stages in a process using the device of Fig. 1 to confirm a transaction carried out by a user of the device;

Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a client-server system using the device according to the invention;

Fig. 7 is a flow diagram showing the principal operations performed by the device during use of the system illustrated in Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a flow diagram showing the principal operations performed by the server during use of the system illustrated in Fig. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a device 10 according to the invention having integral imaging, scanning and printing functionality. The device 10 includes an imaging unit 11 that is typically is a CCD camera element that operates in conjunction with a first optics 12 for focusing on a base of the device and in conjunction with a second optics 13 for focusing on distant objects. The first optics 12 is a macro lens that is brought into operation when the device 10 is opened such that the imaging unit 11 functions as a scanner for producing a pixelated image. The second optics 13 is a wide angle lens that has a wide field of view and is typically focused on the hyperfocal plane so as to have an effective focus from half the hyperfocal distance to infinity. A processor 14 is coupled to a memory 15 that stores the pixelated image thus produced as well as a pixelated image downloaded to the device 10 from a remote location via a communication port 16 (constituting a communication interface) coupled to the processor 14. The communication interface may include an antenna 17 allowing for wireless communication using cellular telephony, Bluetooth, WAP and so on. Alternatively or additionally it may also include standard interfaces such as RS232, USB or Firewall allowing for wired communication with a computer.

Also coupled to the processor 14 is a miniature printer 18, which may typically be a thermal printer as is used in supermarket checkout registers, portable calculators and the like. A miniature keypad 19 (constituting a user interface) and LCD display 20 may also be coupled to the processor 14, although these, as well as the communication interface, are in fact optional components. Other optional components also include a microphone 21 and loudspeaker 22 allowing for vocal communication. A motorized transport mechanism 23 is required for transporting paper relative to the printer 18, which is fixed, thus allowing data to be printed along an extended length of paper. A light source 24 such as a camera flash may also be provided. The device is powered by a suitable miniature battery 25.

In a specific embodiment, the device is dimensioned so that the camera images a document having a width about 2.5 inch, and a length of 3.3 inch such as a business card. The thickness of the device will be determined by the paper transport mechanism, the electronic components (housed inside the cover) and the battery. With recent advances in battery technology and in assembly of integrated circuits (for example "Chip on Glass" module of ShellCase Inc. of Israel) the total thickness will be well less than an inch. Such dimensions are those available in small, if not the smallest, cellular phones, and allow placing the device in a small shirt pocket. Inclusion of the optional components will increase the size, but will keep still within the realm of sizes available in cellular phones.

The imaging unit 11 may be a CCD or CMOS image sensor array that is commercially available. Devices that can scan an image in a VGA size, 640 x 480 pixels, are commercially available, for example from Olympus Corporation of Japan. It is possible to equip the imaging unit 11 with optics that allow it to see an image from a height of 1 cm. However in order to achieve a sufficient field of view in such proximity to permit scanning of a document of reasonable size, a very wide angle lens would be required and it is more feasible to extend slightly the field of view by imaging from a larger height.

Miniature printer mechanisms that can be integrated with commercially available compact devices without impinging on their compactness are known. Thus, Citizen of Japan produce a model sold under the manufacturer's reference MLT-288 having planar dimensions 73mm x 38mm and a thickness of 15mm capable of printing on paper having a width of 52mm. A printer mechanism having similar dimensions, but of only 6mm thickness is made by F&F Corp. of Okaya, Japan. Both are thermal line printers.

Figs. 2 and 3 show pictorially a partial sectional elevation of the device 10 in its closed and open position, respectively. Thus, the device 10 is mounted inside a housing 30 having a base 31 and a cover 32 hingedly attached to the base 31 by a binge 33. The second optics 13 is mounted in the base 31 and when the device is in the closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, the imaging unit 11 is aligned with the second optics 13 so that the device functions as a "point and shoot" flash camera having a fixed focus over a wide field of view. Attached to the cover 32 is a link mechanism depicted schematically and shown as 34 that is linked to the imaging unit 11 and to the first optics 12, so that when the cover 32 is opened, the imaging unit 11 and the first optics 12 are tilted into mutual alignment so as to serve as a close field camera focused on the base 31 and having a sufficiently wide field of view to image substantially the complete area of the base 31 as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the first optics 12 is mounted substantially centrally and images an area of the base 31 that encompasses the second optics 13, which thus does not protrude above the inside surface of the base 31 and thus does not obstruct insertion of a document 35 or paper on to the base 31. To this end, the printer 18 is mounted slightly above the base so as to provide a slight gap 36 for accommodating the document 35 therein. Likewise, in the event that the motorized transport mechanism 23 is provided, this too is preferably mounted above the base 31 so as to extend the gap into which the document or paper is inserted. Once the paper is inserted into the gap 36, it is guided and transported for printing under the printer 18 and subsequently ejected. It will be understood that while the width of printing can be determined by the width of the scanned area, the length of such paper is more flexible. The conventional features of the device 10 operate under control of commercially available software. Thus, printing and scanning as well as picture imaging software programs are well known. Communication software such as used in facsimiles (according to CCITT protocols) and mobile communication protocols mentioned above are also commonly available. In addition to such standard software, the processor 14 also operates in conjunction with novel software to perform specific tasks contemplated by the invention. Thus, a novel functional feature of the device is a process called "ove rinting", where the material to be scamied or printed can be a sheet of printable material such as paper which was partially printed before using a conventional printing technique. The scanned data can be transmitted with additional information which is hand written or annotated, and then can be overprinted again by the device of the invention.

There are certain cases where a person is required to mark a pre-printed form, the form is physically collected, and then such forms are processed by a visual scanner, and the data processed either locally or remotely. A well-known example is an election form. The present invention includes means to perform such function from any remote site and transmit the data by wireless communication. Furthermore, in other similar form marking cases where the identity of the person who made the marks must be known as in case of examinations based on multiple choices, the form will be processed, and the verification of the marldngs will be sent to the examinee and printed on the form. The examinee will then sign the form to confirm that it corresponds to the answers he provided on the original form. The signed form, including the original markings, the remote server numeral record of such mark, and the examinee authorized signature will be scanned by the camera and resent to the server. By such means, any disagreements with respect to the locations of the marks are eliminated as the examinee verified what was recorded at the remote server. Such an approach, where a pre-printed form is marked, scanned and transmitted for remote processing, followed by sending the received data for proof and verification by the user, and then optionally allowing the user to approve the data by his signature whereupon the signed form is scanned and transmitted to the server for record, can be applied in other cases, such as remote lottery.

Such an application will now be explained in more detail with particular regard to a partially preprinted lottery ticket and with reference to Figs. 4a, 4b and 4c of the drawings. Thus, Fig. 4a shows a lottery ticket 40 having a form of preprinted numbers in an area 42 that may be marked, scanned and transmitted, and then printed with a confirmation. Fig. 4b shows the lottery ticket 40 with actual marks in area 42. At this stage the lottery ticket 40 is ready for scanning and transmission. The lottery ticket 40 has an area 43 which is amenable to being printed thereon. In use, numbers are manually selected from the form within the area 42 in conventional manner. The device 10 is opened and the lottery ticket 40 is inserted into the gap 36 thereof and is automatically transported or manually inserted so as to be viewable by the second optics 13. The form is scamied and transmitted to a remote server 45 (shown in Fig. 6) in this case operated by the lottery operator (constituting a remote service operator) so as to allow extraction by the lottery operator of the selected numbers. Alternatively, the processor 14 within the device 10 may be programmed to process data stored in the memory 15 corresponding to the scanned lottery ticket 40 so as to extract the selected numbers. In such case, only the scanned numbers need be transmitted to the lottery server 45 thus saving bandwidth. Upon receiving the scanned numbers, the lottery server 45 sends information to be printed over the area 43 confirming the transaction and serving as a receipt 46. Such information includes the selected numbers and possibly also a receipt number 47 and a bar code 48 as shown in Fig. 4c.

Figs. 5a and 5b show pictorially successive stages in a process using the device 10 to confirm a transaction carried out by a user of the device. Fig. 5a shows an invoice 50 that is transmitted to the device in respect of a purchase transaction requested by the owner and to be confirmed thereby. Thus, the owner uses the device to make an order and transmits the order request to the supplier (constituting a remote service operator) via the communication port 16 of the device. The manner in which the order details are conveyed to the supplier and the content of the order itself is not relevant, so long as relevant information is conveyed to the supplier to enable him to identify the user of the device, the required order details and payment information. Thus, the order can be conveyed vocally using the device as a cellular telephone, using the microphone 21. Alternatively, details can be typed using the keypad 19 and conveyed using DTMF in known manner; or they can be conveyed via a gateway connected to the Intemet and coupled to the cellular service provider for onward redirection to the supplier.

Upon receiving the order, the supplier prepares the invoice 50 confirming the order and sends data representative of the invoice back to the device. As shown in Fig. 5a, the invoice 50 as received and printed by the device contains a blank area 51 for signature by the user. The invoice is signed, scanned and the scamied invoice is then re-transmitted back to the supplier thus confirming and authorizing the purchase. This process more clearly emulates conventional authorization of credit card receipts, where the card-owner's signature constitutes proof of purchase. Moreover, such a process is preferable to the usual approach for remote purchase by telephone or Internet using a credit card for several reasons. First, it is inherently more secure than the Internet. Secondly, in conventional remote credit card transactions by telephone or Intemet, no signature is provided. If the card owner subsequently denies having ordered the goods for which he is charged on his next credit card statement, neither the card owner nor the credit card company is liable and this means that the supplier will lose financially. This is not the case where the card owner has signed the receipt or invoice as is achieved through use of the invention where subsequent denial by the card owner is inadmissible.

The bar code 52 allows different forms to be scanned and identified by software executed by the processor 14, thus allowing variable content such as the lottery numbers of the form 40 or details of the order form 50 to be extracted by allowing the processor 14 to determine the appropriate areas containing the required variable data. Likewise, if desired, the form's identity as represented by the bar code 52 may be fransmitted to the server 45 together with the complete image of the form, thus allowing the server 45 to extract the variable content in similar manner.

Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a client-server system 70 using the device 10 to realize applications of the kind described above with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. The system 70 includes the remote server 45 (already referred to above) that may be connected to the device 10 via the Internet 71 in known manner. A suitable gateway 72 is coupled to an Intemet service provider 73 for allowing connection to a cellular provider 74, thus allowing cellular telephone communication with the device 10. The demarcation between cellular telephones and computers having telephone interfaces is becoming increasingly blurred. Thus, it makes no practical difference to the implementation of the invention whether the device 10 be based on a hand-held computer having a cellular telephone, or other suitable, interface; or whether instead it is based on a cellular telephone having extended functionality. In either case, the device 10 must be addressable so as to allow data transmitted thereby to be associated by the server 45 with a unique device and thus to allow the server 45 to convey data to the same device. Figs. 7 and 8 are flow diagrams showing use of the system 70 illustrated in

Fig. 6 to realize the applications described in Figs. 4 and 5. Thus, a user opens the device to the "macro mode" and places a document on the base 31 thereof. The document is scanned and there is stored in the memory 15 either complete data, or only variable content representing selected information. The data is then conveyed to the server 45 where it is stored and processed so as maintain a record showing the identity or address of the device 10 and the variable content. As explained above, where the server 45 is adapted to serve different applications, each application must be uniquely identified so that the server 45 is able to identify to what type of form the variable content relates and, indeed, to be able to extract the variable content when complete image data of the form is transmitted thereto. Upon receiving and, if necessary extracting, the variable content the server 45 acts according to suitable software instructions depending on the type of form as identified by the bar code. Thus, in the case of the lottery ticket 40 shown in Fig. 4a, the server 45 transmits the selected numbers to the device 10 for printing in the area 43 confirming the transaction and serving as a receipt. Likewise, in the case of the invoice 50 shown in Fig. 5a, the server 45 receives the order details and the ID or address of the device. The server 45 then prepares the invoice and transmits data to the device which prints the invoice for signature by the owner. Data corresponding to the scanned invoice is then sent back to the server 45 and logged as proof of purchase. If desired, the server 45 may maintain a database of pre- authenticated signatures each belonging to one or more registered owners of the device and can scan and compare the received signature with the stored signatures to ensure authenticity.

It will readily be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the over printing technique described above is amenable to further applications, including remote printing of receipts, entrance tickets, parking tickets, and so on. Thus, by way of example, an owner of the device can order concert tickets via the cellular telephone interface, authorize payment to his or her credit card or telephone account and have the entry tickets printed on blank cards inserted into the device. Alternatively, the entry tickets or other suitable confirmation can be stored in the memory of the device for subsequent display. By such means, the device itself may serve as a versatile entry ticket that may be customized according to a desired application. Such an approach obviates the need for the user to queue at the booldng office and allows her or him to go directly into the concert hall. Many other applications will occur to those skilled in the art.

It will further be apparent that while some specific embodiments have been described, modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. Thus, for example, the width of both scanning and printing described in the first preferred embodiment, is not necessarily the only width that can be implemented. Thus, where portability is essential, the size of the scanned area is necessarily dictated by the need to make the device small; but the principles of the invention are equally applicable for use in larger devices that are not pocket sized. In such cases, the base of the camera may be adapted to be supported on a flat surface, such as a table, and a document to be imaged may be located on the table rather than the camera base, the close-up lens being adjusted to focus the document on the table. This still requires the lens to be focused substantially on the base and thus pre-calibration of allows the lens to be imaged over a wider area than that of the base and thus permits imaging of larger format documents. Such a device, whilst being collapsible, serves as a table top facsimile device and may have an integral printer and communication interface as described.

In such device, the camera optics may be adjustable so that in close up position, the macro optics will be displaced either a fixed distance from the base so that a paper having a pre-selected size can be imaged, or it can be focused in steps such that for each pre-selected paper size of a pre-selected list of sizes there will be a corresponding focusing increment. Selection of paper sizes may be determined by the number of pixels available in the CCD/CMOS chip. As 4 or even 6 megapixel chips are already commercially available, they can be used to image an A4 size page at 200 dpi, the number of pixels needed to image the 11 x 8.5 inch page at this resolution being 3,740,000.

A popular wireless application which originated in Japan is the "Sha-mail" where the user takes a picture with a digital camera that is either attachable to, or embedded in, a wireless device such as cellular phone, and combines it with text that is generated by conventional keystroke means from a full or reduced keyboard which is part of the wireless device. The device of the invention allows a similar operation that can be used also by those users who are not versed in generating texts conventionally. Instead of keying the message, the user of the device according to the invention can take a picture in the "camera" position, then open the cover, and scan a handwritten message, and transmit both together under appropriate software control. As noted above, the device according to the invention may include a suitably programmed computer having the required imaging and communication functionality. Likewise, the invention contemplates a computer program being readable by a computer for executing the method of the invention. The invention further contemplates a machine-readable memory tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for executing the method of the invention.

In the method claims that follow, alphabetic characters and Roman numerals used to designate claim steps are provided for convenience only and do not imply any particular order of performing the steps.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A collapsible camera (10) comprising: a housing (30) having a base (31) and a cover unit (32) that is moveable relative to the base between a closed position and an open position, an imaging unit (11) within the housing for producing an image of an object, and a first optics (12) within the housing being optically coupled to the imaging unit when the cover unit is in the open position for focusing substantially on the base.

2. The camera according to Claim 1 further including: a second optics (13) within the housing being optically coupled to the imaging unit when the cover unit is in the closed position for long distance focusing.

3. The camera according to Claim 1 or 2, further including: a printer (18) within the housing for printing on material disposed on the base.

4. The camera according to Claim 3, wherein the printer (18) is fixed and there is further provided a transport mechanism (23) for transporting said material relative to the printer.

5. The camera according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, further including: a processor (14) coupled to a memory (15) that stores data representative of a pixelated image produced by the imaging unit (11), and a communication interface (16) coupled to the processor for conveying said data to a remote location and for receiving data therefrom.

6. The camera according to Claim 5, wherein the communication interface

(16) is a wireless communication interface.

7. The camera according to Claim 6, further including a microphone (21) and loudspeaker (22) coupled to the processor (14) for allowing vocal communication with a remote wireless communication device.

8. The camera according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, further including a user interface (19) coupled to the processor for allowing a user to input commands to the processor.

9. The camera according to Claim 5 or 6, further including a display (20) 5 coupled to the processor (14) for displaying data stored in the memory (15).

10. The camera according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the processor is adapted to combine more two or more images stored in the memory and convey a combined message to a remote location.

11. A method for printing a record of a transaction carried out between a user ιo of the camera (10) according to Claim 5 or 6 and a remote service operator, the method comprising the following steps all carried out by the camera:

(a) downloading from a server (45) of the remote service operator to the communication interface (16) data relating to the transaction, and

(b) printing the data so as to retain a hardcopy record of the transaction. 15

12. The method according to Claim 11, further including:

(c) conveying to the server (45) via the communication interface (16) data relating to the transaction.

13. The method according to Claim 12, wherein step (c) includes: i) marking details of the transaction in a document (40, 50), 20 ii) disposing the document in association with the camera for imaging by the imaging unit (11) thereof, iii) imaging the document so as to produce at least a partial image thereof containing said details, and iv) transmitting data representative of the image to the remote 25 service operator.

14. The method according to any one of Claims 11 to 13, wherein said data includes a bar code (52) identifying the document.

15. A method for providing a printed record a transaction carried out between a user of the camera (10) according to Claim 5 or 6 and a remote service operator, the method comprising the following steps all carried out by a server (45) of the remote service operator: (a) receiving data representative of at least a partial image of a document

(40, 50) containing details marked thereon by a user of the camera, (b) transmitting to the communication interface (16) of the camera data relating to the transaction for printing by the printer (18).

16. The method according to Claim 15, wherein said data includes a bar code (48) for printing by the printer (18) identifying the document.

17. A computer program comprising computer program code means for performing all the steps of any of Claims 11 to 16 when said program is run on a computer.

18. A computer program as claimed in Claim 17 embodied on a computer readable medium.