GB2380083A

GB2380083A - Combined scanner and printer.

Info

Publication number: GB2380083A
Application number: GB0123009A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vidhya Rajeswar Thillainayagam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-09-25
Filing date: 2001-09-25
Publication date: 2003-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-25
Also published as: GB2380083B; GB0123009D0

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic scanner with printing capabilities. The device can input information from documents and, with the use of computer software, can analyse the data and print any resulting information such as a code or other text back onto the same document. It can be made as a sheet-fed device (see Figure 2) or a hand-held device for individual documents. The hand-held device may comprise a print head 1, handle 2, scanner head 3, wheels 4 (which may be motorised to drive the device) and a window 5 to facilitate positioning on text. Lights 6 may be used to indicate scanner operations, or alternatively an LED screen may be used. The scanner may be battery powered, and may include a removable memory. The documents may also be read and sorted into collection trays in a further embodiment. Thus many documents (mixed as to size, type of paper and ink) can be dealt with quickly as a batch. So for example, invoices from different suppliers can be processed into accounting records and a code printed back onto the invoice.

Description

SCANNER-PRINTER Technical Field This invention relates to an electronic scanner with printing capabilities.

Background This is a device for inputting information from documents such as invoices and via computer software, analyse and store the data on it and then print a code or other text etc. back onto the document. The device can deal with diverse types of document, format, print and inks. It can also be used for filling out pre-printed forms. It solves the problem of having to do these things manually. There is currently nothing with the versatility and capabilities of this device on the market.

The device used can be in the form of a) a hand-held scanner-printer Or b) a sheet-fed scanner-printer Technical a) The Hand-held scanner-printer This contains a normal scanner.

It also has a printer. Any printing method can be used, such as for example, inkjet or dot-matrix.

It has a method of aligning the device on the page so that it can accurately place the print.

There is a connection for power and to the computer.

The scanned information is passed to a computer or microprocessor, which has text recognition software to process it.

It has motorised wheels, which allow scanning at a constant speed.

The motorised wheels can be switched off and documents can be scanned under hand power.

It can have lights that will flash, or a beeper, which will make a sound when the scanning function or the printing function is in process.

It can have buttons/switches to turn on the printer or scanner function, or for other requirements such as entering text.

It can work on batteries and have a microprocessor to analyse data and hold it in the unit itself or on removable memory, until it can be downloaded to the computer.

It can have a L. E. D or other electronic display.

The scanner-printer can be made in different sizes. For example as small as a pen or large enough to take A3 or bigger.

Fig 1. Illustration of hand-held scanner-printer Fig. 1 shows an overhead view of the hand-held scanner-printer. The dotted lines refer to items on the underside of the scanner-printer.

Label 1-The position of the printer. This can be either on the underside or the top end vertical side of the scanner-printer.

Label 2 - The handle Label 3-The position of the scanner. This can be placed in a different position if required.

Label 4-The motorised wheels. These can be switched off and allowed to roll freely when scanning under hand power.

Label 5-A window to facilitate positioning the text. This is optional and other markers or devices can be added to allow accurate positioning of text.

Label 6-Lights that indicate when the scanner or printer functions are in operation. Optional.

Label 7-Switch to start or stop scanner or printer, or enter text. There can be more than one of these and they could be located on the side instead of on top to make it more practical to use. Optional.

Not shown is the position of the power and computer cable connection.

Example of operation The scanner is placed on a document, switched on and is either dragged over it by hand, or the motorised wheels are switched on and allowed to pass over the document.

The information is transmitted to a computer where data is processed and either processed information, or text inputted by the user, is transmitted back to the scanner.

The scanner can be positioned for printing with the aid of markers to set the exact position for printing.

The printing function is switched on automatically or by the user when ready to print and the text is printed. b) Sheet Fed Scanner-Printer This device resembles a sheet fed scanner or fax machine.

It has scanning function.

It has printer function. The printer can be any method of printing, such as for example, inkjet or dot matrix.

It has a method of winding the document back and forth to position the document accurately for printing.

There is a multi-sheet feeder to process many documents of any size at a time.

There is connection for power and to a computer, The scanned information is passed to a computer or microprocessor, which has text recognition software to process it.

There can be a collection tray for processed documents.

This tray can be split-level for the documents to be sorted automatically.

There can be an L. E. D screen or other electronic display on the scannerprinter to display the data.

It can be of any size.

Fig 2 Illustration of sheet-fed scanner printer Fig 2. Is a side-ways view of the scanner-printer.

Label 1-scanner-printer Label 2-multi-sheet feeder

Label 3-documents of different sizes label 4-document tray for processed documents Label 5-connection to a computer Label 6-computer.

Example of operation A number of documents are placed in the sheet feeder.

The device takes up the document in the same way as a normal printer.

It passes under a scanning device.

The data is transmitted to a computer/mtcroprocessor where text recognition software reads in the information.

The information is processed.

Or the user enters text.

The data is transmitted back to the scanner-printer.

The device positions the document in the right place to print the text For example on forms text may have to be printed in specific boxes on the document.

The text is printed.

This document passes into an output tray for collection by the user.

The next document is picked up by the scanner-printer and processed like the previous one.

Potentially, many documents can be processed at a time very fast.

Claims

CLAIMS FOR THE SCANNER-PRINTER Claim 1 This is a device for inputting information from documents such as invoices and via computer software, analyse and store relevant data on a document and then print a code or other text etc. back onto the document.

(a) The scanner-printer contains a normal scanner.

(b) It also has a printer. The printer can use any method of printing.

(c) It has a method of aligning the device on the page so that it can accurately place the print at any part of the paper at any stage of printing the page.

(d) The scanned information is passed to a computer or microprocessor, for processing.

Claim 2 in addition to claim1 (a) There can be a connection for power and to the computer; and/or it can work on batteries (b) and have a microprocessor to analyse data (c) and hold it in the unit itself or on removable memory, until it can be downloaded to the computer.

Claim 3 in addition to claim 1 and/or 2 There can be removable memory for the data.

Claim 4 in addition to claim 1 and/or 2-3 There can be an L. E. D screen or other electronic display on the scanner-printer to display the data.

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Claim 5 in addition to claim 1 and/or 2-4 It ean have buttons te oress to turn on the erinter or scanner function or for other requirements such as entering text.

Claim 6 in addition to claim 1 and/or 2-5 It can have lights which will flash or a beeper which will make sound to indicate particular functions.

Claim 7 in addition to claim 1 and/or 2-6 It can be of any size. For example as small as a pen or large enough to take A3 or bigger.

Claim 8 in addition to claim 1 and/or 2-7 The sheet-fed scanner-printer can have in addition to claims 1 to 7 a multi-sheet feeder to process many documents of any size at a time.

Claim 9 in addition to claim 1 and/or 2-8 The sheet-fed scanner-printer can have in addition to claims 1 to 8 sorting/collection trays attached to sort processed documents into particular trays.

Claim 10 in addition to claim 1 and/or 2-7 The hand-held scanner-printer can have in addition to claims 1 to 7 Motorised wheels to allow scanning at a constant speed; but the scanner can operate with these switched on or off.