FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system and method for trace printing for
embedded devices with / without touch screen. In particular the invention
corresponds to printing for embedded systems like electronic diary, mobile
phones, PDA, POS equipment and other embedded equipments with touch
screen display, etc. The idea is to provide trace printing facility to the user by
printing the traced image. Selective part(s) of the image which is displayed on
the screen / desktop can be traced and be printed. Multiple and random parts of
the desktop / image displayed on the embedded device can be selected and
printed / stored.
Alternatively the image to be traced can be put on top of the touch screen and
the stylus moved to the points to be traced. The idea can be extended to any
monitor / display device / printer with touch screen interface. The idea can be
extended to other display devices without touch screen interface using mouse /
keyboard / joystick / pen board etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Microsoft windows provide facility in their word / excel applications to print a
selection. This selection can only be part of the word document / excel sheet /
paint image. It does not provide random selection using stylus / mouse and
multiple selections. The selection should be part of the document / image. It
does not cater for the selection of the desktop contents. Microsoft also provides
utility to print the whole desktop using the print screen button. However it does
not provide interface for printing a traced portion.
Microsoft print option for "selection" applies only for a selection done in the word
/ excel documents. It does not cater to the random selection for content in the
desktop.
Mac OS X provides utility for selecting particular parts of a desktop using an
application called "Grab". This application can only select a rectangular portion
of the desktop from a pointed location.

Mac OS X utility grab gives an interface to select a particular rectangular window
from a desktop. This application can only select a rectangular portion of the
desktop from a pointed location. This does not provide random selection.
Further multiple selections are not supported by the grab application- This does
not provide print facility. This also does not support tracing.
Document US 7, 317, 563 B2 provides a printing method and system for making
a print from a photo picture frame and a graphic image written by a user.
A picture frame photographed on a photo film is displayed on the screen of an
image input device. It can also be printed out as a hard copy. A user can write
a graphic image in the image of the picture frame, and graphic data of the
graphic image is detected from the image of the picture frame with the graphic
image written therein. The graphic data associated with the picture frame can
be transferred through electronic transmission from the user to a photofinisher.
It can also be recorded on a data recording medium which is forwarded to the
photofinisher along with the photo film. From the picture frame and the graphic
data a synthetic print with the picture frame and the graphic image can be made.

This document provides a system that allows the user to make a print from a
photo picture frame with a graphic image(s) or characte(s) written /
superimposed by the user, without the need for recording data on the magnetic
recording layer of the photo film or other data recording medium by the camera.
The system achieves this by picking up image data of the picture frame after the
photo film has been developed, making an image sample of the picture frame
based on the image data of the frame, writing / superimposing the graphic
image(s) / characters in the image sample at a desired and appropriate position,
detecting graphic data of the graphic image / character from the image sample
having the graphic image / character written therein, the graphic data including a
position of the graphic image / character relative to the picture frame and
making a print based on the picture frame and the graphic data, the print
containing the graphic image at the position designated by the graphic data.
This system needs a character to be superimposed by the user and looks at the
special character at the image to be printed.
Document US 7, 203, 903 B1 discloses a system and methods for spacing,
storing and recognizing electronic representations of handwriting, printing and
drawings. The system includes a central processing unit coupled to a display

device, an input device, and a memory. The memory includes means for spacing
ink stroke representations, means for recognizing outline elements, means for
performing deferred recognition, means for highlighting drawing areas and
means for storing and displaying ink stroke representations. These means
provide a pen-based or graphics oriented computer system with added features
for manipulating the space between ink stroke representations. It comprises
several methods that provide this functionality including: a method for managing
space between ink stroke representations, a method for displaying drawing
elements in a visually distinct manner, a method for recognizing bullets and
dashes, a method for storing ink stroke representations, a method for displaying
and printing ink stroke representations, and a method for performing deferred
character or word recognition.
The central processing unit (CPU) of the system operates in conjunction with a
display device, an input device, and a memory. The central processing unit is
coupled to a printer, mass storage, and a network. The system provides the user
with the functionality of 'note taking', wherein the user, with the help of a pen
type input device can enter ink strokes falling into the category of either a
character input or a drawing input. The user can set the mode of the system to
'drawing', 'writing' or 'smart ink' mode.

The system discloses how to recognize handwriting, drawing from the strokes. It
also provides regions like drawing, writing etc., for inputting.
It however, does not provide anything for tracing of images / pictures / portions
placed on top of a touch screen. It also does not provide anything on multiple /
random tracing of displayed images / desktop contents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the present invention is to provide trace printing facility to the
users of embedded systems like electronic diary, mobile phones, PDA, POS,
equipment with touch screen display, by printing the trace image.
A part of the image which is displayed on the screen / part / portion(s) of the
screen / desktop can be traced and be printed. The idea can be extended to any
monitor / display device / printer with touch screen interface. The idea can be
extended to other display devices without touch screen interface using mouse /
keyboard / joystick / pen board etc.

Alternatively the image / picture to be traced can be put on top of the touch
screen and the stylus moved over the points to be traced. The random traced
contours of the image are then printed / can be stored inside the embedded
device.
In a preferred embodiment the present invention provides a method for trace
printing for embedded devices, comprising the steps of: enabling trace printing
application for trace printing; tracing random parts of image(s) / desktops for
selecting multiple areas; storing the contours of the traced portions in a
temporary file; and continuing selection and storing of other closed areas till
receiving user command for saving the images and / or printing.
In another preferred embodiment the invention provides a method for trace
printing for embedded touch screen devices, like PDA, electronic diary, etc.,
comprising the steps of: placing the picture / object to be traced on top of the
touch screen device; tracing the portions to be traced; storing the traced
contours / coordinates of the selected portion of the images; and / or printing
the joined coordinates of the selected areas / portions in respective coordinate
locations with reference to the desktop / touch screen on which the image to be
traced is placed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The invention can now be described in detail with the help of the figures of the
accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 shows the method of the present invention for selecting
multiple random areas from a displayed image desktop.
Figure 2 shows a flow chart of the method of tracing an image
placed physically on top of a touch screen.
Figure 3 (a) shows the plain desktop of the electronic
diary / embedded device with touch screen.
Figure 3 (b) shows the simultaneous multiple selections of random areas
in the electronic diary / embedded device with touch screen.
Figure 3 (c) shows the area which will be stored / printed
using the method shown in Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The basic structure of two preferred embodiments of the present invention are
shown in Figures 1 and 2 respectively.
As shown in Figure 1, the user enables the application for trace printing. The
user after enabling the trace printing application traces random parts of an
image(s) / desktop. The tracing can be done using a mouse by clicking on the
button of the mouse and dragging the mouse on the area of selection. Once the
selection for the particular area is over, the user leaves the mouse left button.
The second / multiple area(s) can be selected similarly by using the mouse. The
selection can be done in the touch screen using stylus. The selected portion
where the stylus is moved is taken as a selection area. Multiple selections can
be done by selecting a different area after lifting the pen / lifting the button of
the mouse in the current selection.

The contours of the traced portions are stored in a temporary file. The user
goes on selecting another closed area. The selection is also stored in a
temporary file until the user command is received for save / print. The selected
area is taken from the frame buffer / video buffer using the traced contour
location information. The traced portion(s) can be stored / printed alter getting
the trace complete / print response from the user. The coordinate locations
where the selected portions (region(s) of interest) are to be printed with
reference to the desktop / image frame can be changed according to the user
preference. The selected area can thus be printed in the exact coordinate
locations with reference to the desktop image / document or to a random
location / organized location / one after another as per user preference.
In the second embodiment of the invention given in Figure 2, the picture / object
to be traced is placed on top of the touch screen device (PDA, electronic diary
etc). The tracing is done moving the stylus over the portions to be traced. The
outline traces of the image(s) is stored / printed after getting the complete /
print response from the user. In this case the area is not printed but the
selection coordinates are joined and printed. Multiple joined coordinates can be
printed in the respective coordinate locations with reference to the desktop /
touch screen in which the image to be traced is placed.

The invention provides a method for trace printing multiple parts of a displayed
image / desktop for embedded systems like electronic diary, mobile phones,
PDA, POS equipment etc. with touch screen display. The method of the present
invention can be extended to computers with touch screen monitors. It can also
be extended to other display devices without touch screen interface using mouse
/ keyboard / joystick etc. It provides a method for selectively printing the
desktop portions. Random areas of a desktop can be selected for printing or
storing the selected portions.
Portions to be traced are selected through the image / portion(s) of the desktop
displayed on the touch screen. Part(s) of the image / desktop can be traced.
Tracing and selecting multiple traced areas are carried out simultaneously.
Random multiple portions / areas to be printed are selected using a stylus /
mouse. The selection of areas is from the frame buffer / video buffer / image
buffer and stored in a selected file. The contours / coordinates of the selected
portions can be stored in a selected file and printing / storing the selected
portions in the respective coordinate locations with reference to the whole

desktop / total image. The traced area can be any random area. These
coordinates locations where the selected portions are to be printed with
reference to the desktop / image frame can be changed according to user
preference.
The tracing and printing multiple images can be done on the same display (or in
multiple displays in multi monitor setup). The tracing / selection can be done on
any part / multiple parts / random area(s) of the display screen.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the image is physically placed on top
of the touch screen and the stylus moved to the points to be traced in the image.
The lines to be traced are selected by tracing through the image placed
physically on top of the touch screen. The contours / coordinates of the selected
lines of the image are stored in a file. The multiple contours / coordinates are
combined and outline of the image is drawn / traced or a picture is kept on the
screen of the embedded device.

The invention provides the facility to print or store an electronic version of the
traced image or picture.
The present invention does not need any specific character to be superimposed
on a photo picture by the user to make a print. Any one can trace portions of
the picture to be printed using the stylus / mouse. It is also not restricted to a
photo. It can correspond to any random portion(s) which is displayed on the
display screen / computer screen.

WE CLAIM
1. A method for trace printing for embedded devices, comprising the steps
of:
- enabling trace printing application for trace printing;
- tracing random parts of image(s) / desktops for selecting multiple
areas;
- storing the contours of the traced portions in a temporary file; and
- continuing selection and storing of other closed areas till receiving
user command for saving the images and / or printing.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said embedded system is an
electronic diary, a mobile phone, a PDA or POS equipment or any other
embedded equipment with a touch screen display.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said embedded system is a
computer with a touch screen monitor.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said embedded system is
without a touch screen interface and tracing is done with a mouse /
keyboard / joystick, etc.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein tracing of random multiple
areas is carried out with the help of a stylus or a mouse.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said selection of areas is from
the frame buffer / video buffer / image buffer into a selected file.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein selecting and tracing of
multiple areas are carried out simultaneously.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein selecting and tracing can be
done on any part / multiple parts / random area(s) of the display screen.

9. A method for trace printing for embedded touch screen devices, like PDA,
electronic diary, etc., comprising the steps of:
- placing the picture / object to be traced on top of the touch screen
device;
- tracing the portions to be traced;
- storing the traced contours / coordinates of the selected portion of
the images; and / or printing the joined coordinates of the selected
areas / portions in respective coordinate locations with reference to
the desktop / touch screen on which the image to be traced is
placed.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the contours / coordinates of
the selected lines of the portions of the images are stored in a file.
11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the printing / storing of the
selected portions are carried out with reference to the entire desktop or
the total image.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the printing of selected
portions with reference to the desktop / image frame can be changed
according to user's preference.
13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the image to be traced is
physically placed on top of the touch screen and the stylus is moved to
the points to be traced in the images by selecting the lines to be traced.
14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein multiple contours / coordinates
can be combined to draw the outline of the image / to trace an image.
15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein an electronic version of the
traced image or picture is stored / printed.
16. A method for trace printing for embedded devices, substantially as herein
described and illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

The main object of the present invention is to provide trace printing facility to the
users of embedded systems like electronic diary, mobile phones, PDA, POS, equipment with touch screen display, by printing the trace image.
A part of the image which is displayed on the screen / part / portion(s) of the screen / desktop can be traced and be printed. The idea can be extended to any monitor / display device / printer with touch screen interface. The idea can be extended to other display devices without touch screen interface using mouse / keyboard / joystick / pen board etc.
Alternatively the image / picture to be traced can be put on top of the touch screen and the stylus moved over the points to be traced. The random traced contours of the image are then printed / can be stored inside the embedded
device. In a preferred embodiment the present invention provides a method for trace printing for embedded devices, comprising the steps of: enabling trace printing application for trace printing; tracing random parts of image(s) / desktops for selecting multiple areas; storing the contours of the traced portions in a
temporary file; and continuing selection and storing of other closed areas till receiving user command for saving the images and / or printing. In another preferred embodiment the invention provides a method for trace printing for embedded touch screen devices, like PDA, electronic diary, etc., comprising the steps of: placing the picture / object to be traced on top of the touch screen device; tracing the portions to be traced; storing the traced contours / coordinates of the selected portion of the images; and / or printing the joined coordinates of the selected areas / portions in respective coordinate locations with reference to the desktop / touch screen on which the image to be
traced is placed.