METHOD AND APPARATUS TO CONTROL THE BEHAVIOR OF A DIGITAL CAMERA BY DETECTING CONNECTIVITY TO A UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS

• US 20010001563A1
• Filed: 05/18/1998
• Published: 05/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: TOMASZEWSKI, EDWARD P.
• Application Number:
  US09/080,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20010001563A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0034 Details of the connection, e.g. connector, interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus H04N2201/0013; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

A method for controlling behavior of a digital camera is disclosed. The method detects connectivity to a universal serial bus (USB) and automatically switches to a corresponding mode of operation depending on the result of the detecting.

Claims

1. A method for controlling behavior of a digital camera comprising:

detecting connectivity of the digital camera to a universal serial bus (USB); and

switching the digital camera to a predetermined mode of operation depending on the result of said detecting.

2. The method of

claim 1

further comprising switching to tethered mode if the result of said detecting indicates that said digital camera is connected to said USB.

3. The method of

claim 1

further comprising switching to portable mode if said detecting indicates that said digital camera is not connected to said USB.

4. The method of

claim 1

wherein said detecting further comprises storing voltage bus (VBUS) signal input from a USB cable line in a software readable register.

5. The method of

claim 4

further comprising determining whether a VBUS signal is asserted by reading a pre-determined location in said software readable register.

6. The method of

claim 5

wherein said VBUS signal enables a VBUS bit to be asserted in said software readable register if said VBUS signal is asserted.

7. The method of

claim 5

wherein said VBUS signal checker reads said pre-determined location for said VBUS bit.

8. An apparatus for controlling the behavior of a digital camera comprising:

a camera manager configured to control the behavior of the digital camera by detecting connectivity of said digital camera to a universal serial bus (USB); and

a software readable register coupled to said camera manager configured to hold a VBUS value indicative of connectivity of said digital camera to said USB.

9. The apparatus of

claim 8

wherein said camera manager further comprises a VBUS signal checker configured to poll a pre-determined location in said software readable register to read said VBUS value indicative of connectivity of said digital camera to said USB.

10. The apparatus of

claim 8

wherein said VBUS signal checker transitions to tethered mode if said VBUS value is a bit which is asserted in said software readable register.

11. The apparatus of

claim 9

wherein said VBUS signal checker transitions to portable mode if said VBUS value is a bit which is unasserted.

12. The apparatus of

claim 10

wherein said camera manager further comprises tethered mode manager configured to process incoming commands through said USB while said digital camera is in said tethered mode.

13. The apparatus of

claim 11

wherein said camera manager further comprises portable mode manager configured to process button operations on said digital camera while said digital camera is in portable mode.

14. A system for controlling the behavior of a digital camera comprising:

a camera manager configured to control the behavior of the digital camera by detecting connectivity of said digital camera to a universal serial bus (USB); and

a software readable register coupled to said camera manager configured to hold a VBUS value indicative of connectivity of said digital camera to said USB; and

a microprocessor coupled to a storage element and configured to execute code for controlling the behavior of said digital camera.

15. The system of

claim 14

wherein said camera manager further comprises a VBUS signal checker configured to poll a pre-determined location in said software readable register to read said VBUS value indicative of connectivity of said digital camera to said USB.

16. The system of

claim 14

wherein said VBUS signal checker transitions to tethered mode if said VBUS value is asserted in said software readable register.

17. The system of

claim 15

wherein said VBUS signal checker transitions to portable mode if said VBUS value is unasserted.

18. The system of

claim 16

wherein said camera manager further comprises tethered mode manager configured to process incoming commands through said USB while said digital camera is in said tethered mode.

19. The system of

claim 17

wherein said camera manager further comprises portable mode manager configured to process button operations on said digital camera while said digital camera is in portable mode.

20. A system for controlling the behavior of a digital camera, including code configured for storage on a computer-readable apparatus and executable by a computer, the code including a plurality of modules each cofigured to carry out at least one function to be executed by the computer, the system comprising:

a camera manager module configured automatically switch the mode of the digital camera when a universal serial bus (USB) connectivity is detected; and

a bus signal checker module configured to detect said USB connectivity.