System and method for efficiently transferring data from an electronic camera device

• US 20010045985A1
• Filed: 02/15/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Manowitz, Neal J., Edwards, Eric D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,468,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00315 with a radio transmission apparatus with a cordless telephone H04N1/00305; systems or arrangements for the transmission of a picture signal specially adapted for transmission via radio H04N1/00103; H04N1/00307 takes precedence; radio transmission systems H04B7/00; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2137 with temporary storage before final recording, e.g. in a frame buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/634 Warning indications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

A system and method for efficiently transferring data from an electronic camera device includes a camera device that is configured to capture image data and temporarily store the image data into an economical limited local buffer memory. A transfer manager from the camera device may then periodically arbitrate for access to a wireless communications network, and may transfer the captured image data from the buffer memory to a designated data destination, such as an image service on a distributed computer network like the Internet. A system user may then efficiently access the transferred image data from a dedicated storage location on the data destination by utilizing any appropriate data-access device, such as a personal computer device or a portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A system for transferring data, comprising:

an imaging device configured to capture said data into data buffers;

a data destination configured to receive said data from said imaging device for subsequent access by a system user; and

a transfer manager for transferring said data from said imaging device to said data destination.

2. The system of

claim 1

wherein said transfer manager utilizes a wireless communications technique to transfer said data over a wireless network from said imaging device to said data destination.

3. The system of

claim 1

wherein said imaging device is implemented as a digital camera device, and wherein said data includes image data and related identification information.

4. The system of

claim 1

wherein an information source provides identification information to said imaging device for routing said data during a data transfer procedure, said identification information including at least one of a user identifier for identifying said imaging device and a destination identifier for identifying said data destination.

5. The system of

claim 4

wherein said imaging device captures said data using a capture subsystem, and then temporarily stores said data into data buffers, said data buffers being economically implemented using a reduced memory-size configuration.

6. The system of

claim 5

wherein said transfer manager performs an arbitration procedure with a wireless communications network to transfer said data to said data destination, said transfer manager being authorized by said wireless communications network to perform said data transfer procedure when sufficient bandwidth is available on said wireless communications network for transferring all or a specified portion of said data.

7. The system of

claim 6

wherein said transfer manager monitors said data buffers, and automatically initiates said arbitration procedure whenever said data stored in said data buffers reaches a predetermined threshold amount.

8. The system of

claim 6

wherein said transfer manager initiates said arbitration procedure in response to a system-user authorization event that is caused by a system user activating a user interface on said imaging device.

9. The system of

claim 6

wherein said transfer manager transfers said data from said data buffers to said wireless communications network for transmitting to said data destination.

10. The system of

claim 9

wherein said transfer manager and a display manager provide status information regarding at least one of said data transfer procedure and said arbitration procedure by utilizing a user interface of said imaging device.

11. The system of

claim 9

wherein said transfer manager performs an initial partial data transfer procedure to transfer only an initial portion of said data to said data destination, said transfer manager subsequently repeating said arbitration procedure and then performing a final partial data transfer procedure to transfer a final portion of said data to said data destination.

12. The system of

claim 9

wherein said wireless communications network routes said data from said imaging device to said data destination, said wireless communication network identifying said data destination by referring to said destination identifier from said identification information.

13. The system of

claim 12

wherein a controller of said data destination sends a transfer confirmation to said imaging device by said wireless communications network after successfully receiving said data and said identification information.

14. The system of

claim 13

wherein said transfer manager and a display manager display said transfer confirmation on a user interface of said imaging device, said imaging device also erasing said data from said data buffers in response to said transfer confirmation.

15. The system of

claim 12

wherein a controller of said data destination sends an error message to said imaging device by said wireless communications network after determining that said data and said identification information have not been successfully received, said transfer manager responsively repeating said data transfer procedure to retransmit said data from said data buffers to said data destination.

16. The system of

claim 15

wherein said transfer manager and a display manager display said error message on a user interface of said imaging device, said imaging device continuing to store said data in said data buffers until subsequently receiving a transfer confirmation from said data destination.

17. The system of

claim 9

wherein a controller of said data destination analyzes said user identifier from said identification information to identify at least one of said system user and said imaging device, said controller then associating said data with said at least one of said system user and said imaging device.

18. The system of

claim 17

wherein said controller stores said data into a data file location that uniquely correspond with, and is identifiable with, said at least one of said system user and said imaging device.

19. The system of

claim 18

wherein said system user subsequently accesses and utilizes said data from said data file location of said data destination by communicating with said data destination with an electronic data-access device.

20. The system of

claim 19

wherein said system user accesses said data file location of said data destination through a distributed computer network by utilizing a personal computer device.

21. A method for transferring data, comprising the steps of:

capturing said data into data buffers by utilizing an imaging device;

utilizing a data destination to receive said data for subsequent access by a system user; and

transferring said data from said imaging device to said data destination by utilizing a transfer manager.

22. The method of

claim 21

wherein said transfer manager utilizes a wireless communications technique to transfer said data over a wireless network from said imaging device to said data destination.

23. The method of

claim 21

wherein said imaging device is implemented as a digital camera device, and wherein said data includes image data and related identification information.

24. The method of

claim 21

wherein an information source provides identification information to said imaging device for routing said data during a data transfer procedure, said identification information including at least one of a user identifier for identifying said imaging device and a destination identifier for identifying said data destination.

25. The method of

claim 24

wherein said imaging device captures said data using a capture subsystem, and then temporarily stores said data into data buffers, said data buffers being economically implemented using a reduced memory-size configuration.

26. The method of

claim 25

wherein said transfer manager performs an arbitration procedure with a wireless communications network to transfer said data to said data destination, said transfer manager being authorized by said wireless communications network to perform said data transfer procedure when sufficient bandwidth is available on said wireless communications network for transferring all or a specified portion of said data.

27. The method of

claim 26

wherein said transfer manager monitors said data buffers, and automatically initiates said arbitration procedure whenever said data stored in said data buffers reaches a predetermined threshold amount.

28. The method of

claim 26

wherein said transfer manager initiates said arbitration procedure in response to a system-user authorization event that is caused by a system user activating a user interface on said imaging device.

29. The method of

claim 26

wherein said transfer manager transfers said data from said data buffers to said wireless communications network for transmitting to said data destination.

30. The method of

claim 29

wherein said transfer manager and a display manager provide status information regarding at least one of said data transfer procedure and said arbitration procedure by utilizing a user interface of said imaging device.

31. The method of

claim 29

wherein said transfer manager performs an initial partial data transfer procedure to transfer only an initial portion of said data to said data destination, said transfer manager subsequently repeating said arbitration procedure and then performing a final partial data transfer procedure to transfer a final portion of said data to said data destination.

32. The method of

claim 29

wherein said wireless communications network routes said data from said imaging device to said data destination, said wireless communication network identifying said data destination by referring to said destination identifier from said identification information.

33. The method of

claim 32

wherein a controller of said data destination sends a transfer confirmation to said imaging device by said wireless communications network after successfully receiving said data and said identification information.

34. The method of

claim 33

wherein said transfer manager and a display manager display said transfer confirmation on a user interface of said imaging device, said imaging device also erasing said data from said data buffers in response to said transfer confirmation.

35. The method of

claim 34

wherein a controller of said data destination sends an error message to said imaging device by said wireless communications network after determining that said data and said identification information have not been successfully received, said transfer manager responsively repeating said data transfer procedure to retransmit said data from said data buffers to said data destination.

36. The method of

claim 35

wherein said transfer manager and a display manager display said error message on a user interface of said imaging device, said imaging device continuing to store said data in said data buffers until subsequently receiving a transfer confirmation from said data destination.

37. The method of

claim 29

wherein a controller of said data destination analyzes said user identifier from said identification information to identify at least one of said system user and said imaging device, said controller then associating said data with said at least one of said system user and said imaging device.

38. The method of

claim 37

wherein said controller stores said data into a data file location that uniquely correspond with, and is identifiable with, said at least one of said system user and said imaging device.

39. The method of

claim 38

wherein said system user subsequently accesses and utilizes said data from said data file location of said data destination by communicating with said data destination with an electronic data-access device.

40. The method of

claim 39

wherein said system user accesses said data file location of said data destination through a distributed computer network by utilizing a personal computer device.

41. The method of

claim 21

wherein said imaging device is economically implemented without removeable storage media capabilities.

42. The method of

claim 21

wherein said imaging device includes a conversion software module for converting said data from a first format that is compatible with said imaging device into a second format that is compatible with said data destination.

43. The method of

claim 21

wherein said transfer manager transmits said data from said imaging device to said data destination by utilizing a cellular telephone network.

44. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions for transferring data by performing the steps of:

capturing said data into data buffers by utilizing an imaging device;

utilizing a data destination to receive said data for subsequent access by a system user; and

transferring said data from said imaging device to said data destination by utilizing a transfer manager.

45. A system for transferring data, comprising:

means for capturing said data into data buffers;

means for receiving said data for subsequent access by a system user; and

means for transferring said data from said imaging device to said data destination.