Photographic system for enabling interactive communication between a camera and an attraction site

• US 20020030745A1
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: James Allen, John R. Squilla, Omid A. Moghadam
• Inventors: Allen, James D., Squilla, John R., Moghadam, Omid A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,919,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• 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 1/00315 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 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• 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 2201/0053 Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0077 Types of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

A photographic system involves the collection of data from a scene, e.g., a visitor attraction site, that is capable of interactive communication with a user. The attraction site stores content data related to the site, and the user communicates with the attraction site through a camera capable of communication with the site. Besides capturing an image associated with the site, the camera stores predetermined personality data that relates an interest of the user to at least a portion of the content data and includes means for transferring the personality data to the attraction site. The camera further includes means for receiving and displaying the portion of the content data from the attraction site, and a user interface for selecting from the displayed content data that part which the user wants to keep. In this manner, information relevant to a user'"'"'s interests about a photographed item can be easily requested, accessed and stored with the specific pictures that the user has captured.

Claims

1. A camera that allows a user to interactively communicate with an attraction site that stores content data related to the site and communicates the content data to the camera, said camera comprising:

means for capturing an image associated with the site;

means for storing predetermined personality data that relates an interest of the user to at least a portion of the content data; and

means for transferring the personality data to the attraction site.

2. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the camera further includes means for receiving the portion of the content data from the attraction site.

3. A camera as claimed in claim 2 wherein the camera further includes means for displaying the portion of the content data received from the attraction site.

4. A camera as claimed in claim 3 wherein the camera further includes a user interface for selecting from the displayed content data that part which the user wants to keep.

5. A camera as claimed in claim 4 wherein the camera further comprises:

means for generating a signal indicative of the displayed content data which the user wants to keep; and

means for transmitting the signal to the attraction site.

6. A camera as claimed in claim 5 wherein the means for receiving further receives the content data from the attraction site which the user wants to keep.

7. A camera as claimed in claim 2 wherein the portion of the content data received from the attraction site comprises detailed information related to the site.

8. A camera as claimed in claim 2 wherein the portion of the content data received from the attraction site comprises summary descriptors representative of detailed information related to the site.

9. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the personality data comprises a code identifying the user.

10. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the personality data comprises a file of personality factors.

11. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for capturing is an electronic sensor and said means for storing comprises an electronic storage element in the camera.

12. A camera as claimed in claim 11 wherein the captured image and the content data are together stored in the storage element.

13. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the camera is a film camera using a photographic film and said means for capturing is an optical system for exposing the film.

14. A camera as claimed in claim 13 wherein the captured image and the content data are together stored on the film.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the transceiver means at the attraction site transfers the portion of the content data to the camera responsive to receipt of the personality data, and the transferring means at the camera comprises a transceiver for receiving the portion of the content data from the attraction site.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the camera further includes means for displaying the portion of the content data received from the attraction site.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the camera further includes a user interface for selecting from the displayed content data that part which the user wants to keep.

19. A system as claimed in claim 18 wherein the camera further generates a signal indicative of the displayed content data which the user wants to keep and the transceiver at the camera further transmits the signal to the attraction site.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the transceiver at the attraction site transfers the content data which the user wants to keep to the transceiver at the camera.

15. A photographic system allowing a user of a camera to interactively communicate with desired attractions, said system comprising:

one or more attraction sites having;

means for storing content data related to the site; and

a transceiver for receiving communications from the camera and for transferring the content data to the camera;

said camera comprising;

means for capturing an image associated with the site;

means for storing predetermined personality data that relates an interest of the user to at least a portion of the content data; and

means for transferring the personality data to the attraction site.

21. A photographic system allowing a user of a camera to interactively communicate with desired attractions, said system comprising:

one or more attraction sites linked to a server and defining therewith a site/server subsystem, said site/server subsystem comprising;

means for storing content data related to the site; and

communication means for receiving communications from the camera and for transferring the content data to the camera;

said camera comprising;

means for capturing an image associated with the site;

means for storing predetermined personality data that relates an interest of the user to at least a portion of the content data; and

communication means for transferring the personality data to the site/server subsystem.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the communication means at the attraction site transfers the portion of the content data to the camera responsive to receipt of the personality data, and the communication means at the camera further receives the portion of the content data from the attraction site.

23. A system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the camera further includes means for displaying the portion of the content data received from the attraction site.

24. A system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the camera further includes a user interface for selecting from the displayed content data that part which the user wants to keep.

25. A system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the means for storing the content data resides in each attraction site.

26. A system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the means for storing the content data resides in the server.

27. A system as claimed in claim 21 wherein the camera includes means for transmitting the captured images to the site/server subsystem.

28. A system as claimed in claim 27 wherein the site/server subsystem further includes a processor for combining the captured images with the content data.

29. A photographic method for allowing a user of a camera to interactively communicate with desired attractions, said method comprising the steps of:

storing content data related to an attraction site;

storing predetermined personality data in the camera that relates an interest of the user to at least a selected portion of the content data;

capturing the image associated with the site; and

communicating the selected portion of the content data to the camera.