Digital camera system and camera recycle system

• US 20030001957A1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Kubota, Akihiro
• Application Number:
  US10/100,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20030001957A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0014 via e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00143 Ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00151 with selective access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00175 from a still image storage medium H04N1/00172, H04N1/0018 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0018 of images captured using a loaned, rented or limited-use still digital camera, e.g. recyclable or disposable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/34 for coin-freed systems ; Pay systems

Abstract

There is disclosed a digital camera system in which image information photographed by a digital camera and stored in an image memory is subjected to image processing via a CPU of an image handling apparatus and is taken in the image memory. Content of the image processing is indicated by a user with a user instruction section. Moreover, a fee for operating the system is charged by a charging box. Furthermore, after the fee is paid to the charging box, the CPU performs the processing in accordance with the processing content indicated by the user instruction section. The image information subjected to the processing is output by a printer.

Claims

1. A digital camera system which subjects an image photographed by a user with a digital camera to a processing and outputs the image, comprising:

an image information input means for receiving image information photographed by the digital camera;

an image processing means for subjecting said received image information to an image processing;

a user instruction means for allowing the user to indicate a content of the processing applied by said image processing means;

a charging means for charging a fee for operating the system;

a control means for controlling said image processing means to process the image information with the processing content indicated by the user with said user instruction means, after the user has paid the fee to said charging means; and

an output means for outputting the image information processed by said image processing means.

2. A digital camera system according to claim 1, wherein said output means outputs a recording sheet on which image information processed by said image processing means is printed, or outputs and stores said image information into an external memory connected to the digital camera system.

3. A digital camera system according to claim 1, wherein said output means has a communication circuit for transmitting the image information processed by said image processing means to the user.

4. A digital camera system according to claim 1, wherein said digital camera uses a CMOS image sensor as photography means.

5. A digital camera system according to claim 4, wherein at least one electric circuit in said image processing means is constituted integrally with said CMOS image sensor.

6. A digital camera system according to claim 2, wherein said charging means determines an amount to be charged in accordance with a printer size and the number of print sheets indicated by the user with said user instruction means, or a type of said external memory.

7. A digital camera system according to claim 2, wherein said image processing means performs a compression processing of said image information in accordance with a compression ratio of the image indicated by the user with said user instruction means and a type of said external memory, and

said output means outputs and stores the image information subjected to said compression processing to said external memory.

8. A digital camera system according to claim 4, wherein said CMOS image sensor uses an artificial retina chip.

9. A digital camera system according to claim 1, wherein said digital camera uses a monochromatic image sensor as photography means.

10. A recycle system of a camera using the digital camera system according to claim 1, comprising:

a camera insertion means for recovering a digital camera,

wherein said image information input means receives image information photographed by the digital camera inserted into said camera insertion means, and the recovered digital camera is subjected to a memory deletion operation, a battery replacement operation, and a cleaning operation, and is again rented or sold.

11. A recycle system of a camera according to claim 10, wherein said digital camera is connected to the recycle system and a reproduction instruction of the image is given by said user instruction means in order to confirm a content of an image photographed by said digital camera so that the image photographed by said digital camera can be confirmed by display means of the recycle system.

12. A recycle system of an external storage medium connectable to a camera using the digital camera system according to claim 1, comprising:

a memory insertion means for recovering said external storage medium,

wherein said image information input means receives image information stored by said external storage medium inserted into said memory insertion means, and the recovered external storage medium is subjected to a memory deletion operation, and a cleaning operation, and is again rented or sold.

14. A digital camera system according to claim 13, wherein said output means outputs a recording sheet on which image information processed by said image processing means is printed, or outputs and stores said image information into an external memory connected to the digital camera system.

15. A digital camera system according to claim 13, wherein said output means has a communication circuit for transmitting the image information processed by said image processing means to the user.

16. A digital camera system according to claim 13, wherein said digital camera uses a CMOS image sensor as photography means.

17. A digital camera system according to claim 16, wherein at least one electric circuit in said image processing means is constituted integrally with said CMOS image sensor.

18. A digital camera system according to claim 14, wherein said charging means determines an amount to be charged in accordance with a printer size and the number of print sheets indicated by the user with said user instruction means, or a type of said external memory.

19. A digital camera system according to claim 14, wherein said image processing means performs a compression processing of said image information in accordance with a compression ratio of the image indicated by the user with said user instruction means and a type of said external memory, and

said output means outputs and stores the image information subjected to said compression processing to said external memory.

20. A digital camera system according to claim 16, wherein said CMOS image sensor uses an artificial retina chip.

21. A digital camera system according to claim 13, wherein said digital camera uses a monochromatic image sensor as photography means.

13. A digital camera system comprising:

an image information input means for receiving image information photographed by a digital camera;

an image processing means for subjecting said received image information to an image processing;

a user instruction means for allowing a user to indicate a content of the processing applied by said image processing means;

a control means for controlling said image processing means to process the image information with the processing content indicated by said user instruction means;

an output means for outputting the image information processed by said image processing means; and

a charging means for charging a use fee from said user,

wherein said control means controls said image processing means to process an image based on the processing content indicated by the user with said user instruction means, when said user pays the fee to said charging means.

22. A recycle system of a camera, comprising:

a camera insertion means for recovering a digital camera;

an image information input means for receiving image information photographed by said recovered digital camera;

an image processing means for subjecting said received image information to an image processing;

a user instruction means for indicating a content to be processed by said image processing means by a user;

a control means for controlling said image processing means to process the image information with the processing content indicated by said user instruction means;

an output means for outputting the image information processed by said image processing means; and

a charging means for charging a use fee from said user,

wherein said control means controls said image processing means to process an image based on the processing content indicated by the user with said user instruction means, when said user pays the fee to said charging means, and

the digital camera recovered by said camera insertion means is subjected to a memory deletion operation, a battery replacement operation, and a cleaning operation, and is again rented or sold.

23. A recycle system of a camera according to claim 22, further comprising:

a display means for displaying the image information received by said image information input means,

wherein said digital camera is connected to the recycle system and a reproduction instruction of the image is given by said user instruction means in order to confirm a content of an image photographed by said digital camera so that the image photographed by said digital camera can be confirmed by said display means.