ELECTRONIC CAMERA WITH "UTILIZATION" SELECTION CAPABILITY

• US 20030025808A1
• Filed: 11/24/1997
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: PARULSKI, KENNETH A., HOPWOOD, MICHAEL C., WARD, JOSEPH
• Granted Patent: US 6,573,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.99
• 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 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0014 via e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00143 Ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00145 from a remote location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00161 Viewing or previewing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00175 from a still image storage medium H04N1/00172, H04N1/0018 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00196 Creation of a photo-montage, e.g. photoalbum H04N1/0019 takes precedence
• 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 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00962 Input arrangements for operating instructions or parameters, e.g. updating internal software program loading in general G06F9/445; network-specific protocols involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• 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 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 : Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 : By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 : of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 : Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 : The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

A digital camera includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) for viewing images captured from an image sensor and stored on a removable memory card. The LCD also presents a user interface (UI) that allows the user to create a print order “utilization file”. As individual images are viewed, the user can decide how many (if any) prints to make of the image, the print size, and the print quality (low cost ink jet versus high quality thermal prints, for example). The memory card can then be inserted in a home printer, walk-up kiosk, or dropped off/mailed to a photofinisher, or the camera itself can be connected to the printer or kiosk via a wired or wireless (e.g., IrDA) link. The print order can then be automatically produced without any additional user intervention.

Claims

1. An electronic still camera for capturing images that can be downloaded to a utilization service provider for utilization, said camera comprising:

a sensor for capturing images;

a memory for storing the captured images;

means for displaying the captured images;

a user interface for selecting captured images to be utilized;

means for generating an image utilization file; and

means for storing the image utilization file along with the images in said memory and conveying this information to a utilization service provider.

2. The camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein utilization includes providing prints of the selected images in various sizes, quantities, and/or quality levels.

3. The camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein utilization includes providing the selected images to selected e-mail accounts.

4. The camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein utilization includes providing the selected images to an image database server.

5. The camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the utilization information includes a user account number, charge card number, and/or mailing address.

6. The camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the utilization information for at least one image includes a text string and/or a creative background.

7. The camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the images and image utilization file are stored in the same removable memory.

8. A digital printing system comprising:

means for producing hardcopy prints of digital images;

means for reading image files from a digital memory device;

means for reading an image utilization file from said digital memory device; and

means for automatically controlling the hardcopy print means to produce the image order according to the information contained in said image utilization file.

9. The digital printing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the image utilization file includes at least one of a user account number, charge card number and mailing address.

10. The digital printing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the image utilization file includes the number of copies of at least one print.

11. The digital printing system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the image utilization file includes the size of at least one print.

12. An electronic still camera for capturing images that can be downloaded for printing, said camera comprising:

a sensor for capturing images;

a memory for storing the captured images;

a user interface for selecting a plurality of captured images to be printed;

means for generating image utilization data for printing a plurality of captured images; and

means for storing the image utilization data and the plurality of captured images in said memory.

13. The camera as claimed in claim 12 wherein the image utilization data for the plurality of captured images is contained in a single utilization file.

14. The camera as claimed in claim 12 wherein the image utilization data for each of the plurality of captured images is contained within an image file.