Docking station for near-object digital photography

• US 20060119734A1
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Neel, John C.
• Application Number:
  US11/004,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20060119734A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/375
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00267 with a viewing or projecting apparatus, e.g. for reading image information from a film H04N1/00262 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/195 the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19594 using a television camera or a still video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0406 Scanning slides
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0408 Scanning film strips or rolls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8047 using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8216 using time division multiplex

Abstract

A docking station is provided. The docking station has a base with a digital camera receiving area adapted to position a digital camera so that the digital camera is directed at an object mount. The object mount is adapted to position a subject object at a distance of less than one meter from a lens system of the digital camera. A communication circuit is adapted to exchange data between the dock controller and a camera controller in the digital camera when the digital camera is in the digital camera receiving area. The exchange of data causes the camera controller to adapt a setting of an image capture system in the camera for the capture of an image of the subject object.

Claims

1. A docking station comprising:

a base having a digital camera receiving area adapted to position a digital camera so that the digital camera is directed at an object mount, said object mount adapted to position a subject object at a distance of less than one meter from a lens system of the digital camera; and

a communication circuit adapted to exchange data between the dock controller and a camera controller in the digital camera when the digital camera is in the digital camera receiving area;

wherein said exchange of data causes the camera controller to adapt settings of an image capture system in the camera for the capture of an image of the subject object.

2. The docking station of claim 1, further comprising an illumination system adapted to radiate light in response to control signals from the dock controller, said dock controller being adapted to determine the characteristics of the light to be radiated by the light source based upon data exchanged with the camera controller and to generate control signals that cause the determined light to be generated.

3. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the dock controller provides data containing instructions that are executable by the camera controller to determine at least one setting for the image capture system.

4. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the dock controller provides data containing instructions that are executable by the camera controller to determine a setting for the image capture system based a determined type of subject image.

5. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the dock controller provides data that can be used by the camera controller to determine a setting for an adjustable lens system of the image capture system.

6. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the dock controller provides data that can be used by the camera controller to determine an exposure setting for the image capture system.

7. The docking station of claim 1, further comprising an optical system adapted to modify light passing from the subject object to the lens system of the image capture system, and wherein said exchanged data includes data that characterizes the modification of the light caused by the optical system, said data being usable to determine an image capture setting.

8. The docking station of claim 7, wherein said optical system is adjustable and wherein said docking station has at least one sensor to detect the current adjustments of the optical system and wherein said exchanged data is indicative of the current adjustments so that image capture settings can be made based upon such adjustments.

9. The docking station of claim 1, further comprising a switch disposed on the base, with the switch being adapted to receive a user actuation, and to transmit a signal to the docking controller so that the dock controller exchanges data with the digital camera that causes image capture settings to be determined, illumination to be supplied by the illumination source and an image to be captured using the determined image capture settings without further user actuation of the digital camera or docking station.

14. The docking station of claim 1, further comprising a user interface connected to the dock controller, wherein the user interface is adapted to send an address to the dock controller so the dock controller and camera controller cooperate to transmit the captured image from the docking station to the address.

15. The docking station of claim 14, wherein the captured image is transmitted using at least one of a wired telecommunication network, the Internet, a wireless telecommunication network or other wireless network.

16. The docking station of claim 15, wherein the captured image is transmitted to an output device comprising at least one of a printer, a computer, a PDA, a cellular phone, a copy machine, a fax machine or combinations thereof.

10. A docking station for using a digital camera to capture an image of an image recorded on a light transmissive medium, wherein the docking station comprises:

a base having a first end and a second end;

an object mount connected to the base between the first and second end, said object mount having a holding frame that is adapted to hold the light transmissive medium;

a light source at the first end, and adapted to illuminate the object mount in an area where the object mount will hold the light transmissive medium;

a digital camera receiving area adapted to position the digital camera so that the digital camera is directed to capture an image of the image recorded on the light transmissive medium; and

a communication circuit adapted to enable data to be exchanged between a digital camera controller in the digital camera and a dock controller,

with said dock controller and digital camera controller being adapted to exchange data and to use the exchanged data to cause the light source to illuminate the image on the light transmissive medium and to cause the digital camera to be set to capture an image of the image on the light transmissive medium.

11. The docking station of claim 10, wherein base further comprises a communication circuit adapted to communicate with an external device.

12. The docking station of claim 10, wherein the docking station is in communication with a plurality of output devices.

13. The docking station of claim 10, further comprising a switch disposed on the base, with the switch being adapted to receive a user actuation, and to transmit a signal to the dock controller so that the dock controller exchanges data with the digital camera controller that causes image capture settings to be determined, illumination to be supplied by the illumination source and an image to be captured without further user actuation of the digital camera or docking station.

17. The docking station of claim 10, wherein the image on transmissive medium is at least one of a 35 mm slide, a photographic negative, a thin film, a transparency, or a photograph.

18. The docking station of claim 10, wherein the light source is at least one of a lamp, a flash tube, a diffused light flash or a color correction light source.

19. The docking station of claim 10, wherein the digital camera is a movie camera, digital still camera, video camera, or combinations thereof, and wherein the digital image capture device is capable, in combination with the docking station, of capturing an image of the subject object having a printable image resolution of at least between 100 and 1000 dpi.

20. The docking station of claim 10, wherein the digital camera is, at least in part, integrated into the base.

21. A docking station for transferring images on light transmissive mediums using a digital camera, wherein the docking station comprises:

a base connected to a power source;

an object mount connected to the base adapted to hold a light transmissive medium having an image recorded thereon;

a light source disposed within the base adapted to illuminate the image on a light transmissive medium;

a stand comprising a top end and a bottom end, wherein the bottom end is connected to the base;

a digital camera connected to the top end, wherein the digital camera is positioned to capture the image on a light transmissive medium illuminated in the object mount; and

a controller connected to the base, wherein the controller is adapted to perform at least three operations;

a first operation to cause the digital camera to set up an image capture system to capture an image of the image on the light transmissive medium;

a second operation to illuminate the image on a light transmissive medium using the light source; and

a third operation to allow the digital camera to communicate with an output device once the image on a light transmissive medium is captured digitally.

22. The docking station of claim 21, wherein the output device is a printer.

23. The docking station of claim 21, wherein the docking station is in communication with a plurality of output devices.

24. The docking station of claim 21, further comprising a switch disposed on the base, wherein the switch is adapted to cause the controller to set at least one image capture setting for capturing an image of the image on the light transmissive medium, to cause a lighting intensity for the light source to be set, and to further cause an image to be captured of the image on a light transmissive medium simultaneously.

25. The docking station of claim 21, further comprising a user interface connected to the controller and engaging a network, wherein the user interface is adapted to send an address to the controller so the controller transmits the image on a light transmissive medium from the docking station to the address.

26. The docking station of claim 21, wherein the network is an Internet, a wireless device, or a phone.

27. The docking station of claim 21, wherein the object mount is a one piece molded material.

28. The docking station of claim 21, wherein the image on a light transmissive medium is a 35 mm slide, a photographic negative, a thin film, a transparency, or a photograph.

29. The docking station of claim 21, wherein the output device is a printer, a computer, a PDA, a cellular phone, a copy machine, a fax machine or combinations thereof.

30. The docking station of claim 21, wherein the digital image capture device is a movie camera, digital camera, video camera, or combinations thereof, wherein the digital image capture device comprises a resolution above 1000 dpi.

31. The docking station for use with a digital camera comprising:

a base means having a digital camera receiving means for directing a digital camera at an object mount means;

said object mount means for positioning a subject object at a distance of less than one meter from an image capture means of the digital camera;

a communication means for exchanging data between a dock control means and a camera control means in the digital camera;

wherein said exchange of data causes the camera control means to adapt the image capture means in the digital camera for the capture of an image of the subject object.

32. The docking station of claim 31, wherein the object mount comprises at least one of a pedestal, plateau, curved surface, or other surface generally shaped to allow the subject object to rest thereupon in a position that enables the digital camera to capture an image thereof when the digital camera is positioned in the receiving means.

33. The docking station of claim 31, further comprising a share button and a control means adapted to sense when the share button is depressed and to cause an image captured by the digital camera to be transmitted to another device.

34. The docking station of claim 31, further comprising a dock optical system adapted to adjust light passing from the subject object to the digital camera, wherein said exchange of data includes data that the camera control means can use to adjust the image capture means to cooperate with the dock optical means.

35. The docking station of claim 31, wherein the exchange of data includes data that the camera control means can use to select an image processing algorithm or to execute an image processing algorithm.