System and camera for transferring digital images to a service provider

• US 20060139474A1
• Filed: 02/16/2006
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jay A. Endsley, John R. Fredlund, Kenneth A. Parulski, Steven M. Bryant
• Inventors: Parulski, Kenneth A., Fredlund, John R., Bryant, Steven M., Endsley, Jay A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,965,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.110
• 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 1/00145 from a remote location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00164 at a remote location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00172 directly from a still digital camera or from a storage medium mounted in a still digital camera H04N1/0018 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take 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 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take 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 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A method and digital camera for capturing images to be provided to a service provider. The camera includes a capture device for capturing digital images; a memory for storing the captured digital images; an interface to a communications device for transmitting the stored images to a service provider; wherein the digital interface automatically transfers images to the network service provider during a specified time period. Rechargeable batteries may be provided for powering the digital camera; wherein the communications device recharges the batteries using the interface. The camera may further include a display for displaying digital files stored in the digital memory and displaying the at least one order status confirmation file on the display.

Claims

1. A method for ordering image products or services with respect to stored digital images at a remote location utilizing a communication network comprising:

creating a high resolution image file for an image captured on a device;

transferring a copy of the high resolution image file to a remote service provider over a communication network;

storing a reduced resolution image file corresponding to the high resolution image file on the device;

displaying a reduced resolution image corresponding to the reduced resolution image file on the device; and

ordering goods or services with respect to the displayed reduced resolution image using the corresponding transferred copy of the high resolution image file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein ordering goods or services further comprises transmitting an identifier associated with the displayed reduced resolution image corresponding to the transferred high resolution image file to the remote service provider.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the reduced resolution image file further comprises storing the reduced resolution file on removable storage medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the high resolution image file further comprises creating the high resolution image file of an image captured on a camera.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the high resolution image file further comprises creating the high resolution image file of an image captured on a wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the high resolution image file further comprises transferring a high resolution digital image file.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing confirmation from the service provider that the high resolution image file has been transmitted to the service provider.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein providing the confirmation further comprises providing a confirmation using low resolution images.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein providing the confirmation from the service provider further comprises providing the confirmation using a text file.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the copy of the high resolution image file further comprises transferring the high resolution image file having cropping coordinates.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the copy of the high resolution image file further comprises transferring a portion of the high resolution image file.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the identifier further comprises transmitting the identifier indicating selected services and indicating the high resolution image file to the service provider.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising deleting the high resolution image file from the device.