Content-Aware Digital Media Storage Device and Methods of Using the Same

• US 20070073937A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JDMAC Capital Management, LLC
• Original Assignee: Eye-Fi Incorporated (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Inventors: Gillat, Ziv, Feinberg, Eugene, Ozceri, Berend, Koren, Yuval
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/00 Accessing, addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures digital input from, or digital output to record carriers, e.g. to disk storage units, G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/02 Addressing or allocation; Relocation program address sequencing G06F9/00; arrangements for selecting an address in a digital store G11C8/00
• 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: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/062 applying encryption of the keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• 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 1/00151 with selective access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/47 using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules

Abstract

A content-aware digital media storage device includes a host device interface for exchanging digital information with a host device, a memory array for storing digital information received from the host device via the host interface, a peripheral module configured to communicate the digital information stored in the memory array to a receiver located remote from the digital media storage device, and a controller communicatively coupled to the host device interface, the memory array and the peripheral module and configured to interpret directory information associated with the digital information stored in the memory array so as to selectively access said digital information and communicate such accessed digital information to the peripheral module for transmission to the remote receiver. Digital images stored in the memory array may be transmitted to a remote host via a wireless network access point with which the peripheral module of the storage device is associated.

Claims

1. A method, comprising transmitting, from a removable media card having a memory storage array and a wireless radio transceiver included therein to a host, a digital image captured by a digital camera and stored in the memory storage array of the removable media card, said transmitting being at least in part through a wireless network access point with which the wireless radio transceiver of the removable media card is associated, and transferring the digital image from the host to an electronic photo album.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic photo album is maintained at a computer resource other than the host.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein prior to transferring the digital image from the host to the electronic photo album, the digital image is associated with metadata concerning a location at which the digital image was captured by the digital camera.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata is derived from global positioning system (GPS) data.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata is derived from information concerning wireless networks determined to be near the media card when the image was captured by the digital camera.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata is derived from information concerning wireless networks detected by the media card.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata comprises identity information concerning a user of the digital camera.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata comprises identity information concerning other users in a vicinity of a location at which the digital image was captured by the digital camera.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata comprises a timezone referenced timestamp concerning a location at which the digital image was captured by the digital camera.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata comprises information concerning a location at which the digital image was captured by the digital camera.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein prior to transferring the digital image from the host to the electronic photo album, the digital image is processed so as to be compatible with image format requirements for storage in the electronic photo album.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein upon successful transmission of the digital image from the removable media card to the host, the digital image is automatically deleted from the memory storage array of the removable media card.

13. A method, comprising automatically associating a wireless radio transceiver of a removable media card having a memory array storing digital images captured by a digital camera with an access point of a wireless network according to configuration information stored in the memory array of the media card and transferring one or more of the digital images from the media card to a computer system at least in part through the wireless network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the computer system comprises a server configured to receive the one or more digital images from the media card and to transfer the one or more digital images to an electronic photo album.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic photo album is hosted at a computer resource other than the server.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein prior to transferring the one or more digital images to the electronic photo album, the one or more digital images are associated with information concerning approximate geographic locations at which the one or more images were captured.

17. A method, comprising displaying to a user one or more images retrieved from a memory array of a removable media card, the images including information indicative of a status of the media card.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the images include information indicative of a status of a transfer of at least one other image from the memory array of the media card to a computer system via a wireless network with which a wireless radio transceiver of the removable media card is communicatively coupled to.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more images are displayed via a display device of a digital camera within which the removable media card is hosted.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more images comprise a movie.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the images include status information concerning the transfer of the at least one other image.

22. A method, comprising exchanging information between two removable media cards via an ad hoc wireless network established between respective wireless radio transceivers of the two removable media cards, the information indicative of proximity of the two removable media cards to one another, and uploading said information from the removable media cards to a computer resource.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the information uploaded from each of the two removable media cards is correlated at the computer resource along with profile information concerning users of the two media cards to determine whether or not the users should be advised of the information exchange.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the users are advised of the information exchange if the profile information concerning the users indicates the users have a relationship to one another.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the relationship is indicated through social network contacts between the users.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein in the event the users are to be advised of the information exchange, the advisory is made in a form of a prompt to at least one of the users to share digital images with at least one other of the users.

27. A method, comprising associating a digital image with metadata concerning a location at which the digital image was captured, the metadata being derived from information concerning wireless networks determined to be near a vicinity in which the image was captured.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the information concerning wireless networks is obtained at approximately a same time as the image is captured.

29. A method, comprising:

exchanging information between two wireless network transceivers, the information indicative of proximity of the two wireless network transceivers to one another,

uploading said information from the wireless network transceivers to a computer resource remote from each of the wireless network transceivers;

and using said information to initiate a search for social network connections between users associated with each of the wireless network transceivers.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one of the wireless network transceivers is associated with a digital camera.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising prompting at least one of the users to share images with another of the users is the search reveals social network connections between the users.

32. A method, comprising transmitting, from a digital camera having a memory storage device and a wireless radio transceiver included therein to an Internet host, a digital image captured by a digital camera and stored in the memory storage device, said transmitting being at least in part through a wireless network which the wireless radio transceiver of the digital camera is associated, and transferring the digital image from the Internet host to an electronic photo album hosted separately from the Internet host.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the memory storage device and the wireless radio transceiver are included within a common media card housing.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein prior to transferring the digital image from the Internet host to the electronic photo album, the digital image is associated with metadata concerning a location at which the digital image was captured by the digital camera.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the metadata is derived from global positioning system (GPS) data.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the metadata is derived from information concerning wireless networks determined to be near the digital camera when the image was captured by the digital camera.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the metadata is derived from information concerning wireless networks detected by the wireless network transceiver.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein prior to transferring the digital image from the Internet host to the electronic photo album, the digital image is processed so as to be compatible with image format requirements for storage in the electronic photo album.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein upon successful transmitting of the digital image from the digital camera to the internet host, the digital image is automatically deleted from the memory storage device.

40. A method, comprising automatically associating a wireless radio transceiver communicatively coupled to a memory array storing digital images captured by a digital camera with an access point of a wireless network according to configuration information stored in the memory array and transferring one or more of the digital images from the memory array to a computer system at least in part through the wireless network.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the computer system comprises a server configured to receive the one or more digital images and to transfer the one or more digital images to an electronic photo album.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the electronic photo album is hosted at a computer resource other than the server.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein prior to transferring the one or more digital images to the electronic photo album, the one or more digital images are associated with information concerning approximate geographic locations at which the one or more images were captured.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the information concerning approximate geographic locations is derived from one or more wireless networks determined to be near the digital camera when the image was captured by the digital camera.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the information concerning approximate geographic locations is derived from wireless networks detected by the wireless radio transceiver.

46. A media card, comprising a controller communicatively coupled to a memory including computer-readable instructions for causing said controller to restrict access to high resolution digital image files stored in an image storage memory of the media card, which image storage memory is also communicatively coupled to the controller.

47. The media card of claim 46, wherein the computer-readable instructions include instructions for causing said controller to permit access to the high resolution digital image files during an authenticated network session.

48. A media card configured with a security layer binding digital images stored in a memory array of the media card to a designated photofinishing service provider.

49. A content-aware digital media storage device comprising a host device interface for exchanging digital information with a host device, a memory array for storing digital information received from the host device via the host interface, a peripheral module configured to communicate with an entity located remote from the digital media storage device with respect to digital information stored in the memory array, and a controller communicatively coupled to the host device interface, the memory array and the peripheral module and configured to interpret directory information associated with the digital information stored in the memory array so as to selectively access said digital information.

50. The content-aware digital media storage device of claim 49, wherein the peripheral module is configured to communicate the digital information stored in the memory array to a receiver located remote from the digital media storage device.

51. The content-aware digital media storage device of claim 49, wherein the controller is further configured to communicate the accessed digital information to the peripheral module.

52. The content-aware digital media storage device of claim 51, wherein the controller is configured to interpret the directory information under the control of computer readable instructions stored in the memory array.

53. The content-aware digital media storage device of claim 51, wherein the controller is configured to recognize the type and nature of said digital information.

54. The content-aware digital media storage device of claim 51, wherein the peripheral module comprises a wireless transceiver.

55. The content-aware digital media storage device of claim 54, having a form factor compatible with at least one of a secure digital media card, a multi media card, a compact flash (CF) type I media card, a CF type II media card, a memory stick, or an xD picture card.