CONFIGURING A DIGITAL CAMERA FOR PARTICULAR PHOTO SITUATIONS

• US 20070132854A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anthony Tintera, Girish Prabhu, John Wasula, Kenneth A. Parulski, Michael Miller, Su Akyuz
• Original Assignee: Anthony Tintera, Girish Prabhu, John Wasula, Kenneth A. Parulski, Michael Miller, Su Akyuz
• Inventors: Miller, Michael, Parulski, Kenneth, Tintera, Anthony, Prabhu, Girish, Akyuz, Su, Wasula, John
• Application Number:
  US11/566,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132854A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.990
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• 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 1/00204 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 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00503 Customising to a particular machine or model, machine function or application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00509 Personalising for a particular user or group of users, e.g. a workgroup or company
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0097 Storage of instructions or parameters, e.g. customised instructions or different parameters for different user IDs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters

Abstract

A method for customizing a digital camera for at least one particular user is disclosed. The digital camera includes a reprogrammable memory for storing firmware which controls the operation of the digital camera and a camera graphical user interface responsive to the firmware stored in the reprogrammable memory. The method includes providing customization software executed external to the digital camera which can access a plurality of firmware components having different camera features. A user selects desired camera features to cause the customization software to access the corresponding firmware component(s). The selected corresponding firmware component(s) are provided to the digital camera and the reprogrammable memory is reprogrammed to store the corresponding firmware component(s) to thereby customize the digital camera.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a digital camera, the method comprising:

a) providing a digital camera, the camera having a plurality of adjustable parameters for controlling the processing of images captured by the digital camera;

b) providing a user interface for enabling a user to select a photo situation; and

c) setting the values of the plurality of adjustable parameters responsive to the selected photo situation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameters include a sharpening parameter.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameters include color matrix values.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameters include a resolution setting

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameters include a compression setting.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameters include a tone correction parameter.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the photo situation includes a portrait situation

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the photo situation includes a web page creation situation.

9. A method for customizing a digital camera for a user, the method comprising:

a) providing a digital camera, the camera having a plurality of adjustable parameters for controlling the processing of images captured by the digital camera;

b) providing customization software which questions the user to determine the user'"'"'s picture taking preferences;

c) in response to the user'"'"'s answers to the questions, the customization software configuring firmware which provides a camera parameters customized for the user'"'"'s picture taking preferences; and

d) storing the configured firmware in the digital camera to thereby customize the digital camera.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the configured firmware provides a customized graphical user interface for the digital camera.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the customization software camera is executed external to the digital camera.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the questions are displayed on a display monitor and wherein the display monitor also displays a plurality of answers that may be selected by the user.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the customization software also questions the user to determine the experience level of the user, and wherein the configured firmware is customized responsive to the user'"'"'s answers to said questions.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the parameters include a sharpening parameter.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the parameters include color matrix values.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the parameters include a resolution setting

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the parameters include a compression setting.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the parameters include a tone correction parameter.