Digital image storage system that deletes images from digital camera memory after tramsmission and storage in external storage medium

• US 20090009608A1
• Filed: 02/25/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Ohmura, Akira, Tanaka, Masahide, Nomoto, Tetsushi, Ishino, Yukinobu
• Application Number:
  US12/071,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20090009608A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.100
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00283 with a television apparatus
• 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 1/00885 Power supply means, e.g. arrangements for the control of power supply to the apparatus or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00901 Using different supplies or connection to an external supply H04N1/00893, H04N1/00896 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0044 Connecting to a plurality of different apparatus; Using a plurality of different connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• 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 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8047 : using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 : the additional signal being at least another television signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8233 : the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

A digital image storage system includes a digital camera having a memory storing digital images, a docking station on which the digital camera can be placed for transmitting one or more of the digital images from the memory of the digital camera, and a data storage separate from the docking station and having a storage medium that stores digital images transmitted from the memory of the digital camera through the docking station. A controller communicates with the data storage and the digital camera while the digital camera is placed on the docking station, and causes digital images stored in the memory of the digital camera to be deleted from the memory after being successfully transmitted from the memory and stored in the storage medium of the data storage. The controller does not delete from the memory digital images protected against deletion.

Claims

1. A digital image storage system comprising:

a digital camera having a memory capable of storing digital images;

a docking station on which the digital camera can be placed for use in transmitting one or more of the digital images from the memory of the digital camera;

a data storage separate from the docking station and having a storage medium that stores the digital images that have been transmitted from the memory of the digital camera through the docking station; and

a controller in communication with the data storage and the digital camera while the digital camera is placed on the docking station, and that causes the digital images stored in the memory of the digital camera to be deleted from the memory after being successfully transmitted from the memory and stored in the storage medium of the data storage, the digital images being deleted from the memory based on a signal supplied from the data storage,

wherein the controller does not delete from the memory digital images protected against deletion.

2. The digital image storage system according to claim 1, wherein the controller does not delete a digital image from the memory of the digital camera when the digital image is incompletely stored in the storage medium.

3. The digital image storage system according to claim 2, wherein a digital image is incompletely stored in the storage medium of the data storage when the digital camera is removed from the docking station in the course of a transferring operation by which the digital camera transmits the digital image to the storage medium through the docking station.

4. The digital image storage system according to claim 1, wherein the controller does not delete a digital image protected against a deletion even if the protected digital image is completely transmitted from the memory of the digital camera and stored in the storage medium.

5. The digital image storage system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is a controller housed by the data storage.

6. The digital image storage system according to claim 1, wherein the digital images stored in the memory of the camera are not deleted unless all of the digital images are completely transferred from the memory and stored in the storage medium of the data storage.

7. The digital image storage system according to claim 1, wherein the digital images stored in the memory of the camera are deleted one-by-one after each respective one of the digital images is completely transferred from the memory and stored in the storage medium of the data storage.

8. The digital image storage system according to claim 1, wherein the docking station includes a docking station connector that is removably connectable to a camera connector of the digital camera to transmit the digital images from the memory of the digital camera to the data storage while the digital camera is placed on the docking station.

9. The digital image storage system according to claim 1, wherein the docking station has a shape to fit a bottom of the digital camera.

10. A digital image storage system comprising:

a digital camera having a memory capable of storing digital images;

a docking station on which the digital camera can be placed for use in transmitting one or more of the digital images from the memory of the digital camera;

a data storage separate from the docking station and having a storage medium that stores the digital images that have been transmitted from the memory of the digital camera to the data storage while the digital camera and the data storage are in communication with each other through the docking station; and

a controller that communicates with the digital camera and the data storage while the digital camera and the data storage are in communication with each other through the docking station, wherein the controller causes a digital image in the memory of the digital camera to be deleted from the memory of the digital camera if the digital image has been completely transmitted to and stored in the storage medium of the data storage, and the controller does not cause a digital image to be deleted from the memory of the digital camera if the digital image has been incompletely transmitted to and stored in the storage medium of the data storage, the digital image being deleted from the memory based on a signal supplied from the data storage,

wherein the controller does not delete from the memory a digital image protected against deletion.

11. The digital image storage system according to claim 10, wherein the controller distinguishes the incompletely transmitted and stored digital image from the completely transmitted and stored digital image in the storage medium.

12. The digital image storage system according to claim 11, wherein the controller makes the incompletely transmitted and stored digital image in the storage medium ineffective.

13. The digital image storage system according to claim 12, wherein the controller deletes the incompletely transmitted and stored digital image from the storage medium.

14. The digital image storage system according to claim 10, wherein the controller is a controller housed by the data storage.

15. The digital image storage system according to claim 10, wherein the digital images stored in the memory of the camera are deleted one-by-one after each respective one of the digital images is completely transferred from the memory and stored in the storage medium of the data storage.

16. The digital image storage system according to claim 10, wherein the docking station has a shape to fit a bottom of the digital camera.

17. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a computer program executable by a controller of a digital image storage for use with a digital camera having a memory, digital images in the memory being transmitted from the memory to the digital image storage by way of a docking station capable of being coupled with the digital camera, the computer program comprising instructions to cause the controller to perform the steps of:

storing the digital images that have been transmitted from the memory of the digital camera through the docking station in a storage medium of the digital image storage; and

causing the digital images stored in the memory of the digital camera to be deleted from the memory after being successfully transmitted from the memory and stored in the storage medium of the digital image storage, the digital images being deleted from the memory based on a signal supplied from the digital image storage, wherein digital images protected against deletion are not deleted from the memory.

18. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a computer program executable by a controller of a digital image storage for use with a digital camera having a memory, digital images in the memory being transmitted from the memory to the digital image storage by way of a docking station capable of being coupled with the digital camera, the computer program comprising instructions to cause the controller to perform the steps of:

storing the digital images that have been transmitted from the memory of the digital camera in a storage medium of the digital image storage while the digital camera and the digital image storage are in communication with each other through the docking station; and

causing a digital image in the memory of the digital camera to be deleted from the memory of the digital camera if the digital image has been completely transmitted to and stored in the storage medium of the digital image storage, and not causing a digital image to be deleted from the memory of the digital camera if the digital image has been incompletely transmitted to and stored in the storage medium of the digital image storage, the digital image being deleted from the memory based on a signal supplied from the digital image storage, wherein a digital image protected against deletion is not deleted from the memory.