DIGITAL CAMERA DOCK

• US 20090219398A1
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Komiyama, Hiroshi, Kasahara, Toshihide, Kondo, Eiki, Kiuchi, Toyoo
• Granted Patent: US 8,665,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

Use of a custom insert is obviated when a digital camera is attached to a base (dock). Two movable pins are provided, in such a way that a connector is sandwiched between the movable pins, on a digital camera attachment surface of a base (dock) which provides a digital camera with a recharging function and a printing function. The movable pins fit to holes in a bottom of the digital camera to thus act as guides during the course of attachment of the digital camera. Alternatively, the attachment surface itself may be configured so as to be vertically movable, and the attachment surface may descend during attachment of the digital camera and the attachment surface may be latched in a lower position after attachment of the same.

Claims

1. A digital camera dock to which a digital camera is to be attached and which has a function of printing an image captured by the digital camera or recharging an internal battery of the digital camera, the dock comprising:

an attachment surface to which the digital camera is to be attached being supported so as to become vertically movable;

a first holding unit for fixedly holding the attachment surface in a first, upper position;

a second holding unit for fixedly holding the attachment surface in a second, lower position; and

a control unit for releasing the first holding unit to thus enable vertical movement of the attachment surface, which in a stable state is fixedly held in the first position by means of the first holding unit, when the digital camera is attached onto the attachment surface, and for actuating the second holding unit to thus fixedly hold the attachment surface in the second position when the attachment surface has lowered to thus establish an electrical connection with the digital camera via a connector.

2. The digital camera dock according to claim 1, wherein

the attachment surface has guide pins inserted into hole sections formed in a bottom of the digital camera;

and

the control unit releases the first holding unit to thus enable vertical movement of the attachment surface when the digital camera is attached to the attachment surface as a result of the hole section formed in the bottom of the digital camera having fitted to the guide pin.