System and Method for Photo-Image Local Distribution

• US 20100281394A1
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MACOM Connectivity Solutions, LLC (MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Applied Micro Circuits Corporation (MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gopi, Paramesh, Hazarika, Prodyut, Vaysburg, Dimitry, Ravuri, Vinay, Shtalenkov, Dmitriy
• Granted Patent: US 8,434,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/748
• 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 1/00347 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 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0062 Stand-alone interface device
• 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

Abstract

A system and method are provided for the local distribution of stored photo-images to wireless picture frames. The method interfaces a photo-image discovery device, having no dedicated display, to a display monitor presenting a menu of photo-image user prompt options originating from the photo discovery device. A photo-image from the storage site is selected, as well as a wireless picture frame destination. Then, the photo-image is wireless sent to the selected destination. In one aspect, the wireless picture frame is selected in response to discovery device movements.

Claims

1. A method for the local distribution of stored photo-images to wireless picture frames, the method comprising:

interfacing a photo-image discovery device, having no dedicated display, to a display monitor;

presenting a menu of photo-image user prompt options on the display monitor, originating from the photo discovery device;

selecting a photo-image from the storage site;

selecting a wireless picture frame destination; and

,

wirelessly sending the photo-image to the selected destination.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein interfacing the photo-image discovery device to the display monitor includes interfacing to a display monitor having a wireless interface port;

and,

wherein selecting a wireless picture frame destination includes;

presenting a menu of wireless picture frame destinations; and

,

wirelessly selecting the destination in response to a user prompt.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein selecting the wireless picture frame destination includes wirelessly selecting a wireless picture frame in response to movement of the photo-image discovery device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein selecting in response to movement of the photo-image discovery device includes:

generating a position icon on the display monitor responsive to the movement of the photo-image discovery device; and

,

using photo-image discovery device movements to steer the position icon from the selected photo-image to the selected destination.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein interfacing the photo-image discovery device to the display monitor includes interfacing a photo-image discovery device having a directional reference axis for pointing;

and,

wherein selecting the destination in response to movement of the photo-image discovery device includes pointing the photo-image discovery device at an actual location of a wireless picture frame in a local physical environment surrounding the photo-image discovery device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein selecting the photo-image includes:

generating a position icon on the display monitor responsive to the direction in which the photo-image discovery device is pointed;

using photo-image discovery device movements to steer the position icon to a photo-image on the display monitor;

engaging a switch on the photo-image discovery device to select the photo-image;

wherein pointing the photo-image discovery device at the actual location of the wireless picture frame in the physical environment includes;

while continuing to engage the switch, pointing the photo-image discovery device towards an actual wireless picture frame in the local physical environment; and

,

releasing the switch to select the wireless picture frame.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

presenting feedback confirming the wireless picture frame selection, the feedback selected from a group consisting of an image on the display monitor, an audio signal generated by the photo-image discovery device, and a light emitting diode (LED) signal generated by the photo-image discovery device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the photo-image and selecting the wireless picture frame includes moving the photo-image discovery device to create a prompt selected from a group consisting of point and select, on, off, select display, cancel selection, play, next, slow, previous, stop, next, start, and continuous.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein selecting the destination in response to movement of the photo-image discovery device includes movements selected from a group consisting of changing the position of the photo-image discovery device, changing the direction in which the photo-image discovery device is pointing, and accelerating the photo-image discovery device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting the menu of photo-image user prompt options on the display monitor includes interfacing the photo-image discovery device to the display monitor via an interface selected from a group consisting of HDMI, USB, infrared, Bluetooth, and WiFi.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein wireless sending the photo-image to the selected destination includes interfacing the photo-image discovery device to the wireless picture frame via an interface selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth and WiFi.

12. The method of claim 5 wherein selecting the photo-image includes:

generating a position icon on the display monitor responsive to the direction in which the photo-image discovery device is pointed; and

,

using photo-image discovery device movements to steer the position icon a photo-image on the display monitor;

engaging a switch on the photo-image discovery device to select the photo-image;

wherein pointing the photo-image discovery device at the actual location of the wireless picture frame in the physical environment includes;

while continuing to engage the switch, moving the photo-image discovery device towards an actual wireless picture frame in the local physical environment;

releasing the switch to transmit a selection signal to the wireless picture frame;

receiving acknowledgement signals from a plurality of wireless picture frames, reporting a signal strength of the transmitted selection signal; and

,

the photo-image discovery device selecting the wireless picture frame with the greatest reported signal strength.

13. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

subsequent to selecting a first wireless picture frame, creating an icon on the display monitor representing the first wireless picture frame; and

,

using photo-image discovery device movements to steer the position icon from selected photo-images to the first wireless picture frame icon for subsequent selections.

14. A photo-image discovery device with a system for the local distribution of stored photo-images to wireless picture frames, the system comprising:

a network module for accessing photo-images from a network-connected storage site and downloading selected photo-images;

a user interface (UI) module having an interface to a non-dedicated display monitor for presenting a menu of photo-image user prompt options, the prompt options selecting stored photo-images in response to the network module accessing the storage site, and selecting wireless picture frame destinations; and

,

wherein the network module wirelessly sends a selected photo-image to a selected wireless picture frame destination.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a motion detection module for sensing photo-image discovery device motion, with an interface connected to the UI module; and

,

wherein the UI module has a wireless interface to a wireless interface port of the display monitor for presenting a menu of wireless picture frame destinations on the display monitor and selecting a wireless picture frame destination in response to a detected motion.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the UI module generates a position icon on the display monitor responsive to the movement of the photo-image discovery device, and uses photo-image discovery device movements to steer the position icon from the selected photo-image to the selected destination.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a motion detection module for sensing photo-image discovery device motion, with an interface connected to the UI module, wherein the motion detection module establishes a directional reference axis for pointing and detects the photo-image discovery device being pointed at an actual location of a wireless picture frame in a local physical environment surrounding the photo-image discovery device; and

,

wherein the UI module selects the wireless picture frame destination in response to the detected pointing motion.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

a user interface switch connected to the user interface module;

wherein the UI module selects a photo-image by generating a position icon on the display monitor responsive to the direction in which the photo-image discovery device is pointed, using photo-image discovery device movements to steer the position icon to a photo-image on the display monitor, and receiving a selection prompt in response to the switch being engaged; and

,

wherein the motion detection module detects the motion of pointing at the wireless picture frame in the physical environment; and

,

wherein the UI module selects the wireless frame in response to the switch being released.

19. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a user interface signaling device selected from a group consisting of a light emitting diode (LED) and a speaker; and

,

wherein the UI module has an interface connected to the UI signaling device for presenting feedback confirming the wireless picture frame selection.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the motion detection module detects motion prompts selected from a group consisting of point and select, on, off, select display, cancel selection, play, next, slow, previous, stop, next, start, and continuous.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the motion detection module detects a photo-image discovery device motion selected from a group consisting of a change in position of the photo-image discovery device, a change in a direction in which the photo-image discovery device is pointing, and an acceleration of the photo-image discovery device.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the UI module is interfaced to the display monitor via an interface selected from a group consisting of HDMI, USB, infrared, Bluetooth, and WiFi.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein the network module is interfaced to the wireless picture frame via an interface selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth and WiFi.

24. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

a user interface switch connected to the user interface module;

wherein the UI module selects a photo-image by generating a position icon on the display monitor responsive to the direction in which the photo-image discovery device is pointed, using photo-image discovery device movements to steer the position icon to a photo-image on the display monitor, and receiving a selection prompt in response to the switch being engaged; and

,

wherein the network module sends a selection signal to a plurality of wireless picture frames in the physical environment in response to the switch being released, and receives acknowledgement signals from each wireless picture frame reporting a signal strength of the received selection signal; and

,

wherein the UI module selects the wireless picture frame with the greatest reported signal strength.

25. The system of claim 17 wherein the UI module, subsequent to selecting a first wireless picture frame, creates an icon on the display monitor representing the first wireless picture frame and uses photo-image discovery device movements to steer the position icon from selected photo-images to the first wireless picture frame icon for subsequent selections.