IMAGE PROVIDING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110102854A1
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kwahk, Ji-young, Oh, Hyun-joo, Kim, Sun-ae, Cho, Hyung-rae
• Application Number:
  US12/916,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20110102854A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/403
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• 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 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed are an image-providing system and an image-providing method, the image-providing system to provide an image to a mobile terminal, the system including at least one image acquisition device including an identification unit which detects identification information to identify a user and an image pickup unit which takes an image including the user corresponding to the detected identification information when the identification unit detects the identification information; and a server which transmits the image taken by the image acquisition device to the mobile terminal based on predetermined transmission information.

Claims

1. An image-providing system to provide an image to a mobile terminal, the system comprising:

at least one image acquisition device comprising an identification unit which detects identification information to identify a user and an image pickup unit which takes an image including the user corresponding to the detected identification information when the identification unit detects the identification information; and

a server which transmits the image taken by the image acquisition device to the mobile terminal based on predetermined transmission information.

2. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the server transmits and receives an image through a wireless communication with the image acquisition device and the mobile terminal.

3. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition device further comprises a storage unit which stores the transmission information matching the identification information and a communication unit which transmits the taken image and the transmission information to the server.

4. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the server stores the transmission information matching the identification information and transmits the taken image to the mobile terminal based on the transmission information matching the identification information.

5. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition device further comprises a communication unit which communicates with the server, and the image pickup unit takes an image of a user when transmission information matching the detected identification information is received from the server.

6. The image-providing system according to claim 4, wherein the identification information comprises terminal information to identify the mobile terminal, and the identification information is the same as the transmission information.

7. The image-providing system according to claim 4, wherein the identification unit comprises a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) communication unit.

8. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition device further comprises a user interface which receives a user input signal, and the transmission information is received through the user interface.

9. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition device takes an image of a user using face recognition technology.

10. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition device comprises at least one of a mobile camera and a fixed camera.

11. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the image acquisition device further comprises a display unit which displays an image to be taken, and the image acquisition device further comprises a user interface which selects an image to be taken.

12. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the server transmits the taken image to the mobile terminal when clarity of the taken image is more than or equal to a predetermined critical degree.

13. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the server further comprises an image processing unit which processes a stored image corresponding to an editing signal when the editing signal to edit an image transmitted to the mobile terminal is received from the mobile terminal;

and a storage unit which stores the processed image.

14. The image-providing system according to claim 13, wherein the editing signal comprises a signal to perform at least one of deleting an image, changing a resolution of an image, setting a frame, adding a text, adjusting brightness, changing an effect, and producing an album.

15. The image-providing system according to claim 13, wherein the server transmits the processed image by the image processing unit to at least one of the mobile terminal transmitting the editing signal and a predetermined personal terminal.

16. The image-providing system according to claim 13, wherein the server further comprises a printing unit, which prints the processed image.

17. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the server further comprises a printing unit, which prints the taken image.

38. The image-providing system according to claim 1, wherein the server transmits the taken image by the image acquisition device to a predetermined personal terminal.

18. An image-providing method of an image-providing system which comprises an image acquisition device and provides an image to a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

detecting identification information to identify a user by the image acquisition device;

taking an image including the user corresponding to the detected identification information; and

transmitting the taken image to the mobile terminal based on predetermined transmission information.

19. The image-providing method according to claim 18, further comprising storing transmission information about the mobile terminal, wherein the taking the image including the user is performed when the identification information corresponds to the transmission information.

20. The image-providing method according to claim 18, further comprising storing transmission information about the mobile terminal, wherein the transmitting the image to the mobile terminal is performed when the identification information corresponds to the transmission information.

21. The image-providing method according to claim 19, wherein the identification information comprises terminal information to identify the mobile terminal.

22. The image-providing method according to claim 18, wherein the image acquisition device comprises a user interface to receive a user input signal, and the transmission information is received through the user interface.

23. The image-providing method according to claim 18, wherein the taking the image including the user uses face recognition technology.

24. The image-providing method according to claim 18, wherein the image acquisition device comprises at least one of a mobile camera and a fixed camera.

25. The image-providing method according to claim 18, wherein the image acquisition device further comprises a display unit to display an image to be taken, and the taking the image including the user comprises receiving a selection signal to select an image to be taken.

26. The image-providing method according to claim 18, wherein the transmitting the image to the mobile terminal transmits the taken image to the mobile terminal when clarity of the taken image is a predetermined critical degree or more.

27. The image-providing method according to claim 18, further comprising receiving an editing signal to edit an image transmitted to the mobile terminal from the mobile terminal;

processing the taken image corresponding to the editing signal; and

storing the processed image.

28. The image-providing method according to claim 27, wherein the editing signal comprises a signal to perform at least one of deleting an image, changing a resolution of an image, setting a frame, adding a text, adjusting brightness, changing an effect, and producing an album.

29. The image-providing method according to claim 27, further comprising transmitting the stored image to at least one of the mobile terminal transmitting the editing signal and a predetermined personal terminal.

30. The image-providing method according to claim 27, further comprising printing the stored image.

31. The image-providing method according to claim 18, further comprising printing the taken image.

32. An image-providing system, which comprises a first device and a second device and provides an image to a mobile terminal,

the first device comprising:

a storage unit which stores authentication information about at least one mobile terminal;

a sensing unit which detects a mobile terminal existing within a predetermined distance;

an image pickup unit which takes an image;

a first communication unit which transmits the taken image; and

a controller which controls the image pickup unit to take an image of a user of the detected mobile terminal, and controls the first communication unit to transmit the taken image to the mobile terminal of the user based on the authentication information and to output a selected image to the second device when an image selection signal to select the image transmitted from the mobile terminal is received, and

the second device comprising;

a second communication unit which receives the taken image; and

an album generation unit which generates an album of an image received through the second communication unit.

33. The image-providing system according to claim 32, wherein the second device further comprises an image processing unit which processes a stored image corresponding to an editing signal when the editing signal to edit an image transmitted to the mobile terminal is received from the mobile terminal, and the album generation unit generates an album by printing the processed image.

34. The image-providing system according to claim 32, wherein the second device further comprises an image processing unit which processes a stored image corresponding to an editing signal when the editing signal to edit an image transmitted to the mobile terminal is received from the mobile terminal, the album generation unit produces the processed image into an electronic album, and the second communication unit transmits the electronic album to at least one of the mobile terminal and a predetermined personal terminal.

35. The image-providing system according to claim 33, wherein the editing signal comprises a signal to perform at least one of deleting an image, changing a resolution of an image, setting a frame, adding a text, adjusting brightness, and changing an effect.

39. The image-providing system according to claim 32, wherein the controller transmits the taken image by the image pickup unit to a predetermined personal terminal.

36. An image-providing method of an image-providing system which provides an image to a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

storing authentication information about the mobile terminal;

detecting a mobile terminal existing within a predetermined distance;

taking an image of a user of the detected mobile terminal;

transmitting the taken image to the mobile terminal of the user;

receiving an image selection signal to select an image transmitted from the mobile terminal; and

generating an album of the selected image based on the image selection signal.

37. The image-providing method according to claim 36, further comprising transmitting the generated album to at least one of the mobile terminal and a predetermined personal terminal.