CUSTOMIZING DIGITAL IMAGE TRANSFER

• US 20110205373A1
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Tintera, Anthony L., Wasula, John L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,698,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0077 Types of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A method for customizing image transfer from a digital camera to a destination, the method includes (a) providing a digital camera, including (i) an image sensor for capturing images of a scene; (ii) an image memory for storing the captured images; (iii) a display for displaying the stored images and for displaying a graphical user interface; (iv) an interface to a host computer; (v) a firmware memory for storing camera firmware and for storing destination data, wherein the destination data identifies a transfer destination; and (vi) a processor, coupled to the image memory, firmware memory, display, and communications interface; (b) the processor displaying, on the display of the digital camera, a graphical user interface which permits a user to select a transfer destination, and (c) the processor storing destination data in the firmware memory to identify the transfer destination; and (d) providing image transfer software for the host computer, including (i) software code which detects that the interface of the digital camera has been connected to the host computer; (ii) software code which sends a request to the digital camera to transfer the destination data to the host computer; (iii) software code which sends a request to the digital camera to transfer at least one stored captured image to the host computer; and (iv) software code which uses the destination data to transfer the at least one stored captured image to the transfer destination.

Claims

1. A method for customizing image transfer from a digital camera to a destination, comprising:

(a) providing a digital camera, comprising

(i) an image sensor for capturing images of a scene;

(ii) an image memory for storing the captured images;

(iii) a display for displaying the stored images and for displaying a graphical user interface;

(iv) an interface to a host computer;

(v) a firmware memory for storing camera firmware and for storing destination data, wherein the destination data identifies a transfer destination; and

(vi) a processor, coupled to the image memory, firmware memory, display, and communications interface;

(b) the processor displaying, on the display of the digital camera, a graphical user interface which permits a user to select a transfer destination, and

(c) the processor storing destination data in the firmware memory to identify the transfer destination; and

(d) providing image transfer software for the host computer, comprising

(i) software code which detects that the interface of the digital camera has been connected to the host computer;

(ii) software code which sends a request to the digital camera to transfer the destination data to the host computer;

(iii) software code which sends a request to the digital camera to transfer at least one stored captured image to the host computer; and

(iv) software code which uses the destination data to transfer the at least one stored captured image to the transfer destination.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the transfer destination is a directory on a hard drive of the host computer.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the transfer destination is provided by a network service provider.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the transfer destination is a storage device associated with a user account.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the firmware memory stores destination data which identify a plurality of transfer destinations, and wherein the graphical user interface permits the user to select a particular transfer destination from the plurality of transfer destinations.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the destination data is stored in a data base in the digital camera.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the image transfer software further includes software code which stores a plurality of transfer destinations in a data base in the host.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the image transfer software further includes software code which synchronizes the destination data in the database of the host camera with the destination data in the database of the digital camera.