Electronic imaging system capable of image capture, local wireless transmission and voice recognition

• US 5,737,491 A
• Filed: 06/28/1996
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Romer, Donna M., Allen, James D., Moghadam, Omid A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, ALPHONSO
• Application Number:
  US08/672,773
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 395/2.79, 395/2.81, 395/2.84, 396/283, 396/287, 348/211, 348/223
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00403 Voice input means, e.g. voice commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2179 Interfaces allowing access to a plurality of users, e.g. connection to electronic image libraries
• 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 2201/3212 of data relating to a job, e.g. communication, capture or filing of an image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for digital image capture and transmission, includes a digital camera that has an electronic image sensor for sensing an image and producing a digital image; a memory for storing digital images produced by the image sensor in digital image files, the digital image files having associated information for controlling a remote image fulfillment server; a voice recorder for digitizing voice commands relating to control of the image fulfillment server; and a transmitter for transmitting the digital image file to the image fulfillment server. Either the camera or the fulfillment server includes a voice recognition module responsive to the digitized voice commands for producing control signals for the image fulfillment server. The image fulfillment server includes a receiver for receiving the digital image file and control signals; a memory for storing the received digital image file; and a file manager for managing the digital image file in response to the control signals.

Claims

1. A system for digital image capture and transmission, comprising:

a) a digital camera having;

i) an electronic image sensor for sensing an image and producing a digital image;

ii) a memory for storing digital images produced by the image sensor in digital image files, the digital image files having associated information for controlling a remote image fulfillment server;

iii) a voice recorder for digitizing voice commands relating to control of the image fulfillment server; and

iv) a transmitter for transmitting the digital image file to the image fulfillment server;

b) a voice recognition module responsive to the digitized voice commands for producing control signals for the image fulfillment server; and

c) an image fulfillment server, having;

i) a receiver for receiving the digital image file and control signals;

ii) a memory for storing the received digital image file; and

iii) a file manager for managing the digital image file in response to the control signals.

2. The system for digital image capture and transmission claimed in claim 1, wherein the voice recognition module is located in the camera and the control signals are transmitted with the digital image file to the image fulfillment server.

3. The system for digital image capture and transmission claimed in claim 1, wherein the voice recognition module is located in the image fulfillment server and the digitized voice commands are transmitted to the image fulfillment server.

4. The system for digital image capture and transmission claimed in claim 1, wherein the image fulfillment server includes a telecommunications processor having a connection to a plurality of secondary communications channels and the file manager manages the digital image file by storing the digital image file in the memory or causing the digital image file to be transmitted over one or more of the communications channels according to the associated information.

5. The system for digital image capture and transmission claimed in claim 1, wherein the image fulfillment server includes a printer for printing the digital image and an annotation on the print, and the control signals include instructions for printing.

6. The system for digital image capture and transmission claimed in claim 1, wherein the control signals include an image file name.

7. The system for digital image capture and transmission claimed in claim 5, wherein the control signals include an address for sending the print.