System and method for correlating processing data and image data within a digital camera device

• US 6,177,956 B1
• Filed: 10/23/1996
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Masukawa, Mike M., Anderson, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US08/735,705
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5225, 386/107, 386/117, 348/207, 348/220, 348/221, 348/231, 348/232, 348/233, 348/239, 348/576, 348/577, 348/222, 358/906, 358/909.1, 707/1, 707/200, 707/100, 707/104, 345/131, 345/132, 345/509, 345/515, 345/192, 345/193
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2141 in a multi-frame buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• 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 1/32277 Compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• 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 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• 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 2201/3243 of type information, e.g. handwritten or text document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device 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 2201/328 Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9206 the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

A system and method for correlating processing data and image data within a digital camera device comprises a capture device for gathering image data, a data cell manager for building a data cell containing processing data and for linking the data cell to the image data, and a processor device for processing and compressing the image data by using the processing data stored within the data cell.

Claims

1. A digital imaging system capable of correlating processing data and image data, said digital imaging system comprising:

a capturing device responsive to an image capture request for receiving image data for a first captured image and first processing data including settings of said capturing device at image capture time;

a manager device coupled to said capturing device for building a data cell containing said first processing data and for linking said data cell to said image data; and

a processing device coupled to said capturing device for processing said image data using said first processing data within said data cell, wherein said capturing device is operable for receiving image data for a second captured image using processing data that is different than said first processing data while said processing of said image data for said first captured image is being performed using said first processing data.

2. The digital imaging system of claim 1 wherein said manager device is operable for deleting a selected portion of said processing data from said data cell after said processing device has finished processing said image data.

3. The digital imaging system of claim 2 wherein said processing device is operable for storing said image data into a memory device after said manager device has deleted said selected portion of said processing data from said data cell.

4. The digital imaging system of claim 1 wherein said manager device is operable for making a copy of said data cell and for appending said copy of said data cell to said image data.

5. The digital imaging system of claim 4 wherein said manager device is operable for rebuilding said data cell after a disruptive event using said copy of said data cell appended to said image data.

6. The digital imaging system of claim 1 wherein said processing of said image data includes compressing said image data.

7. A method for correlating processing data and image data in a digital imaging system, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving image data for a first captured image and first processing data using a capturing device, wherein said first processing data includes settings of said capturing device at image capture time;

b) building a data cell with a manager device, wherein said data cell contains said first processing data;

c) linking said data cell to said image data;

d) receiving image data for a second captured image and second processing data that is different from said first processing data; and

e) processing said image data for said first captured image using said first processing data within said data cell can be while said capturing device is receiving said image data for said second captured image.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising step f) of deleting a selected portion of said processing data from said data cell after said step e).

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of storing said image data into a memory device after said step f).

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

making a copy of said data cell; and

appending said copy of said data cell to said image data.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of rebuilding said data cell after a disruptive event using said copy of said data cell appended to said image data.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said step e) comprises the step of compressing said image data.

13. A computer-readable medium comprising program instructions for correlating processing data and image data in a digital imaging system, wherein said program instructions, when executed by a computer system coupled to said digital imaging system, cause said digital imaging system to implement the steps of:

a) receiving image data for a first captured image and first processing data using a capturing device, wherein said first processing data includes settings of said capturing device at image capture time;

b) building a data cell with a manager device, wherein said data cell contains said first processing data;

c) linking said data cell to said image data;

d) receiving image data for a second captured image and second processing data that is different from said first processing data; and

e) processing said image data for said first captured image using said first processing data within said data cell while said capturing device is receiving said image data for said second captured image.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein said program instructions, when executed, cause said digital imaging system to implement step f) of deleting a selected portion of said processing data from said data cell after said step e).

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein said program instructions, when executed, cause said digital imaging system to implement the step of storing said image data into a memory device after said step f).

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein said program instructions, when executed, cause said digital imaging system to implement the steps of:

making a copy of said data cell; and

appending said copy of said data cell to said image data.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 wherein said program instructions, when executed, cause said digital imaging system to implement the step of rebuilding said data cell after a disruptive event using said copy of said data cell appended to said image data.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein said step e) comprises the step of compressing said image data.