System and apparatus for facilitating printing of images from an electronic camera

• US 6,693,665 B1
• Filed: 07/14/1999
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hikaru, Dochi, Kiyotaka, Shindo, Mitsuyoshi, Wanami, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US09/353,686
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 748/207.99, 748/207.1, 748/207.11, 748/207.2, 748/222.1, 748/220.1, 748/374, 748/375, 748/376, 748/211.99, 748/211.1, 748/211.4, 748/211.14, 250/208.1, 400/2, 347/171, 347/172, 358/1.1
• US Class Current: 348/207.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0034 Details of the connection, e.g. connector, interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A photographic apparatus is described which outputs a photographed image immediately to paper by a simple operation. The photographic apparatus includes an electronic camera for electronically acquiring an image, a connection base for removably connecting the electronic camera thereto, the connection base having a function of reading out image data from the electronic camera while the camera is connected thereto, and a printing section for acquiring the image data from the connection base and outputting an image based on the image data to paper.

Claims

1. A photographic apparatus, comprising:

an electronic camera for electronically acquiring an image and providing image data;

a connection base for removably connecting said electronic camera thereto, the connection base having a function of reading out image data from said electronic camera while said camera is connected thereto, wherein the connection base is configured to request that the printer perform image processing on the image data read out from the electronic camera; and

a printer for acquiring the image data from said connection base and outputting an image based on the image data to paper.

2. A photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic camera compresses the electronically acquired image and the connection base additionally decompresses compressed image data read out from the electronic camera.

3. A photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection base further provides image processing on the image data read out from the electronic camera.

4. A photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection base includes inputting and outputting means for inputting setting information and displaying a set state, and control means for controlling image data and the inputting and outputting section.

5. A photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic camera is connected to the connection base through an adapter having a grip.

6. A photographic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the grip of the adapter has a switch provided thereon for triggering a shutter operation of the electronic camera.

7. A photographic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the adapter has a battery accommodated therein for supplying power to the electronic camera.

8. A photographic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the adapter has a flash shoe provided thereon.

9. A photographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printer is a thermal sublimation type printer.

10. A photographic apparatus, comprising:

an electronic camera for electronically providing image data;

a printer for printing an image onto paper;

a connection base formed as a part of the printer for receiving the electronic camera therein; and

wherein the connection base reads out image data from the electronic camera while the camera is resides therein and is connected to the connection base and provides the image data to the printer for printing an image, wherein the connection base is configured to request that the printer perform image processing on the image data read out from the electronic camera.

11. A photographic apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the electronic camera may also be connected remotely to the connection base.