Digital camera and method for communicating digital image and at least one address image stored in the camera to a remotely located service provider

• US 6,715,003 B1
• Filed: 02/14/2000
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Safai, Mohammad A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US09/504,825
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 710/3, 710/8, 710/33, 710/62, 709/217, 709/234, 709/204, 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/207.2, 348/211.1, 348/211.2, 348/211.3, 348/231.1, 348/231.2, 348/333
• US Class Current: 710/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• 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 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3261 of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A photo service provider provides remote developing, printing, and delivery of photographic prints of digital images. In one embodiment, a handheld digital camera can send to the photo service provider one or more digital images with address information (e.g., one or more address image created in the camera) indicating destinations for the digital images or photographic prints. One or more additional images or instructions associated with the delivery addresses can indicate the size or quantity of the prints to be delivered. The camera can be coupled to a data communication network through which the camera directly sends the selected images to the photo service provider. At a server of the service provider, one or more photographic prints of the selected images are automatically printed, packaged, and sent to the delivery addresses.

Claims

1. A method of preparing a photographic print, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a digital image in a digital camera;

retrieving one or more address images;

communicating the digital image and the one or more address images from the digital camera over one or more networks to a service provider that is remote from the digital camera and coupled to one of the networks;

printing a photographic print of the digital image on a photographic printer associated with the service provider; and

delivering the photographic print from the service provider to one or more receiving parties specified by the one or more address images.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving one or more address images includes retrieving one or more address images from a location remote from the digital camera.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of retrieving one or more address images includes forming one or more address images in the digital camera.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising forming and storing the one or more address images.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising creating and storing the one or more address images by displaying a virtual keyboard on a display of the digital camera, and

receiving address information specified by the one or more address images in the form of characters selected using the virtual keyboard.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising creating and storing the one or more address images by

storing, in the digital camera, a list of previously defined receiving parties;

displaying the list in a display device of the digital camera;

receiving a selection of one of the receiving parties from the list, and

storing information identifying the selected receiving party in association with the digital image.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more address images specify the names and addresses of one or more receiving parties.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising

creating and storing, in the digital camera in association with the digital image, one or more instructions that define how to print the digital image at the service provider, and

printing the photographic print at the service provider according to the instructions.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising computing and displaying in the digital camera a price value that defines a price charged by the service provider for printing and delivering the photographic print according to the instructions.

10. The method recited as in claim 8, wherein creating and storing one or more instructions that define how to print the digital image at the service provider includes creating and storing, in association with the digital image, one or more instructions that define a quantity and size of the photographic print.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising computing and displaying in the digital camera a price value that defines a price charged by the service provider for printing and delivering the photographic print according to the instructions.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising

selecting whether to communicate the digital image from the digital camera to the service provider immediately or at a later time;

storing the digital image in the digital camera in association with information identifying the later time; and

at the later time, communicating the digital image from the digital camera to the service provider.

13. A method of preparing a photographic print, comprising the steps of:

forming a digital image using a digital camera;

storing, in the digital camera in association with the image, address information that specifies one or more recipients of the digital image and that defines characteristics of the photographic print;

communicating both the digital image and the address information over a packet-switched data network to a service provider that is logically remote from the digital camera and communicatively coupled to the data network;

printing a photographic print from the digital image based on the characteristics; and

then

delivering the photographic print to the one or more recipients specified by the address information.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising storing the digital image at a server computer of the service provider in an account that is uniquely associated with the digital camera or its owner.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

storing and executing in the digital camera, a file transfer protocol (FTP) client program;

storing and executing, in a server computer associated with the service provider, an FTP server program; and

carrying out the communicating step by uploading the digital image from the digital camera to the service provider using FTP.

16. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for preparing a photographic print, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

forming a digital image in a digital camera;

retrieving one or more address images;

communicating the digital image and the one or more address images from the digital camera over one or more networks to a service provider that is remote from the digital camera and coupled to one of the networks;

printing a photographic print of the digital image on a photographic printer associated with the service provider; and

delivering the photographic print from the service provider to one or more receiving parties specified by the one or more address images.

17. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of retrieving one or more address images includes retrieving one or more address images from a location remote from the digital camera.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the step of retrieving one or more address images includes forming one or more address images in the digital camera.

19. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to form and store the one or more address images.

20. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to

create and store the one or more address images by displaying a virtual keyboard on a display of the digital camera, and

receive address information specified by the one or more address images in the form of characters selected using the virtual keyboard.

21. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to create and store the one or more address images by:

storing, in the digital camera, a list of previously defined receiving parties;

displaying the list in a display device of the digital camera;

receiving a selection of one of the receiving parties from the list,; and

storing information identifying the selected receiving party in association with the digital image.

22. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the one or more address images specify the names and addresses of one or more receiving parties.

23. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to

create and store, in the digital camera in association with the digital image, one or more instructions that define how to print the digital image at the service provider, and

print the photographic print at the service provider according to the instructions.

24. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 23, further comprising one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to compute and display in the digital camera a price value that defines a price charged by the service provider for printing and delivering the photographic print according to the instructions.

25. A computer-readable medium recited as in claim 23, wherein creating and storing one or more instructions that define how to print the digital image at the service provider includes creating and storing, in association with the digital image, one or more instructions that define a quantity and size of the photographic print.

26. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 25, further comprising one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to compute and display in the digital camera a price value that defines a price charged by the service provider for printing and delivering the photographic print according to the instructions.

27. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

select whether to communicate the digital image from the digital camera to the service provider immediately or at a later time;

store the digital image in the digital camera in association with information identifying the later time; and

at the later time, communicate the digital image from the digital camera to the service provider.

28. A digital camera configured to:

form a digital image;

retrieve one or more address images; and

communicate the digital image and the one or more address images from the digital camera over one or more networks to a service provider that is remote from the digital camera and coupled to one of the networks.

29. The digital camera as recited in claim 28, further configured to retrieve one or more address images from a location remote from the digital camera.

30. The digital camera as recited in claim 28, further configured to form one or more address images in the digital camera.

31. The digital camera as recited in claim 28, further configured to form and store the one or more address images.

32. The digital camera as recited in claim 31, further configured to create the one or more address images by

displaying a virtual keyboard on a display of the digital camera, and

receiving address information specified by the one or more address images in the form of characters selected using the virtual keyboard.

33. The digital camera as recited in claim 31, further configured to create and store the one or more address images by

storing, in the digital camera, a list of previously defined receiving parties,

displaying the list in a display device of the digital camera,

receiving a selection of one of the receiving parties from the list, and

storing information identifying the selected receiving party in association with the digital image.

34. The digital camera as recited in claim 28, wherein the one or more address images specify the names and addresses of one or more receiving parties.

35. The digital camera as recited in claim 28, further configured to create and store, in the digital camera in association with the digital image, one or more instructions that instruct the service provider on how to print a photographic print of the digital image.

36. The digital camera as recited in claim 35, further configured to compute and display in the digital camera a price value that defines a price charged by the service provider.

37. The digital camera recited as in claim 35, further configured to create and store, in association with the digital image, one or more instructions that define a quantity and size of the photographic print.

38. The digital camera as recited in claim 37, further configured to compute and display in the digital camera a price value that defines a price charged by the service provider.

39. The digital camera as recited in claim 28, further configured to:

select whether to communicate the digital image from the digital camera to the service provider immediately or at a later time;

store the digital image in the digital camera in association with information identifying the later time; and

at the later time, communicate the digital image from the digital camera to the service provider.