System and camera for automatically forwarding digital images to a service provider

• US 6,812,961 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2000
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Parulski, Kenneth A., Fredlund, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Application Number:
  US09/569,079
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 348/231.2, 348/231.3, 348/207.1, 348/231.9, 348/552, 348/211.3, 348/211.1, 705/26
• US Class Current: 348/231.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00145 from a remote location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00172 directly from a still digital camera or from a storage medium mounted in a still digital camera H04N1/0018 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00188 Printing, e.g. prints or reprints H04N1/0019, H04N1/00196 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• 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 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A method and digital camera for capturing images for requesting and confirming an image order to be provided by a service provider. The camera includes a capture device for capturing digital images and an interface for storing the captured digital images on a removable digital storage media in a first directory, and for reading digital images from both the first directory and from a second directory on the removable digital storage media. A user interface is provided for selecting the first directory or the second directory. The camera also has a display for displaying information and image stored in the selected directory. The second directory can be used for placing an image order and/or reviewing confirmation provided by a service provider of an image order.

Claims

1. A digital camera for capturing images to be transferred over a communication network to a service provider for providing goods or services using images from a digital camera registered with said service provider, comprising:

means for capturing digital images;

an interface for storing the captured digital images as image files on a removable digital storage media in a first directory, and for reading said image files from both said first directory and confirmation files from a second directory on said removable digital storage media, wherein said confirmation files are provided by the service provider, said confirmation files indicate the status of an order to be fulfilled by said service provider using said captured digital images;

a user interface for selecting the first directory or the second directory; and

a display for displaying the digital images from the selected directory.

2. A digital camera according to claim 1 wherein the image stored by the service provider provides confirmation that at least one image previously stored in said first directory on said removable storage media has been transmitted to the service provider.

3. A digital camera according to claim 1 wherein the confirmation files comprise low resolution images.

4. A digital camera according to claim 1 wherein said confirmation files includes a text file.

5. A digital camera for capturing images to be provided to a service provider over a communication network, said service provider providing goods or services using images received from said digital camera registered with said service provider, comprising:

a capture device for capturing digital images;

an interface for storing the captured digital images as image files on a removable digital storage media in a first directory, and for reading said image files from both said first directory and confirmation files from a second directory on said removable digital storage media, wherein said confirmation files stored on said second directory is obtained from a different source other than the camera.

a user interface for selecting the first directory or the second directory; and

a display for displaying the digital image files stored in said first directory and said confirmation files stored in the second directory.

6. A digital camera according to claim 5 wherein said user interface comprises a switch.

7. A digital camera according to claim 5 wherein when said user interface is positioned to read from said second directory, an order confirmation from said service provider can be viewed.

8. A digital camera according to claim 7 wherein said order confirmation includes low resolution images.

9. A digital camera according to claim 5 wherein an order can be placed.

10. A digital camera according to claim 5 wherein said display device comprises a liquid crystal display.

11. A method for placing and/or reviewing an image order using a camera having a capture device for capturing digital images as image files;

an interface for storing the captured digital images on a removable digital storage media in a first directory and for reading digital image files from both said first directory and from a second directory on said removable digital storage media wherein said second directory contains confirmation files stored by the service provider;

a user interface for selecting the first directory or the second directory; and

a display for displaying the digital image files stored in said first directory and said confirmation files stored in the second directory, comprising the steps of;

selecting images in said first directory and placing them in said second directory and placing an order with said image provider with respect to said images in said second directory.

12. A method for placing with a service provider over a communication network using a registered camera and/or reviewing an image order using said camera, said camera having a capture device for capturing digital images;

providing an interface for storing the captured digital images as image files on a removable digital storage media in a first directory and for reading digital images from both said first directory and for reading confirmation files stored on a second directory on said removable digital storage media wherein said second directory contains said confirmation files stored by the service provider;

a user interface for selecting the first directory or the second directory;

registering said camera with said service provider;

capturing images using said camera;

transferring the captured images over said communication network to the service provider;

receiving a confirmation file from the service provider, said confirmation files indicating the status of an order to be fulfilled by said service provider with respect to the transferred captured digital images;

storing said confirmation files in said second directory;

a display for displaying the confirmation files stored in the second directory, comprising the steps of;

reviewing said confirmation file with respect to said images in said second directory.

13. A method according to claim 12 further comprising the step of reviewing low resolution images and/or text in said second directory provided by said service provider.