Enhanced digital data collector for removable memory modules

• US 6,987,927 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2000
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zulu 360 LLC
• Original Assignee: SmartDisk Corporation
• Inventors: Battaglia, Michael S., Drennan, Offie L, Fischer, Addison M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BOCCIO, VINCENT F
• Application Number:
  US09/615,838
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 386/117, 386/124, 386/125, 386/46, 358/909.1, 348/231.99, 348/231.1, 348/231.2, 348/231.3, 348/231.8, 348/220.1
• US Class Current: 386/231
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/141 Battery and back-up supplies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device

Abstract

A hand-held battery powered data transfer and repository device for transferring data between one or more flash memory modules and a large capacity digital storage device, which may be either external or internal to the device. The device includes one or more slots to accept a flash memory module into a housing which includes processing and logic circuitry disposed within the housing for transferring data between the flash memory module and the large capacity digital storage device. Ports are disclosed for transferring data between the repository and data transfer device to a host device, which may be a wide range of digital appliances including a digital computer, a digital camera, a camcorder or a personal digital assistant.

Claims

1. A portable, hand-held, digital picture image data transfer and repository device for displaying a user'"'"'s digital photographs, said repository device being embodied in a housing operable to receive digital picture image data and being connectable to a user'"'"'s notebook or desktop computer and being of a size which can be held in a user'"'"'s palm, said repository device comprising:

a housing of a size to be held in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand and including at least one port operable to receive digital camera picture image data including a copy of the contents of a memory of a digital camera containing picture image data previously captured by a digital camera, and at least one port operable to couple said portable repository device to a user'"'"'s computer and to receive digital picture image data from said user'"'"'s computer;

a battery embodied in said housing for supplying electrical power;

a mass storage device embodied in said housing having at least one gigabyte of storage operatively coupled to receive and store said copy of the contents of a memory of a digital camera containing picture image data previously captured by a digital camera, said mass storage device being accessible for receiving picture image data resident in a user'"'"'s computer;

data processing circuitry embodied in said housing for controlling the transfer of data to and from said mass storage device, said processing circuitry being operable to determine whether a request has been made to transfer picture image data from a user'"'"'s computer to said mass storage device;

a display device embodied in said housing for displaying to a user a plurality of graphical images depicting picture image data;

at least one user interface key embodied in said housing including a copy key for initiating the copying of the contents of a memory of a digital camera containing picture camera data previously captured by said digital camera from said memory of said digital camera to said mass storage device; and

an input/output interface, coupled to said mass storage device, for use in transferring image data between said mass storage device aud said user'"'"'s computer, said input/output interface being compatible with an interface of said user'"'"'s computer.

2. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, wherein said mass storage device is operable to store digital audio data and picture image data.

3. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, wherein said repository device is operable with a flash memory reader, a mass storage device and a battery, at least one of which is not embodied within said housing.

4. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, wherein said repository device is operatively connectable to a camera via said at least one port operable to receive digital camera picture image data.

5. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of graphical images are JPEG images.

6. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, wherein said processing circuitry is operatively connectable to an external video device.

7. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, wherein said digital picture image data includes moving picture image data and said mass storage device is operable to store moving image picture data and further wherein said display is operable to display moving image picture data.

8. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one port operable to couple is connectable to a further electronic device.

9. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 8, wherein said further electronic device is a camcorder.

10. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 8, wherein said further electronic device is a digital camera.

11. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one port operable to receive digital camera picture image data and said at least one port operable to couple said portable repository device to a user'"'"'s computer are embodied in the same port.

12. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, wherein said data processing circuitry includes processing circuitry for reformatting a digital memory module into a state where it can be reused.

13. A data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, where said at least one port operable to couple is operatively coupled to said mass storage device for transferring picture image data to a user'"'"'s computer.

14. A data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one user interface key is operable for initiating predetermined operations relating to a flash memory module.

15. A data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 14, wherein said at least one user interface key is part of a keyboard and wherein said data processing circuitry is responsive to user initiation of said at least one key to control the transfer of data from said flash memory module to said mass storage device.

16. A data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said repository device is operable to display data indicative of at least part of the contents of a flash memory module.

17. A data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one port operable to receive digital camera image data is a memory port in said housing sized to receive a flash memory module, said data processing circuitry being operable to selectively transfer the contents of said flash memory module to said mass storage device.

18. A data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said mass storage device is a hard drive.

19. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, wherein said data processing circuitry includes processing circuitry for formatting a file system of said mass storage unit so that it is compatible with a host device file system.

20. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, further including clocking circuitry for a generating time related signal, said repository device for storing time related data associated with picture image data.

21. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 20, wherein said display is operable to display time related data associated with picture image data.

22. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 1, including a port operatively connectable to a home video device.

23. For use in transferring data between a digital camera flash memory module and a user'"'"'s computer, a portable, hand-held, digital data transfer and repository device embodied in a housing operatively connectable to a user'"'"'s notebook or desktop computer and which is of a size which can be held in a user'"'"'s palm, said repository device comprising:

a hand-held housing of a size to be held in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand and including a plurality of ports, at least one of said plurality of ports for receiving digital camera memory data including a copy of the contents of a memory of a digital camera containing picture image data previously captured by a digital camera, and at least one of said ports for coupling said portable repository device to a user'"'"'s computer,

a hard disk drive having a storage capacity of at least one gigabyte contained within said hand-held housing and operatively coupled to receive and store digital data from a digital camera memory said copy of the contents of a memory of a digital camera containing picture image data previously captured by a digital camera, said hard disk drive storing JPEG files and audio data and being accessible for data transfer between said portable repository device and a user'"'"'s computer;

processing circuitry contained within said hand-held housing for controlling the transfer of data stored in a digital flash memory module to said hard disk drive,

an LCD display device embodied in said hand-held housing for displaying JPEG graphical images,

at least one user interface key embodied in said housing including a copy key for initiating the copying of the contents of a memory of a digital camera containing picture image data previously captured by said digital camera from said memory of said digital camera to said mass storage device; and

an input/output interface, coupled to said hard disk drive, for use in transferring data between said hard disk drive and said user'"'"'s computer, said input/output interface being compatible with an interface of said user'"'"'s computer.

24. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 23, wherein said repository device is operable with a flash memory reader, a mass storage device and a battery, at least one of which is not embodied within said housing.

25. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 23, wherein said repository device is operatively connectable to a camera via one of said plurality of ports.

26. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 23, wherein said at least one of said ports being operable for receiving digital camera picture image data and at least one of said ports being operable for coupling said portable repository device to a user'"'"'s computer is embodied in the same port.

27. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 23, wherein said data processing circuitry includes processing circuitry for reformatting a digital memory module inserted into one of said plurality of ports into a state where it can be reused.

28. A data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 23, wherein:

at least one user interface key is operable for initiating predetermined operations relating to a flash memory module.

29. A data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 23, wherein said hard disk drive is operable to store moving picture image data and wherein said display is operable to display moving picture image data.

30. A data transfer and repository device in accordance with claim 23, wherein said at least one of said ports being operable for receiving digital camera image data is a memory port in said housing sized to receive a flash memory module, said data processing circuitry being operable to selectively transfer the contents of said flash memory module to said hard drive.

31. A data transfer and repository device according to claim 23, wherein said data processing circuitry includes processing circuitry for formatting a file system of said hard drive unit so that it is compatible with a host device file system.

32. A method of operating a portable, hand-held digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device, said data transfer and repository device including within a hand-held housing which can be comfortably held in a user'"'"'s palm:

a port for coupling said portable repository device to a user'"'"'s computer, a hard disk drive having a storage capacity of at least one gigabyte for storing picture image data, an input/output interface coupled to said hard disk drive for use in transferring image data between said hard disk drive and said user'"'"'s computer, at least one user interface key including a copy key for initiating the copying of the contents of a memory of a digital camera containing picture image data previously captured by said digital camera from said memory of said digital camera to said hard disk drive device and an LCD display, said method comprising the steps of;

receiving picture image data previously captured from a digital camera and stored in a digital camera memory;

storing said picture image data in said hard drive embodied within said repository device in response to a user actuating said copy key embodied in said hand-held housing of said digital camera picture image data transfer and repository device;

determining whether a request has been made to transfer picture image data from a user'"'"'s computer to said hard drive;

transferring picture image data from a user'"'"'s computer to said hard disk drive within said repository device in response to said request;

displaying picture image data on an LCD display embodied within said repository device; and

controlling operations involving picture image data in response to a user actuating keys embodied in said hand-held housing.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the step of displaying includes:

displaying on said LCD of said portable device data indicative of at least part of the contents of a digital camera flash memory module.

34. A method according to claim 32, further including the step of receiving a command for performing an operation with said picture from image data.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the step of receiving a command includes the step of reading the command from a user interface.

36. A method according to claim 34, wherein the step of receiving a command includes the step of reading the command from an external bus coupled to a further electronic device.

37. A method according to claim 32, wherein said repository device is coupled to a further electronic device via an external bus and further including the steps of detecting activity on said external bus and powering up the device in response to external bus activity.

38. A method according to claim 32, further including the step of reformatting a digital memory module inserted into a memory port to place said digital memory module into a state where it can be reused.

39. A method according to claim 32, wherein said picture image data includes moving picture image data and further including the step of displaying moving picture image data on said LCD display embodied within said display device.