Digital camera having imaging portion, first terminal, and second terminal for outputting signals based on image data in accordance with same data communication interface standard

• US 7,062,576 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2004
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Ohmura, Akira, Tanaka, Masahide, Ishino, Yukinobu, Nomoto, Tetsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, TSE W
• Application Number:
  US10/957,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 710/35, 710/36, 710/38, 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 348/207.2, 348/211.1
• US Class Current: 710/35
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00283 with a television apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00885 Power supply means, e.g. arrangements for the control of power supply to the apparatus or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00901 Using different supplies or connection to an external supply H04N1/00893, H04N1/00896 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0044 Connecting to a plurality of different apparatus; Using a plurality of different connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 : the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8047 : using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 : using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 : the additional signal being at least another television signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8233 : the additional signal being a character code signal

Abstract

A digital image storage system includes a digital camera having a first terminal for data communication in accordance with a data communication interface standard and an adapter for the digital camera for communicating with the digital camera. The adapter has a second terminal for data communication in accordance with the same data communication interface standard as in the first terminal. The digital image storage system further includes a data storage having a third terminal for data communication in accordance with the same data communication interface standard as in the first terminal. The data storage is capable of communicating with the digital camera by way of the adapter through a connection between the third and the second terminals and also capable of directly communicating with the digital camera through a connection between the third and the first terminals.

Claims

1. A digital camera comprising:

an imaging portion that takes a picture of a subject and generates image data thereof;

a first terminal that outputs signals based on the image data; and

a second terminal arranged separately from the first terminal and that outputs signals based on the image data;

wherein the first terminal outputs digital signals based on the image data in accordance with a data communication interface standard and the second terminal outputs digital signals based on the image data in accordance with the same data communication interface standard as in the first terminal, and the imaging portion, the first terminal and the second terminal are provided in a portable body of the digital camera.

2. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the first terminal is connectable with an external storage.

3. The digital camera according to claim 2, wherein the second terminal is connectable with an adapter to relay the signals based on the image data from the digital camera to the external storage.

4. The digital camera according to claim 3, wherein the adapter is connected with the digital camera by putting the digital camera on the adapter.

5. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising a third terminal for outputting the signals based on the image data as analog video signals.

6. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the digital camera is directly connectable to a printer.

7. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal has a structure different from a structure of the first terminal.

8. A digital camera comprising:

an imaging portion that takes a picture of a subject and generates image data thereof;

a first terminal that outputs signals based on the image data; and

a second terminal arranged separately from the first terminal and that outputs signals based on the image data;

wherein the first terminal outputs digital signals based on the image data in accordance with a data communication interface standard and the second terminal outputs digital signals based on the image data in accordance with the same data communication interface standard as in the first terminal, and

wherein the second terminal is connected with a docking station to relay the signals based on the image data from the digital camera to an external storage.

9. The digital camera according to claim 8, wherein the docking station is connected with the digital camera by putting the digital camera on the docking station.

10. The digital camera according to claim 8, wherein the second terminal has a structure different from a structure of the first terminal.