Imaging device

• US 7,369,875 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Kuba, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Tuan A.
• Application Number:
  US10/924,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20050018052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 4555561- 2, 455/557, 455 901- 3, 455/3.01, 455 305- 6, 455558-559, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/554.2, 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/11, 3482111- 14, 3482311- 9, 348/552, 348373-376, 348/207.2, 348 1401- 4, 348/E7.078, 348/E7.079, 348/E7.081, 348/E7.082
• US Class Current: 455/557
• 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 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0036 Detecting or checking connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0044 Connecting to a plurality of different apparatus; Using a plurality of different connectors connection via a network H04N2201/0039
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0046 Software interface details, e.g. interaction of operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0056 Using mechanical couplings, e.g. mating elements H04N2201/0049, H04N2201/0051, H04N2201/0058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0065 Converting image data to a format usable by the connected apparatus or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0068 Converting from still picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN

Abstract

When sending photographic image data obtained in an electronic camera 1 via a communication interface 42 to a radio telephone line of a PDC 3, a PHS 4, etc., an RISC-CPU 11 converts the image data to data having a configuration allowing communication and further converts by software processing the communication-allowing configuration data to data corresponding to the type of the radio telephone line.

Claims

1. An imaging device including:

a) a connector component adapted to handle communications with a wireless communications link of a first type and a wireless communications link of a second type;

b) a discrimination device adapted to determine a type of wireless communications link coupled with the imaging device; and

c) a data converter adapted to convert image data using a determination of the discrimination device.

2. The image device of claim 1 wherein the connector component is a serial connector.

3. The image device of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications link of a first type is a first type of radio telephone link and the wireless communications link of the second type is a second type of radio telephone link.

4. The image device of claim 1 wherein the discrimination device includes at least one connector element of the connector component.

5. The image device of claim 1 wherein the discrimination device includes two connector elements of the connector component.

6. The image device of claim 1 wherein the data converter is adapted to use a selected one of a plurality of stored conversion programs to convert the image data.

7. The image device of claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of stored conversion programs is a different error correction program.

8. The image device of claim 1 wherein the data converter includes a memory device storing a plurality of stored conversion programs to convert image data, and a controller adapted to select one of the plurality of stored conversion programs using a determination of the discrimination device.

9. The image device of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of stored conversion programs is a different error correction program.

10. The image device of claim 1 further comprising:

d) a second connector component adapted to handle communications from a wired communications line, wherein the discrimination device is further adapted to determine whether a wired communications link is coupled with the imaging device, or a type of wireless communications link coupled with the imaging device;

e) a switch adapted to enable communications either with one of the wireless communications links, or a wired communications link; and

f) a controller adapted to control a state of the switch using a determination of the discrimination device.