Digital camera, method of controlling digital camera, and file server

• US 7,388,602 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xacti Corporation (Office Support KK)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miura, Hiroki, Inoue, Yasuaki, Hiranuma, Yoshinao, Takano, Kyoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSU, AMY R
• Application Number:
  US10/725,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20040109066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.3, 348/211.1, 348/211.2, 348/207.1, 348/552, 348/231.2, 348/231.6, 725/105, 358/403
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• 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 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/007 Selecting or switching between a still picture apparatus or function and another apparatus or function H04N2201/0022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/216 Arrangements for recording on different types of storage medium, e.g. IC card or magnetic tape; Recording on a plurality of storage media
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

Digital cameras which improve operability in checking, storing, and editing shot images have not been satisfactory. A digital camera and a user terminal including a file server are connected over a network. When the digital camera is powered on, it automatically establishes a network connection with the file server in an activation process. When the digital camera shoots an image, this image is transmitted to the file server automatically upon completion of the encoding and compression of the image. When image reproduction is instructed from the digital camera, the image is downloaded from the file sever over the network and displayed on the digital camera.

Claims

1. A digital camera comprising:

an image pickup block;

a mechanism control block which controls the image pickup block mechanically;

an operation block which inputs a user operation; and

a processing block which applies processing to an image, the processing block including a detecting unit which detects an activation request for the digital camera, and a communication control unit which performs processing for establishing a network connection with a file server upon detection of the activation request;

further comprising

a memory card control unit which controls a memory card when an option slot is loaded with the memory card; and

a card identification unit which identifies a card loaded in the option slot, and wherein

when the option slot is loaded with a memory card, the memory card control unit performs image storing and read with the memory card as a recording medium, and

when the option slot is loaded with a communication card, the communication control unit performs image storing and read via the communication card with the file server as a recording medium.

4. The digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a buffer memory; and

a buffer processing unit which saves an image to the buffer memory when transmission of the image to the file server fails, and wherein

the buffer processing unit reads an image already saved in the buffer memory, if any, when an image obtained by shooting is transmitted to the file server, and wherein

the communication control unit transmits the image read by the buffer processing unit and the image obtained by shooting to the file server in this order.

2. A digital camera comprising:

an image pickup block;

a mechanism control block which controls the image pickup block mechanically;

an operation block which inputs a user operation; and

a processing block which applies processing to an image, the processing block including a detecting unit which detects an image pickup request, and a communication control unit which performs processing for transmitting an image obtained by image pickup to a file server over a network upon obtainment of the image;

further comprising

a memory card control unit which controls a memory card when an option slot is loaded with the memory card; and

a card identification unit which identifies a card loaded in the option slot, and wherein

when the option slot is loaded with a memory card, the memory card control unit performs image storing and read with the memory card as a recording medium, and

when the option slot is loaded with a communication card, the communication control unit performs image storing and read via the communication card with the file server as a recording medium.

5. The digital camera according to claim 2, further comprising:

a buffer memory; and

a buffer processing unit which saves an image to the buffer memory when transmission of the image to the file server fails, and wherein

the buffer processing unit reads an image already saved in the buffer memory, if any, when an image obtained by shooting is transmitted to the file server, and wherein

the communication control unit transmits the image read by the buffer processing unit and the image obtained by shooting to the file server in this order.

3. A digital camera comprising:

an image pickup block;

a mechanism control block which controls the image pickup block mechanically;

an operation block which inputs a user operation; and

a processing block which applies processing to an image, the processing block including a detecting unit which detects an image reproduction request, a communication control unit which performs processing which receives an image to be reproduced from a file server over a network when the image reproduction request is detected, and a reproduction processing unit which reproduces the image received from the file server;

further comprising

a memory card control unit which controls a memory card when an option slot is loaded with the memory card; and

a card identification unit which identifies a card loaded in the option slot, and wherein

when the option slot is loaded with a memory card, the memory card control unit performs image storing and read with the memory card as a recording medium, and

when the option slot is loaded with a communication card, the communication control unit performs image storing and read via the communication card with the file server as a recording medium.

6. The digital camera according to claim 3, further comprising:

a buffer memory; and

a buffer processing unit which saves an image to the buffer memory when transmission of the image to the file server fails, and wherein

the buffer processing unit reads an image already saved in the buffer memory, if any, when an image obtained by shooting is transmitted to the file server, and wherein

the communication control unit transmits the image read by the buffer processing unit and the image obtained by shooting to the file server in this order.