Automatically configuring a web-enabled digital camera to access the internet

• US 7,443,419 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2003
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: FotoMedia Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Anderson, Eric C., Morris, Robert Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam; Hung H
• Application Number:
  US10/658,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20040046868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.1, 348/207.1, 709/232
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00151 with selective access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00196 Creation of a photo-montage, e.g. photoalbum H04N1/0019 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00212 Attaching image data to computer messages, e.g. to e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00236 using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer image input to or image output from a computer via a network H04N1/00209
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00241 using an image reading device as a local input to a computer input via network, e.g. network scanners H04N1/00225
• 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 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0074 Arrangements for the control of a still picture apparatus by the connected apparatus arrangements for the control of the connected apparatus by the still picture apparatus H04N2201/0013; control of image communication with the connected apparatus H04N2201/0015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A method and system for automatically configuring a hand-held electronic device for accessing a site on a public network is disclosed. The method and system include establishing a connection to a website server, which is responsible for establishing and maintaining website accounts, and sending information uniquely identifying the electronic device to the website server. The server then sends user account information to the device, including an account ID and password, created based on the electronic device information. The user account information is then stored on electronic device for use the next time the electronic device accesses the website, whereby the user does not have to enter account information in order to establish the ISP connection or the website account before accessing the public network.

Claims

1. A method for automatically establishing a user account and for configuring a hand-held image capture device, which includes a digital camera, for accessing a website on a public network using the user account, the method comprising:

establishing a connection to a server, the server being responsible for establishing and maintaining user accounts;

automatically sending image capture device information uniquely identifying at least one of the image capture device and a user of the image capture device to the server so that the server can partially set up a user account for accessing a website on a public network based on the image capture device information;

receiving user account information associated with the partially set-up user account from the server; and

storing the user account information on the image capture device, wherein the user does not have to enter the stored account information to establish a connection with the public network or to establish the user account a next time the image capture device connects to the server.

2. The method of claim 1 further including sending at least a partial serial number as the image capture device information uniquely identifying the image capture device.

3. The method of claim 2 further including uploading captured images to the server.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein establishing a connection further comprises:

providing the image capture device with default ISP information; and

establishing a connection to an ISP using the default ISP information.

5. The method of claim 4 further including terminating the connection with the ISP when the uploading of the images is complete.

6. The method of claim 5 further including providing the digital camera with a default ISP access number, user ID, and password.

7. A system for automatically establishing a user account and for configuring a hand-held image capture device, which includes a digital camera for accessing a website on a public network using the user account, comprising:

means for establishing a connection to a server, the server being responsible for establishing and maintaining user accounts;

means for automatically sending image capture device information uniquely identifying at least one of the image capture device and a user of the image capture device to the server so that the server can partially set up a user account for accessing a website on a public network based on the image capture device information; and

means for receiving user account information associated with the partially set-up user account from the server; and

means for storing the user account information on the image capture device, wherein the user does not have to enter the stored account information to establish a connection with the public network or to establish the user account a next time the image capture device accesses the server.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the image capture device information uniquely identifying the image capture device includes a serial number of the image capture device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the camera uploads captured images to the server.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the camera further includes means for providing the image capture device with default ISP information, and means for establishing a connection to an ISP using the default ISP information.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the digital camera terminates the connection with the ISP upon completion of image uploading.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the camera is provided with a default ISP access number, user ID, and password.

13. A method for automatically establishing a user account and for configuring a digital camera to access a website on a public network using the user account, the digital camera including captured images and communication means for accessing the public network, the method comprising:

storing default ISP information on the digital camera;

in response to a request to upload images to a website on a public network, establishing communication with the default ISP using the stored default ISP information;

establishing communication with a server responsible for establishing and maintaining user accounts and automatically sending digital camera information uniquely identifying at least one of the digital camera and a user of the digital camera to the server;

receiving user account information from the server that identifies a user account partially set up by the server for accessing the website based on the digital camera information;

storing the user account information on the digital camera; and

uploading images to the server for association with the user account, wherein the user does not have to enter the stored account information to establish a connection with the public network or to establish the user account to upload the images to the server.

14. The method of claim 13 further including sending at least a partial serial number as the digital camera information.

15. The method of claim 14 further including receiving new ISP information from the server.

16. The method of claim 15 further including using the new ISP information a next time the digital camera establishes a connection with the public network.

17. A system for automatically establishing a user account and for configuring a digital camera for accessing a website on a public network using the user account, the digital camera including images captured by user and communication means for wirelessly accessing the public network, the system comprising the steps of:

means for storing default ISP information on the digital camera;

means establishing communication with the default ISP using the stored default ISP information in response to a request to upload images to a website on a public network;

means for establishing communication with a server responsible for establishing and maintaining user accounts and automatically sending digital camera information uniquely identifying at least one of the digital camera and a user of the digital camera to the server website;

means for receiving user account information from the server that identifies a user account partially set up by the server for accessing the website based on the digital camera information;

means for storing the user account information on the digital camera; and

means for uploading images to the server for association with the user account, wherein the user does not have to enter account information to establish a connection with the public network or to establish the user account to upload the images to the server.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the digital camera information includes at least a portion of a serial number of the digital camera.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the means for receiving user account information receives new ISP information from the server.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the digital camera uses the new ISP information a next time the digital camera establishes a connection with the public network.

21. A method for automatically establishing a user account and for configuring a hand-held image capture device, which includes a digital camera, for accessing a website on a public network using the user account, the method comprising:

establishing a connection to an image capture device by a server responsible for establishing and maintaining user accounts;

receiving, from the image capture device by the server, image capture device information uniquely identifying at least one of the image capture device and a user of the image capture device;

partially setting up a user account for accessing a website on a public network based on the image capture device information; and

sending user account information associated with the partially set-up user account from the server to the image capture device, wherein the user does not have to enter the sent account information to establish a connection with the public network or to establish the user account a next time the image capture device connects to the server.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising:

receiving, by the server, images from the digital camera along with at least a portion of the user account information; and

automatically associating the received images with the partially set-up user account based on the received user account information.