Portable dock for a camera

• US 7,656,439 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Mackin, Thomas A., Fredlund, John R., Manico, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yoder, III; Chriss S
• Application Number:
  US10/935,140
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.1, 348/207.2, 348/231.2, 348/231.3, 348/231.4, 348/231.5, 348/231.7, 348/231.99, 348/372, 348/231.6
• US Class Current: 348/231.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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 1/00885 Power supply means, e.g. arrangements for the control of power supply to the apparatus or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00899 Detection of supply level or supply failure
• 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 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

Portable docks are provided for use with a camera having a camera memory and a camera power supply. A dock has a dock memory, a dock power supply with sufficient power so that the camera power supply can be charged with at least sufficient power to enable the camera to perform completely at least one additional camera function, and an electrical connector adapted to engage a mating camera connector for data communication and power exchange therethrough. A control system enables the transfer of image related data between the camera memory and the dock memory. The dock memory, power supply, electrical connector, and control system are held by a body adapted to receive the camera so that the camera connector can engage the electrical connector.

Claims

1. A portable dock for use with a camera having a camera memory and a rechargeable camera power supply, the portable dock comprising:

a dock memory;

a dock power supply having a source of power with sufficient power so that the camera power supply can be charged with at least sufficient additional power to enable the camera to perform completely at least one additional camera function;

an electrical connector that engages a mating camera connector for data communication and power exchange therethrough;

a control system that enables the transfer of image related data between the camera memory and the dock memory;

a body holds the dock memory, power supply, electrical connector and control system, said body receives the camera so that the camera connector can engage the electrical connector; and

a circuit that receives radio frequency signals from which a location of the portable dock is determined, said control system stores information indicating changes in the location of the dock over a period of time, said control system further associates any image data received during the period of time with location information.

2. The dock of claim 1, wherein said body stores said camera within a chamber in said body that resists entry of at least one of water, other fluids, dust, and debris into the chamber.

3. The dock of claim 1, wherein said body stores said camera within said body and further protects the camera from exposure to water, humidity, and wherein said body floats when immersed in water.

4. The dock of claim 1, wherein said body stores said camera within a chamber in said body and said body absorbs energy to protect the camera from shock or vibrational damage.

5. The dock of claim 1, wherein said control system drains power from the camera battery before charging the camera battery and stores the drained power so that at least a part of the drained power can be used to charge the dock power supply.

6. The dock of claim 5, wherein the control system stores at least a part of the drained power in the rechargeable power source.

7. The dock of claim 5, wherein the rechargeable power source of the dock power supply comprises removable batteries and wherein the control system conditions power provided by the removable batteries for use in charging the camera batteries.

8. The dock of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises a rechargeable power source and receives recharging energy from at least one of a generator, a solar power source, or an external power supply.

9. The dock of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises at least one of a hard drive embedded in the dock, a hard drive that is removable from the dock, an electronic semiconductor memory, an optical memory.

10. The dock of claim 1, further comprising a video signal generator that generates video output signals representative of images stored in the dock memory and an output circuit that enables an external device to receive the video output signals so that the external device can present images representative of the images stored in the dock memory.

11. The dock of claim 1, further comprising an audio signal generator that generates audio output signals representative of sound stored in the dock memory and an output circuit that enables an external device to receive the audio output signals so that the external device can present sound representative of the sound stored in the dock memory.

12. The dock of claim 1, further comprising a circuit that provides a digital signal containing image related data for use by any device that is external to the dock via an electronic connection.

13. The dock of claim 1, further comprising a signal processor that adjusts the data compression strategy used for storing the image related data or the content of the image related data.

14. The dock of claim 13, wherein the signal processor adjusts any of the scene duration, scene sequencing, aspect ratio information, rotation, apparent magnification, or crop adjustment, color correction, exposure correction, red eye correction, insert text, graphics, or metadata in the image.

15. The dock of claim 1, wherein the additional camera function comprises the transfer of at least one image to the dock.

16. The dock of claim 1, wherein the control system senses when the camera has image related data stored in the camera memory that has not yet been stored in the dock memory and automatically causes such image related data to be stored in the dock memory.

17. The dock of claim 1, wherein the control system causes selected image related data to be removed from the camera memory after the image related data has been successfully transferred to the dock memory.

18. The dock of claim 1, further comprising a power control circuit that controls charging of the rechargeable camera power supply with power from the source of power.

19. The dock of claim 18, having at least one visible indicator from which an observer can determine a relative amount of power remaining in the camera power supply, a relative amount of power remaining in the portable dock;

an extent to which a process of recharging the camera power supply has been completed, or combinations thereof, wherein the power supply control circuit operates each indicator so that the indicator provides an accurate indication.

20. The dock of claim 1, wherein said dock power supply includes a collector that converts solar energy to electrical energy.

21. The dock of claim 1, wherein said dock power supply includes a generator that converts kinetic energy into electrical energy.

22. The dock of claim 21, wherein said dock power supply further includes a mechanism for mechanically storing potential energy and releasing the potential energy as kinetic energy to operate the generator.

23. The dock of claim 1, further comprising a transfer status indicator that provides a visible indication of a status of an action of transferring data between the camera memory and the dock memory, wherein the portable dock further comprises a controller operating the transfer status indicator to provide an accurate indication of a status of the transfer.

24. The dock of claim 1, further comprising a circuit providing a wireless digital signal containing image related data for use by a device that is external to the dock.

25. The dock of claim 1, further comprising an external connector exchanging data and receiving power from an external data device.

26. The dock of claim 1, wherein the dock exchanges power with the camera by way of an electro-magnetic coupling.