Estimating shared image device operational capabilities or resources

• US 7,876,357 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K. Y., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, Jr., John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz, David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trehan, Akshay
• Application Number:
  US11/143,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.1, 348/14.12, 348/211.14, 348/231.9, 348/333.13, 348/372, 715/751, 715/526, 715/737
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00068 Calculating or estimating
• 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 1/00291 with receiver circuitry television receiver circuitry per se H04N5/44
• 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 1/00899 Detection of supply level or supply failure
• 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 2201/0082 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

Abstract

This disclosure describes a number of devices or techniques that can be capable of obtaining an operational capacity for a shared image device; estimating at least one operational resource to perform a transformation of one or more images based at least in part on the obtaining the operational capacity; and sharing the one or more images with at least one other shared image device in a manner that performs the transformation of the one or more images.

Claims

1. A shared image device, comprising:

a device energy estimator configurable to estimate an energy value for the shared image device;

a resolution conversion energy indicator configurable to indicate whether the shared image device has a sufficient energy to convert a resolution of at least one image at least partially relative to the energy level for the shared image device;

a sharing mechanism that is configurable to at least partially share the at least one image with at least another shared image device, wherein the sharing mechanism is configurable to convert the resolution of the at least one image;

the resolution conversion energy indicator configurable to determine that the shared image device does not have the sufficient energy to convert the resolution of the at least one image; and

the shared image device configurable to communicate to a second device to convert the resolution of the at least one image in response to determining that the shared image device does not have the sufficient energy to convert the resolution of the at least one image.

2. The shared image device of claim 1, wherein the sharing mechanism that is configurable to at least partially share the at least one image with at least another shared image device comprises:

the sharing mechanism configurable to transmit the at least one image to at least one other shared image device.

3. The shared image device of claim 1, wherein the sharing mechanism that is configurable to at least partially share the at least one image with at least another shared image device comprises:

the sharing mechanism configurable to receive the at least one image from at least one other shared image device.

4. The shared image device of claim 1, wherein the shared image device further comprises:

the resolution conversion energy indicator configurable to determine that the shared image device does have the sufficient energy to convert the resolution of the at least one image; and

the shared image device configurable to convert the resolution of the at least one image.

5. The shared image device of claim 1, wherein the shared image device further comprises:

the resolution conversion energy indicator configurable to determine that the shared image device does not have the sufficient energy to convert the resolution of the at least one image; and

the shared image device configurable to transfer the at least one image to a second device in response to determining that the shared image device does not have the sufficient energy to convert the resolution of the at least one image.

6. The shared image device of claim 1, wherein the shared image device further comprises:

the resolution conversion energy indicator configurable to determine that the shared image device does not have the sufficient energy to convert the resolution of the at least one image; and

the shared image device configurable to cancel attempts to convert the resolution of the at least one image based at least in part on the resolution conversion energy indicator determining that the shared image device does not have the sufficient energy to convert the resolution of the at least one image.

7. The shared image device of claim 1, wherein the resolution conversion energy indicator configurable to indicate whether the shared image device has a sufficient energy to convert a resolution of at least one image comprises:

the resolution conversion energy indicator configurable to indicate whether the shared image device has the sufficient energy to convert the resolution to a higher resolution.