Methods and apparatus for providing portable photographic images

• US 8,035,719 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mikel A. Lehrman
• Original Assignee: Mikel A. Lehrman
• Inventors: Lehrman, Mikel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US12/463,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20090235563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.1, 348/231.7, 348/231.99, 348/231.6, 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 348/376, 150/131, 150/147, 713/182
• US Class Current: 348/333.11
• 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 1/2104 for one or a few pictures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0087 Image storage device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing portable photographic images are described. The present invention includes a small, portable electronic display unit that may be placed within a wallet or purse. The display unit may include an input port for downloading digital images from a computer or digital camera. The display unit may also include one or more buttons to provide a user with the ability to select an image for display from a given set of digital images that have been stored in memory. The display unit may be preloaded with one or more digital images, or it may be configured to be loaded by a user. The digital images may, for example, include still digital photographs or short video clips that have been captured from a digital camera.

Claims

1. A portable electronic photo album comprising:

a housing structure, having first and second planar side surfaces substantially parallel to each other and a region of a substantially uniform thickness between them that is at least small enough so that the housing can be swiped through a conventional credit card swiping device by a user, comprising;

an electronic display;

a magnetic strip storing credit card information operable to be swiped through a credit card reader;

a storage device operable to store a plurality of user-provided digital images;

a first input device operable to receive inputs that indicate which one or more images of the plurality of user-provided images are to be displayed; and

processing circuitry operable to cause the electronic display to display the indicated selection of images.

2. The portable electronic photo album of claim 1, wherein the first input device comprises:

at least one micro switch embedded on the first planar surface.

3. The portable electronic photo album of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises:

electronic memory embedded within the region.

4. The portable electronic photo album of claim 1, wherein the storage device comprises:

a removable memory card.

5. The portable electronic photo album of claim 1, wherein the storage device is operable to store at least one video clip for displaying on the electronic display.

6. The portable electronic photo album of claim 1, further comprising:

a second input device operable to receive at least one user-provided image; and

transfer circuitry operable to deliver the at least one user-provided image from the second input device to the storage device.

7. The portable electronic photo album of claim 6, wherein the second input device comprises an infrared port.

8. The portable electronic photo album of claim 1, wherein the electronic display comprises a flexible liquid crystal display.

9. The portable electronic photo album of claim 1, wherein the electronic display comprises a touch screen operable to receive at least one user input.

10. The portable electronic photo album of claim 1, wherein the housing structure further comprises:

a speaker operable to play an audio clip.

11. The portable electronic photo album of claim 1, wherein the housing structure further comprises:

a connector component operable to couple the portable electronic photo album to a user-device.

12. The portable electronic photo album of claim 11, wherein the at least one user-provided digital image is downloaded from the user-device.

13. The portable electronic photo album of claim 11, wherein the user-device comprises one of a computer system, a camera, a scanner, and an external storage device.

14. The portable electronic photo album of claim 11, wherein the user-device comprises a second electronic display operable to display the at least one user-provided digital image.

15. The portable electronic photo album of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic photo album comprises a greeting card.

16. The portable electronic photo album of claim 15, wherein the portable electronic photo album comprises a singing greeting card, and wherein the housing structure further comprises:

a speaker operable to play an audio clip.

17. A credit card-sized system comprising:

a display device;

a magnetic strip storing credit card information operable to be swiped through a credit card reader;

a storage device operable to store a plurality of user-provided digital images;

a working memory operable to store a particular digital image of the plurality of user-provided digital images for displaying on the display device; and

a processor operable to swap the particular digital image stored in the working memory with another digital image of the plurality of user-provided digital images.

18. A method for displaying user-provided digital images on a portable photo album comprising:

storing a plurality of user-provided digital images in a memory;

receiving instructions from a processor to display a particular digital image of the plurality; and

displaying the particular digital image on a display, wherein the memory, processor, and display are comprised in a housing structure of the portable photo album having first and second planar side surfaces substantially parallel to each other and a region of a substantially uniform thickness between them that is at least small enough so that the housing structure can be swiped through a conventional credit card swiping device by a user, wherein credit card information is stored in a magnetic strip located in the housing structure.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the plurality of user-provided digital images from a user-device in communication with the portable photo album.