Image transfer system for a network

• US 8,319,835 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Azuma, Seiichi, Shinohara, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berardesca, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/312,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20100066839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.1, 709/227, 726/4, 726/28
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00132 in a digital photofinishing system, i.e. a system where digital photographic images undergo typical photofinishing processing, e.g. printing ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00153 for sharing images with a selected individual or correspondent
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00172 directly from a still digital camera or from a storage medium mounted in a still digital camera H04N1/0018 takes precedence
• 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 1/4413 involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic camera having a function of accessing a specific server via Internet includes: a storage unit in which related information concerning the electronic camera is stored in advance; a generation unit that dynamically generates an identifier to be used to identify the electronic camera in conformance to a predefined specific rule based upon at least part of the related information stored in the storage unit; and a setting unit that sets the identifier generated by the generation unit within a request message to be transmitted to the Internet.

Claims

1. An image transfer system comprising:

a first specific server including first data;

a second specific server including second data; and

an electronic camera having a function of accessing the first specific server and the second specific server via the Internet, wherein;

the electronic camera comprises;

a storage unit in which related information concerning the electronic camera is stored in advance of accessing the first specific server and the second specific server;

a first generation unit that generates a first identifier to be used to identify the electronic camera in conformance to a first predefined specific rule based upon at least part of the related information stored in the storage unit;

a first setting unit that sets the first identifier generated by the first generation unit within a first request message, which is to be received by the first specific server, for connecting to the Internet;

a second generation unit that generates a second identifier to be used to identify the electronic camera in conformance to a second predefined specific rule based upon at least part of the related information stored in the storage unit;

a second setting unit that sets the second identifier generated by the second generation unit within a second request message for server authentication by the second specific server; and

a memory unit in which an image captured is stored, wherein;

the electronic camera (1) connects to the Internet in accordance with receiving from the first specific server a first authentication response indicating that access to the first specific server by the electronic camera is accepted and (2) transmits the image to the second specific server in accordance with receiving from the second specific server a second authentication response indicating that access to the second specific server by the electronic camera is accepted;

the first authentication response is transmitted by the first specific server when the first specific server determines that the first identifier matches the first data;

the second authentication response is transmitted by the second specific server when the second specific server judges that the second identifier corresponds to the second data; and

the related information includes manufacturer information indicating a manufacturer of the electronic camera, product information of the electronic camera and a serial number assigned to the electronic camera.

2. An image transfer system according to claim 1, wherein:

provided that the second specific server offers a service set in correspondence to a user of the electronic camera, the second identifier is identification information used by the second specific server to identify the electronic camera of the user as a specific device.

3. An image transfer system according to claim 2, wherein:

provided that the second specific server is an image management server where images are stored, the electronic camera includes a display unit that outputs a screen display in which an image to be transferred to the second specific server is selected.

4. An image transfer system according to claim 2, wherein:

the electronic camera includes a communication unit engaged in wireless communication with an access point in a wireless LAN, and

the electronic camera is connected to the Internet via the access point in communication with the communication unit.

5. An image transfer system according to claim 2, wherein:

the related information includes manufacturer information indicating a manufacturer of the electronic camera, product information of the electronic camera and a serial number assigned to the electronic camera.

6. An image transfer system according to claim 5, wherein:

the identification information generated by the second generation unit includes information obtained through a specific type of encryption processing executed on at least part of the manufacturer information, the product information and the serial number appended with a predetermined specific key.

7. An image transfer system according to claim 6, wherein:

the encryption processing is executed by using a specific hash function.

8. An image transfer system according to claim 2, wherein:

the identification information is written within the request message as a “

User Agent”

defined in HTTP.

9. An image transfer system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first identifier used when accessing the second specific server after undergoing an authentication process at the first specific server is constituted with a user ID and a password used in the authentication process at the first specific server.

10. An image transfer system according to claim 9, wherein:

provided that the second specific server is an image management server where images are stored, the electronic camera includes a display unit that outputs a screen display in which an image to be transferred to the second specific server is selected.

11. An image transfer system according to claim 9, wherein:

the electronic camera includes a communication unit engaged in wireless communication with an access point in a wireless LAN, and

the electronic camera is connected to the Internet via the access point in communication with the communication unit.

12. An image transfer system according to claim 9, wherein:

the first generation unit generates the user ID based upon at least part of the manufacturer information, the product information and the serial number and generates the password constituted with information generated through a specific type of encryption processing executed on at least part of the manufacturer information, the product information and the serial number appended with a predetermined specific key.

13. An image transfer system according to claim 12, wherein:

the encryption processing is executed by using a specific hash function.

14. An image transfer system according to claim 9, wherein:

the user ID and the password are written in the request message in conformance to international roaming standard WISPr.