Digital camera, method for sending image data and system for transmitting and receiving image data

• US 8,350,917 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Oka, Koji, Tsunoda, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): LAM, HUNG H
• Application Number:
  US10/658,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20040125214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,408 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 348/207.2, 348/211.11, 348/211.12, 348/E7.07, 348/E7.072, 348/E7.081
• US Class Current: 348/211.11
• 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 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

A digital camera (1) which includes an external memory device (12) to store image data, a communication device (15) connected to LAN to conduct a data communication, and a control section (10) to control these. Request data is broadcast to the LAN by the camera, and when data responding to the request data is received from a device connected to the LAN, the control section detects an IP address of the equipment from which the response data is sent, and the control section (10) sends the image data to the IP address.

Claims

1. A digital camera comprising:

a device for storing image data;

a communication device connected to a local area network to conduct a data communication; and

a control device to control said storing device and said communication device, wherein

said control device controls said communication device to broadcast request data over said local area network, and when data for responding to said request data is received from a piece of equipment which is connected to said local area network, said control device detects an IP address of the piece of equipment from which said response data is sent, and sends the image data which is stored in said storing device to the piece of equipment which includes the detected IP address.

2. A digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display device to display a list of the IP addresses detected by said control device or a list of the equipment which includes the IP addresses; and

a selection device to select one or more of the IP addresses or the equipment displayed on said list, wherein

said control device sends the image data stored in said storing device to the equipment which includes the one or more of the IP addresses selected by said selection device or the equipment which is selected by said selection device.

3. A method for sending image data of a digital camera, said digital camera including:

a device for storing image data to store the image data;

a communication device connected to a local area network to conduct a data communication; and

a control device to control said storing device and said communication device, wherein

said digital camera sends the image data stored in said storing device through said local area network,

said method comprising;

broadcasting request data to said local area network by said communication device of the digital camera;

detecting an IP address of equipment from which response data is sent when data for responding to said request data is received from the equipment connected to said local area network; and

sending the image data stored in said storing device to the equipment which includes the detected IP address.

4. A system for sending and receiving image data comprising:

a digital camera; and

a terminal equipment that broadcasts requested data,

said digital camera including;

a device for storing image data;

a communication device connected to a local area network to communicate data; and

a camera control device to detect an IP address of the terminal equipment, said IP address being included in the request data which is received through said local area network by said communication device, and to send response data including an IP address of the camera to said detected IP address of the terminal equipment, and when data for requesting an image data transmission is received from said terminal equipment in response to the response data, the camera control device sends the image data stored in said storing device to said terminal equipment in accordance with said data for requesting the image data transmission,

said terminal equipment including;

a terminal communication device connected to said local area network to conduct data communication; and

a terminal control device to broadcast request data to said local area network by the terminal communication device, and to detect the IP address of said digital camera by the response data when said data for responding to said request data is received, and to send the data for requesting the image data transmission to the detected IP address, and to obtain the image data from said digital camera replied in accordance with said data for requesting the image data transmission.

5. A system for sending and receiving image data according to claim 4, wherein said terminal equipment comprises a display device to display a list of the IP address of the digital camera detected by said terminal control device or a list of the digital camera which includes the IP address and a selection device for a terminal equipment to select the IP address or the digital camera displayed on said list, and said terminal control device sends said data for requiring the image data transmission to the digital camera which includes the IP address selected by said selection device for the terminal equipment or to the digital camera selected by said selection device for the terminal equipment.