Customizing digital image transfer

• US 8,698,903 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wasula, John L., Tintera, Anthony L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Daniels, Anthony J
• Application Number:
  US13/102,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.1, 348/207.2
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0077 Types of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission

Abstract

A method for customizing image transfer from a digital camera to a destination, the method includes (a) providing a digital camera, including (i) an image sensor for capturing images of a scene; (ii) an image memory for storing the captured images; (iii) a display for displaying the stored images and for displaying a graphical user interface; (iv) an interface to a host computer; (v) a firmware memory for storing camera firmware and for storing destination data, wherein the destination data identifies a transfer destination; and (vi) a processor, coupled to the image memory, firmware memory, display, and communications interface; (b) the processor displaying, on the display of the digital camera, a graphical user interface which permits a user to select a transfer destination, and (c) the processor storing destination data in the firmware memory to identify the transfer destination; and (d) providing image transfer software for the host computer, including (i) software code which detects that the interface of the digital camera has been connected to the host computer; (ii) software code which sends a request to the digital camera to transfer the destination data to the host computer; (iii) software code which sends a request to the digital camera to transfer at least one stored captured image to the host computer; and (iv) software code which uses the destination data to transfer the at least one stored captured image to the transfer destination.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting at a host computer that a digital camera has been connected to the host computer, wherein the digital camera includes;

an image sensor configured to capture at least one image of at least one scene;

an image memory configured to store at least one image file, wherein each image file comprises a digital image and a profile index that associates the digital image with a profile;

an interface to the host computer;

a firmware memory configured to store a profile table, wherein the profile table comprises a transfer destination associated with the profile; and

a processor, coupled to the image memory, the firmware memory, and the interface; and

sending a request to the digital camera to transfer the profile table to the host computer;

at least in response to receiving the profile table, sending a request to the digital camera to transfer the at least one image file to the host computer; and

transferring the at least one image file to the transfer destination based at least in part on the profile table.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer destination is a directory on a hard drive of the host computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer destination is received from a network service provider.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transfer destination is a storage device associated with a user account.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile table comprises a plurality of transfer destinations associated with the profile.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing the plurality of transfer destinations in a profile table in the host computer.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising synchronizing the profile table in the host computer with the profile table in the firmware memory.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer of the at least one image file comprises:

identifying the profile index of the at least one image file;

identifying the profile in the profile table based at least in part on the profile index;

identifying the transfer destination based at least in part on the profile; and

transferring the at least one image file to the transfer destination.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising creating the transfer destination if the transfer destination does not exist.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising launching an image editing application on the host computer based at least in part on an image editing application preference associated with the profile.

11. The method of claim 1, erasing the image file from the image memory after it is transferred to the host computer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the image file is erased from the image memory based at least in part on an erase after transfer preference associated with the profile.

13. The method of claim 1, transferring the at least one image file only if a password associated with a user account is received.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer destination is user selectable.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein each image file in a first plurality of image files comprises a first profile index that associates a digital image of each of the first plurality of image files with a first profile,

a first transfer destination is associated with the first profile,

sending a request to the digital camera further comprises sending a request to the digital camera to transfer the first plurality of image files, and

transferring the at least one image file further comprises transferring the first plurality of image files to the first transfer destination.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each image file in a second plurality of image files comprise a second profile index that associates a digital image of each of the second plurality of image files with a second profile,

a second transfer destination is associated with the second profile,

sending a request to the digital camera further comprises sending a request to the digital camera to transfer the second plurality of image files, and

transferring the at least one image file further comprises transferring the second plurality of image files to the second transfer destination.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform functions, comprising:

detecting at a host computer that a digital camera has been connected to a host computer, wherein the digital camera includes;

an image sensor configured to capture at least one image of at least one scene;

an image memory configured to store at least one image file, wherein each of the at least one image files comprise a digital image and a profile index that associates the digital image with a profile;

an interface to the host computer;

a firmware memory configured to store a profile table, wherein the profile table comprises a transfer destination associated with the profile; and

a processor, coupled to the image memory, the firmware memory, and the interface; and

sending a request to the digital camera to transfer the profile table to the host computer;

at least in response to receiving the profile table, sending a request to the digital camera to transfer the at least one image file to the host computer; and

transferring the at least one image file to the transfer destination based at least in part on the profile table.