WIRELESS CAMERA WITH IMAGE SHARING PRIORITIZATION

• US 20130120591A1
• Filed: 11/11/2011
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wood, Mark D., Armstrong, Frank William, Bryniarski, Gregory R., Bednarczyk, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,253,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/12 Shortest path evaluation
• 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 1/00156 with a group of selected individuals or correspondents
• 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 1/00217 only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP communication protocol aspects and techniques in packet data networks H04L69/00; network-specific arrangements or communication protocols supporting networked applications H04L67/00
• 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 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33323 transmission mode only, e.g. speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33353 according to the available bandwidth used for a single communication, e.g. the number of ISDN channels used
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33361 according to characteristics or the state of the communication line H04N1/33353 and H04N2201/33371 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33376 according to characteristics or state of one of the communicating parties, e.g. available memory capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0036 Detecting or checking connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/006 Using near field communication, e.g. an inductive loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A digital camera, comprising an image sensor and an optical system for capturing an image of a scene and a wireless communication system. User interface elements are provided enabling a user to select a sharing destination for a captured digital image. A plurality of network pathways are identified for communication with the sharing destination using the wireless communication system. A priority is determined for each of the network pathways and the digital image is transmitted to the sharing destination using the highest priority network pathway.

Claims

1. A digital camera, comprising:

an image sensor for capturing a digital image;

an optical system for forming an image of a scene onto the image sensor;

a wireless communication system;

a data processing system;

a storage memory for storing captured images; and

a program memory communicatively connected to the data processing system and storing instructions configured to cause the data processing system to implement a method for sharing digital images across a wireless network, wherein the method includes;

capturing a digital image of the scene using the image sensor;

providing user interface elements enabling a user to select a sharing destination for the digital image;

identifying a plurality of network pathways for communication with the sharing destination using the wireless communication system;

determining a priority for each of the network pathways; and

transmitting the digital image to the sharing destination using the highest priority network pathway.

2. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication system uses the WiFi protocol.

3. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication system uses the Bluetooth protocol.

4. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication system uses near field communication.

5. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the plurality of network pathways include a network pathway involving a direct link between the digital camera and a computer, a network pathway involving a direct link between the digital camera and a wireless router, a network pathway involving a direct link between the digital camera and a WIFI hot spot, a network pathway involving a direct link between the digital camera and a smart phone, or a network pathway involving a direct link between the digital camera and a tablet computer.

6. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein one or more of the network pathways involve a direct link between the digital camera and a wireless-accessible device, wherein an authorization process is required to establish the direct link between the digital camera and the wireless-accessible device.

7. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the priority is determined responsive to estimated data transfer rates or estimated transmission times associated with the identified network pathways.

8. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the priority is determined responsive to estimated data transmission costs associated with the identified network pathways.

9. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the priority is determined responsive to processing capabilities of intermediate nodes on the identified network pathways.

10. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the priority is determined responsive to an estimated power usage associated with the identified network pathways.

11. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein a constraint specifying a data transmission cost limit or a priority limit is associated with a particular sharing destination, and wherein the transmission of the digital image to the particular sharing destination is deferred if none of the network pathways satisfy the constraint.

12. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein a constraint specifying a data transmission cost limit or a priority limit is associated with a particular sharing destination, and wherein the transmission of the digital image to the particular sharing destination is performed in first and second parts if none of the network pathways satisfy the constraint, with a summary representation of the digital image being initially transmitted to the particular sharing destination in the first part, and with the original representation being transmitted to the particular sharing destination in the second part, the transmission of the second part being deferred until such a time that a network pathway is identified that satisfies the constraint.

13. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the priority is determined responsive to user-specified preferences.

14. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the priority is determined responsive to one or more predefined constraints.

15. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein a plurality of sharing destinations are specified for the digital image, and wherein the digital image is transmitted once to an intermediate node on the network pathway, and the intermediate node transmits the digital image to the plurality of sharing destinations.

16. The digital camera of claim 12 wherein the digital image is archived on the intermediate node.

17. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein when no available network pathways are identified at the time the sharing destination is selected the transmission of the digital image is delayed until a later time when one or more network pathways are identified.

18. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the user interface elements enable the user to select the sharing destination from a plurality of predefined sharing destinations.

19. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the sharing destination is automatically determined by using geographical location information or by analyzing the digital image using a person recognition process.

20. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the sharing destination is specified in advance of capturing the digital image.

21. The digital camera of claim 1 wherein the sharing destination is a social networking site, an e-mail address, an image capture device or an image storage device.