Method and system for automatically generating a plurality of folders for multiple devices and multiple sessions in a digital camera

• US 6,507,363 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1998
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Scardino, Patricia, Anderson, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOE, AUNG SOE
• Application Number:
  US09/040,727
• Time in Patent Office: 1,763 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207, 348/211, 348/230, 348/231, 348/232, 348/233, 358/909.1, 709/206, 709/204, 709/205, 709/207, 709/219, 709/250, 386/38, 386/45, 386/117, 386/118, 386/121, 386/125
• US Class Current: 348/231.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2125 Display of information relating to the still picture recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• 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 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9261 involving data reduction

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for automatically generating a plurality of folders for multiple devices in a digital camera. The method and system comprises providing a folder of images from a digital camera and embedding an image file format in the folder, wherein the image file format identifies the particular camera. In a preferred embodiment, the image file format comprises a TIFF structure. Through this mechanism, a one level folder system can be utilized to retrieve images. In addition, since the image file format identifies the camera, conflicts due to identical serial numbers are eliminated.

Claims

1. A method for automatically generating folders in a digital camera comprising the steps of:

a) determining if there are any folders related to the digital camera;

if there are not folders related to the camera,

b) creating a new folder;

c) assigning a new folder as current folder;

d) providing and storing images for the current folder until the current folder is full, by the steps of;

d1) determining if the camera is in absolute mode;

d2) setting the next not full folder as the current folder if the camera is in the absolute mode; and

d3) providing and storing pictures for the current folder;

e) repeating steps (b)-(d) until all images are stored;

if there are folders related to the camera,

f) determining if there are any folders in the camera that are not full;

g) assigning a not full folder as the current folder; and

h) repeating step (d).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing and storing step (d) includes the step of taking pictures by the digital camera.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing and storing step (d) includes the step of sending pictures to the digital camera from another digital camera.