Photographic system for enabling interactive communication between a camera and an attraction site

• US 6,919,920 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Moghadam, Omid A., Allen, James D., Squilla, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISLEH, JUSTIN P
• Application Number:
  US09/934,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20020030745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 348/156, 348/157, 348/158, 348/159, 348/150, 348/207.99, 348/211.2, 700231-244, 194205-213, 386/117, 396/6, 396/459
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• 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 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 1/00315 with a radio transmission apparatus with a cordless telephone H04N1/00305; systems or arrangements for the transmission of a picture signal specially adapted for transmission via radio H04N1/00103; H04N1/00307 takes precedence; radio transmission systems H04B7/00; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• 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 2201/0034 Details of the connection, e.g. connector, interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0077 Types of the still picture apparatus
• 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 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data

Abstract

A photographic system involves the collection of data from a scene, e.g., a visitor attraction site, that is capable of interactive communication with a user. The attraction site stores content data related to the site, and the user communicates with the attraction site through a camera capable of communication with the site. Besides capturing an image associated with the site, the camera stores predetermined personality data that relates an interest of the user to at least a portion of the content data and includes means for transferring the personality data to the attraction site. The camera further includes means for receiving and displaying the portion of the content data from the attraction site, and a user interface for selecting from the displayed content data that part which the user wants to keep. In this manner, information relevant to a user'"'"'s interests about a photographed item can be easily requested, accessed and stored with the specific pictures that the user has captured.

Claims

1. A camera that allows a user to interactively communicate with an attraction site that stores content data related to the site and communicates the content data to the camera, said camera comprising:

means for capturing an image associated with the site;

means for receiving at least a portion of the content data from the attraction site;

means for storing predetermined personality data that relates an interest of the user to the portion of the content data; and

means for transferring the personality data to the attraction site based on the portion of the content data received from the attraction site.

2. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the camera further includes means for displaying the portion of the content data received from the attraction site.

3. A camera as claimed in claim 2 wherein the camera further includes a user interface for selecting from the displayed content data that part which the user wants to keep.

4. A camera as claimed in claim 3 wherein the camera further comprises:

means for generating a signal indicative of the displayed content data which the user wants to keep; and

means for transmitting the signal to the attraction site.

5. A camera as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for receiving further receives the content data from the attraction site which the user wants to keep.

6. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the portion of the content data received from the attraction site comprises detailed information related to the site.

7. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the portion of the content data received from the attraction site comprises summary descriptors representative of detailed information related to the site.

8. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the personality data comprises a code identifying the user.

9. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the personality data comprises a file of personality factors.

10. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for capturing is an electronic sensor and said means for storing comprises an electronic storage element in the camera.

11. A camera as claimed in claim 10 wherein the captured image and the content data are together stored in the storage element.

12. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the camera is a film camera using a photographic film and said means for capturing is an optical system for exposing the film.

13. A camera as claimed in claim 12 wherein the captured image and the content data are together stored on the film.

14. A photographic method for allowing a user of a camera to interactively communicate with desired attractions, said method comprising the steps of:

storing content data related to an attraction site;

storing predetermined personality data in the camera that relates an interest of the user to at least a selected portion of the content data;

capturing the image associated with the site; and

communicating the selected portion of the content data to the camera.