Device facilitating efficient transfer of digital content from media capture device

• US 7,724,281 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syniverse ICX LLC
• Original Assignee: Syniverse ICX Corp. (Syniverse Corp.)
• Inventors: Dammermann, Kurt, Vale, Alan M., Petravic, Robin G., Bodnar, Eric O., Genske, Timothy W., Swinton, William G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jerabek; Kelly L
• Application Number:
  US10/068,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,032 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.1, 348/208.15, 348/222.1, 348/231.9, 348/208.99, 348/333.01
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• 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 1/00477 Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0049 providing a visual indication to the user, e.g. using a lamp H04N1/00408 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

A method facilitating the transfer of information from a media or data capture device to a larger device while providing valuable feedback about the transfer is described. A transfer device including a simple user interface that can be easily implemented on a media or data capture device provides feedback about the transfer operation, enabling the user to take action when necessary. For example, the user is advised if the transfer is complete or, alternatively, that the transfer has failed and needs to redone. Feedback is provided by visual signals and may also be accompanied by audible signals. All necessary transfer functionality is included on the media capture device, thereby avoiding the requirement for dedicated software on a host (or pipeline) device, such as a cellular phone. This expands the number of pipeline devices that can be utilized with particular media capture devices. As long as there is a correct interface between the data capture device and the pipeline device, all the necessary transfer functionality can be included in the data capture device.

Claims

1. A method facilitating transfer of information from an image capture device to a remote host device, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between an image capture device and a pipeline device;

determining, by the image capture device, whether the pipeline device is configured to transfer information from the image capture device to a remote host device that is capable of communication with said image capture device via the pipeline device;

if the pipeline device is not configured to transfer the information, automatically sending a driver from the image capture device to the pipeline device and installing the driver on the pipeline device, wherein the driver enables the pipeline device to transfer the information;

automatically establishing a wireless network connection between the image capture device and the remote host device, wherein the pipeline device enables communication between the image capture device and the remote host device without user installation of dedicated software on the pipeline device or the remote host device for enabling said communication, wherein said image capture device is preconfigured to establish the wireless network connection with the remote host device via the pipeline device upon establishing the connection with the pipeline device;

upon establishing the wireless network connection, automatically verifying that the wireless network connection has been established between said image capture device and said remote host device and automatically initiating a transfer of information from said image capture device, through said pipeline device, to said remote host device;

automatically providing notification that said transfer of information from said image capture device, through said pipeline device, to said remote host device is in process; and

automatically providing notification of successful completion of said transfer of information by one of illumination or extinguishing of a light on said data capture device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification that said transfer of information is in process is provided by illumination of a light on said image capture device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said light is a light emitting diode (LED).

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said light blinks periodically while said transfer of information is in process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification that said transfer of information is in process is provided by a liquid crystal display (LCD).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification that said transfer of information is in process is provided by audio signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if said transfer of information is not successfully completed, automatically providing notification of failure.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said notification of failure is provided by illumination of a light.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said light is a light emitting diode (LED).

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said notification of failure is provided by a liquid crystal display (LCD).

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing notification that the connection between the image capture device and the pipeline device has been established.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically sending the data from the image capture device to the pipeline device comprises:

determining, by the image capture device, that the driver is associated with the pipeline device, wherein the driver is stored on the image capture device;

examining a registry of the pipeline device to determine specific actions that, when performed by the pipeline device, will cause the driver to be installed on the pipeline device; and

instructing the pipeline device to perform the specific actions.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

probing for the pipeline device before establishing the connection;

discovering the pipeline device based on the probing; and

updating a registry of the image capture device with information identifying the pipeline device and properties of the pipeline device.

14. A method facilitating transfer of information from an image capture device to a second device capable of communicating with said image capture device, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between an image capture device and a pipeline device;

determining, by the image capture device, whether the pipeline device is configured to transfer information from the image capture device to a second device;

if the pipeline device is not configured to transfer the information, automatically sending a driver from the image capture device to the pipeline device and installing the driver on the pipeline device, wherein the driver enables the pipeline device to transfer the information;

establishing a wireless network connection between the image capture device and the second device via the pipeline device, wherein the pipeline device enables communication between the image capture device and the second device without user installation of dedicated software on the pipeline device or the second device for enabling said communication, wherein said image capture device is preconfigured to establish the wireless network connection with the second device via the pipeline device upon establishing the connection with the pipeline device;

upon establishing the wireless network connection between the image capture device and the second device, automatically providing notification of the establishment of connectivity between said image capture device and said second device, enabling immediate automatic initiation of a transfer of information from said image capture device to said second device through said pipeline device;

upon initiation of a transfer of information from said image capture device to said second device, automatically providing feedback while said transfer of information is in process; and

automatically providing notification of completion of said transfer of information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein notification of establishment of connectivity is provided by a light emitting diode (LED) on said image capture device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically providing notification of establishment of connectivity is provided by a liquid crystal display (LCD) on said image capture device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically providing feedback includes illuminating a light emitting diode (LED) on said image capture device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said light emitting diode (LED) blinks on and off while said transfer of information is in process.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically providing feedback includes providing feedback through a liquid crystal display (LCD) on said image capture device.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically providing notification of completion includes providing feedback through a liquid crystal display (LCD) on said image capture device.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically providing notification of completion includes providing notification through a light emitting diode (LED) on said image capture device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said LED is extinguished upon completion of said transfer of information.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein automatically providing notification of completion includes providing notification through a liquid crystal display (LCD) on said image capture device.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

if said transfer of information is not successfully completed, automatically providing notification of failure of said transfer of information through at least one of a light emitting diode (LED) on said image capture device or a liquid crystal display (LCD) on said image capture device.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing notification that the connection between the image capture device and the pipeline device has been established.

26. A method facilitating transfer of information from an image capture device to a host device, the method comprising:

upon establishing a wireless network connection between a data capture device and a host device that is capable of communicating with said image capture device, automatically sending at least one of a driver or an application that is executable on the host device from the image capture device to the host device and installing the at least one of the driver or the application on the host device, wherein the at least one of the driver or the application enables the host device to transfer the information;

automatically verifying that the wireless network connection has been established between said image capture device and said host device and automatically initiating an immediate transfer of information from said image capture device using at least one of said driver or said application;

automatically providing notification that said transfer of information is in process;

automatically providing notification of successful completion of said transfer of information by one of illumination or extinguishing of a light on said image capture device; and

automatically deleting said information from said image capture device upon successful completion of said transfer.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the wireless network connection is a wireless internet connection.

28. An image capture device, comprising:

a memory to store instructions for transferring digital content to a remote server; and

a processor, connected with the memory, to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions cause the processor to;

upon establishing a wireless network connection between an image capture device and a host device that is capable of communicating with said image capture device, automatically send at least one of a driver or an application that is executable on the host device from the image capture device to the host device and install the at least one of the driver or the application on the host device, wherein the at least one of the driver or the application enables the host device to transfer the information;

automatically verify that the wireless network connection has been established between said image capture device and said host device and automatically initiate an immediate transfer of information from said image capture device using at least one of said driver or said application;

automatically provide notification that said transfer of information is in process;

automatically provide notification of successful completion of said transfer of information; and

automatically delete said information from said image capture device upon successful completion of said transfer.

29. The image capture device of claim 28, further comprising the instructions to cause the processor to:

determine that at least one of the driver or the application is associated with the pipeline device, wherein at least one of the driver or the application is stored on the image capture device;

examine a registry of the pipeline device to determine specific actions that, when performed by the pipeline device, will cause at least one of the driver or the application to be installed on the pipeline device; and

instruct the pipeline device to perform the specific actions.