US6573927B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic still camera for capturing digital image and creating a print order
Assignee: Apple Inc
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Filing: 1997-11-24
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Granted: 2003-06-03
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Expires: 2017-11-24
Abstract
Abstract A digital camera includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) for viewing images captured from an image sensor and stored on a removable memory card. The LCD also presents a user interface (UI) that allows the user to create a print order "utilization file". As individual images are viewed, the user can decide how many (if any) prints to make of the image, the print size, and the, print quality (low cost ink jet versus high quality thermal prints, for example). The memory card can then be inserted in a home printer, walk-up kiosk, or dropped off/mailed to a photofinisher, or the camera itself can be connected to the printer or kiosk via a wired or wireless (e.g., IrDA) link. The print order can then be automatically produced without any additional user intervention.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth A. Parulski
- 👤 Joseph Ward
- 👤 Michael C. Hopwood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:13
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/32; H04N1/32101; H04N1/32128; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00132; H04N1/00137; H04N1/0014; H04N1/00143; H04N1/00145; H04N1/00148; H04N1/00161; H04N1/00169; H04N1/00175; H04N1/00185; H04N1/00188; H04N1/00196; H04N1/00204; H04N1/00209; H04N1/00212; H04N1/0035; H04N1/00405; H04N1/00408; H04N1/0044; H04N1/00962; H04N1/21; H04N1/2104; H04N1/2158; H04N1/00278; H04N2101/00; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0008; H04N2201/0034; H04N2201/0048; H04N2201/0049; H04N2201/0053; H04N2201/0055; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0082; H04N2201/32; H04N2201/3201; H04N2201/3225; H04N2201/3242; H04N2201/3252; H04N2201/3274; H04N2201/3277
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
An electronic still camera for capturing images that can be printed by a separate printing device, the electronic still camera comprising: (a) an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; (b) an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; (c) a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images; (d) an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed; (e) a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a print utilization file; (f) a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image; and (g) a user interface for scrolling through the plurality of digital images stored on the removable memory card in order to display particular digital images and for selecting particular digital images to be printed, wherein the print utilization file includes the names of at least two digital image files to be printed by the printing device, the at least two digital image files corresponding to selected ones of the digital images produced from the images captured by the image sensor, and the processor stores the print utilization file on the removable memory card separate from the digital image files.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
230 words
An electronic still camera for capturing images that can be printed by a separate printing device, the electronic still camera comprising: (a) an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; (b) an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; (c) a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images; (d) an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed; (e) a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a print utilization file; (f) a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image; and (g) a user interface for scrolling through the plurality of digital images stored on the removable memory card in order to display particular digital images and for selecting particular digital images to be printed, wherein the print utilization file includes the names of at least two digital image files to be printed by the printing device, the at least two digital image files corresponding to selected ones of the digital images produced from the images captured by the image sensor, and the processor stores the print utilization file on the removable memory card separate from the digital image files.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The electronic still camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user interface enables selection of the quantity of prints to be printed for each digital image file and the print utilization file further includes the quantity of prints to be printed for each digital image file.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
The electronic still camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user interface enables selection of the size of the prints to be printed for each digital image file and the print utilization file further includes the size of the prints to be printed for each digital image file.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electronic still camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the print utilization file further includes the file type of each digital image file.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electronic still camera as claimed in claim 4 wherein the file type of at least one digital image file is a JPEG file type.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electronic still camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the print utilization file further includes a camera owner name and a mailing address of such camera owner.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electronic still camera as claimed in claim 6 wherein the print utilization file further includes a credit card number of the camera owner.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The electronic still camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the removable memory card further stores at least one creative background, and the user interface enables selection of the at least one creative background to be combined with a particular digital image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
300 words
An electronic imaging system including an electronic still camera for capturing images and a separate printing device for printing selected captured images, the electronic imaging system including: (a) an electronic still camera comprising: (i) an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; (ii) an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; (iii) a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images; (iv) an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed; (v) a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a print utilization file; (vi) a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image; and (vii) a user interface for scrolling through the plurality of digital images stored on the removable memory card in order to display particular digital images and for selecting particular digital images to be printed, wherein the print utilization file includes the names of at least two digital image files to be printed by the printing device, the at least two digital image files corresponding to selected ones of the digital images produced from the images captured by the image sensor, and the processor stores the print utilization file on the removable memory card separate from the digital image files; and (b) the printing device comprising: (i) an interface for receiving the removable memory card; (ii) a microprocessor for reading the print utilization file from the removable memory card to determine the selected digital image files to be printed; and (iii) a print engine responsive to the microprocessor for producing the prints of the selected digital image files.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
300 words
An electronic imaging system including an electronic still camera for capturing images and a separate printing device for printing selected captured images, the electronic imaging system including: (a) an electronic still camera comprising: (i) an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; (ii) an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; (iii) a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images; (iv) an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed; (v) a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a print utilization file; (vi) a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image; and (vii) a user interface for scrolling through the plurality of digital images stored on the removable memory card in order to display particular digital images and for selecting particular digital images to be printed, wherein the print utilization file includes the names of at least two digital image files to be printed by the printing device, the at least two digital image files corresponding to selected ones of the digital images produced from the images captured by the image sensor, and the processor stores the print utilization file on the removable memory card separate from the digital image files; and (b) the printing device comprising: (i) an interface for receiving the removable memory card; (ii) a microprocessor for reading the print utilization file from the removable memory card to determine the selected digital image files to be printed; and (iii) a print engine responsive to the microprocessor for producing the prints of the selected digital image files.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
The electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the user interface enables selection of the quantity of prints to be printed for each digital image file, the print utilization file further includes the quantity of prints to be printed for each digital image file, and the printing device producing the specified quantity of prints for each digital image file.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the user interface enables selection of the size of the prints to be printed for each digital image file, the print utilization file further includes the size of the prints to be printed for each digital image file, and the printing device produces the specified size of the prints for each digital image file.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the print utilization file further includes the file type of each digital image file.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the file type of at least one digital image file is a JPEG file type.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the print utilization file further includes a camera owner name and a mailing address of such camera owner.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the print utilization file further includes a credit card number of the camera owner.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
The electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the removable memory card further stores at least one creative background, the user interface enables selection of the at least one creative background to be combined with a particular digital image, and the printing device produces a print of the combined creative background and particular digital image.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
167 words
A method for capturing and selecting digital images to be printed by a separate printing device, comprising the steps of: (a) capturing a plurality of images of scenes and producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; (b) digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; (c) storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images on a removable memory card; (e) providing a user interface for scrolling through the plurality of digital images stored on the removable memory card in order to display particular digital images; (f) in response to a user selecting particular digital images to be printed, producing a print utilization file and storing such print utilization file on the removable memory card separate from the digital image files, wherein the print utilization file identifies at least two digital image files to be printed by the printing device, the at least two digital image files corresponding to selected ones of the digital images produced from the images captured in step (a).
Claim 20
Independent Claim
167 words
A method for capturing and selecting digital images to be printed by a separate printing device, comprising the steps of: (a) capturing a plurality of images of scenes and producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; (b) digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; (c) storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images on a removable memory card; (e) providing a user interface for scrolling through the plurality of digital images stored on the removable memory card in order to display particular digital images; (f) in response to a user selecting particular digital images to be printed, producing a print utilization file and storing such print utilization file on the removable memory card separate from the digital image files, wherein the print utilization file identifies at least two digital image files to be printed by the printing device, the at least two digital image files corresponding to selected ones of the digital images produced from the images captured in step (a).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as claimed in claim 17 Wherein the user interface enables selection of the quantity of prints to be printed for each digital image file and the print utilization file further includes the quantity of prints to be printed for each digital image file.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the user interface enables selection of the size of the prints to be printed for each digital image file and the print utilization file further includes the size of the prints to be printed for each digital image file.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the print utilization file further includes the file type of each digital image file.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the file type of at least one digital image file is a JPEG file type.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the print utilization file further includes a camera owner name and a mailing address of such camera owner.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the print utilization file further includes a credit card number of the camera owner.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method as claimed in claim 17 further including the steps of: (g) transferring the removable memory card from the electronic still camera to the separate printing device; (h) reading the print utilization file to determine the digital image files selected by the user to be printed; and (i) printing the selected digital image files identified in the print utilization file.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-06-02 | 2006-12-02 | 2007-06-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-06-02 | 2010-12-02 | 2011-06-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-06-02 | 2014-12-02 | 2015-06-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |