Patent ID: 6546294
Filing Date: 2003-04-08
Classification: G03B,G05B

Abstract:
A system for monitoring the life cycle of an electronic image capture apparatus of the type that creates an output image data record that is periodically delivered to an image processing location for processing, comprising:a) a sensor in the electronic image capture apparatus for monitoring the operation and condition of the apparatus to produce operational data; b) means in the electronic capture apparatus for appending the operational data to the output image data record; c) an image data record utilization device located at the image processing location that receives and operates on the image data record; and d) a digital processor in the image data record utilization device having a software agent that retrieves the operational data from the image data record, processes the operational data and produces a message related to the life cycle of the electronic image capture apparatus, whereby the message can be provided back to the user of the image capture apparatus along with the processed images from the image capture apparatus.