Abstract:
The digital camera system includes a digital camera, a predetermined remote location, a camera distributor and an advertiser. The digital camera is configured to exclusively and automatically connect to the predetermined remote location to upload image data to the predetermined remote location and to download advertising data from the predetermined remote location. The digital camera is also configured to display the advertising data and utilizes the predetermined remote location as the sole way to distribute the image data. The advertiser compensates the camera distributor and the owner of the predetermined remote location based on the advertising data which is viewed by the camera user. In turn, the camera distributor is able to reduce the cost of the digital camera to the camera user.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/181,839, filed on Feb. 11, 2000. 
     
    
     
       COPYRIGHT NOTICE/PERMISSION  
         [0002]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document may contain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproductions by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the patent in trademark office patent file or records, the otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever. The following notice applies to software and data as described below and in the drawings hereto: Copyright 2001, Sony electronics Inc., All Rights Reserved.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    This invention relates generally to the field of digital imaging. More particularly, this invention relates to data transmission between a digital camera and a remote location.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    Digital cameras provide many technological advances over the standard analog cameras. Digital cameras allow users to instantly manipulate the resulting digital images, view these images, distribute these images, and the like. Unfortunately, digital cameras are expensive to purchase and are difficult to operate. Furthermore, uploading digital images obtained from the digital camera to any external device typically requires multiple steps which add complexity to the operation of these digital cameras.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The digital camera system includes a digital camera, a predetermined remote location, a camera distributor and an advertiser. The digital camera is configured to exclusively and automatically connect to the predetermined remote location to upload image data to the predetermined remote location and to download advertising data from the predetermined remote location. The digital camera is also configured to display the advertising data and utilizes the predetermined remote location as the sole way to distribute the image data. The advertiser compensates the camera distributor and the owner of the predetermined remote location based on the advertising data which is viewed by the camera user. In turn, the camera distributor is able to reduce the cost of the digital camera to the camera user. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1A illustrates a basic system of the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1B illustrates a network overview of the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1C illustrates a basic processor of the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 illustrates an overview of an embodiment.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of one embodiment.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of one embodiment.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of another embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]    In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements, in which, is shown by way of illustration of specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention and is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical, electrical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.  
         [0014]    Beginning with an overview of the operation of the invention, FIG. 1A illustrates system  100  which can control the transmission of digital images according to one embodiment of the present invention. System  100  includes server  101  in one or more clients  103 . Clients  103  represent any device that may enable user&#39;s online access to information such as a digital camera. In this embodiment, client  103  is a digital camera device which allows the user to transmit digital imaging data to remote devices. In this embodiment, client  103  may provide a user interface to communicate information to the user. It should be noted that although FIG. 1A illustrates only two modules performing the above functionality, more or less modules may be used to perform this functionality.  
         [0015]    In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1B, server  101  hosts a web site and is part of or coupled to an Internet Service Provider  135  to provide services over the Internet.  
         [0016]    The client computer  103  executes a conventional Internet browsing application to exchange data with the server  101 . It is readily apparent that the present invention is not limited to Internet access and Internet Web based sites; directly coupled and private networks are also contemplated.  
         [0017]    One embodiment of computer system  140  suitable for use as a server  101  is illustrated in FIG. 1C. In some embodiments, in which client  103  is a computer, computer system  140  may be suitable for use as a client  103 . Computer system  140 , includes processor  150 , memory  155  and input/output capability  160  coupled to system bus  165 . Memory  155  is configured to store instructions which, when executed by processor  150 , perform the steps described herein. Input/output  160  provides for the delivery and display at information to others. Input/output  160  also encompasses various types of computer readable media, including any type of storage device that is accessible by the processor  150 . One of the skilled the art will immediately recognize that the term computer readable media further encompasses a carrier ways that enclosed a data signal. It will also be appreciated that the server  101  is controlled by operating system software executing and memory  155 . Input/output and related media  160  store the computer executable instructions for the operating system and methods of the present invention.  
         [0018]    The description of FIGS. 1B and 1C are intended to provide an overview of computer hardware and other operating components suitable for implementing the invention, but is not intended to limit the application environments. You&#39;ll be appreciated that computer system  140  is one example of many possible computer systems to have different architectures. A typical computer system will usually include at least a processor, memory, any bus coupling the memory to the processor. One of skill in the art will immediately appreciate that the invention can be practiced with other computer system configurations including microprocessor systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices are linked through communications network.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 illustrates an overall system  200  of a subsidized camera distribution system. The overall system  200  illustrates one embodiment of the present invention. The overall system  200  includes but is not limited to a distributor  210 , a camera  220 , a camera  230 , a camera  240 , a remote location  250 , data line  260 , and advertiser  270 . The distributor  210  may include a camera manufacturer, a camera wholesaler, a camera distributor, a camera retailer or any combination thereof. The cameras  220 ,  230  and  240  are shown within the overall system  200  for illustrative purposes only. There can be additional or fewer cameras depending on the specific embodiment. In this embodiment, the distributor  210  provides the cameras  220 ,  230  and  240  to users in exchange for compensation. This compensation may include but not limited to a combination of money directly from the users of cameras  220 ,  230  and  240  and from indirect advertising revenues generated from advertisers. In another embodiment, the distributor  210  may forgo receiving any money from the users of the cameras  220 ,  230  and  240  in exchange for advertising revenues received through another party such as the advertiser  270 . In yet another embodiment, the advertiser  270  and the distributor  210  may be the same entity.  
         [0020]    In this embodiment, the cameras  220 ,  230  and  240  are configured to only be able to communicate with the remote location  250 . In this embodiment, the cameras  220 ,  230  and  240  are configured to be unable to communicate with any other external devices besides the remote location  250 . The cameras  220 ,  230  and  240  are able to communicate with the remote location  250  through the data line  260 . The data line  260  may include a network, the internet, a plan old telephone system (POTS), a cellular connection, or the like. In this embodiment, the remote location  250  is a server connected to the internet which is illustrated through data line  260 .  
         [0021]    In one embodiment, the advertiser  270  pays the distributor  210  based on the number of sales distributor makes of the cameras  220 ,  230  and  240  to other users. The advertiser  270  also compensates the remote location  250  for storing files from the cameras  220 ,  230  and  240  and for advertising onto the cameras  220 ,  230  and  240 . In another embodiment, the advertiser  270  compensates the distributor  210  based on the numbers of cameras the distributor distributes and also compensates the distributor  210  for servicing the remote location  250 . In turn, the distributor  210  would be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the remote location  250 .  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of the camera  220 . The camera  220  includes but is not limited to a sensor  310 , a storage device  320 , a display  340 , an interface device  330 , dataline  315 , and data line  325 . The sensor  310  converts analog data into electronic image data. The sensor  310  can utilize technologies such as charge couple devices, CMOS sensors, and the like. In this embodiment, the storage device  320  stores the image data from the sensor  310 . The image data is transmitted from the sensor  310  to the storage device  320  via the dataline  315 . The storage device  320  may include but is not limited to flash memory, magnetic media, or the like. The display  430  is connected to the storage device  320  and is configured to display the image data and/or advertising data.  
         [0023]    The interface device  330  is configured to receive the stored image data from the storage device  320  via the data line  325 . The interface device  330  allows the stored image data to be outputted from the camera  220 . This outputted image data can be transmitted out of the camera  220  via plan old telephone service (POTS), cellular service, or the like. The interface device  330  is configured to communicate with a predetermined external device. In one embodiment, the external device is the remote location  250  (FIG. 1). In another embodiment, the sensor  310  directly transmits the image data from the sensor  310  to interface device  330 . In this embodiment, the storage device  320  is not needed.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of one embodiment of this invention. Block  410  illustrates the download and upload request. The upload request may occur when there is image data that needs to be transmitted from the camera  220  to an external device. The download request can occur at a predetermined time or upon the request of the external device. In block  420 , a connection occurs between a camera and a remote location. In one embodiment, the camera  220  via the interface device  330  connects to the remote location  250 . Block  430  shows that the image data is uploaded from the camera  220  to the remote location  250 . In the block  440 , image data is downloaded from the remote location  250  to the camera  220 . In one embodiment, the remote location  250  serves as a remote storage location for the camera  220 . For example, the camera  220  is able to upload image data and have it stored at the remote location as illustrated in block  430 . In another example, the stored image data on the remote location  250  can be downloaded to the camera  220  for viewing on the camera  220  as illustrated in the block  440 . In the block  450 , advertising and/or other information is downloaded from the remote location  250  to the camera  220 . In one embodiment, the advertising and/or other information is not in content created by the camera  220 , rather it is content that is transmitted to the camera  220 . In block  460 , this advertising and/or other information from the remote location  250  is displayed on the camera  220 . In one embodiment, the advertising which resides on the remote location  250  can be transmitted to the camera  220  at regular intervals for display on the camera  220 . In another embodiment, the advertising which is stored on the remote location  250  is transmitted to the camera  220  when the camera  220  connects to the remote location in order to upload image data from the camera  220  to the remote location  250 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 illustrates interactions between the distributor  210  and other parties. In this embodiment, in block  510  the distributor sales cameras to others at a reduced price. In another embodiment, the distributor gives these cameras away to other users. In block  520 , the distributor recoups costs by either selling the cameras at a reduced or giving away the cameras through revenue generated by the advertisement viewed the camera user. In block  530 , the distributor controls the camera&#39;s access to external devices. In this embodiment, the distributor only allows the cameras to connect with the remote location  250  and advertisement is pushed onto the camera.  
         [0026]    Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover any of the adaptations or variations of the present invention.  
         [0027]    The terminology used in this application with respect to network architecture is meant to include all client/server environments. Therefore it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.