Abstract:
Various enhanced features for a digital camera that add to its functionality are disclosed. These features include interconnection capabilities that allow connecting the digital camera to telephones, modem lines, other digital cameras, watches, etc. By this feature, a digital camera display serves as an enhanced monitor or storage for a smart phone or watch. Another feature that is disclosed is that a digital camera can browse the Internet or content of other digital cameras and download pictures or other relevant information that depend on images that the digital camera captured. These downloaded images can be used as a background (or for other photo composing effects) while a user makes pictures from persons or other objects. These additional digital camera capacities can be useful for tourists especially if a digital camera can communicate via wireless channels.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to digital information exchange between digital cameras and other digital devices, such as telephones, watches, personal computers, network servers and the like. In particular, the invention relates to an improved digital camera and to methods that permit the digital camera to act as a display for devices with limited display capability and/or to act as an editor to edit and/or merge images to form a merged or edited image. The images may be pictures snapped by the digital camera or downloaded from other devices via a communication link. The invention also relates to a method for providing pictorial services.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Smart telephones add additional functions to a standard telephone. For example, the additional functions include a liquid crystal display (LCD), storage means for textual data, paging and limited browsing of the Internet. Paging is a function that exists in pagers to emit an audible signal or to receive a small textual message for display on a small LCD display. This function can be added to the improved digital camera and method of the present invention.  
           [0003]    There are some disadvantages to smart telephones. For example, the telephone display and the telephone storage means are relatively small making it difficult to view or browse a large amount textual or graphical data. If the user of the smart phone does not have a computer available, a sufficient amount of information cannot be downloaded for later use.  
           [0004]    Problems of a different kind are encountered by tourists. Some tourists would like to get information about places they are visiting or about objects they are viewing. For example, they may be viewing the Eiffel Tower and would like to know when and by whom it was constructed. They may see an unfamiliar building and would like to learn its identity. Professional photographers may be interested in learning what kind of pictures are already available for an object of interest. This information would be helpful for them to decide what different or similar picture to take.  
           [0005]    In general, tourists can get help from an information bureau. However, information bureaus are not available at some locations or, if available, are sometimes overcrowded. A similar problem occurs when a tourist gets lost. Even with a telephone, a tourist may have difficulty describing precisely what object he/she is viewing or where he/she is located to get information or help.  
           [0006]    A different kind of problem arises in cases where a digital camera user would like to have a different background in a picture being taken. Normally, photographers can edit a background after a picture is made, through use of elaborate equipment. This solution is unsatisfactory to users who prefer to compose a complete picture at the time it is being taken.  
           [0007]    A common desire of digital camera users is to share different pictures between users. For example, to provide all members of a tourist group with pictures taken by all members, a sufficient number of copies of the pictures could be printed during or after the trip. However, this is wasteful of photographic prints and labor as each member generally desires only selected photographs.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide a digital camera and method that enables digital information exchange between the digital camera and other digital devices.  
           [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital camera that is capable of acting as an enhanced display for a smart telephone or watch.  
           [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved digital camera and method for browsing the Internet or the storage means of other digital cameras.  
           [0011]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved digital camera and method for processing downloaded images to provide photo composed effects.  
           [0012]    An improved digital camera according to the present invention includes means for snapping a picture, a storage means, a display, an input means and a control means. To operate as a standard digital camera, the snapping means snaps a picture of an object that is stored as a first image in the storage means and is displayed on the display. The input means provides commands to the control means to obtain a second image over a communication link, to store the second image in the storage means and to display the second image on the display. The second image may be obtained from a device, such as a smart telephone or a digital watch, that has limited display and/or storage capability.  
           [0013]    In another embodiment according to the present invention, the control means has an editing means that has photocomposition capabilities to modify the stored images and/or to form merged images. For example, the second image obtained via the communication link may be of the Eiffel Tower. The first image may be of family members. The editing facility is capable of merging the two images with the Eiffel Tower serving as a background for the family member image.  
           [0014]    In a further embodiment according to the present invention, the control means has a browsing means that is capable of performing conventional browsing activities in a network, such as the Internet. For example, the second image can be obtained or downloaded from any server connected to the Internet. Conversely, the first or any other image stored in the digital camera storage means can be sent to any server on the Internet.  
           [0015]    The communication link can connect the digital camera directly to another device or indirectly, via the Internet. For example, the digital camera can be directly connected to a personal computer for bi-directional transfer of images.  
           [0016]    In still another embodiment according to the present invention, two or more digital cameras can be connected together to share stored pictures. That is, one digital camera can send its pictures to or can access and/or download the stored pictures of the other digital camera and vice versa.  
           [0017]    In one method embodiment according to the present invention, the display capability of a device, such as a smart telephone or a digital watch having limited display capability, is enhanced. A communication link is established between the device and the digital camera. Data to be displayed is transferred from the device to the digital camera. The digital camera is operated to display the transferred data.  
           [0018]    In another method embodiment according to the present invention, images are processed by a digital camera. Two or more images are stored in the storage means of the digital camera. The images may be pictures snapped by the digital camera or obtained via a communication link or any combination thereof. Input means are operated to provide commands. In response to the commands, one or more selected images are modified and/or merged to form a modified image that is stored and displayed on the digital camera display.  
           [0019]    In a further method embodiment of the present invention, a pictorial service is provided. The method involves receiving from a requester a picture request concerning an object. A set of pictures contained in a data base is searched for a first picture of the object. Upon finding such first picture, a packet of information concerning the object is obtained and provided to the requester. The packet of information includes one or more items of the group that includes a geographic description, an historic description, a map, the first picture and/or other pictures of the object, nearby restaurants, hotels or other points of interest. For example, a tourist snaps a picture with a digital camera of the Eiffel Tower and desires information concerning its history, nearby hotels and restaurants. The tourist sends a picture request including the Eiffel Tower via the communication link to a provider of the pictorial service. The provider sends back the information packet containing the desired information.  
           [0020]    In the various embodiments of the invention, the communication link may be either wired or wireless. The input means may be either wired or wireless.  
           [0021]    In a still further embodiment of the present invention, the input means is a speech recognition facility that is voice activated. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    Other and further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters denote like elements of structure and:  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital camera configured to exchange information with other devices;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a digital camera according to the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the controller for the FIG. 2 digital camera;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the facilities involved for the pictorial service method according to the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is flow diagram of an editing procedure in a digital camera according to the present invention;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 is a block diagram of interconnected digital cameras according to the present invention; and  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 7 is a block diagram of connections between a digital camera and a watch according to the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]    A digital camera according to the present invention is a standard digital camera that is given additional functions. A standard digital camera is capable of acquiring, displaying and storing digital images. By combining the functions of photography and color separation scanning, a digital camera eliminates the time and cost of film processing. A typical digital camera has a resolution of 1.3 to 1.6 million pixels, a liquid crystal display with a size 3 inches by 4 inches and a 1 megabyte (MB) flash random access memory (RAM) for long term storage. A typical digital camera has a serial port for connection to a PC, a modem or a telephone set. This connection is made, for example, via a modular G-11 jack for a modem that exists in some telephone sets.  
         [0031]    Referring to FIG. 1, a digital camera system that performs additional functions in accordance with the method and system of the present invention is designated by reference numeral  100 . Typically digital camera  100  includes a lens  101  through which an object  104  is captured, an LCD display  102  on which digital camera pictures are displayed, a controller  103  that allows control of various digital camera functions and a serial port  112 . Digital camera  100  may be connected via port  112  with various communication devices, such as a telephone  105 , modem  106 , and the like, or devices that can store data, such as another digital camera  107 , a watch  108 , a personal computer (PC)  113  and the like.  
         [0032]    Telephone  105  and/or modem  106  can connect digital camera  100  to a network, shown as Internet  109 . With digital camera  100  connected to Internet  109 , a digital camera owner can browse Internet  109  or access a pictorial service  110 . Pictorial service  110  provides a service that uses a picture or image taken by a tourist or user with digital camera  100 . For example, an information service  111  can use pictorial service  110  to obtain information about a tourist&#39;s location, historic or geographic information, or provide additional pictorial components for photo effects.  
         [0033]    Digital cameras  100  and  107 , when connected together, permit sharing among the digital cameras of pictures stored in the two digital cameras.  
         [0034]    Digital camera  100  can be connected to a device having limited display and/or storage capacity, such as telephone  105  or watch  108 , to provide enhanced display and/or storage capability. For example, if telephone  105  is being used to browse and/or download data in textual or pictorial form from Internet  109 , the limited display capacity of telephone  105  makes it difficult to view the data. This data can be downloaded to digital camera  100  for display on its display  102 . Similarly enhanced viewing and/or storage of personal data can be provided by digital camera for personal data (e.g. telephone numbers) that are stored in watch  108 . Some digital watches contain a calculator and one can use the digital camera display to view calculator data. Since a digital camera memory is usually larger than a watch memory, data can be moved from watch  108  to the memory of digital camera  100 .  
         [0035]    Digital camera  100 , when connected to computer  113 , can send and/or receive data to computer  113 .  
         [0036]    Referring to FIG. 2, digital camera  100  has a digital camera manager  200  that operates as a project manager for the digital camera and monitors all tasks taking place in the digital camera. For example, during power up, digital camera manager  200  checks that all major digital camera components are okay and ready to do their jobs. If any major component is not working, a message appears on display  102  and digital camera  100  stops working. If everything is okay, digital camera  100  is ready to take pictures (capture images) or to perform data transfer, browsing and/or editing functions in accordance with the present invention. Digital camera manager  200  is typically a semiconductor chip used in conventional digital cameras.  
         [0037]    An auto-focus module  201  is operative during picture taking, to take a light reading and determine how long a digital camera shutter (not shown) should remain open and how much light is necessary.  
         [0038]    When taking or snapping a picture of object  104 , the shutter opens for the length of time specified by auto-focus module  201 . A charged-coupled device (CCD)  202  captures light reflected from object  104  and stores that light as red, green and blue pixels. An image processing module  203  receives the pixels CCD  202  row by row in a serial fashion. Image processing module  203  processes the pixels for white balance, color, and aliasing correction. A frame board  204  puts the pixels back together in the form of a digital image.  
         [0039]    A storage compression module  205  compresses the image to a level of compression that can be determined by a user.  
         [0040]    Digital camera manager  200  generates a message to move the compressed image from storage compression module to a flash RAM  206  for long term storage. Typically RAM  206  contains 1 MB of memory space. Digital camera manager  200  then sends a message to display  102  to reduce the pictures remaining field (not shown) presented on display  102  by one.  
         [0041]    Digital camera manager  200 , auto-focus module  201 , CCD  202 , image processing module  203 , frame board  204 , storage compression module  205 , RAM  206  and display  102  are conventional components of standard digital cameras.  
         [0042]    In accordance with the present invention, a connection module  208 , controller  103  and input device  207  are provided. Connection module or port  208  is responsible for communication between digital camera  100  and other devices. Connection module  208  contains serial port  112  that can be connected with serial ports of other devices as described above for FIG. 1.  
         [0043]    Connection module  208  also has a communication protocol that enables reading a format in which data is received over a channel  209  that can be wired or wireless. This format specifies how data that is obtained over channel  209  is directed from connection module  208  to other components in digital camera  100 . For example, connection module  208  can send an image obtained over channel  209  to frame board module  204  for formatting into a digital image similarly to digital images formatted from images of object  104  by image processing module  203 . This path may be required for data downloaded from a server connected to Internet  109  or from digital watch  108 .  
         [0044]    Connection module  208  can send directly to flash RAM module  206  an image that is already in compressed form. For example, this option can be used when digital camera  100  is connected with another digital camera by a link established via channel  209 . In such case, digital images received from digital camera  107  can be sent directly to RAM module  206  for storage and/or viewing on display  102 . Connection module  208  also can send images stored in RAM  206  to digital camera  107  or to a server (e.g. information service  111 ) connected to Internet  109 .  
         [0045]    Controller  103  contains facilities to provide control over images displayed on display  102 . Examples of tasks performed by controller  103  are editing images (for example, replacement of a background), browsing of Internet  109 , searching storage means of devices to which digital camera  100  is connected, such as digital camera  107  or watch  108 .  
         [0046]    Input device  207  provides input commands to controller  103  to direct controller  103  to perform its tasks. Input device  207  can be any suitable input means such as a mouse, a keypad or a voice recognition device as designated by the initials ASR in FIG. 2.  
         [0047]    Referring to FIG. 3, controller module  103  in accordance with the method and system of the present invention receives input commands from input device  207  which is shown as a combination of a mouse and a keypad. A module  301  describes features or functions that can be performed by controller  103 : editing, browsing, searching, typing commands and the like. A module  302  describes several ways for implementing features of module  300 . These features can be implemented as hardware or software features or realized using speech recognition technology. Typically, a mouse is implemented as a hardware feature, for example, a small button that is inserted in digital camera  100 . This button moves an arrow on display  102  in accordance with direction of a finger. Another button inserted in digital camera  100  is used to click when the arrow on display  102  is positioned on some drawn object, such as an icon. The design for such a mouse inserted in digital camera  100  is similar to a mouse inserted in a keyboard of a laptop computer, for example, a “Thinkpad” laptop that is produced by IBM.  
         [0048]    A digital camera keypad can be implemented either as a set of buttons inserted in digital camera  100  or as a set of buttons that are presented on display  102  for point and click operation by the mouse. If digital camera  100  has ASR, then input control can be done via voice input.  
         [0049]    Referring to FIG. 4, one example of a pictorial service  110  will be described for the situation where a tourist wants to find a restaurant near his or her location. The tourist operates digital camera  100  to take a picture of object  104 , for example, an historic building. The tourist enters into digital camera  100  a request  400  that contains the following items: name of a city of the tourist&#39;s location and a request for finding a restaurant. Controller  103  packages the picture of the building into request  400  and sends request  400  via Internet  109  to information service  111 . Information service  111  sends the picture to pictorial service  110 .  
         [0050]    At pictorial service  110 , the picture of request  400  is compared by a match module  404  with pictures contained in a picture index database  407 . Database  407  contains pictures with indexes to information attached to each picture (that is, each picture points to some information related to this picture). This information includes, for example, geographic and historic descriptions related to objects that are contained in pictures and stored in picture index database  407 . If match module  404  finds the match of the request picture in request  400  with some pictures stored in picture index database  407 , an index  405  is produced. This index is used to access a set of descriptions related to this picture that is stored in a picture information database  406 . This information is sent back to informational service  111  as an information package  402 . Information service  111  extracts the information about a local restaurant from information package  402  (if it is available). Information service then sends the extracted restaurant information to digital camera  100  where it is displayed on display  102 . Information service  111  can use automatic semantic methods or a human operator to interpret request  400 . This information can be packaged, sent and displayed in the form of a map where the restaurant is marked.  
         [0051]    There are various methods that are described in literature for matching images with a set of images stored in a database. For instance, content-based methods are described by J. Turel et al., “Search and Retrieval in Large Image Archives”, RC-20214(894230 Oct. 2, 1995, IBM Research Division T. J. Watson Research Center.  
         [0052]    Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated an example of a procedure for capturing a subject by digital camera  100  with a background chosen from a picture database. Consider that a person in New York City wants to make a picture of a child with a background that contains the Eiffel Tower. Using digital camera  100 , a request for this specific background is sent to a picture database  500  operated by a pictorial service. The pictorial service responds by returning to digital camera  100  a set of pictures containing the Eiffel Tower that are then displayed on display  102  of digital camera  100 . The user views these pictures and selects one for storage in RAM  206  for use as the background at module  501 . After the background is selected and stored in RAM  206 , digital camera  100  is used to focus on the subject (the child) and to display this subject on display  102  as depicted at module  502 . The picture displayed on display  102  contains the child on a live background that should be replaced with the Eiffel Tower background. To make the replacement, a child subject is identified on display  102  that will be tracked automatically by a digital camera module  503 .  
         [0053]    There are various known methods for specifying one subject among different objects that are presented in a picture. One can specify a subject by drawing a contour of this subject. One can also specify a subject by using a distance between the subject and the digital camera focus system (when digital camera focuses its lens, it uses an automatic means that allows a distance to be measured between a subject and the digital camera lens). A module  504  is operative to replace a live background with stored background (Eiffel Tower in our example). While backgrounds are replaced, the digital camera tracking system module  503  continues to keep the main live subject (the child in our example). If the view of the subject surrounded with the new background (the child near Eiffel Tower) is satisfactory, the digital camera button is actuated and module  505  responds to capture combined picture.  
         [0054]    Referring to FIG. 6, digital camera  100  is interconnected with digital cameras  600 ,  603  and  606  for direct information exchange between two or more digital cameras. In current technology, it is not possible to exchange images between two or more digital cameras without intervening hardware such as wires, computers, and the like. According to the present invention, the serial port  112  (shown in FIG. 1) of the digital cameras allows one or more digital cameras to mate (i.e. directly connect) for the purpose of digital image transfer. The serial port may alternatively be equipped for communication among digital cameras  100 ,  600 ,  603  and  606  by wireless technology (for example, infrared) or by means of a network, such as the Internet.  
         [0055]    In FIG. 6, each digital camera has an unique address  610 . Using the addresses  610 , any user can selectively download an image, such as an image  604  in digital camera  600  to any one or all of the other digital cameras connected in the network. For downloading to digital camera  100 , image  604  is sent via a connection module  602  to digital camera  100  where it is received by a connection module  208  for presentation on display  102  in digital camera  100  and/or storage in RAM  206 .  
         [0056]    A user can give a digital camera  100 ,  600 ,  603  or  606  instructions for transfer of images by means of a graphical user interface (GUI). For example, a set of icons representing stored images in RAM  601  is displayed on display  102 . A set of icons representing digital cameras  603  and  606  are also displayed. By using conventional drag and drop techniques, the user can drag an icon that represents an image to an icon that represents a specific camera to initiate a transfer of the image from one camera to another.  
         [0057]    This direct interconnect is particularly useful in the field where wires and computers are not available. One can use a splitter of a serial port in a connection module  208  (or  602 ) in order to connect two digital cameras. If two digital cameras can be connected to one digital camera port, many digital cameras can be connected in one network. For example, in the network in the FIG. 6 digital camera  100  can be connected with digital camera  606  via digital camera  600 . Serial ports can be equipped with male or female jacks. For example, all ports in digital cameras  100 ,  600 ,  603  and  606  can be male jacks and wires that connect to the ports can be female jacks.  
         [0058]    Referring to FIG. 7, digital camera  100  is connected to a wrist watch  700  via connection module  208  of digital camera  100  and connection module  702  in wrist watch  700 . The contents of a RAM  701  of wrist watch  700  can be viewed on display  102  and downloaded to RAM  206  in digital camera  100 .  
         [0059]    The present invention having been thus described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.