Abstract:
A digital camera docking system user interface provides, on the display of the digital camera, information regarding the operation of the digital camera docking system. The user interface may guide the user in the initiation of interactions between the digital camera and external devices such as television monitors, personal computers, and printers and may also provide feedback regarding the progress of these interactions.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to digital cameras and more specifically to user interfaces for digital camera docking systems.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Digital camera users frequently need to recharge the camera, upload images to a personal computer (PC), or print images stored in the camera. These tasks are facilitated by a docking station that serves as both a battery charger and a connection point for other external devices such as televisions, PCs, and printers. One variety of docking station provides a connection between a digital camera and a PC only. A multi-function docking station, on the other hand, may provide connections between the digital camera and multiple external devices. For example, the docking station may be connected to both a television monitor and a PC or printer at the same time. Unfortunately, it is not always clear to the user how to initiate and control an interaction between the digital camera and an external device using the docking station.  
           [0003]    It is thus apparent that there is a need in the art for an improved digital camera docking system user interface method and apparatus.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    A digital camera docking system user interface method is provided. A digital camera docking system for carrying out the method is also provided.  
           [0005]    Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital camera docking system in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a functional diagram of digital camera firmware in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3A is an illustration of a docking station in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3B is an illustration of a digital camera connected with the docking station shown in FIG. 3A in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4A is an illustration of a digital camera display containing information regarding the operation of the digital camera docking system shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4B is an illustration of a digital camera display containing information regarding the operation of the digital camera docking system shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4C is an illustration of a digital camera display containing feedback regarding the progress of an interaction between the digital camera and a printer in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4D is an illustration of a digital camera display following completion of an interaction between the digital camera and a printer in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4E is an illustration of a digital camera display containing instructions for initiating an interaction of the digital camera and a connected other external device from the connected other external device in accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIGS. 5A and 5B are a flowchart of the operation of the digital camera docking system shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]    Use of a digital camera docking system is facilitated by providing information concerning the operation of the digital camera docking system on the display of the connected digital camera. The docking station may have at least one connection port for external devices. The docking station may automatically detect what external devices, if any, are connected with the docking station. A graphic representing a control element (e.g., a pushbutton) on the docking station may be shown on the display of the digital camera, along with text or other annotation indicating to a user that activating a particular control element will actuate a corresponding control function in the digital camera docking system. Actuating the control function may initiate an interaction between the digital camera and an external device that is connected to the corresponding connection port. Once an interaction such as a TV slideshow, the uploading of images, or the printing of images has been initiated, the digital camera display may provide feedback on the progress of the interaction. These and other aspects of the invention will be described in further detail throughout the remainder of this description.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital camera docking system  100  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 1, digital camera  105  is connected with docking station  110  via connector  115 . Docking station  110  may include connections  120  for at least one external device  125  such as a television monitor, a personal computer (PC), a printer, or any other external device with which digital camera  105  may communicate. In some implementations, at least one of the connections  120  is a Universal System Bus (USB) port. For simplicity, digital camera docking stations do not typically include an internal USB hub, although such an implementation is certainly possible. Throughout this description, “digital camera docking station” refers to the system just described in FIG. 1, including any connected external devices  125 .  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a functional diagram of digital camera firmware  200  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 2, digital camera firmware  200  comprises a set of N control functions  205 , one for each connection  120  on docking station  110 , and module “Process Docking Station Input”  210 . Module “Process Docking Station Input”  210  may process input received from docking station  110  in response to the activation of an input control (“control element”) on the docking station. For example, docking station  110  may, via connector  115 , transmit an encoded request to digital camera  105  requesting that a particular control function be actuated. The ith control function  205  may then initiate a task or “interaction” between digital camera  105  and the external device  125  connected with the ith docking station connection  120 . Each control function  205  may include the necessary protocols for communication between digital camera  105  and a particular type of external device  125 . Although control functions  205  are preferably implemented in firmware  200  of digital camera  105 , a different architecture may place control functions  205  in docking station  110 . In this case, docking station  110  plays the dominant role in digital camera docking system  100 , and digital camera  105  plays a relatively passive role.  
         [0019]    In a typical implementation, docking station  110  includes a microprocessor (not shown in FIG. 1) for carrying out functions such as detecting the presence of connected external devices  125 , establishing connections between digital camera  105  and a specified connection  120 , and passing requests for control functions  205  to digital camera  105 . Once docking station  110  has established a connection between digital camera  105  and an external device  125 , the corresponding control function  205  may control the interaction until it is complete.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3A is an illustration of docking station  110  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. Shown in FIG. 3A are connector  115  and two control elements  305 . Control elements  305  may be, for example, pushbuttons or other suitable input controls. In other implementations, more or fewer than two control elements  305  may be included. For example, a single multi-position control element may actuate control functions  205 . In still other embodiments, docking station  110  may have no control elements  305 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, each of the two control elements  305  uniquely corresponds to one of two connections  120  on docking station  110 . In this particular illustrative embodiment, one control element  305  corresponds to a TV connection and the other to a USB (e.g., PC or printer) connection. The TV connection facilitates the displaying of images stored in digital camera  105  on a connected television monitor. The USB connection facilitates the uploading of images stored in digital camera  105  to a connected PC or the printing of one or more images on a connected printer.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3B is an illustration of digital camera  105  connected with docking station  110  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. Also shown in FIG. 3B is display  310  on digital camera  105 . As shown in FIG. 3B, it is advantageous to configure docking station  110  such that digital camera  105  docks with display  310  facing the portion of docking station  110  on which the control elements  305  are found. This enables a user to see display  310  while operating control elements  305 .  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4A is an illustration of digital camera display  310  containing information regarding the operation of digital camera docking system  100  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 4A, display  310  shows a graphic  405  for each detected connected external device  125 . Each graphic  405  represents a control element  305  on docking station  110 . Activation of the represented control element  305  on docking station  110  actuates the corresponding control function  205 . Graphic  405  may suggest the shape and/or color of the represented control element  305 . In the example of FIG. 4A, two external devices  125  have been detected. Each graphic  405  may further include pictorial representations of one or more external devices  125  associated with the represented control element  305 , as shown in FIG. 4A. Such pictorial representations of external devices may also be advantageously included on the represented control elements  305  themselves. In this particular example, the left graphic  405  in FIG. 4A is associated with uploading images to a PC or printing, and the associated connection  120  may be a USB port. The right graphic  405  in FIG. 4A is associated with the displaying of a slideshow on a television monitor. Each graphic  405  may also be annotated with text  410  explaining how to actuate the control function  205  corresponding to the represented control element  305 . Text  410  provides the user with clear and helpful guidance regarding the operation of digital camera docking system  100 . In other embodiments, graphic  405  may be omitted, and information regarding the operation of digital camera docking system  100  may be provided using text  410  only.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4B is an illustration of digital camera display  310  containing information regarding the operation of digital camera docking system  100  in accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 4B, each graphic  405  is further annotated with an arrow  415  pointing toward the represented control element  305  on docking station  110 . Arrow  415  provides additional assurance to the user that activating a particular control element  305  will actuate the desired control function  205  and that, therefore, the desired interaction will be initiated.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4C is an illustration of a digital camera display  310  containing feedback regarding the progress of an interaction between the digital camera and a printer in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. Once an interaction has been initiated between digital camera  105  and an external device  125 , display  310  may also provide feedback regarding the progress or status of the interaction. In the example of FIG. 4C, an interaction between digital camera  105  and a printer connected to docking station  110  has been initiated. Display  310  may provide feedback  420  indicating that images are being printed. If an error were to occur, display  310  may also provide an appropriate error message to the user.  
         [0025]    Once a transaction such as the printing of images is complete, docking station  110  may optionally remove from display  310  the graphic  405  and annotation associated with the just-completed transaction. For example, if all the images stored in digital camera  105  have been uploaded to a PC, the corresponding graphic  405  may be removed from display  310  to indicate that all images have already been uploaded to the PC. Disconnecting and then reconnecting digital camera  105  and docking station  110 , however, may restore all graphics  405  associated with all detected connected external devices  125 . In FIG. 4D, one or more images stored in digital camera  105  have just been printed. Accordingly, the graphic  405  associated with the USB connection  120  for uploading and printing (see FIGS. 4A and 4B) has been removed from display  310 , leaving only the graphic  405  associated with a TV connection.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 4E is an illustration of digital camera display  310  containing instructions for initiating, from a PC connected with docking station  110 , an interaction of digital camera  105  and the PC in accordance with another illustrative embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, docking station  110  includes no control elements  305 . Instead display  310  provides instructions for initiating interactions of digital camera  105  with one or more connected external devices  125  from the connected external devices  125  themselves. In the specific example of FIG. 4E, text  425  instructs the user to launch a printing application program on the PC to print images stored in digital camera  105 . In this embodiment, the connected external device  125  may send signals over connection  120  to docking station  110 , which may in turn pass a request for the interaction (printing images) to digital camera  105  via connector  115 .  
         [0027]    [0027]FIGS. 5A and 5B are a flowchart of the operation of the digital camera docking system  100  shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the invention. At  505  in FIG. 5A, digital camera  105  is connected with docking station  110 . Docking station  110 , using techniques well known in the art (e.g., detection of voltages or impedances at connections  120 ), detects which external devices  125 , if any, are connected to connections  120  at  510 . At  515 , digital camera  105  receives from docking station  110 , via connector  115 , a report of what external devices  125 , if any, are connected to connections  120 . Digital camera  105  may then display an annotated graphic on display  310  for each detected external device  125 . If a control element  305  is activated at  520 , control proceeds to  525 , where the control function  205  corresponding to the activated control element  305  is actuated in response to a request from docking station  110  via connector  115 . The actuation of control function  205  at  525  initiates an interaction between digital camera  105  and the external device  125  that is connected to the corresponding connection  120 .  
         [0028]    Once the interaction has been initiated, control proceeds to  530  in FIG. 5B. At  530 , the reactivation of the same control element  305  that was activated at  520  may interrupt the current interaction and restore the state of display  310  to that at  515  in FIG. 5A. This allows a user to change his or her mind once an interaction has been initiated. In this case, control returns to  515  in FIG. 5A. If control element  305  is not reactivated at  530 , control may proceed to  535  until the interaction is complete. If the control function associated with the just-completed interaction is no longer needed at  540 , the associated annotated graphic may be removed from display  310  at  545 . If the camera is still docked at  550 , control returns to  520  in FIG. 5A. Otherwise, the process terminates at  555 .  
         [0029]    The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and other modifications and variations may be possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include other alternative embodiments of the invention except insofar as limited by the prior art.