Abstract:
A wireless adapter for a digital camera enables communications between the digital camera and remote devices over a wireless network. The wireless adapter comprises a wireless interface for communicating with remote devices, a housing for enclosing said wireless interface, a mechanical connector on said housing to mechanically connect the wireless adapter to the digital camera, and a camera interface to electrically connect the wireless adapter with the digital camera.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/863,383 filed Oct. 29, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to digital cameras and, more particularly, to wireless adapters for digital cameras to enable digital cameras to communicate with remote devices. 
         [0003]    A digital camera is an electronic device for capturing and storing images electronically instead of on photographic film. Modern digital cameras have many advantages over conventional film cameras and have virtually replaced film cameras in the marketplace. Digital cameras are small, lightweight, and inexpensive to operate since no film is required. Digital cameras allow consumers to view images immediately after they are captured. Consumers can delete images they do not like and retake images. Images captured can be uploaded to photo libraries on the user&#39;s home computer or imported into photo-editing software. 
         [0004]    Digital cameras typically include a USB or Firewire port for connecting the digital camera to the user&#39;s home computer. A cable plugs into the camera at one end and the computer at the other end. There are many circumstances in which a user may want to send images wirelessly to remote devices. Because many home computers now have wireless interfaces, it would be convenient for consumers to connect to home computers using a wireless interface. Further, long range wireless interfaces would enable users of digital cameras to access remote devices and services from whatever location the user may currently be in. 
         [0005]    To date, wireless interfaces have not been used in digital cameras for several reasons. Wireless interfaces increase the size, weight, and cost of the digital camera. Further, the batteries for most digital cameras are not sufficient to power a wireless transceiver. These design challenges have so far prevented use of wireless interfaces in small, portable digital cameras. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present invention provides a wireless adapter for a digital camera to enable communication between the digital camera and remote devices over a wireless network. The wireless adapter comprises a detachable module that can be connected to and disconnected from the digital camera. The wireless adapter can be used with both digital still cameras and digital video cameras. 
         [0007]    In one exemplary embodiment, the wireless adapter comprises at least one wireless interface for communicating with remote devices over a wireless network, a housing to enclose the wireless interface, a connector on the housing to detachably connect the wireless adapter to the digital camera, and a camera interface to electrically connect the wireless adapter to the digital camera. The wireless interface may include one or more antennas. The antennas can be fixed or movable. If two or more antennas are used, the antennas can operate in different frequency bands, or may be used to provide diversity. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an exemplary wireless networking environment in which a digital camera of the present invention may operate. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an exemplary wireless adapter for a digital camera according to one exemplary embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate a first exemplary method for connecting a wireless adapter to a digital camera. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate a second exemplary method for connecting a wireless adapter to a digital camera. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a third exemplary method for connecting a wireless adapter to a digital camera. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate a fourth exemplary method for connecting a wireless adapter to a digital camera. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 7A-7C  illustrate an antenna arrangement for a wireless adapter for a digital camera having a single antenna 
           [0015]      FIG. 8A-8C  illustrate an antenna arrangement for a wireless adapter for a digital camera having two antennas. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 9A-9D  illustrate antenna arrangements for a wireless adapter for a digital video camera. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Referring now to the drawings, a wireless adapter  100  for a digital camera  10  is shown. The wireless adaptor  100  enables wireless communications between the digital camera  10  and remote devices or services, such as a home computer  30 , web album  32 , web blog  34 , or remote print server  36  over a wireless network. The wireless adapter  100  can be used with both digital still cameras and digital video cameras. The wireless adapter  100  detachably connects to the digital camera  10  and provides remote access capability to the digital camera  10  that otherwise lacks inherent wireless networking capabilities. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary networking environment in which the wireless adapter  100  can be used. As will be described in greater detail below, the wireless adapter  100  can connect to a wireless wide area network (WWAN)  20 , such as a cellular network or WiMAX network, or to a wireless local area network (WLAN)  22 . The WLAN  22  may comprise any local area network that can be accessed wirelessly, such as a home network with a wireless router. The WWAN  20  and/or WLAN  22  may provide connection to the Internet  24 . A home computer  30  is connected to the WLAN  22 . Web album  32 , web blog  34 , and print server  36  are connected to the Internet  24 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows an exemplary wireless adaptor  100 . Wireless adaptor  100  includes camera interface  102 , communication control circuit  104 , wireless interfaces  106 ,  108 , and power control circuit  110 . Camera interface  102  provides an interface to the digital camera  10  to enable communication between the wireless adapter  100  and digital camera  10 . Communication control circuit  104  comprises processing circuits and memory for implementing file transfer agent functions and controlling the overall operation of the wireless adapter as herein after described. Wireless interfaces  106 ,  108  enable communication over wireless network, such as WWAN  20  and WLAN  22 . Power control circuit  110  manages power to the wireless adapter  100 . Power can be supplied by an internal battery (not shown) or an external power source via an optional connector  130 . 
         [0020]    Camera interface  102  may comprise a serial or parallel interface, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, a Firewire interface, etc. Connector  128  connects the camera interface  102  with the digital camera  10 . In one exemplary embodiment, the camera interface  102  functions as a USB host device and the digital camera functions as a USB client device. Power may be supplied by the digital camera  10  through the camera interface  102 . 
         [0021]    In one exemplary embodiment, wireless interface  106  enables long-range communication over a WWAN  20 , while wireless interface  108  enables short-range wireless communication over WLAN  22 . The wireless interface  106  may comprises a standard cellular transceiver, such as a GSM or CDMA transceiver. alternatively, the wireless interface  106  may comprise a WiMAX transceiver or OFDM transceiver. Wireless interface  108  may comprise, for example, a BLUETOOTH, WiFi, RFID, or NFC interface. 
         [0022]    The communication control circuit  104  includes a file transfer agent (FTA)  105  to provide remote access capability. The file transfer agent  105  stores information about one or more remote destinations in memory of the wireless adapter  100 . Such information may include the destination address for each destination and authentication information, such as the username and password for each destination. The file transfer agent  105  is configured to receive image data from the digital camera  10  and to transfer the image data to the remote destination via one of the wireless interfaces  106 ,  108 . An optional configuration connector  132  can be provided for connecting the communication control circuit  104  to an external computer (not shown) to configure the wireless adaptor  100 . 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, the file transfer agent  105  emulates a printer as described in related Application Ser. No. 60/863,382 filed concurrently herewith and incorporated herein by reference. In this embodiment, file transfer agent  105  implements PictBridge or other direct printing technology to communicate directly with the digital camera  10 . The file transfer agent can create one or more emulated printers that appear to the digital camera  10  like any other printer. Each emulated printer is associated with a particular remote destination. When the user “prints” to an emulated printer, the file transfer agent  105  transfers the image data to a corresponding remote destination. By emulating a printer, the file transfer agent  105  provides networking capabilities to any digital camera  10  that implements Pictbridge or other direct printing technology. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate a first exemplary method for connecting the wireless adapter  100  with the digital camera  10 . Both mechanical connections and electrical connections are shown. Mechanical connection is made by means of threaded connectors. The camera body  12  for the digital camera  10  includes a conventional tripod connector  14  with internal threads for mounting the digital camera  10  to a tripod (not shown). The wireless adapter body  120  includes a mounting screw  124  that threads into the tripod connector  14  on the camera body  12 . The mounting screw  124  on the wireless adapter body includes a finger grip  126  that can be accessed through a window  122  in the wireless adapter body  120  as shown in  FIG. 3A . Alternatively, the mounting screw  124  can pass through the wireless adapter body  120  as shown in  FIG. 3B . 
         [0025]    Electrical connection between the camera  10  and wireless adapter  100  is made by means of mating connectors. A female connector  16  is disposed on the camera body  12  and the male connector  128  is disposed on the wireless adapter body  120 . The spacing and relative orientation between the male connector  128  and the mounting screw  124  on the wireless adapter body  120  is the same as the spacing and relative orientation between the female connector  16  and the tripod connector  14  on the camera body  12 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate a second exemplary method of connecting the wireless adapter  100  with the digital camera  10 . The camera body  12  includes a tripod connector  14  as previously described on a bottom surface, and a female connector  16  along one side of the digital camera  10 . The wireless adapter  100  extends along two sides of the digital camera  10 . The wireless adapter  100  includes a mounting screw  124  and male connector  128  for connecting to the digital camera  10  as previously described.  FIG. 4A  shows an embodiment in which the mounting screw  124  is accessed through a window  122  in the wireless adapter body  120 .  FIG. 4B  shows an embodiment in which the mounting screw  124  passes through the wireless adapter body  120 . 
         [0027]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a third method for connecting the wireless adapter  100  to the digital camera  10 . As in the two previous embodiments, the wireless adapter body  120  includes a mounting screw  124  adapted to engage with a tripod connector  14  on the camera body  12 . The mounting screw  124  may be accessed through a window  122  in the adapter body as shown in  FIG. 5A , or may pass through the wireless adapter body  120  as shown in  FIG. 5B . The electrical connection is made by means of a cable connector  136  having a male connector  128  at one end thereof that engages a female connector  16  on the camera body  12 .  FIGS. 5A and 5B  illustrate a fixed cable. Those skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that an additional connector (not shown) may be provided for disconnecting the cable connector  136  from the wireless adapter body. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate a fourth method of connecting the wireless adapter  100  to the digital camera  10 . The wireless adapter body  120  includes a mounting screw  124  adapted to engage with a tripod connector  14  on the camera body  12  as previously described. The mounting screw  124  may be accessed through a window  122  in the adapter body as shown in  FIG. 6A , or may pass through the wireless adapter body  120  as shown in  FIG. 6B . The electrical connection is made by a short-range wireless interfaces  18 , 134 . Short-range wireless interface  18 ,  134  may comprise such a near-filed communication (NFC) interface, or BLUETOOTH interface. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 7A-7C  illustrate exemplary antenna arrangements for the wireless adapter  100 . As shown in  FIG. 7A , the circuits in wireless adaptor  100  may be disposed in a bottom and/or side portion of the adaptor  100 . The wireless adapter  100  in the illustrated embodiment extends along two sides of the digital camera  10 . The bottom portion of the wireless adapter body  120  contains the mounting hardware and electrical circuits  102 - 110  for the wireless adapter  100 . The antenna  112  is contained within or mounts to the side portion of the wireless adapter body  120 . The side portion may, if desired, include part of the electrical circuitry  102 - 110 . The antenna  112  may be fixed in place as shown in  FIG. 7A . Alternatively, the antenna may slide between retracted and extended positions as shown in  FIG. 7B . In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 7C , the antenna  112  is pivotally connected to the wireless adapter body  120  and pivots between retracted and extended positions. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 8A-8C  illustrate an embodiment in which the wireless adapter  100  includes two antennas  112  and  114 . The two antennas  112 ,  114  may be used for transmitting in different frequency bands or may be used to provide diversity. In  FIG. 8A , the first antenna  112  is disposed on the side portion of the wireless adapter  100  as previously described, and a second antenna  114  is disposed on the bottom portion of the wireless adapter  100 . The antennas  112 ,  114  may be fixed or movable. If movable, the antennas  112 ,  114  may slide or pivot between retracted and extended positions. 
         [0031]      FIG. 8B  illustrates an embodiment of the wireless adaptor having a fixed antenna  112  disposed on the side portion of the wireless adaptor  100  and a second movable antenna disposed on the bottom portion of the wireless adaptor  100 . The movable antenna  114  may slide between retracted and extended positions. 
         [0032]      FIG. 8C  illustrates an embodiment of the wireless adapter  100  having two antennas  112 ,  114  disposed on the side portion of the wireless adapter  100 . The first antenna  112  is a fixed antenna and the second antenna  114  is a movable antenna. The movable antenna  114  pivots between retracted and extended positions. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 9A-9D  show embodiments of the wireless adapter  100  for a digital video camera  10 . The wireless adapter  100  in these embodiments is adapted to mount to a bottom surface of the digital video camera  10 . The wireless adapter  100  can be connected to the digital video camera  10  using the methods previously described and shown in  FIGS. 3-6 . In  FIG. 9A , the antenna  112  for the wireless adapter  100  is disposed toward a front end of the wireless adapter.  FIG. 9B  shows a slidable antenna  112  that slides between extended and retracted positions.  FIG. 9C  shows a pivoting antenna  112  that pivots between extended and retracted positions.  FIG. 9D  shows an embodiment of the wireless adapter  100  for a digital video camera  10  having two antennas  112 ,  114 . A first antenna  112  is fixed at the front end of the wireless adapter  100 . A second antenna  114  is mounted for pivotal movement between extended and retracted positions. It will be appreciated that the second antenna  114  could also slide between extended and retracted positions. 
         [0034]    The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.