Abstract:
A method for utilizing an image display on a digital camera, including the steps of: initiating a demo mode demonstrating features and functions related to the digital camera on the image display; running the demonstration while no user input has been detected; terminating the demonstration upon a detection of a user input; allowing normal usage of the image display; and automatically re-initiating the demonstration after a predetermined elapsed period of time without detecting the user input.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The present application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 60/406,843, filed Aug. 29, 2002, by John R. Fredlund, et al., and entitled, “Demo Via On-Camera Display With Power Jack.” 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The invention relates generally to the field of digital still cameras and in particular to digital still cameras with a display screen. More specifically, the invention relates to a digital still camera with a display screen capable of displaying demonstration features of the camera.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In a crowded marketplace, there is a need to distinguish one&#39;s products. One way in which to distinguish a product is to provide it with a “demo mode” that calls attention to the product and also explains usage or features. Products such as the Phillips FW C1/37™ Stereo Audio System and the Sharp Carousel™ Microwave oven have demo modes that help to sell the products.  
           [0004]    These demo modes use text displays to describe features. The devices automatically default to demo mode on power up. This can become annoying since any power interruption causes the demo mode to appear. The alternative is for the device to require some special sequence of inputs to put the device in demo mode. This requires the salesperson to have knowledge of the special sequence and also be motivated to activate the demo mode. This can be problematic in retail environments where employee turnover is rapid and motivation is low.  
           [0005]    On occasion, video players are used to demonstrate products. This is expensive, and more often than not, the screens are blank or turned off by employees who become tired of the sound of the demo.  
           [0006]    Typically, devices that are battery powered, such as cameras, do not have a demo mode. Consequently, what is needed is a method of displaying a demo mode for battery powered devices like cameras, wherein the demo mode remains powered up and requires no human intervention for activation, and wherein the demo mode may be changeable in the course of normal consumer usage. Additionally, the demo mode should provide functionality beyond demonstrating features and functions of the camera.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The aforementioned need is met by providing a method for utilizing an image display on a digital camera, including the steps of: initiating a demo mode demonstrating features and functions related to the digital camera on the image display; running the demonstration while no user input has been detected; terminating the demonstration upon a detection of a user input; allowing normal usage of the image display; and automatically re-initiating the demonstration after a predetermined elapsed period of time without detecting the user input. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when taken in conjunction with the following description and drawings wherein identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical features that are common to the figures, and wherein:  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital still camera system according to the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a rear view of an example of a digital still camera showing a demo according to the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is another example of a demo shown according to the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a flowchart for determining whether the camera is in demo mode;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a flowchart for powering the camera and inserting and removing a memory card;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a flowchart for launching the demo mode;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 shows a rear view of a package for containing and powering the camera on retail shelves;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 shows an example target for demo photographing by a user; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 shows the camera in a docking station. 
     
    
       [0018]    To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 illustrates a system made in accordance with the present invention. The system includes a digital still camera  12  that produces digital images that are stored on the removable memory card  16 . This digital still camera  12  may be of the film/electronic hybrid type such as the Kodak Advantix™ Preview Camera, or of the fully electronic type such as the Kodak LS420™ Digital Camera. The images may be individual still images or motion burst images. The digital still camera  12  is powered by batteries  344  which connect to power supply  346  which supplies power to the digital still camera  12  circuits. The digital still camera  12  may also be powered by AC/DC converter  345 . The digital camera  12  includes a lens  312  having zoom and focus motor drives and an adjustable aperture and shutter (not shown). The user composes the image using the optical viewfinder (not shown) or the Image Display  332  and then depresses the shutter button  331  to begin capture of a still image. User controls  303  act as an interface for operation of shutter button  331  and flash on/off button  333 . A user can also signal to the control processor  304 , via user controls  303 , that he has pressed flash on/off button  333 . The lens  312  focuses light from a scene (not shown) on an image sensor  314 , for example, a single-chip color CCD image sensor, using the well-known Bayer color filter pattern. The image sensor  314  is controlled by clock drivers  306 . The clock drivers  306  are controlled by control signals supplied by a control processor and timing generator circuit  304 . The control processor and timing generator  304  receives inputs from auto-exposure detector  308  and controls a flash  302 . The analog output signal from the image sensor  314  is amplified and converted to digital data by the analog signal processing (ASP) and analog-to-digital (A/D) converter circuit  316 . The digital data is stored in a DRAM buffer memory  318  and subsequently processed by a processor  320  controlled by the firmware stored in the firmware memory  328 , which can be flash EPROM memory.  
         [0020]    The processed digital image file is stored in RAM memory  326  or provided to a memory card interface  324  which stores the digital image file on the removable memory card  16 . Removable memory cards  16  are one type of removable image digital storage medium, and are available in several different physical formats. For example, the removable memory card  16  can include memory cards adapted to the PCMCIA card interface standard, as described in the  PC Card Standard, Release  2.0, published by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association, Sunnyvale, Calif., September 1991. The removable memory card  16  can also be adapted to the Compact Flash interface standard, such as described in the  CompactFlash Specification Version  1.4, published by the CompactFlash Association, Palo Alto, Calif., Aug. 5, 1998, or to the well-known SmartMedia, MemoryStick or SD memory card formats. Other types of removable image digital storage media, such as magnetic hard drives, magnetic tape, or optical disks, can alternatively be used to store the digital images.  
         [0021]    The processor  320  performs color interpolation followed by color and tone correction, in order to produce rendered sRGB image data. The rendered sRGB image data is then JPEG compressed and stored as a JPEG image file on the removable memory card  16 . The JPEG file uses the so-called “Exif” image format defined in “ Digital Still Camera Image File Format  ( Exif )” version 2.1, July 1998 by the Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA), Tokyo, Japan. This format includes an Exif application segment that stores particular image metadata, for example the date and time the picture was captured, the lens f/number and other camera settings, and image captions or comments that can be selected or entered by the camera user.  
         [0022]    The processor  320  also creates a low-resolution “thumbnail” size image, which can be created as described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,831, issued Nov. 17, 1992 to Kuchta et al., titled “Electronic Still Camera Providing Multi-Format Storage Of Full And Reduced Resolution Images,” the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. This thumbnail image has 160×120 pixels, to conform to the DCF rules described later, and is stored in RAM memory  326  and supplied to the image display  332 .  
         [0023]    The Exif image files, containing the JPEG compressed main image, thumbnail image, and the image metadata, are stored on the removable memory card  16  using a directory structure conforming to the so-called “DCF” rules defined in “ Design Rule For Camera File System” version  1.0, December 1998 by the Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA), Tokyo, Japan. The display  332  can be put to use in a demonstration mode to assist in selling the digital still camera  12  at retail. Upon sensing power, the processor  320  can access a program that allows the display  332  to show images designed to help sell the digital still camera  12 . The images may be simple in composition and can be highly compressed to save program memory in the digital still camera  12 . The display routine for the demo can be as simple as a text display  402  on a solid color background  404  as shown in FIG. 2. From there, the image displayed may become increasingly complex, requiring additional program code to move graphics and create dynamic displays, and also incorporate photo realistic images  406  as shown in FIG. 3, requiring additional memory.  
         [0024]    The demo mode may be a custom demo for the digital still camera model upon which the demo is running, or it may be a universal demo for many versions of digital still cameras. If the demo is contained on a removable memory card  16 , many different demos may be included. In this case, the digital still camera  12  can automatically select the demo that is appropriate to the digital still camera  12  model or version. If the demo is of the universal type, the program that runs the demo may access image files not in program memory. These image files may be unique to the individual digital still camera  12  model, and may be placed in non-volatile memory somewhere in the digital still camera  12  or in a removable memory card  16 . In this fashion, a universal demo may be customized for different digital still cameras  12 . Additionally, if the processor does not detect custom images in the appropriate memory locations, it may default to a routine that runs the demo without the additional images.  
         [0025]    The demo may be available in all digital still cameras or merely in digital still cameras destined for retail display. Although incorporating the demo mode in all digital still cameras may be unnecessary since not all digital still cameras will be displayed at retail, it may be an advantage to include the demo mode in all digital still cameras so that any one can deliver the demo at retail. It is advantageous to provide the demo without the need for special digital still cameras. Also, if the demo has utility beyond the retail environment, such as providing the user with a slide show of his personally captured images, an additional reason for incorporating the demo mode is provided.  
         [0026]    At the retail site, it may be desired to provide the consumer with the ability to use digital still camera  12 . In this situation, digital still camera  12  must drop out of the demo mode to allow the consumer to use the digital still camera  12 . The digital still camera  12  may provide full functionality and then return to demo mode after a period of inactivity. In this manner, the digital still camera  12  allows use while preserving the option for returning to demo mode after a predetermined amount of time.  
         [0027]    In FIG. 4, the power is turned on at step  410 , and digital still camera  12  enters demo mode at step  412 . Once in demo mode, images are shown on display  332  in step  414 . If a button press is detected  416 , processor  320  clears a counter (not shown) and sets a flag at step  418  and then services the button press  420 . This allows the digital still camera  12  to act as if it had not entered demo mode if it is being handled by a customer. If there is no button press detected at step  416 , flag condition is tested at step  422 . If the flag is not set, the digital still camera  12  continues in demo mode. If the flag is set, the counter is incremented at step  424 . When the counter overflows at step  426 , the flag is cleared and digital still camera  12  will return to demo mode. If the counter has not overflowed, digital still camera  12  continues to wait for another button press by returning to step  416 .  
         [0028]    Power can be applied in different ways. When a standard connection to apply power to recharge the batteries  344  is detected such as connecting the AC/DC converter  345 , processor  320  can detect the application of power and default to demo mode. If the power is applied to the digital still camera  12  when there is no removable memory  16  present, the processor  320  can also use this distinction to determine if the digital still camera  12  should default to demo mode or wait for instructions from a user. Additionally, if a USB or other power-supplying computer interface cable  342  is applied, the digital still camera  12  may detect this condition and default to demo mode. In particular, if a non-standard cord is supplied that provides power but not data access, the digital still camera  12  can determine that USB power has been applied but there is no computer connection, and therefore default to demo mode. In any case, there must be a provision for defeating the standard digital still camera  12  time out when the unit is placed in demo mode.  
         [0029]    In addition, digital still camera  12  has the capability to detect power from either a digital still camera  12  dc-in or a dock dc-in and not cause any problems when two power sources are connected at the same time. Hence, one may be able to power the digital still camera  12  for a demo and still allow a consumer to place the digital still camera  12  in a dock at retail.  
         [0030]    If the demo images are provided on a removable memory card  16 , and the digital still camera  12  always defaults to demo mode when power is applied regardless of the presence or absence of a removable memory card  16 , the demo program will seek images on the removable memory card  16 . In this fashion, the demo mode will show sales images when in the retail location, and user-captured images after the user has acquired the digital still camera  12 . The processor  320  may seek out some special data on the removable memory to determine if demo mode is appropriate.  
         [0031]    The demo program and images may be downloaded to the digital still camera  12  from a removable memory card  16  as shown in FIG. 5. Digital still camera  12  is powered off in step  450 . Removable memory card  16  is inserted  452 , and digital still camera  12  is turned on  454 . File on removable memory card  16  is automatically copied to internal memory in step  456 . After the program and images are downloaded and digital still camera  12  is turned off in step  458 , the removable memory card  16  may be removed from the digital still camera  12  in step  460  and used to enable another digital still camera  12  to run the demo. The downloading of the program and images into non-removable memory may also occur on the basis of instruction by the clerk at the retail site. This may take the form of a sequence of button presses that instruct the digital still camera  12  to download the program and images. It is preferred that the digital still camera  12  automatically downloads the program and images from the removable memory card  16 . This is enabled by the digital still camera  12  identifying the data on the removable memory card  16  as the demo program and images, and then acting to download the data on the removable memory card  16 . There may be data on the removable memory card  16  that indicates to the digital still camera  12  that the demo program and/or images are on the removable memory card  16 .  
         [0032]    Similarly, the removable memory card  16  may contain multiple demo programs and multiple images for these demo programs. In this case it is advantageous for the digital still camera  12  to identify the demo appropriate to the digital still camera  12  and only download the appropriate demo program and/or images.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 6 shows how the demo mode can be enabled. In step  470 , the retail clerk presses and holds the flash on/off  333  and shutter buttons  331 . The digital still camera  12  is turned on while holding the buttons in step  472 . Finally, in step  474 , the clerk releases the buttons when it is seen that the digital still camera  12  has entered demo mode.  
         [0034]    If the images and data used for demo mode are contained on a removable memory card  16 , there may be an associated cost of incorporating it with the digital still camera  12  unless the removable memory card  16  is the one supplied with the digital still camera  12  for saving user images. If digital still camera  12  is supplied with an additional device for enabling the demo mode, this device may be of limited storage capacity and cost. It also may be non-volatile. In this case, there is no likelihood of a retail clerk or potential buyer accidentally erasing the demo images from the demo device. In the case of the demo images residing on volatile removable memory, the demo images must be protected from erasure by some sequence of events that only an owner of the digital still camera  12  would be able to access. An example of such a sequence of events would be downloading images to a host PC  322 . The processor  320  would only allow the demo images to be erased after the digital still camera  12  was connected to a computer running digital still camera  12 -associated software. Once connected to the computer, the digital still camera  12 -associated software could erase the special data enabling the demo, the demo images, or both. If the demo mode only runs when the special data is detected, the demo mode can be disabled entirely if this special data is erased. Conversely, if the user desires to enable the demo mode for display of manufacturer-provided demo images, user captured images, or help related screens, this can be enabled via the digital still camera  12 -associated software.  
         [0035]    The images for the demo need not require much memory space. Since the demo images are intended only for display on the digital still camera  12 , and the resolution of on-digital still camera  12  displays is usually quite limited, any higher resolution than that which is used for display on the digital still camera  12  would be wasted. For example, the resolution of the display on the Kodak LS420™ Digital still camera is 320 pixels by 240 pixels. However, the processor must be able to identify and display these lower resolution images at full resolution when in demo mode.  
         [0036]    The demo mode may be combined with a help function. The digital still camera  12  may always default to demo mode when not in use so that help screens can be accessed. The demo mode may merely scroll through screens intended to help the user operate the digital still camera  12 . There can be a basic demo in ROM which is augmented by data in rewritable memory in the digital still camera  12 . This method could also be used to upload instructional demos from the PC at the request of the consumer.  
         [0037]    It may be desired to enter demo mode without withdrawing the digital still camera  12  from its packaging. In FIG. 7 an opening  502  is provided in packaging  500  to allow access to allow application of a power cable (not shown) to power connector  504 . If the digital still camera  12  defaults to the demo mode when power is applied, then the application of power through the packaging  500  will cause the digital still camera  12  to enter demo mode without removal from packaging  500 . Of course, packaging  500  would also need to provide a second opening  506  to enable a view of the display  332 .  
         [0038]    If the demo is resident in digital still camera  12  firmware memory  328 , another means of making digital still camera  12  enter demo mode is to use digital still camera  12  to take a photo of a target  600  that indicates that the demo is to be executed. For example, if the retail clerk removes the digital still camera  12  from the packaging  500  for use as a demo unit, he may take a picture of the target  600  provided with the package or provided separately. The target  600  shown in FIG. 8 may be provided on the packaging on an unobtrusive surface such as the bottom of the box. The digital still camera  12  can analyze the image captured for certain content such as pattern  602  or barcodes  604  and  606  and enter demo mode if the target  600  is detected.  
         [0039]    If digital still camera  12  is on display at retail within docking station  14  as shown in FIG. 9, digital still camera  12  may detect a press on button  15  on docking station  14  and default to demo mode if there is no associated data transfer command received.  
         [0040]    The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications can be effected, by a person of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention.  
                                         PARTS LIST:                                12   digital still camera       14   docking station       15   button       16   removable memory card       302   flash       303   user controls       304   control processor and timing generator       306   clock drivers       308   auto exposure detector       312   lens       314   image sensor       316   ASP and A/D converter       318   DRAM Buffer Memory       320   processor       322   host pc       324   memory card interface       326   RAM memory       328   firmware memory       331   shutter button       332   image display       333   flash on/off button       342   host interface       344   batteries       345   AC/DC converter       346   power supply       402   text display       404   color background       406   images       410   operation step-Camera Power On       412   operation step-Enter Demo Mode       414   operation step-Display Demo Screens       416   decision step-Button press detected?       418   operation step-Clear counter, set flag       420   operation step-Service button press       422   decision step-Flag set?       424   operation step-Increment counter       426   decision step-Counter overflow?       428   operation step-Clear flag       450   operation step-Power off camera       452   operation step-Insert MMC card       454   operation step-Turn on camera       456   operation step-Copy file on MMC card       458   operation step-Turn camera off       460   operation step-Remove MMC card       470   operation step-Press and hold two buttons       472   operation step-Turn camera power on       474   operation step-Hold all buttons during power on       500   packaging       502   first opening       504   power connector       506   second opening       600   target       602   pattern       604   barcode       606   barcode