Patent Document

BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    This invention relates to data storage and, in particular, to an image storage device.  
           [0002]    A digital camera captures photographs and generates photographic image data which is typically stored on a removable flash memory component in the camera. However, conventional flash memory components are limited in the amount of photographic image data (e.g., photographs) that can be stored at any one time. An individual on vacation, for example, can only obtain a limited number of photographs because of the flash memory component storage limitations.  
           [0003]    To obtain additional photographs after utilizing the full capacity of the flash memory component in the camera, an individual can purchase additional flash memory components which are expensive, or copy the photographic image data from the camera to a laptop computer. However, an individual may not desire to carry around a laptop computer while on vacation or while taking photographs. Further, the memory in a laptop computer is susceptible to shock and/or the elements which may result in lost data and lost photographs. Computers that are implemented to store photographs also typically require additional photo-editing and managing software.  
           [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for an improved image storage device, such as for the storage of photographic image data.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    An image storage device includes a first memory system configured to read images from a first image storage medium. The storage device includes a second memory system configured to write the images to a second image storage medium. The device makes use of an application configured to detect at least one of the first image storage medium and the second image storage medium and to initiate the first memory system to read one or more images from the first image storage medium. The application also initiates the second memory system to write the one or more images to the second image storage medium if both the first image storage medium and the second image storage medium are detected. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 illustrates various components of an exemplary image storage device.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary implementation of a photograph storage appliance implemented with various components of the image storage device shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary implementation of an electronic photograph album implemented with various components of the image storage device shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram that illustrates a method for an image storage device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]    An image storage device is described in one implementation as a photograph storage appliance that copies photographic image data from a first image storage medium, such as a flash memory, to a second image storage medium, such as a rewriteable compact disc or other removable disc format. The photographic image data is generated with a digital camera or a combination still photo and video camera, for example, and maintained with a flash memory component in the camera. When the flash memory is removed from the camera and installed into the photograph storage appliance, the photographic image data is copied to the removable disc for storage and safekeeping.  
         [0012]    In another image storage device implementation, an electronic photograph album includes an integrated display device to display photographs corresponding to the photographic image data. A flash memory and/or removable disc is installed into the electronic photograph album and the photographic image data is rendered on the display device as one or more photographs. The photographs can be viewed, edited, deleted, selected for copy, and/or communicated to a printing device.  
         [0013]    An image storage device, such as the photograph storage appliance and the electronic photograph album, provides that photographs obtained with a digital camera are quickly and easily archived from a flash memory component to readily portable and inexpensive recordable and/or rewriteable compact disc media, or to another removable disc format. For example, a rewriteable compact disc (CD-RW) can maintain 650 MB to 700 MB of data, whereas flash memory components are designed to maintain only 64 MB or 128 MB of data, and are significantly more expensive than CD-RWs. Further, the photographs can be wirelessly communicated from the image storage device to a printing device, and can be viewed, edited, and managed with the electronic photograph album having an integrated display device.  
       Exemplary Image Storage Devices  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 illustrates various components of an exemplary image storage device  100  that is an appliance device in which image storage can be implemented. Image storage device  100  includes components to facilitate copying and storing photographic images from one memory system to another to maintain, or archive, the photographic images.  
         [0015]    Image storage device  100  includes a processor  102  (e.g., a microprocessor) and a memory component  104 , such as a flash memory device, read-only memory (ROM), or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (ROM). Processor  102  processes various instructions to control the operation of image storage device  100  and to communicate with other electronic and computing devices. The memory component  104  maintains an operating system  106  and an application program  108 .  
         [0016]    The operating system  106  can be implemented as an embedded operating system and executed on processor  102  to provide a runtime environment for the image storage device  100 . A runtime environment facilitates extensibility of the image storage device  100  by allowing various interfaces to be defined that, in turn, allow application program  108  to interact with image storage device  100 . In an example implementation, operating system  106  can be implemented with a Linux operating system designed for the image storage device  100 . For an appliance device such as image storage device  100 , a Linux operating system offers PC file system support with a reduced amount of program code.  
         [0017]    The application program  108  can be executed on processor  102  and implemented as a software component configured to perform several functions of the image storage device  100 . Although application program  108  is illustrated and described as a single application configured to perform several functions, the application program  108  can be implemented as several component applications distributed to each perform one or more functions in the image storage device  100  and/or in an image storage system.  
         [0018]    Image storage device  100  may also include a random access memory (RAM)  110  for data and information storage. Image storage device may also include a firmware component (not shown) that is implemented as a permanent memory module stored on memory component  104 , implemented as a component of processor  102 , or implemented with other components in image storage device  100 . Although shown separately, some of the components of image storage device  100  may be implemented in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Additionally, a system bus (not shown) typically connects the various components within image storage device  100 .  
         [0019]    Image storage device  100  also optionally includes a network interface  112  and/or a communication interface  114 . Network interface  112  provides a connection between image storage device  100  and a network, such as an intranet or the Internet. Network interface  112  allows for updating operating system  106  and/or application program  108  with update information received from a data provider connected to the network.  
         [0020]    Communication interface  114  can be implemented as a serial and/or parallel interface, as a universal serial bus (USB) interface, as a wireless interface, and/or as any other type of communication interface. A wireless interface enables image storage device  100  to wirelessly communicate image data to a printing device, for example, over an infrared (IR), 802.11, Bluetooth, or similar RF communication link. A serial and/or parallel interface enables image storage device  100  to interact and communicate with other electronic and computing devices via various communication links, and can provide a data communication path directly between image storage device  100  and a printing device.  
         [0021]    Image storage device  100  may also include a display device  116  to display images, such as photographs or photographic images, for example. Display device  116  can be implemented as a graphical display that provides information regarding the status of image storage device  100  and the current options available to a user through a menu structure. Display device  116  can also be implemented as an integrated touch-screen display.  
         [0022]    Image storage device  100  includes one or more selectable controls  118  and one or more device indicators  120 . The selectable controls  118  and device indicators  120  can include push-buttons, switches, status indicators, and/or other selectable controls that can be manipulated by a user of the image storage device  100 . Although not shown, image storage device can include an internal battery to power the components and operation of the image storage device and/or may include an external plug-in transformer and power supply.  
         [0023]    Image storage device  100  also includes a removable disc memory system  122  and a flash memory system  124 . Removable disc memory system  122  can be implemented as a recordable compact disc system drive (CD-R) and/or as a rewriteable compact disc system drive (CD-RW) that writes image data to a compact disc  126  and reads image data from compact disc  126 . Additionally, removable disc memory system  122  can be implemented with other removable disc media standards such as a digital versatile disc (DVD), a DVD−R, a DVD−R/W, a DVD+R/W, a DVD−RAM, or any number of other media standards, formats, and density capacities. Flash memory system  124  can be implemented with a flash memory reader to read image data from a flash memory  128 , such as a flash memory card, a flash memory stick, and similar flash memory components. In the implementations described herein, flash memory  128  maintains photographic image data obtained with a digital camera which is copied to a removable disc  126  for storage and/or for archive purposes.  
         [0024]    General reference is made herein to image storage device  100  and, although specific examples refer to a photograph storage appliance and an electronic photograph album having particular functionalities, such examples are not meant to limit the scope of the claims or the description, but are meant to provide a specific understanding of the described implementations. Furthermore, the described components of image storage device  100  and the appliance devices are merely exemplary, and are not intended to limit application of the claimed subject matter to devices that include only these components. Accordingly, other devices having components different from and/or in addition to those described herein can be used in implementing the described techniques and systems.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary photograph storage appliance  200  which includes one or more of the components of the exemplary image storage device  100  (FIG. 1). Photograph storage appliance  200  includes the removable disc memory system  122  and the flash memory system  124 . A universal flash memory connector  202  accommodates various flash memory components to interface the flash memory system  124  with flash memory  128 .  
         [0026]    Photograph storage appliance  200  includes a copy selectable control  204  with an associated copy indicator  206 , and includes a print selectable control  208  with an associated print indicator  210 . When a user selects the copy selectable control  204 , photographic image data captured with a digital camera and maintained with flash memory  128  is copied from the flash memory  128  to removable disc  126  for storage. The associated copy indicator  206  illuminates to indicate that the photographic image data is being copied and/or has been copied from the flash memory  128  to the removable disc  126 .  
         [0027]    When a user selects the print selectable control  208 , the photographic image data maintained with flash memory  128  is communicated from the photograph storage appliance  200  to printing device  212  via communication interface  114 . Alternatively, print selectable control  208  can initiate communicating photographic image data maintained with removable disc  126  from the photograph storage appliance  200  to printing device  212 . In this example, the photographic image data is wirelessly communicated to printing device  212  via a wireless communication interface  114 . The associated print indicator  210  illuminates to indicate that the photographic image data is being communicated to the printing device  212 .  
         [0028]    Although not shown, photograph storage appliance  200  may also include any number of other selectable controls, such as a delete selectable control to initiate deleting photographic image data from the flash memory  128  and/or the compact disc  126 . Additionally, photograph storage appliance  200  may include a system update selectable control to initiate updating the embedded operating system  106  (FIG. 1) and/or application program  108  with update information received from a network  214  via network interface  112 . The photograph storage appliance  200  and printing device  212  can also include network communication cards that facilitate communication and photographic image data transfer via network interface  112  and communication interface  114 .  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary electronic photograph album  300  which includes one or more of the components of the exemplary image storage device  100  (FIG. 1). Electronic photograph album  300  includes the removable disc memory system  122  (not shown) to read photographic image data from removable disc  126  and write photographic image data to removable disc  126 . Electronic photograph album  300  also includes the flash memory system  124  (not shown) to read photographic image data from flash memory  128 .  
         [0030]    The electronic photograph album  300  has an integrated display device  302  that displays photographs, or photographic images generated for display from photographic image data stored on removable disc  126  and/or flash memory  128 . The display device  302  also renders a menu  304  of selectable controls  306  through  314 . A selectable menu control  316  initiates displaying the menu  304  on display device  302  and/or scrolling through selectable controls  306  through  314 . A select control  318  can be selected to choose one of the selectable controls  306  through  314 .  
         [0031]    A selectable copy control  306  can be selected with the select control  318  to initiate copying photographic image data maintained with flash memory  128  to removable disc  126  for storage. A selectable delete control  308  initiates deleting photographic image data from flash memory  128  and/or removable disc  126 , such as a rewriteable compact disc. A selectable print control  310  initiates that photographic image data maintained with flash memory  128  and/or compact disc  126  is communicated from the electronic photograph album  300  to a printing device. A selectable view control  312  initiates displaying a photograph represented by photographic image data on display device  302 . A selectable next control  320  and a selectable back control  322  are selected to display a next photograph on display device  302  or display a previous photograph, respectively. A selectable slideshow control  314  initiates a consecutive display of photographs on display device  302 .  
         [0032]    The display device  302  can also be implemented as a touch-screen display and the selectable controls  306  through  314  can alternatively be selected with a pointing device  324 . In addition, any number of other selectable controls may be included in menu  304  and/or any other combination of selectable controls  306  through  314  can be implemented as menu  304 .  
         [0033]    Electronic photograph album  300  includes processor  102  and application program  108  (as depicted in FIG. 1) which is executed on the processor to perform operations and functions of the electronic photograph album. For example, application program  108  can be implemented to detect the installation of flash memory  128 , recognize that removable disc  126  is installed, and initiate copying photographic image data from the flash memory  128  to the removable disc  126 . Alternatively, or in addition, application program  108  can detect or recognize that only flash memory  128  or a removable disc  126  is installed in the electronic photograph album  300  and initiate displaying one or more photographs on display device  302 . Although not shown, electronic photograph album  300  may include an on/off selectable control that, when selected, initiates application program  108  to detect the photographic image memory devices and copy and/or display corresponding photographs.  
       Methods for an Image Storage Device  
       [0034]    Methods for an image storage device may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions located in computer storage media, including memory storage devices. Generally, computer-executable instructions include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like that perform particular functions or implement particular abstract data types.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 4 illustrates a method  400  for an image storage device. The order in which the method is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks can be combined in any order to implement the method. Furthermore, the method can be implemented in any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof.  
         [0036]    At block  402 , the installation of a first image storage medium is recognized. For example, application program  108  (FIG. 1) recognizes, or otherwise detects, that flash memory  128  is installed into image storage device  100  (or into either of the photograph storage appliance  200  and electronic photograph album  300 ). Additionally, application program  108  can be implemented to recognize when removable disc  126  is installed into image storage device  100 .  
         [0037]    At block  404 , photographic image data is read from the first image storage medium when the installation of the first image storage medium is recognized. For example, application program  108  initiates that flash memory system  124  read photographic image data from flash memory  128 . Additionally, application program  108  can be implemented to initiate that removable disc memory system  122  read photographic image data from removable disc  126 .  
         [0038]    At block  406 , a view control selection is received to initiate displaying the photographic image data on an integrated display device, and at block  408 , the photographic image data is displayed on the display device. For example, selectable view control  312  (FIG. 3) is selected with select control  318  or with pointing device  324  and one or more photographs represented by the photographic image data maintained with flash memory  128  or removable disc  126  are displayed on display device  302 .  
         [0039]    At block  410 , a delete control selection is received to initiate deleting photographic image data representing a photograph from the first image storage medium, and at block  412 , the photographic image data corresponding to the identified photograph is deleted. For example, selectable delete control  308  (FIG. 3) is selected with select control  318  or with pointing device  324  to identify a photograph that will be deleted from the flash memory  128  or removable disc  126  and/or to identify a photograph that will not be copied from the flash memory  128  to the removable disc  126 .  
         [0040]    At block  414 , a copy control selection is received to initiate copying a photograph represented by the photographic image data from the first image storage medium to a second image storage medium. At block  416 , the photographic image data is copied from the first image storage medium to the second image storage medium. For example, selectable copy control  306  (FIG. 3) is selected with select control  318  or with pointing device  324  to initiate copying the photographic image data representing one or more photographs from flash memory  128  to removable disc  126 .  
         [0041]    Alternatively, selectable copy control  204  (FIG. 2) is selected to initiate copying the photographic image data with the components of photograph storage appliance  200 . Copying the photographic image data to removable disc  126  includes writing the photographic image data to a digital versatile disc or to a recordable or rewriteable compact disc. Copying the photographic image data may also include reading the photographic image data from flash memory  128  and writing the photographic image data to RAM  110  (FIG. 1), or to another memory component of image storage device  100  (or either of the photograph storage appliance  200  and electronic photograph album  300 ).  
         [0042]    At block  418 , it is indicated that the photographic image data has been copied from the first image storage medium to the second image storage medium. For example, copy indicator  206  (FIG. 2) illuminates to indicate that the photographic image data is being copied and/or has been copied from flash memory  128  to removable disc  126 . Although not shown, a copy indication may also be rendered on display device  302  (FIG. 3) to indicate copying photographic image data with electronic photograph album  300 . For example, the selectable copy control  306  may be hi-lighted with shading, a color, a border, or similar discernable indication that the photographic image data is being copied and/or has been copied.  
         [0043]    At block  420 , a print control selection is received to initiate communicating the photographic image data to a printing device, and at block  422 , the photographic image data is communicated to the printing device. For example, selectable print control  310  (FIG. 3) is selected with select control  318  or with pointing device  324  to initiate communicating photographic image data to a printing device. Alternatively, selectable print control  208  (FIG. 2) is selected to initiate communicating photographic image data from photograph storage appliance  200  to printing device  212  via communication interface  114 . Communicating the photographic image data to a printing device includes wirelessly communicating the photographic image data to the printing device.  
         [0044]    At block  424 , it is indicated that the photographic image data has been communicated to a printing device. For example, print indicator  210  (FIG. 2) illuminates to indicate that the photographic image data is being communicated to printing device  212 . Although not shown, a print indication may also be rendered on display device  302  (FIG. 3) to indicate communicating the photographic image data from electronic photograph album  300  to a printing device. For example, the selectable print control  310  may be hi-lighted with shading, a color, a border, or similar discernable indication that the photographic image data is being communicated and/or has been communicated to a printing device.  
       Conclusion  
       [0045]    Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methods, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention.

Technology Category: 5