Eastman-kodak Company

Michael C Hopwood

Kenneth Alan Parulski

Joseph Ward

An electronic camera for capturing images that can be transferred to a service provider includes an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce corresponding digital images; and a memory for storing a plurality of digital images. The electronic camera further includes a display coupled to the memory for displaying at least one digital image from the plurality of stored digital images; and a user interface for scrolling through the plurality of digital images stored in the memory in order to display and select a particular digital image to be transferred to the service provider and to select a user, wherein the selected user is provided permission to view the particular digital image when the particular digital image is transferred to the service provider.

Electronic camera having an interface for selecting users permitted to view transferred images

An electronic still camera for capturing images to be transferred to at least one e-mail address is disclosed. The electronic still camera includes an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; and a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images. The electronic still camera also includes an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed and a plurality of e-mail addresses; a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a utilization file; and a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image. The electronic still camera further includes a user interface for selecting at least one e-mail address and for scrolling through the plurality of digital images stored on the removable memory card in order to display and select particular digital images to be transferred to the selected at least one e-mail address, wherein the utilization file includes the at least one selected e-mail address and the name of at least one digital image file to be transferred to the at least one selected e-mail address and the processor stores the utilization file on the removable memory card separate from the digital image files.

Capturing digital images to be transferred to an e-mail address

An electronic still camera for capturing images that can be transferred to a service provider for storage is disclosed. The electronic still camera includes an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images of scenes and for producing image signals representative of the corresponding scenes; an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the image signals to produce digital images; and a removable memory card for storing a plurality of digital image files corresponding to the digital images. The electronic still camera also includes an internal memory for storing at least one digital image to be displayed; a processor for controlling the transfer of the digital images from the removable memory card to the internal memory and for producing a utilization file; and a display coupled to the internal memory for displaying at least one digital image. The electronic still camera further includes a user interface for scrolling through the plurality of digital images stored on the removable memory card in order to display and select particular digital images to be transferred to the service provider, wherein the utilization file includes the name of at least one digital image file to be transferred to the service provider and the processor stores the utilization file on the removable memory card separate from the digital image files.

Capturing digital images to be transferred to a service provider for storage

An electronic printing system for printing images stored on a removable memory card. The electronic printing system includes a memory card interface for receiving the removable memory card, the removable memory card having stored thereon a plurality of digital image files and a print utilization file, wherein the print utilization file including the names of at least two digital image files stored on the removable memory card to be printed. The electronic printing system further includes a processor coupled to the memory card interface for reading the print utilization file stored on the removable memory card and the digital image files identified in the print utilization file; and a print engine coupled to the processor for producing prints of the at least two stored digital image files identified in the print utilization file.

Printing digital images using a print utilization file

A digital camera includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) for viewing images captured from an image sensor and stored on a removable memory card. The LCD also presents a user interface (UI) that allows the user to create a print order &ldquo;utilization file&rdquo;. As individual images are viewed, the user can decide how many (if any) prints to make of the image, the print size, and the, print quality (low cost ink jet versus high quality thermal prints, for example). The memory card can then be inserted in a home printer, walk-up kiosk, or dropped off/mailed to a photofinisher, or the camera itself can be connected to the printer or kiosk via a wired or wireless (e.g., IrDA) link. The print order can then be automatically produced without any additional user intervention.

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Michael C Hopwood