Image capture device with multiple protocol wireless transmission

A method for wirelessly transmitting a captured image to a receiving device, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an image capture device including an image capture portion and a wireless communications portion programmed with at least first and second different image transfer protocols for communicating a captured image to a receiving device;
• (b) capturing an image with said image capture portion;
• (c) attempting to contact said receiving device using said first image transfer protocol;
• (d) attempting to contact said receiving device using said second image transfer protocol, if communication is not established in (d);
• (e) transferring said image to the image receiving device in one of said first and said second image transfer protocol if communication is established in one of (c) and (d).

A digital camera, comprising:

• an image capture portion for acquiring and storing at least one image;
• a communications portion for receiving said image from said image capture portion, said communications portion including an Ir communication transmitter for wirelessly communicating said image in a first infrared wireless protocol and in a second infrared wireless protocol different from said first wireless protocol;
• a user interface to permit a user to select the wireless transmission option to initiate a wireless image transfer operation;
• wherein said communications portion is programmed to first attempt to communicate wirelessly with the at least one image receiving device in said first infrared wireless protocol upon an instruction from said user interface, and
• wherein if said first attempt is unsuccessful, said communications portion attempts to communicate wirelessly with the at least one image receiving device using said second infrared wireless protocol.