US 2008/0176547 A1 · METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMAGE DISTRIBUTION USING A CELLULAR PHONE

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the distribution, including printing, of digital images using a wireless enhanced, digital imaging device, such as a cellular phone equipped with a digital camera. A picture created using the digital camera is uploaded to a remote server. Arrival of the digital image, activates the automatic printing and automatic delivery of that image, according to instructions placed on the server by the creator of the digital image, prior to its creation. Information attached to the digital image may be used to route and process the uploaded image, in accordance with a set of predetermined user preferences. The single action of sending a digital image to a web address from a cellular phone may cause the image to be stored, printed and delivered as a print to an address, with the printing and mail delivery being automatically charged to an account or credit card.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of automatically printing digital images, comprising the steps of:

creating, by a user, at least one digital image using a digital imaging device;
uploading, by said user, said at least one digital image from said digital imaging device via a wireless link to a server remote to said digital imaging device;
and
automatically printing said at least one digital image responsive to at least one instruction stored via a web-site on said server by said user prior to said creating said digital image.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

11/949,918Filed 4 Dec 2007

Priority

15 Aug 2003

Published

24 Jul 2008

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

H04M 3/4228
Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers: in networks
H04M 1/72403
User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones: with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
H04N 1/00307
With a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call…
H04N 1/0097
Input arrangements for operating instructions or parameters, e.g. updating internal software: storage of instructions or parameters, e.g.…

Family

Application10/468,323Continuation in part · filed 15 Aug 2003

Application60/574,796Us provisional application · filed 27 May 2004

Application11/139,948Continuation in part · filed 27 May 2005

Application11/139,946Continuation in part · filed 31 May 2005

Application11/949,918Continuation in part

US 2004/0100641 A1Published application

US 2005/0266839 A1Published application

US 7,305,233 B2Related patent

US 2008/0176547 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Method and apparatus for image distribution using a cellular phone

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for image distribution using a cellular phone

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20