US 6,300,976 B1 · Digital image capturing device having an input/output interface through which the device is controlled

Abstract

A digital image capturing device which communicates through an input/output interface with an external processing device which monitors and/or controls the camera. The image capturing device communicates with the external device in order to output status information to the external device, receive commands from the external device and to transfer images and sound between the image capturing device and the external device. Various parameters describing the state of the image capturing device are transmitted to the external device including characteristics of the captured images, whether the flash is ready, the state of the device battery, whether the memory is full, or the parameters used when capturing images. The commands which can be sent from the external device to the image capturing device include commands to change any of the parameters of the image capturing device and a command to capture an image or a series of images, and whether or not sound is recorded.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A digital image capturing system, comprising

a digital image capturing device including:
a lens;
an electronic image pick-up which receives images through the lens;
a processor;
a communication interface, connected to the processor, which transfers information into and out of the digital image capturing device,
a detachably connected input/output interface including:
a connector which detachably connects to the communication interface of the digital image capturing device;
and
a connector which connects to a processing device which is external to the digital image capturing device,
wherein:
the communication interface of the digital image capturing device receives commands for controlling an operation of the digital image capturing device from the processing device and the processor of the digital image capturing device controls the digital image capturing device in accordance with the received commands,
the communication interface of the digital image capturing device transmits parameters describing a state of the digital image capturing device to the processing device, and
the detachably connected input/output interface further includes:
a memory for storing a control program for controlling communication between the digital image capturing device and the processing device.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Digital image capturing device having an input/output interface through which the device is controlled

Life of this patent

Digital image capturing device having an input/output interface through which the device is controlled

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19