Automatically configuring a web-enabled digital camera to access the internet

A system for automatically establishing a user account and for configuring a hand-held image capture device, which includes a digital camera for accessing a website on a public network using the user account, comprising:

• means for establishing a connection to a server, the server being responsible for establishing and maintaining user accounts;
• means for automatically sending image capture device information uniquely identifying at least one of the image capture device and a user of the image capture device to the server so that the server can partially set up a user account for accessing a website on a public network based on the image capture device information;
• and
• means for receiving user account information associated with the partially set-up user account from the server;
• and
• means for storing the user account information on the image capture device, wherein the user does not have to enter the stored account information to establish a connection with the public network or to establish the user account a next time the image capture device accesses the server.

A method for automatically establishing a user account and for configuring a digital camera to access a website on a public network using the user account, the digital camera including captured images and communication means for accessing the public network, the method comprising:

• storing default ISP information on the digital camera;
• in response to a request to upload images to a website on a public network, establishing communication with the default ISP using the stored default ISP information;
• establishing communication with a server responsible for establishing and maintaining user accounts and automatically sending digital camera information uniquely identifying at least one of the digital camera and a user of the digital camera to the server;
• receiving user account information from the server that identifies a user account partially set up by the server for accessing the website based on the digital camera information;
• storing the user account information on the digital camera;
• and
• uploading images to the server for association with the user account, wherein the user does not have to enter the stored account information to establish a connection with the public network or to establish the user account to upload the images to the server.

A system for automatically establishing a user account and for configuring a digital camera for accessing a website on a public network using the user account, the digital camera including images captured by user and communication means for wirelessly accessing the public network, the system comprising the steps of:

• means for storing default ISP information on the digital camera;
• means establishing communication with the default ISP using the stored default ISP information in response to a request to upload images to a website on a public network;
• means for establishing communication with a server responsible for establishing and maintaining user accounts and automatically sending digital camera information uniquely identifying at least one of the digital camera and a user of the digital camera to the server website;
• means for receiving user account information from the server that identifies a user account partially set up by the server for accessing the website based on the digital camera information;
• means for storing the user account information on the digital camera;
• and
• means for uploading images to the server for association with the user account, wherein the user does not have to enter account information to establish a connection with the public network or to establish the user account to upload the images to the server.

A method for automatically establishing a user account and for configuring a hand-held image capture device, which includes a digital camera, for accessing a website on a public network using the user account, the method comprising:

• establishing a connection to an image capture device by a server responsible for establishing and maintaining user accounts;
• receiving, from the image capture device by the server, image capture device information uniquely identifying at least one of the image capture device and a user of the image capture device;
• partially setting up a user account for accessing a website on a public network based on the image capture device information;
• and
• sending user account information associated with the partially set-up user account from the server to the image capture device, wherein the user does not have to enter the sent account information to establish a connection with the public network or to establish the user account a next time the image capture device connects to the server.