System and method for effectively implementing an electronic image hub device

A system for managing content information, comprising:

• a camera device configured to capture said content information;
• and
• an image hub configured to transfer said content information from said camera device to a data destination from which a system user selectively accesses said content information, said camera device having a transfer capability to transfer said content information only to said image hub, said system user connecting said camera device to said image hub, a download manager in said image hub responsively detecting a content-information download event, said download manager accessing and transferring said content information from said camera device to said image hub in response to detecting said content-information download event, an application software program in said image hub determining one or more appropriate image management functions for handling said content information, said one or more appropriate image management functions including a data routing function performed by an upload manager in said image hub for transferring said content information from said image hub to said data destination, said upload manager performing said data routing function using at least one of a wireless communications data transfer and a hard-wired network data transfer, said data routing function being selected from recognizing and routing said content information based upon a camera identification parameter that is programmed into said camera device and detected by said upload manager, marking said content information with an image identifier tag that is recognized and utilized by either said image hub or said data destination to subsequently provide said content information to said system user, routing said content information to said data destination based upon a hub identifier value corresponding to said image hub, and routing said content information to said data destination based upon destination information entered into said image hub by said system user or by a system operator.

A method for managing content information, comprising the steps of:

• capturing said content information with a peripheral device;
• utilizing an image hub to transfer said content information from said peripheral device to a data destination, said peripheral device having a transfer capability to transfer said content information only to said image hub;
• and
• accessing said content information from said data destination by a system user, said peripheral device being implemented as a low-cost digital camera with minimal local memory and limited processing capabilities, said image hub providing a sole power source for recharging a power supply in said peripheral device, said image hub also providing a sole transfer means for downloading said content information from said peripheral device.

A method for managing content information, comprising the steps of:

• capturing said content information with a camera device;
• utilizing an image hub to transfer said content information from said camera device to a data destination, said camera device having a transfer capability to transfer said content information only to said image hub;
• and
• accessing said content information from said data destination by a system user, said system user connecting said camera device to said image hub, a download manager in said image hub responsively detecting a content-information download event, said download manager accessing and transferring said content information from said camera device to said image hub in response to detecting said content-information download event, an application software program in said image hub determining one or more appropriate image management functions for handling said content information said one or more appropriate image management functions including a data routing function performed by an upload manager in said image hub for transferring said content information from said image hub to said data destination, said upload manager performing said data routing function using at least one of a wireless communications data transfer and a hard-wired network data transfer, said data routing function being selected from recognizing and routing said content information based upon a camera identification parameter that is programmed into said camera device and detected by said upload manager, marking said content information with an image identifier tag that is recognized and utilized by either said image hub or said data destination to subsequently provide said content information to said system user, routing said content information to said data destination based upon a hub identifier value corresponding to said image hub, and routing said content information to said data destination based upon destination information entered into said image hub by said system user or by a system operator.