Abstract: A method for editing media objects in a capture device having a display is provided. The method displays a representation of each media object, where each media object has a plurality of media types associated therewith. The plurality of media types includes at least two of a still image, a sequential image, and a video clip. The method enables selection of a media object to edit and invokes a plurality of edit screens for editing the plurality of media types. In each one of the plurality of edit screens, a representation of the media object's content and items to be applied to the media object are displayed. Each one of the plurality of the edit screens invokes soft keys to ease use and operation of the capture device and facilitate creation of multimedia presentations on the capture device.

Abstract: A device and method are provided that retrieves a plurality of thumbnails corresponding to a plurality of images captured by the digital camera and rotates each thumbnail of the plurality of thumbnails into an upright position. The method and device also crops each thumbnail of the plurality of thumbnails to a uniform size which is an overlap of a portrait and landscape image and displays each thumbnail of the plurality of thumbnails having the uniform size such that the plurality of thumbnails has a uniform appearance while the digital camera is in a review mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for editing heterogeneous media objects in a digital imaging device having a display screen, where each one of the media objects has one or more media types associated therewith, such as a still image, a sequential image, video, audio, and text. The method aspect of the present invention begins by displaying a representation of each one of the media objects on the display screen to allow a user to randomly select a particular media object to edit. In response to a user pressing a key to edit a selected media object, one or more specialized edit screens is invoked for editing the media types associated with the selected media object. If the media object includes a still or a sequential image, then an image editing screen is invoked. If the media object includes a video clip, then a video editing screen is invoked. If the media object includes an audio clip, then an audio editing screen is invoked. And if the media object includes a text clip, then a text editing screen is invoked.

Abstract: A method and system for correcting the aspect ratio of an image captured by a digital camera is disclosed. In one aspect, the method and system include determining if the image requires cropping, decompressing the image, and cropping the image if the image required cropping. The image is then provided to a display. In another aspect, the method and system include cropping an image to a predetermined shape and providing the data to a display buffer.

Abstract: A method and system for providing instant review of a last image in an image capture device is disclosed. The image capture device includes a viewfinder for displaying a live image and each image of a plurality of previously captured images. The method and system include selecting instant review of the last image captured by the image capture device, determining the status and location of the last image, and providing the last image to the viewfinder for display. Therefore, the image capture device is capable of displaying the last image substantially immediately after the last image has been captured. In another aspect, the image capture device contains an image processing system. In this aspect, the method and system include allowing a user to access a play mode and a review mode while the last image captured undergoes processing by the image processing system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for editing heterogeneous media objects in a digital imaging device having a display screen, where each one of the media objects has one or more media types associated therewith, such as a still image, a sequential image, video, audio, and text. The method aspect of the present invention begins by displaying a representation of each one of the media objects on the display screen to allow a user to randomly select a particular media object to edit. In response to a user pressing a key to edit a selected media object, one or more specialized edit screens is invoked for editing the media types associated with the selected media object. If the media object includes a still or a sequential image, then an image editing screen is invoked. If the media object includes a video clip, then a video editing screen is invoked. If the media object includes an audio clip, then an audio editing screen is invoked. And If the media object includes a text clip, then a text editing screen is invoked.

Abstract: An image processing system for high performance digital imaging in a digital camera. The reflected light from an image is focused through a lens and optically filtered. A CCD array converts this image into an electrical signal. This electrical signal is processed and then converted into an equivalent digital signal. A digital signal processor is then used to process the raw digital signal. The DSP includes a capture data path, a data flow control, an image processing data path, a compression/decompression engine, a resize circuit, a display processing circuit, and a rotation circuit. Data is routed between the DSP and memory via a bus. By selectively activating and reusing certain parts of the hardware architecture and various data paths, at least four modes of operation can be supported: live view, instant review, and play mode.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for accessing and managing information, or metadata, describing content residing on a number of agent devices. In general, the system includes a central node and a number of agent devices communicatively coupled by a network. In operation, the central node communicates with the agent devices to obtain content information describing content stored at the agent devices and optionally the locations of the agent devices from the agent devices. The content information and optionally the locations of the agent devices are stored in a database associated with the central node. Thereafter, the central node enables requesting nodes such as the agent devices to access the database. For example, the agent devices may communicate with the central node to obtain the content information for one or more known agent devices or to query the database to find agent devices having content information and optionally locations that satisfy specified criteria.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling access to digital assets in an online media sharing system based on keywords are provided. In general, each digital asset is tagged with a number of keywords. The owner of the digital assets defines a guest list including a number of guests. For each guest, the owner defines permissions controlling the guest's access to the digital assets based on keywords. Thereafter, when a request to view the digital assets is received from a guest node associated with one of the guests, the digital assets that the guest is permitted to view are identified based on the permissions assigned to the guest and provided to the guest at the guest node.

Abstract: A collaborative location keyword registry service for suggesting keywords for tagging a digital image is provided. The location keyword registry service is implemented on a network-connected server. A plurality of users interact with the location keyword registry service to vote for keywords in a list of keywords for each of a number of locations, add keywords to the list of keywords for each of the locations, and optionally contest keywords in the list of keywords for each of the locations. As a result, the location keyword registry service maintains a list of keywords for each of the locations. When a user desires to receive suggested keywords for a digital image, a request including positional information is sent from a requesting node, such as a digital camera or personal computer, to the location keyword registry service via a network. In response, the location keyword registry service provides suggested keywords.

Abstract: A system and method for suggesting keywords for tagging a digital image are provided. In general, a requesting node is communicatively coupled to a keyword service via a network. The requesting node sends a request to the keyword service requesting suggested keywords for a digital image. The request includes information relating to the digital image such as positional information. Based on the information, the keyword service generates a list of suggested keywords and provides the list of suggested keywords to the requesting node. At the requesting node, the list of suggested keywords is displayed to a user, and the user selects one or more of the suggested keywords for tagging the digital image.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling content played by a number of media devices. In general, the system includes a mobile device and the number of media devices. The mobile device includes a wireless communication interface for communicating with the media devices, a media database, and a control system including a media client. When the mobile device enters a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) associated with a media device, the media client obtains information describing the content residing at the media device and stores the information in the media database at the mobile device. Thereafter, when the mobile device is within the WPAN associated with the media device, the media database is used to select content to be played at the media device.

Abstract: A method and system for viewing images from an image capture device on a host computer. The method and system include establishing communication between the image capture device and the host computer, and mounting the image capture device as a disk on the host computer. The method and system further include automatically generating an Internet page description file in the image capture device that references the images stored therein, and accessing the Internet page description file through a standard web browser on the host computer. The user may then view the images stored in image capture device on the host computer through the web browser.

Abstract: A method for capturing an image using an image capture device is disclosed. The image is capable of including a plurality of objects. Each of the plurality of objects is a corresponding distance from the imaging device. The image is associated with a focus zone. The method and system include determining if the image matches at least one criterion and determining whether at least one of the plurality of objects is out of focus if the image matches the at least one criterion. The method and system further include shifting the focus zone so that the at least one object is out of focus if at least one of the plurality of subjects is not out of focus.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically generating names for files uploaded from a computer to a server is disclosed. Aspects of the present invention include allowing a user to define a file-naming template using information available from a variety of sources including, the uploaded files, an application environment of the server, and an operating environment of the computer. Names are then automatically generated for each file when files are uploaded based on the template pattern.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a network-based photosharing service is disclosed. The photosharing service includes a central photosharing site having a server, and a plurality of peer nodes each containing digital images. The method and system include associating metadata with each image that is to be shared. The metadata is standardized data indicating at least the position where the image was created. Preferably the data is GPS data, but can be from other sources, and is standardized. Storage of the images is maintained on the respective peer nodes. In response to the peer server receiving search criteria based on the metadata submitted from a first one of the peer nodes, the peer server returns a list of image locators for images matching the search criteria to the first peer node. The images are returned in order of accuracy of the position information data source. There is also disclosed a method and system implemented on a single computer.

Abstract: A system and method for sharing digital images over a network, such as the Internet, wherein the first person desires to send images from a first computer to a second person having a second computer that includes a standard email program. The system and method include sending an email request with the images and an address of the second user from the first computer to a server. In response to receiving the email request, the images are stored on the server, and the server creates a standard email message from the email request. The method and system further include inserting at least one link to the stored images into the email message, and transmitting the email message over the network for delivery to the second user. The second user may then receive and open the email message on the second computer using the standard email program and click on the at least one link to display the images.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for the creation and use of simple and complex templates. The system includes providing the template where the template contains a plurality of tags, and then applying the template to the image based on the tags. The plurality of tags provide instructions for the application of a plurality of plane files to be applied to the image. The method and system in accordance with the present invention automates the process of applying templates to images which reduces the required amount of user time for the interface. Its use of tags to store the template requires less storage space. The method and system in accordance with the present invention thus saves the user considerable time and effort in applying templates. It also require less processing time over manual template creation methods.

Abstract: An intelligent flash system for a digital camera having components including an image optical pickup, an interface circuit, a flash unit and a processor. Upon activation of the camera, ambient lighting conditions are evaluated and if flash energy is required, a first low energy pre-flash is radiated, the reflected light received by the optical pickup having a multiplicity of pixels, and the output of the pixels converted to image intensity data by the interface circuit. The processor samples the image intensity data, weighing the center image area more heavily, and creates a histogram plot of quantity of pixels v.s. intensity, and separates the plot into a bar graph from which a determination of exposure is obtained. The histogram is then used to calculate a multiplicative scaling factor used to multiply the first flash energy to an estimate of a flash energy for correct exposure. Conditions of extreme over and under exposure result in the activation of a second flash at an adjusted energy level.

Abstract: A method and system for accelerating a user interface on a display of an image capture unit is disclosed. The image capture unit includes a plurality of image files for providing a plurality of images, each image file includes a high resolution image therein. The image capture unit includes controls for allowing an image to be viewed on the display and for allowing navigation between the plurality of images. The method and system in accordance with the present invention comprises providing a lower resolution image within each image file, the lower resolution image being associated with the high resolution image within a particular image file, wherein both the lower and higher resolution images are substantially display-sized; allowing the lower resolution image to be viewed on the display; and replacing display of the lower resolution images with the high resolution image if the user has not navigated to another image.