Abstract: The invention relates to a device, preferably a digital camera, having an imaging sensor providing a digital representation of an image projected onto an imaging portion of the imaging sensor. A processor associated with the device identifies an image compression factor and progressively, over a selected region of the digital representation of the image, magnifies at least a portion of the digital representation of the image to reduce an apparent convergence distortion. Correction preferably occurs before lossy compression. The device preferably includes a display to provide a visual display of the digital representation of the image to a user who may use a user input to manually correct apparent distortion by following prompts generated on the display. The device also preferably includes a non-volatile memory configured to store the digital representation of the image.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus that enable heterogeneous application programs to be consistently launched, regardless of the execution methods used to launch the application programs. The present invention comprises a memory device and logic, which is configured to execute a common launch program upon determining that an application has been invoked. For each application that utilizes the present invention, a key, a current working directory (CWD), and command information associated with the application are stored in the memory device. When the logic determines that an application program has been invoked, the logic uses identity information relating to the application to locate the key, the command information and the CWD associated with the application and uses the located command information and CWD to launch said particular application.

Abstract: A portable handheld device, such as a camera, is provided. The device comprises a functional unit and an associated electronic control system. The control system includes a flat panel display for providing a visual display used to control the functional unit. The electronic control system also comprises a switch platform mounted to detect a touching about a periphery of the display to provide a plurality of discrete output signals which are each indicative of a portion of the periphery in which the touching is detected. A user may navigate through information on the visual display by touching the display to activate the switches in a manner which moves a cursor through items depicted on the display.

Abstract: A location database system provides information about nearby sites to a user. The system includes a processor configured to identify the present location of the system using the Global Positioning System. The processor is also associated with a clock providing realtime information. The clock may be the internal clock of a microprocessor serving as the processor of the system. The processor may also communicate with a remote database of sites using a wireless connection. The database includes relevant information about the sites which may be of interest to a user of the system, such as locational information, imaging information and images, and/or tour-guide type information. A display provides a visual display of the relevant information to the user, and the system may provide setting information for the camera and also may provide travel directions to a particular site, based on a selected view as seen on a display.

Abstract: The present invention includes a device for a method of printing images with a handheld printing device. The handheld printing device includes a navigation sensor, a controller to correlate image information and navigational information and a printhead to print the image on a printable object or media. The method of printing with a handheld printing device includes moving the handheld printing device in a series of continuous motions in which the handheld printing device determines its position and prints the portion of the image appropriate for its current position. The handheld printing device can be combined with a handheld scanning device to enable a user to scan and print with a handheld device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for operating a multi-unit memory system so that one of such units may readily be replaced in service. The system comprises an error correction code (ECC) generation circuit, a plurality of read/write memory units and at least one spare read/write memory unit. The ECC circuit generates an error correction code for each block of data to be stored in the system and supplies this code along with the block of data to the memory units for storage. The system further comprises means for generating from a sequence of blocks of data and associated error correction codes retrieved from these memory units a sequence of bits which correct an error in the information retrieved from one memory unit and means for writing this sequence of correction bits to the spare read/write memory unit. Advantageously, the system also comprises means for rewriting the sequence of correction bits to a memory unit after a faulty memory unit has been repaired or replaced.