Electronic still camera for capturing and categorizing images

United States Patent m

Parulski et al.

[li] Patent Number: 5,633,678 [45] Date of Patent: May 27, 1997

[54] ELECTRONIC STILL CAMERA FOR

CAPTURING AND CATEGORIZING IMAGES

[75] Inventors: Kenneth A. Parulski; Thomas A.

Napoli, both of Rochester; David M.
Lewis, Waterport, all of N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y.

[21] Appl. No.: 574,756
[22] Filed: Dec 20, 1995

[51] Int. CI.6 H04N5/30

[52] U.S. CI 348/232; 348/231; 348/239;

348/552

[58] Field of Search 348/231. 232,

348/239, 222. 552, 207; 358/335; H04N 5/30.

5/225

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

4,524,381 6/1985 Konishi 358/29

4,574,319 3/1986 Konishi 358/335

5,016,107 5/1991 Sasson et al 358/209

5,018,017 5/1991 Sasaki etal 358/209

5,153,729 10/1992 Saito 358/209

5,335,072 8/1994 Tanaka et al 348/232

5,477,264 12/1995 Sarbadhikari et al 348/231

5.502,486 3/1996 Ueda et al 348/239

5^515,101 5/1996 Yoshida 348/232

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

0 640 938 A2 8/1994 European Pat. Off. G06K 17/00

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Kodak Professional Digital Camera System (DSC 100) User's Manual (excerpts). Eastman Kodak Company. 1991, 1992.

"TIFF/EP. A Flexible Image Format for Electronic Still Cameras", by Ken Parulski and George Lathrop, Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY. Preprint from IS&T's 48th Annual Conference, May 1995.

Operation and Maintenance Manual for the Kodak Hawkeye II Imaging Accessory, Part No. 636-101, Catalogue No. 144 7903. Eastman Kodak Company, Federal Systems Division.

Primary Examiner—Glenton B. Burgess
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—David M. Woods

[57] ABSTRACT

An electronic camera captures images representing a variety of subjects and categorizes the image according to subject matter. The camera comprises an image sensor for capturing an image, a converter stage for converting the image into digital image data, and a memory for storing a plurality of categories providing classification of the images by subject. A processor in the camera has the capability of assigning the plurality of categories to the images captured by the camera, with each category providing a subject classification for the images. A user selects one or more categories for a plurality of images prior to capture, and an output image signal is then generated including the digital image data corresponding to a captured image and the particular category selected by the user. The categories can be default identifiers stored in the memory, or can be names, text (i.e.. account number), and/or graphics overlays (i.e., company logo) entered via a host computer and uploaded to the camera memory before the pictures are taken.

30 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets