Patent · US Expired

Electronic still camera for capturing and categorizing images

US5633678A · kind A · utility

512Cited by
9References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 20, 1995
Grant dateMay 27, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 20, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N2201/3277
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

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.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.