System and Method for Photo-Image Discovery and Storage
A system and method are provided for automatic photo-image discovery and storage. A photo-image discovery device scans communication interfaces for photo-capable devices. The photo-image discovery device is capable of concurrently scanning wireless and hardwired connector interfaces. A determination is made of whether the detected photo-capable devices have stored electronically formatted photo-images, which may be either still or video images. The photo-images are acquired into the photo-image discovery device. Then, the acquired photo-images are automatically uploaded to a network-connected storage site.
1 . A method for automatic photo-image discovery and storage, the method comprising:
a photo-image discovery device scanning communication interfaces for photo-capable devices;
determining if detected photo-capable devices have stored electronically formatted photo-images;
acquiring the photo-images into the photo-image discovery device; and,
automatically uploading the acquired photo-images to a network-connected storage site.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein determining if detected photo-capable devices have stored photo-images includes:
detecting photo-images in a photo-capable device memory;
determining if the detected photo-images have been previously acquired; and,
wherein acquiring the photo-images includes acquiring only photo-images that have not been previously acquired.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
subsequent to uploading the photo-images to the storage site, supplying a photo-image discovery device user interface (UI) signal indicating that the photo-images have been successfully uploaded.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein scanning communication interfaces for photo-capable devices includes concurrently scanning wireless and hardwired connector interfaces.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein scanning wireless interfaces includes concurrently scanning wireless interfaces selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth, wireless USB, and IEEE 802.11 (WiFi) interfaces.
6 . The method of claim 4 wherein concurrently scanning wireless interface includes scanning for photo-capable devices selected from a group consisting of a cellular telephone, personal computer (PC), controlled automation device, digital video disk (DVD) device, camera-enabled wireless device, video-enabled wireless device, television, digital video recorder (DVR), secure digital (SD) memory card, a wireless SD memory card, digital camera, and game console.
7 . The method of claim 4 wherein concurrently scanning electronic connector interfaces includes scanning hardwire connector interfaces selected from a group consisting of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and SD memory card interfaces.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein determining if detected photo-capable devices have stored photo-images includes detecting photo-image file types selected from a group consisting of JPEG, GIF, EXIF, native format, BMP, CR2, RAW, and MPEG.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein uploading the acquired photo-images to the network-connected storage site includes uploading photo-images via a WiFi interface to a network-connected server.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein acquiring the photo-images includes organizing the photo-images into folders using a criteria selected from a group consisting of user, the photo-image discovery device transferring the photo-images, file types, and the photo-capable device originating the photo-images.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring the photo-images includes acquiring photo-images in a first format;
wherein uploading the acquired photo-images to the storage site includes:
converting the photo-images to a second format; and,
uploading photo-images in the second format to the storage site.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring the photo-images includes acquiring photo-images in a first format;
wherein uploading the acquired photo-images to the storage device includes:
uploading the photo-images to a network-connected conversion device; and,
transferring photo-images in the second format from the conversion device to the storage device.
13 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
selecting at least one storage device from a plurality of storage sites; and,
wherein uploading the downloaded photo-images to the storage site includes uploading the photo-images to the selected storage site.
14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising:
determining a photo-image format associated with the selected storage device; and,
converting acquired photo-images to the format associated with the selected storage device.
15 . The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring the photo-image includes storing the photo-image in the photo-image discovery device in the first format; and,
wherein uploading the acquired photo-images to the storage site includes uploading the acquired photo-image in the first format.
16 . The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring the photo-images into the photo-image discovery device includes an acquisition operation selected from a group consisting of automatically acquiring and acquiring in response to supplying a UI prompt.
17 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
subsequent to acquiring the photo-images into the photo-image discovery device, supplying a photo-image discovery device UI signal indicating that the photo-images have been successfully acquired.
18 . The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring the photo-images into the photo-image discovery device includes acquiring photo-images from only preconfigured photo-capable devices.
19 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
in the event of a failure to upload the photo-images to the storage site, supplying a photo-image discovery device UI indicating that the photo-images have not been successfully uploaded.
20 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
in the event of a failure to acquire the photo-images into the photo-image discovery device, supplying a photo-image discovery device UI indicating that the photo-images have not been successfully acquired.
21 . A photo-image discovery device comprising:
a memory;
a discovery module having a scanning interface for detecting photo-capable devices, the discovery module determining if detected photo-capable devices have stored electronically formatted photo-images, and acquiring the photo-images into the memory; and,
an uplink module having a network interface, the uplink module automatically uploading the photo-images in the memory to a network-connected storage site.
22 . The device of claim 21 wherein the discovery module detects photo-images in a photo-capable device memory, determines if the detected photo-images have been previously acquired into the memory, and acquires only photo-images that have not been previously acquired.
23 . The device of claim 21 wherein the discovery module supplies a signal to a UI subsequent to acquiring the photo-images into memory, indicating that the photo-images have been successfully acquired; and,
the device further comprising:
a UI to supply a user signal indicating that the photo-images have been successfully acquired.
24 . The device of claim 21 wherein the discovery module scanning interface concurrently scans wireless and hardwire connector interfaces.
25 . The device of claim 24 wherein the discovery module scanning interface scans wireless interfaces selected from a group consisting of Bluetooth, wireless USB, and IEEE 802.11 (WiFi) interfaces.
26 . The device of claim 24 wherein the discovery module scanning interface scans for photo-capable devices selected from a group consisting of a cellular telephone, personal computer (PC), controlled automation device, digital video disk (DVD) device, camera-enabled wireless device, video-enabled wireless device, television, digital video recorder (DVR), secure digital (SD) memory card, digital camera, and game console.
27 . The device of claim 24 wherein the discovery module scanning interface scans hardwire connector interfaces selected from a group consisting of Universal Serial Bus (USB) and SD memory card interfaces.
28 . The device of claim 21 wherein discovery module scanning interface scans photo-image file types selected from a group consisting of JPEG, GIF, EXIF, native format, BMP, CR2, RAW, and MPEG.
29 . The device of claim 21 wherein the uplink module uploads photo-images via a WiFi interface to a network-connected server.
30 . The device of claim 29 wherein the discovery module acquires the photo-images into memory as folders organized using a criteria selected from a group consisting of user, the photo-image discovery device ID, file types, and the photo-capable device originating the photo-images.
31 . The device of claim 21 wherein the discovery module uploads photo-images in a first format and converts the photo-images to a second format; and,
wherein the uplink module uploads photo-images in the second format to the storage site.
32 . The device of claim 21 wherein the discovery module acquires photo-images in a first format; and,
wherein the uplink module uploads the photo-images to a network-connected conversion device for conversion into a second format.
33 . The device of claim 21 wherein the uplink module has an interface for receiving storage site selection commands and transfers the photo-images to at least one selected storage site.
34 . The device of claim 33 wherein the uplink module determines a photo-image format associated with the selected storage; and,
wherein the discovery module converts acquired photo-images to the format associated with the selected storage device.
35 . The device of claim 21 wherein the discovery module acquires and stores the photo-images into memory in the first format; and,
wherein the uplink module uploads the acquired photo-image in the first format.
36 . The device of claim 21 wherein the discovery module supports an acquisition operation selected from a group consisting of automatically acquiring and acquiring in response to a UI prompt.
37 . The device of claim 21 wherein the uplink module supplies a signal to a UI subsequent to uploading the photo-images to the storage site, indicating that the photo-images have been successfully uploaded.
the device further comprising:
a UI to supply a user signal indicating that the photo-images have been successfully uploaded.
38 . The device of claim 21 further wherein the discovery module acquires photo-images from only preconfigured photo-capable devices.
39 . The device of claim 21 wherein the uplink module, in the event of a failure to upload the photo-images to the storage site, supplies a signal to a UI indicating that the photo-images have not been successfully uploaded; and,
the device further comprising:
a UI to supply a user signal indicating that the photo-images have not been successfully uploaded.
40 . The device of claim 21 wherein the discovery module, in the event of a failure to acquire the photo-images into the memory, supplies a signal to a UI indicating that the photo-images have not been successfully acquired; and,
the device further comprising:
a UI to supply a user signal indicating that the photo-images have not been successfully acquired.