Electronic still video camera with direct personal computer (PC) compatible digital format output

Abstract

An electronic still camera comprising a lens, shutter, and exposure control system, a focus and range control circuit, a solid state imaging device incorporating a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) through which an image is focused, a digital control unit through which timing and control of an image for electronic processing is accomplished, an Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converter circuit to convert the analog picture signals into their digital equivalents, a pixel buffer for collecting a complete row of an image's digital equivalent, a frame buffer for collecting all rows of an image's digital equivalent, and a selectively adjustable digital image compression and decompression algorithm that compresses the size of a digital image and selectively formats the compressed digital image to a compatible format for either the IBM Personal Computer and related architectures or the Apple Macintosh PC architecture as selected by the operator so that the digital image can be directly read into most word processing, desktop publishing, and data base software packages including means for executing the appropriate selected decompression algorithm; and a memory input/output interface that provides both temporary storage of the digital image and controls the transmission and interface with a standard Personal Computer (PC) memory storage device such as a digital diskette. The digital diskette is removably inserted into the housing of the camera prior to use in recording digital image data.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a digital camera including a digital storage medium, the storage medium formatted for use with a first information handling system utilizing a first memory format, the improvement comprising: 
 a control unit for formatting the storage medium for use with a second information handling system utilizing a second memory format.    
     
     
         2 . A digital camera as in  claim 1 , wherein the digital camera utilizes the second memory format.  
     
     
         3 . A digital camera as in  claim 1 , wherein the storage medium is removably coupled to the camera.  
     
     
         4 . A digital camera as in  claim 1 , wherein the storage medium is a disk.  
     
     
         5 . A digital camera as in  claim 4 , wherein the disk is a magnetic disk.  
     
     
         6 . A digital camera as in  claim 5 , wherein the magnetic disk is a 3 and a half inch diskette.  
     
     
         7 . A digital camera as in  claim 4 , wherein the disk is an optical disk.  
     
     
         8 . In a digital camera utilizing a first memory format, the improvement comprising: 
 a controller operative to change the format of a digital storage medium from a second memory format to the first memory format.    
     
     
         9 . A digital camera as in  claim 8 , wherein the storage medium is removably coupled to the camera.  
     
     
         10 . A digital camera, comprising: 
 an assembly operative to receive a digital storage medium, the storage medium having a boot area including information identifying a memory format of the storage medium; and    a control unit operative to (a) check the boot area, and (b) format the storage medium in an alternative memory format for use with the camera.    
     
     
         11 . A digital camera as in  claim 10 , wherein the storage medium is removably coupled to the camera.  
     
     
         12 . A digital camera, comprising: 
 an assembly operative to receive a removable digital storage medium, the storage medium formatted in an undesired memory format; and    a control unit operative to change the format of the storage medium from the undesired memory format to a desired memory format for use with the camera.    
     
     
         13 . For use in a digital camera, a method for changing the format of a digital storage medium from a first memory format to a second memory format, the method comprising: 
 determining in the camera if the storage medium is formatted in the second memory format; and    formatting the storage medium in the camera in the second memory format.    
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein the storage medium is removably coupled to the camera.  
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 13 , wherein the storage medium is a disk.  
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the disk is an optical disk.  
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the disk is a magnetic disk.  
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 17 , wherein the disk is a 3 and a half inch diskette.  
     
     
         19 . A process for use in a digital camera utilizing a predetermined memory format, comprising: 
 coupling a removable digital storage medium with the camera, the storage medium formatted in one of a plurality of memory formats;    determining in the camera if the storage medium is formatted in the predetermined memory format; and    formatting the storage medium in the camera in the predetermined memory format.    
     
     
         20 . A process as in  claim 19 , wherein the step of determining comprises checking a boot area of the storage medium.  
     
     
         21 . A process for use in a digital camera, comprising: 
 coupling a removable digital storage medium with the camera, the storage medium formatted in one of a plurality of memory formats;    determining in the camera if the storage medium is formatted in a desired memory format;    providing a format error indication to an operator of the camera if the storage medium is not formatted in the desired memory format; and    formatting the storage medium in the camera in the desired memory format in response to an operator control of the camera.    
     
     
         22 . A digital camera, comprising: 
 an assembly operative to receive a digital storage device; and    a control unit for changing a memory format of the storage device from a first format for use with a first information handling system to a second format for use with a second information handling system.    
     
     
         23 . A process for use in a digital camera utilizing a predetermined memory format, comprising: 
 providing a removable digital storage device, the storage device formatted in one of a plurality of memory formats;    coupling the removable digital storage device with the camera;    determining in the camera if the storage device is formatted in the predetermined memory format; and    changing the format of the storage device in the camera to the predetermined memory format.    
     
     
         24 . A process for use in a digital camera utilizing a predetermined memory format, comprising: 
 providing a removable digital storage device, the storage device formatted in one of a plurality of memory formats;    coupling the removable digital storage device with the camera;    determining in the camera if the storage device is formatted in the predetermined memory format; and    formatting the storage device in the camera in the predetermined memory format.    
     
     
         25 . A process for use in a digital camera, comprising: 
 providing a removable digital storage device, the storage device formatted in one of a plurality of memory formats;    coupling the removable digital storage device with the camera;    determining in the camera if the storage device is formatted in a desired memory format;    providing a format error indication to an operator of the camera if the storage device is not formatted in the desired memory format; and    changing the format of the storage device in the camera to the desired memory format.