Digital image viewing system, a cellar phone and a digital photo frame

Abstract

A digital image viewing system comprises a wireless phone unit, a battery charger for the wireless phone unit and a digital photo frame in short-range wireless communication with the wireless phone unit. The digital photo frame may include phone function unit. Usual slide show is played on display of digital photo frame and replaced by a special image when a speaker of digital photo frame plays a ringer melody. The special image relates to a person causing the ringer melody. An operation at the wireless phone unit is transmitted to the digital photo frame through the short-range wireless communication to change the special image back to the usual slide show. Upon receipt of e-mail with image data attached, cellar phone automatically but conditionally opens the e-mail and takes out the image data to transmit it to digital photo frame through the short-range wireless communication or direct contact with battery charger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A digital image viewing system comprising:
 a wireless phone unit including a phone short-range wireless communicator, an operating portion, a phone display cooperating with the operating portion for operations and displays relating to various phone functions, and a rechargeable battery to power the wireless phone unit;   a battery charger arranged to charge the rechargeable battery of the wireless phone unit; and   a digital photo frame including a memory arranged to store digital image data, a photo frame display, a controller arranged to play usual slide show on the display on the basis of the digital image data stored in the memory, and a photo frame short-range wireless communicator in communication with the phone short-range wireless communicator to change the image display on the photo frame display.   
     
     
         2 . The digital image viewing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital photo frame further includes a speaker, and wherein the controller of the digital photo frame is arranged to replace the usual slide show with a special image when the speaker plays a ringer melody. 
     
     
         3 . The digital image viewing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further arranged to superimpose a message on the special image when the speaker plays the ringer melody. 
     
     
         4 . The digital image viewing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further arranged to have the usual slide show accompanied by background music played on the speaker and to stop the background music when the speaker plays the ringer melody. 
     
     
         5 . The digital image viewing system according to  claim 2 , wherein the special image is relating to the ringer melody. 
     
     
         6 . The digital image viewing system according to  claim 5 , wherein the special image is relating to a person causing the ringer melody. 
     
     
         7 . The digital image viewing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the phone short-range communicator is arranged to transmit an operation at the operating portion to the digital photo frame by way of the photo frame short-range wireless communicator to change the display on the photo frame. 
     
     
         8 . The digital image viewing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the digital photo frame further includes a phone function unit. 
     
     
         9 . The digital image viewing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the wireless phone unit further includes a phone function unit. 
     
     
         10 . The digital image viewing system according to  claim 9 , wherein the wireless phone unit is a cellar phone, wherein the phone function unit is capable of receiving an e-mail with digital image data attached, wherein the cellar phone includes a controller arranged to automatically open the received e-mail to automatically take out and transmit the attached digital image data to the digital photo frame by means of the phone short-range wireless communicator. 
     
     
         11 . A cellar phone comprising:
 a phone function unit capable of receiving an e-mail with digital image data is attached;   a controller arranged to automatically open the e-mail and automatically take out the attached digital image data; and   a transmitter arranged to automatically transmit the taken out digital image data to outside of the cellar phone.   
     
     
         12 . The cellar phone according to  claim 11 , wherein the transmitter includes a short-range wireless communicator. 
     
     
         13 . The cellar phone according to  claim 11 , wherein the transmitter includes a communication contact. 
     
     
         14 . The cellar phone according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller is arranged to automatically open the e-mail and automatically take out the attached digital image data with a predetermined condition met. 
     
     
         15 . A digital photo frame comprising:
 a memory arranged to store digital image data;   a photo frame display;   a receiver arranged to receive digital image data from outside of the digital photo frame;   a controller arranged to play usual slide show on the display on the basis of the digital image data stored in the memory and to replace the usual slide show with a special image when the receiver receives digital image data from outside of the digital photo frame.   
     
     
         16 . The digital photo frame according to  claim 15 , wherein the receiver includes a short-range wireless communicator. 
     
     
         17 . The digital photo frame according to  claim 15 , wherein the receiver includes a communication contact. 
     
     
         18 . The digital photo frame according to  claim 15  further comprising a speaker, wherein the controller is arranged to replace the usual slide show with the special image accompanied by a ringer melody played on the speaker. 
     
     
         19 . The digital photo frame according to  claim 15 , wherein the controller is further arranged to superimpose a message on the special image when the receiver receives digital image data from outside of the digital photo frame. 
     
     
         20 . The digital photo frame according to  claim 15  further comprising a phone function unit.