Television – Camera – system and detail – Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-26
2001-01-23
Garber, Wendy (Department: 2712)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
C348S332000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06177957
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic imaging devices and more particularly to a system and method of dynamically updating software-driven features in an electronic imaging device.
2. Description of the Background Art
Modern digital cameras are capable of providing not only image capture capabilities but also image storage and manipulation capabilities. Powerful software tools which once were executed on an external computer workstation are now capable of execution within the digital camera itself. However, the miniaturization of digital cameras presents severe data memory shortage problems. Digital cameras are typically smaller than laptop computers and personal digital assistants, and yet image manipulation is one of the most memory intensive forms of digital processing. With current memory technology it is not possible to have enough memory in a typical digital camera to simultaneously store all of a typical user's desired software. Moreover, new and better software may be developed after the purchase of a particular digital camera by a consumer. Updating the application software may be difficult after the sale of the digital camera to the consumer.
One method for dealing with this problem is to use removable memory devices, such as floppy disks or non-volatile semiconductor memory cards. A user may select a set of these which may satisfy his or her needs on a given occasion, and insert them into the digital camera when the software feature on a given removable device is required. An example of this is given in U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,264, issued to Sarbadhikari, et al. Sarbadhikari discusses using a removable memory card to import new application programs and algorithms. It is important to recognize that Sarbadhikari teaches the loading of application programs into that RAM which already exists in the digital camera. This requires not only rebooting the system but also that sufficient RAM exists to accommodate the new software.
It is well known in the art that a floppy disk may be inserted into a computer while the computer is running, and that the computer's operating system will recognize the files on the floppy disk. A more recent development is the “hot-mount” circuit card, such as those manufactured to specifications promulgated by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). Here hot-mount refers to a property where the card may safely be inserted into a bus connector on a powered-on and operating computer. The hot-mount circuit card may also be recognized by the computer's operating system.
However there are currently limitations to what may be done with removable memory devices. Data may be entered via a removable memory device, and the existing applications may operate on this data. Application programs may be loaded from the removable memory device, and these may be executed without rebooting the computer. But changing the version of the application program or adding features via modularized code to the application program requires reinitializing the application program and the operating system through the process of rebooting. It is well known in the present art that to display new software functions of an application program in a graphic user interface menu or to run a newly-updated software program requires rebooting the operating system.
The need for rebooting after each addition of modular code to an existing application program undermines the utility of using removable memory devices in a digital camera. Each time a removable memory device is mounted and the new software modules prepared for use, the user must save all of his or her work in progress and the application program settings, and then wait during the period of time in which the computer reboots. What would be of greater utility to the user is a system wherein the applications may use the hot-mount devices to extend the functionality of the current application software without the constant need to reboot.
Therefore, for all of the foregoing reasons, an improved system and method are needed for dynamically updating software-driven features in an electronic imaging device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are disclosed for dynamically updating software-driven features in an electronic imaging device. The user of the electronic imaging device may desire various features which are not supported by the baseline application program that is built into the electronic imaging device. In the present invention, the user may select removable memory devices to supplement the baseline application program. The user then inserts the removable memory device into an external connector of the electronic imaging device. The computer of the electronic imaging device then automatically scans the removable memory device for executable software items, and displays these items in differing menus as appropriate. The user may then select these items for execution without having to reboot the computer of the electronic imaging device.
In order to accomplish this functionality, the computer of the electronic imaging device keeps the parameters of the user-selectable functions in a dynamically-updateable data structure. These parameters include the menu position information and the entry points for the executable code. Certain utilities acting in cooperation will update the data structure when the insertion of a removable memory device is detected. Other utilities which control the display of menus and execution of code will then have a standard data structure to interrogate in order to determine the current software functions supported, the menus in which they should appear, and the location of their entry points.
When the user is finished using the features contained in the removable memory device, he may remove it with no subsequent operator intervention required. The computer of the electronic imaging device then automatically removes from the appropriate menus the executable software items which had been added from the removable memory device.
The present invention also supports the use of multiple removable memory devices in a given electronic imaging device. In another embodiment of the present invention, the computer tracks changes in executable software functions from more than one removable memory device. This tracking is most important at the point of removal of some but not all of the removable memory devices, as upon removal the removable memory devices are no longer present for interrogation.
The present invention thus allows improved performance and ease of use in electronic imaging devices when used with removable memory devices.
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PCMCIA for PowerBook 500 Series Computers, Apple Computer world-wide-web page, May 2, 1996.
Flashpoint Technology, Inc.
Garber Wendy
Sawyer Law Group LLP
Wilson Jacqueline
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