Digital Camera Patent Abstract
The invention is to provide a method for communicating data between
a digital camera and a portable electronic communication device
comprising the processes of transmitting an instruction packet created
by the electronic communication device to the digital camera for
storage by means of a defined image data protocol; converting image
data stored in the digital camera into at least one reply packet
based on the instruction packet by performing the image data protocol
by the digital camera and transmitting the reply packet back to
the electronic communication device; and performing an error checking
on at least one check field of the reply packet by the electronic
communication device by means of the image data protocol so as to
ensure that no erroneous image data being received. Digital Camera Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for communicating data between a digital camera and
a portable electronic communication device comprising the steps
of: transmitting an instruction packet created by the electronic
communication device to the digital camera for storage by means
of a defined image data protocol; converting image data stored in
the digital camera into at least one reply packet based on the instruction
packet by performing the image data protocol by the digital camera,
and transmitting the reply packet back to the electronic communication
device; and performing an error checking on at least one check field
of the reply packet by the electronic communication device by means
of the image data protocol so as to ensure that no erroneous image
data transmitted from the digital camera is received by the electronic
communication device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet defined by the image
data protocol comprises: a starting field for storing a starting
address of the packet, which is used to determine the starting address
of the packet based on a field value contained in the starting field
while the digital camera or the electronic communication device
read the packet by performing the image data protocol; an identification
(ID) field for storing an ID of the digital camera or the electronic
communication device, which is used to determine whether the packet
is transmitted from the compatible digital camera or the electronic
communication device based on a field value contained in the ID
field while the electronic communication device or the digital camera
read the packet by performing the image data protocol; a check field
for storing a check parameter for checking whether the packet is
correct; an end field for storing an end address of the packet,
which is used to determine the end address of the packet based on
a field value contained in the end field while the digital camera
or the electronic communication device read the packet by performing
image data protocol; and a plurality of data fields for storing
data being transmitted wherein data is divided into a plurality
of blocks being sequentially stored in the data fields.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the check field comprises: a
length of data field for storing a length of data contained in the
data field; a summation of data field for storing a sum of data
contained in the data field; and a summation of packet header field
for storing a sum of values of fields in the header of the packet,
the sum being used as a field value for checking the packet wherein
the header of the packet comprise the ID field, the length of data
field, and the summation of data field.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the header of the packet further
comprises at least one parameter field associated with an issued
instruction.
5. The method of claim 1, while the digital camera received the
instruction packet from the electronic communication device, the
digital camera is capable of performing the following instruction:
a signal test instruction, wherein a reply packet created by executing
the signal test instruction is transmitted to the electronic communication
device by means of the instruction packet defined by the image data
protocol so that the electronic communication device is capable
of maintaining a normal communication with the digital camera; a
file transmission instruction, wherein a reply packet created by
executing the file transmission instruction is transmitted to the
electronic communication device by means of the instruction packet
defined by the image data protocol so that the electronic communication
device is capable of receiving an image data transmitted from the
digital camera; and an image data instruction, wherein a reply packet
created by executing the image data instruction packet is transmitted
to the electronic communication device by means of the instruction
packet defined by the image data protocol so that the electronic
communication device is capable of ascertaining information associated
with the received image data.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the processes of:
commanding the electronic communication device or the digital camera
to check the fields contained in the check field for determining
whether there is any error occurred with respect to the content
of the instruction packet or the reply packet during transmission;
issuing an instruction to the corresponding the electronic communication
device or digital camera requesting a re-transmission of the packet
if there is an inconsistency between one of the field values contained
in the check field and the received data in the instruction packet
or the reply packet; and repeating the issuing step until there
is no inconsistency between the field values contained in the check
field and the received data in the instruction packet or the reply
packet, thereby ensuring that no erroneous image data transmitted
from the digital camera is received by the electronic communication
device.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to receiving image data
of the digital camera by the electronic communication device, image
data previously stored in a buffer of the electronic communication
device is cleared, in response, the electronic communication device
begins to receive image data transmitted from the digital camera,
carries out a check mechanism for encoding to check data contained
in the buffer for determining whether data consists of a plurality
of identical encoded values, and if the determination is positive,
it means that data content is erroneous in response, the electronic
communication device repeatedly issues an instruction packet to
the digital camera requesting a re-transmission of image data until
the electronic communication device determines that data does not
consist of the plurality of identical encoded values, thereby ensuring
that all received image data is correct.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein a checking process of receiving
an instruction packet transmitted from the electronic communication
device by the digital camera comprises the steps of: (a) reading
the field value contained in the check field of the instruction
packet transmitted from the electronic communication device; (b)
determining whether there is an inconsistency between one of the
field values contained in the check field and the received data
in the instruction packet; (c) if the determination in step (b)
is negative, reading data contained in the instruction packet; (d)
determining whether a complete data is received; and (e) if the
determination in step (d) is positive, performing a subsequent processing
based on an instruction contained in data of the instruction packet.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein if the determination in step
(b) is positive or if the determination in step (d) is negative,
creating a reply packet requesting a re-transmission of the instruction
packet from the electronic communication device by the digital camera
and looping back to step (a) for continuation until it is ensured
that the received instruction packet is correct.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein a checking process of receiving
image data transmitted from the digital camera by the electronic
communication device comprises the steps of: (f) commanding the
electronic communication device to transmit an instruction packet
to the digital camera for requesting it to clear image data previously
stored in a buffer of the digital camera in response to an image
data transmission by the digital camera; (g) receiving the reply
packet transmitted from the digital camera prior to reading the
field value contained in the check field of the reply packet; (h)
determining whether there is an inconsistency between one of the
field value contained in the check field of the reply packet and
the received data in the reply packet; (i) if the determination
in step (h) is negative, reading image data contained in the reply
packet; (j) determining whether image data consists of a plurality
of identical encoded values; (k) if the determination in step (j)
is negative, determining whether a complete image data has been
read; and (l) if the determination in step (k) is positive, storing
image data in a memory of the electronic communication device.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein if the determination in step
(k) is negative, the method loops back to step (i) for reading image
data contained in the reply packet.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein if the determination in step
(h) is positive or if the determination in step (j) is positive,
creating an instruction packet requesting a re-transmission of the
reply packet from the digital camera by the electronic communication
device and looping back to step (f) for continuation until it is
ensured that image data received from the digital camera is correct.
Digital Camera Patent Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to data communication and more particularly
to an improved method for communicating data between a digital camera
and a portable electronic communication device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Information technology have known a rapid and a spectacular development
leading to an increasing use of electronics and telecommunications.
For example, cellular phones have been popular worldwide due to
its portability and inexpensive unit price as a communication device.
Recently, there is a trend of developing slim cellular phones among
cellular phone manufacturers. Further, the functions of a cellular
phone may incorporate features of many consumer electronic products
to form a multifunctional cellular phone. For example, a user may
set a number of short messages or data for transmission or receiving
in advance. Thus, in addition to typical phone call, user can communicate
with other persons anywhere in the world by means of cellular phone.
Hence, it is very convenient.
Currently, transmission bandwidth of typical cellular phone is
in a range of narrow frequency. As such, a relatively large data
is susceptible to error during transmission or receiving due to
interference of internal electronic elements or external signals.
This is particularly serious because there is no check mechanism
for signal encoding during data transmission or receiving process.
In addition, it is readily known that a data communication (including
transmission and receiving) between conventional digital camera
and computer is effected by a high-capacity cable. Hence, data is
free from above interference of internal electronic elements or
external signals. As a result, both data transmission and receiving
are stably performed. Accordingly, even there is no provision of
check mechanism for signal encoding while performing a data communication
between digital camera and computer, several tens or even up to
several hundreds of K Bytes data are capable of being communicated.
It is also known above high-capacity communication technique implemented
between typical digital camera and computer is not applicable to
typical cellular phone. Hence, it is desirable to solve above problem
as experienced by digital camera and cellular phone in order to
increase image data receiving capability of digital camera and thus
effecting a multifunctional cellular phone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
method for communicating data between a digital camera and a portable
electronic communication device comprising the steps of transmitting
an instruction packet created by the electronic communication device
to the digital camera for storage by means of a defined image data
protocol; converting image data stored in the digital camera into
at least one reply packet based on the instruction packet by performing
the image data protocol by the digital camera and transmitting the
reply packet back to the electronic communication device; and performing
an error checking on at least one check field of the reply packet
by the electronic communication device by means of the image data
protocol so as to ensure that no erroneous image data transmitted
from the digital camera is received by the electronic communication
device.
In one aspect of the present invention, a check field is provided
in the instruction packet or the reply packet for checking a correctness
of each packet. The check field comprises a length of data field
for storing a length of data contained in the data field, a summation
of data field for storing a sum of data contained in the data field,
and a summation of packet header field for storing a sum of values
of fields in the header of the packet, the sum being used as a field
value for checking the packet. The method further comprises the
steps of commanding the electronic communication device or the digital
camera to check the fields contained in the check field for determining
whether there is any error occurred with respect to content of the
instruction packet or the reply packet during transmission; issuing
an instruction to the corresponding digital camera or the electronic
communication device requesting a re-transmission of the packet
if there is an inconsistency between one of the field values contained
in the check field and the received data in the instruction packet
or the reply packet; and repeating the issuing step until there
is no inconsistency between the field values contained in the check
field and the received data in the instruction packet or the reply
packet, thereby ensuring that no erroneous image data transmitted
from the digital camera is received by the electronic communication
device.
In another aspect of the present invention, prior to receiving
image data of the digital camera by the electronic communication
device, image data previously stored in a buffer of the electronic
communication device is cleared, in response, the electronic communication
device begins to receive image data transmitted from the digital
camera, carries out a check mechanism for encoding to check data
contained in the buffer for determining whether data consists of
a plurality of identical encoded values, and if the determination
is positive, it means that data content is erroneous in response,
the electronic communication device repeatedly issues an instruction
packet to the digital camera requesting a re-transmission of image
data until the electronic communication device determines that data
does not consist of the plurality of identical encoded values, thereby
ensuring that all received image data is correct.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed description
taken with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a graph showing a structure of either instruction packet
or reply packet according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a checking process of receiving
instruction packet transmitted from electronic communication device
by digital camera according to the invention; and
FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a checking process of receiving
image data transmitted from digital camera by electronic communication
device according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The invention is directed to a method for communicating data between
a digital camera and a portable electronic communication device.
The method comprises the steps of transmitting an instruction packet
created by the electronic communication device to the digital camera
for storage by means of a defined image data protocol; converting
image data stored in the digital camera into at least one reply
packet based on the instruction packet by performing the image data
protocol by the digital camera; transmitting the reply packet back
to the electronic communication device; and performing an error
checking on at least one check field of the reply packet by the
electronic communication device by means of the image data protocol
so as to ensure that no erroneous image data transmitted from the
digital camera is received by the electronic communication device.
By utilizing this method, it is possible of preventing error from
occurring during image data transmission process. Otherwise, image
data received by the digital camera may not be shown correctly on
the electronic communication device.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a graph of a structure of either
instruction packet or reply packet defined by an image data protocol
according to the invention. The instruction packet or reply packet
comprises the following fields:
(1) Starting field 3: It may store a starting address of packet.
Once digital camera or electronic communication device read the
packet by performing image data protocol, it is possible of determining
the starting address of packet based on a field value contained
in starting field 3.
(2) Identification (ID) field 2: It may store an ID of digital
camera or electronic communication device. Once digital camera or
electronic communication device read the packet by performing image
data protocol, it is possible of determining whether the packet
is transmitted from the compatible digital camera or electronic
communication device based on field value contained in identification
field 2.
(3) Check field 1: It may store a check parameter for checking
whether the packet is correct. Check field 1 comprises the following
three fields:
a) Length of data field 10: It may store a length of data contained
in data field 5.
b) Summation of data field 12: It may store a sum of data contained
in data field 5.
c) Summation of packet header field 14: It may store a sum of values
of fields in packet header. The sum is used as a field value for
checking the packet. The fields in packet header comprise ID field
2, length of data field 10, and summation of data field 12. As to
instruction packet, in addition to above fields, packet header further
comprises at least one parameter field (not shown) associated with
an issued instruction.
(4) End field 4: It may store an end address of packet header.
Once digital camera or electronic communication device read the
packet by performing image data protocol, it is possible of determining
the end address of packet based on field value contained in end
field 4.
(5) Data field 5: It may store data (e.g., image data and associated
information) being transmitted. Data is divided into a number of
blocks which are sequentially stored in a plurality of fields of
data field 5.
In the invention, once digital camera received an instruction packet
from electronic communication device, the digital camera may sequentially
perform a signal test instruction, a file transmission instruction,
and an image data instruction. A packet defined by image data protocol
is commanded to process a reply packet created by the signal test
instruction in order to transmit the reply packet to the electronic
communication device. Hence, the electronic communication device
may maintain a normal communication with digital camera. Then process
a reply packet created by file transmission instruction prior to
transmitting reply packet to the electronic communication device.
Thus, electronic communication device may receive an image data
transmitted from digital camera. Next, process a reply packet created
by image data instruction prior to transmitting the reply packet
to the electronic communication device. As a result, electronic
communication device can ascertain information (e.g., width and
height of image, etc.) associated with the received image data.
In general, an error occurred during a wireless transmission is
either data lost error or data content error. Hence, the possibility
of error occurring during data transmission may be reduced to a
minimum if above two types of errors can be effectively avoided
in advance. A solution to above errors is proposed by the invention.
In detail, the invention comprises the steps of (a) commanding electronic
communication device or digital camera to check fields contained
in check field for determining whether there is any error occurred
with respect to content of instruction packet or reply packet during
transmission; (b) issuing an instruction to the corresponding digital
camera or electronic communication device requesting a re-transmission
of the packet if there is any inconsistency between field value
contained in check field and received packet data; and (c) repeating
step (b) until there is no inconsistency between field value contained
in check field and received packet data. As a result, it is possible
of ensuring that no erroneous image data transmitted from the digital
camera is received by the electronic communication device.
Generally speaking, image data of digital camera comprises a plurality
of digital signals having values of 0 or 1. In one undesired condition,
all digital signals have values of 0 or 1. Also, a number of picture-taking
modes are implemented by a digital camera. As such, a user may use
one of picture-taking modes for taking a picture on an object depending
on status of picture-taking so as to obtain an optimum digital data.
In a normal condition, a situation that digital image data taken
by digital camera consisting of 0s or 1s is not possible.
In the invention, a solution is proposed for eliminating above
data transmission error. Prior to receiving image data of digital
camera by electronic communication device, image data previously
stored in a buffer of electronic communication device is cleared.
Then electronic communication device begins to receive image data
transmitted from digital camera. Next, a check mechanism for encoding
is carried out to check data contained in buffer so as to determine
whether data consists of a plurality of identical encoded values.
If yes, it means that data content is erroneous. Next, electronic
communication device issues an instruction packet to the digital
camera requesting a re-transmission of image data. Above re-transmission
is repeated until electronic communication device determines that
data does not consist of the plurality of identical encoded values.
At this time, it is ensured that all received image data is correct.
Eventually, the correct image data is shown on a display of electronic
communication device.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a flow chart illustrating a
checking process of receiving instruction packet transmitted from
electronic communication device by digital camera according to the
invention. Following are steps performed by digital camera:
Step 201: First reads field value contained in check field of instruction
packet transmitted from electronic communication device.
Step 202: Next, it is determined whether there is any inconsistency
between field value contained in check field and received packet
data. If not, the process goes to step 203. Otherwise, the process
jumps to step 206.
Step 203: Reads data contained in instruction packet.
Step 204: It is determined whether a complete data is received.
If yes, the process goes to step 205. Otherwise, the process jumps
to step 206.
Step 205: Perform subsequent steps based on instruction contained
in data.
Step 206: Create a reply packet requesting a re-transmission of
instruction packet from electronic communication device. The process
then loops back to step 201 for continuation until it is ensured
that received instruction packet is correct.
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a flow chart illustrating a
checking process of receiving image data transmitted from digital
camera by electronic communication device according to the invention.
Following are steps performed by electronic communication device:
Step 301: First, electronic communication device transmits an instruction
packet to digital camera for requesting it to clear image data previously
stored in buffer of the digital camera in response to an image data
transmission by digital camera.
Step 302: Next, receive reply packet transmitted from digital camera
prior to reading field values contained in check field of reply
packet.
Step 303: It is determined whether there is any inconsistency between
field value contained in check field and received packet image data.
If not, the process goes to step 304. Otherwise, the process jumps
to step 308.
Step 304: Reads image data contained in reply packet.
Step 305: It is determined whether image data consists of all 0s.
If not (i.e., not all are 0s), the process goes to step 306. Otherwise,
the process jumps to step 308.
Step 306: It is determined whether a complete image data has been
read. If yes, the process goes to step 307. Otherwise, the process
loops back to step 304.
Step 307: Store image data in a memory of portable electronic communication
device.
Step 308: Create an instruction packet requesting a re-transmission
of reply packet from digital camera. The process then loops back
to step 301 for continuation until it is ensured that image data
received from digital camera is correct.
While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments,
numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those
skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of
the invention set forth in the claims.
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