Patent Application
20050162711
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method of a digital electronic photo frame, especially relating to a digital photo frame which is able to display images on a monitor by means of digital signals recorded from a traditional photo. The significant part of this device is a built-in scanning device, which could scan the photo directly from a traditional photo and display it on the monitor of this frame.
2. Background Description
Since human started to draw on cave walls, the ways of storage and recording of images developed with human history. We now developed many painting techniques and media such as oil painting, Chinese black-white painting, photographing and others. Besides, images are memory more than just a recording for us. Therefore, many families and individuals prefer to keep significant or beautiful, happy things in photo frames and watch them occasionally. But traditional frames can not change photos according to the preferences of users, and need users to change them manually.
Besides that, the pictures which users choose from there photo albums usually cannot match with the size of frames. So that they need to reprint the photos from negative prints in photo labs. That's why users do not change their framed photos so often. Indirectly, the beautiful memory and images in frames are faded out in the end. It's a mentally lost which is caused by the inconvenience of physical operation.
Because of the down-sloping of prices of electronic parts, many integrated and convenient living accessories joined our everyday life. Due to inconvenience of traditional photo frames, electronic photo frames were developed and manufactured as a new option for us. What we called electronic frame is a device transferring images into the memory of the electronic frames and display the image in memory by integrated monitor (usually LCD, now OLED, LTPS LCD are also available). According to the size of memory, we can save more than one picture in the frame and display the images by the modes set by user's preferences.
There are several ways to transfer the data in electronic frames: computer connection (by RS232, USB . . . etc.), memory card connection (by CF card, SD card . . . etc.) and network connection. The former two methods are widely utilized for data transferring. They are somehow convenient but some accessories like computer or digital cameras are needed and the cost is high. Users also need to know basic operations of computers.
Besides, in the moment of data transferring, sometimes the photo frame must move its location to the location of computer and inconvenience will occur. As home electronics, there are some significant points: easy to learn and use, low cost of must-have accessories, and high integrated. As a home appliance, the digital picture frame could hardly achieve any one of them.
For the third way of connection, although it could achieve the functions of long distance image sharing and electronic secretary, but the prerequisite of this method is the presence of broad-band internet connection, or the environment of LAN connection. Even if we use the convenient wireless internet connection, we still need some cost of peripheral accessories, such as a access point device or a wireless router. Besides, since Internet service is applied, there is an additional cost of Internet connection fee, or service fee of photo sharing over internet photo servers.
Based on the restrictions mentioned above, it also makes the traditional electronic frame less mobile. It could not change pictures easily in the environment which is far from computer and internet, especially for the method of internet connection. Besides, the using and operation habits of existed electronic frame are closer to computer. It generates a barrier for most people, and the practicability of electronic frame is effected.
According to the deficiency of prior arts, this goal of this invention is to use built-in photo scanner or digital cameras to capture images, generate digital signals and save the image in memory for later use of displaying on the display panel.
The other intent of this invention is to match using habits of traditional electronic frames. A user puts a physical photo into the electronic photo frame and digital images will be shown on the display screen in the frame. It's also available to perform the operation of inserting physical photos for multiple times and multiple digital photos will be saved in memory. The refreshing of photos could be performed automatically. And the inconvenience of going to photo labs could be avoided.
Another intention of this invention is to utilize the digital picture frame as a mobile presentation tool. In additional to watch the image of charts directly, the image could also be transferred to outer TV or projector. It's even easier to change the order of images by the remote controller.
According to what described above, this invention provides an image capturing electronic photo frame. It includes a processor which connects a memory module for image processing. The display device connects the processor for image displaying. In the image capturing electronic photo frame mentioned above, it also includes one storage device which is used to store images.
For the image capturing electronic photo frame mentioned above, one better embodiment is consisted of a display device for image displaying, a scanning device for scanning photo, and an input/output device connecting the display device.
The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:
In order to provide a clear description and better understanding, charts/diagrams are not drawn in portion and relative scale. The size of some parts is also exaggerated compared in scale to other related parts. To be more concise, irrelative details are not drawn completely.
Firstly, please refer to
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The system diagram of the present invention of the digital picture frame 20 is again shown in
Therefore, the picture acquisition process of the present invention will be performed like operating a home electronic or a home appliance. The scanned images will be shown on the body. In the prerequisite of fixed resolution and colors, the efficiency of scanning can be optimized, and users can almost sense no operation of scanning. Besides, in a simplified operating environment, users don't need to do any setting. It just matches with the basic spirit of home electronics, which is easy to use. In addition, the built-in memory and rechargeable batteries let this device more mobile. It can be used as a presentation device as well. More than just watch the images or charts directly, it could also connect external TV or projector. Used with a remote controller, image playing can be controlled easily.
Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in the forgoing description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substituting of parts and elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to encompass such rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements as fall within the scope of the appended claims.
