Sony Ericsson patent applications reveal wireless digital camera plans

It looks like your future digital camera could have considerably more wireless options than built-in WiFi or an Eye-Fi card, at least if Sony Ericsson has its way. As Unwired View reports, the company has filed a number patent applications that detail its plans to add various wireless connectivity options to digital cameras, including GSM, CDMA, and WiMAX, in addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. That would apparently come both in the form of wireless cards built into the cameras themselves, and in the form of wireless adapters or docks that would attach to the camera, with some dedicated flash memory also thrown in for storing settings for Flickr and the like. Of course, there's no indication as to when we can expect to see such cameras and, as Unwired View points out, the idea itself may not be the most patentable, but you can sign us up for any connectivity option that doesn't involve a tangled mess of cords in our gadget bag.

[larcen007 @ May 13th 2008 12:34PM]

They are trying to patent - wait for this - a camera that can act like a cell phone with its various wireless connectivity options, without the phone part? Why didn't I think of this.

Now granted, I have not read the application - maybe there is some other non-obvious feature not posted in the blurb.

To engadget - I am a patent attorney (I am sure some of the readers are too) Instead of posting a blurb, maybe a patent attorney (doesn't have to be me, but i wouldn't mind) could quickly look over the patent and give at least a better description of whats going on?

[alansky @ May 13th 2008 12:48PM]

Just what the world needs: another ten gazillion badly-focused snapshots congesting cyberspace.

[Esyndel @ May 13th 2008 1:25PM]

larcen007,


Quick question. What is the best way to go about finding a patent attorney and an intellectual property lawyer?

[MattNL @ May 14th 2008 7:26AM]

Break a patent...

[David @ May 13th 2008 4:54PM]

Hi Esyndel,

I have worked with one patent attorney for years. He's very talented and professional and is very affordably priced for his skill level. He has about 20+ years experience and worked in the USPTO office at the highest levels, so knows the system really well. Anyways, I have only the best to say of him and would highly recommend him, especially for technical patent applications. His contact info is as follows:

Robert G. Lev
[e-mail]
[phone]

Tell him that David recommended him. He'll know who I am.

Hope this helps.

Best,

David Bratslavsky

[slarity @ May 13th 2008 1:07PM]

Honestly they probably got this from the iPhone. I think its awesome how I can be out anywhere and take a pic and email it.

[L.Rawlins @ May 13th 2008 1:18PM]

I do hope you're joking... but I can't be sure.

Sony Ericcsson et al have been doing that for years.

[Deluxe @ May 13th 2008 5:40PM]

Wow, -10,000 respect points (leaving you with a net result of -10,000).

For several years phones have been able to do this.

[larcen007 @ May 13th 2008 2:08PM]

Esyndel,

There are many considerations - such as geography and technical area. You can also file a patent application yourself, but I suggest talking to a patent practitioner before doing so.

A registry of patent practitioners - both agents and attorneys. https://oedci.uspto.gov/OEDCI/

A listing of the "top" patent and trademark firms in the United States. http://www.iptoday.com/reports.asp

A helpful website for inventors.
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/iip/index.htm

I hope this information is useful. Should you have any questions, just reply to the comment.

[Dennis @ May 13th 2008 2:42PM]

so.... its a phone-camera?

[John Stracke @ May 13th 2008 2:44PM]

Who wants to pay an extra cellular bill for their camera? Just give me a camera with Bluetooth, so I can send the picture to my phone; then I'll email it from there. (Alternately, the Bluetooth camera could use the phone as a modem.)

Let the cameras be good at taking pictures, and the phones be good at communications. Don't try to mush them together.

[nicholas @ May 13th 2008 4:55PM]

Larcen007,

It's the Kodak Brownie using cell service, a description that I and many other people have posted on. What the hell is going on at the patent office?

I like your comment on the cell phone camera without the cell phone...

[larcen007 @ May 13th 2008 7:23PM]

I have skimmed the patent, so i wont really go into the merits of the application itself. Here are some general things to know.

These are patent applications that are being published, which does not necessarily mean that these will issue into patents. I have seen patent applications on methods to propose marriage to penuematic air-driven system which appears to waste no energy (virtually a perpetual motion machine). Of course these patent applications were denied (and were funny to read). 99.9% of applications are published, and companies like sony can just waste millions on filing patent applications. Just cause its published, doesn't mean it will get patented.

Patent applications go through various amendments - so what you see published may not necessarily reflect the current status of the patent application. One good reason to claim ridiculously broadly with many narrower claims is because maybe the examiner will let all the claims through.

If you are really interested in current trends in patent law, i highly recommend http://www.patentlyo.com/

Bottom line - I read some of the claims, and they will definitely be rejected. But that doesnt mean they can't be amended to overcome the rejection. The general idea of a phone-camera is not novel - but maybe they are doing something different (no matter how small) that would make it non-obvious - think mouse trap vs. better mouse trap.

[larcen007 @ May 13th 2008 7:30PM]

Also, think of their invention as a cellular camera, as opposed to a camera with a cellular phone without the phone. Any way you cut it - one skilled in the ar would look at a device which has a phone, cellular capability, a camera, and other wireless connectivity options and think to himself - why don't i take the phone out and put the rest into the camera's body, or into a separate body where the camera attaches itself to?

[glai @ May 14th 2008 4:00AM]

okay, camera with wifi; it's been done:

http://www.physorg.com/news6183.html

http://scobleizer.com/2007/09/22/testing-nikons-new-wifi-camera/

http://blog.fotolia.com/us/archive/001783.html

Why is this news?

I agree with the comments to make better cameras built into phones. Then skip the step of needing multiple items.

G