Recyclable, digital one time use camera

Abstract

A digital camera having a limiting-use component to limit use of the digital camera to a single use-cycle.

1 . (canceled)  
     
     
         2 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a digital camera having a limiting-use component to limit use of the digital camera to a single use-cycle, one or more sensors to capture raw image sensor data associated with one or more images, a communication port, a user interface, a display screen, as well as a memory within the digital camera to store the raw image sensor data, wherein the communication port to transfer the raw image sensor data to an external processing unit that performs image-processing operations on the raw image sensor data to convert the raw image sensor data into a graphics file of a captured image, and the user interface of the digital camera to allow a user pre-view of the one or more of images through the display screen of the digital camera.    
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the external processing unit has an image processor that also processes the raw image sensor data to also improve a visual quality of the captured image by utilizing an algorithm on each captured image to automatically enhance the visual quality of the captured image based on detecting a low-light condition associated with the raw image data without being prompted by a user to improve the low-light condition in the captured image.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the external processing unit has a digital negative port to write the graphics files of the captured digital images onto a portable computer readable storage disk.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the communication port has a proprietary connector and the external processing unit has a matching mating connector to the proprietary connector of the communication port.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a machine readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by a processor, to cause the following operations, comprising:    detecting one or more defective pixels in the one or more sensors that are not light sensitive and instead record a constant light value; and    compensating for a first defective pixel by determining an estimated light value for that first defective pixel by analyzing a light value recorded by pixels around the first defective pixel.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the machine readable storage medium stores further instructions, which when executed by the processor, to cause the following operations, comprising: 
 deleting the raw image data associated with the captured image when prompted by a user of the digital camera.    
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising: 
 limiting an employ of a digital camera for a single use-cycle with a limiting use component; and    configuring the digital camera to store raw image sensor data within the digital camera;    configuring the digital camera to transfer raw image sensor data to a proprietary external processing unit that performs image processing operations on the raw image sensor data to convert the raw image sensor data into a graphics file of a captured image; and    configuring the digital camera to have a security mechanism to limit only the propriety external processing unit to gain access to the stored raw image sensor data within the digital camera.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the security mechanism consists of transferring the raw image sensor data and a unique identifier associated with that digital camera to the external processing unit and the external processing unit referencing the unique identifier to a list of registered cameras in order to process that raw image sensor data.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the security mechanism consists of a communication port in the digital one time use camera that has a proprietary connector and the external processing unit has a matching mating connector to the proprietary connector of the communication port, and the raw image sensor data is transferred through the communication port.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 an external processing unit to process image data associated with one or more images from a digital camera; and    the digital camera having a limiting-use component to limit use of the digital camera to a single use-cycle, one or more sensors to capture image data associated with one or more images, a memory to store the data associated with one or more images, a display screen to preview the one or more images, a flash to cooperate with the image sensors to provide additional light for the capturing of the one or more images, and a security mechanism to limit access to the data associated with one or more images stored within the digital camera to only the external processing unit and no other external device.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the security mechanism consists of a unique identifier associated with the digital camera, the external processing unit having a storage component storing a list of unique identifiers of registered cameras and the digital camera to transfer the image data and a unique identifier associated with that digital camera to the external processing unit and the external processing unit to reference the unique identifier to the list of registered cameras prior to processing the image data.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the digital camera to imprint the unique identifier on all of the images taken by the digital camera.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the security mechanism consists of a communication port in the digital one time use camera that has a proprietary connector and the external processing unit has a matching mating connector to the proprietary connector of the communication port, and the image data is transferred through the communication port.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the external processing unit has an image processor that processes the image data stored in the memory of the digital camera to also improve a visual quality of a captured image by utilizing an algorithm on each captured image to automatically enhance the visual quality of the captured image based on detecting a low-light condition associated with the image data without being prompted by a user to improve the low-light condition in the captured image.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the external processing unit has a modem, and a communication algorithm to send a signal to a remote server to receive maintenance updates the unique identifiers associated with the list of registered cameras on a scheduled basis.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the external processing unit identifies itself with its own unique identifier to the remote server.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the external processing unit has a digital negative port to write the graphics files of the captured digital images onto a portable computer readable storage disk.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a processor in the digital camera; and    a machine readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, to cause the following operations, including    detecting one or more defective pixels in the one or more sensors that are not light sensitive and instead record a constant light value, and    compensating for a first defective pixel by determining an estimated light value for that first defective pixel by analyzing a light value recorded by pixels around the first defective pixel.    
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a processor in the digital camera; and    a machine readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, to cause the following operations, including deleting the image data associated with the captured image when prompted by a user of the digital camera.    
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein a software program limits the preset capacity of the memory to a preset amount of pictures to be taken.