System and method for managing images over a communication network

Abstract

A cellular transmission device includes an image capture device, a display, a selection mechanism, and a processor. The device also includes a memory in which at least one still image captured by the image capture device is stores; and a cellular transceiver coupled to an antenna; wherein the processor is configured to cause the display of at least one still image stored in the memory on the display; cause the display of a transmission selection menu on the display in response to operation of the selection mechanism; thereby enabling selection of a plurality of receiver units from the selection menu to receive the at least one displayed still image; and cause the transmission of the at least one display still image by the cellular transceiver for receipt by each selected receiver unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 storing, by a processing device, digital image data associated with at least one digital image;   receiving, by the processing device, an indication of a plurality of receiving units, wherein the indication identifies each receiving unit that is to receive at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data; and   transmitting, by the processing device, a header and the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data to a cellular transceiver, wherein the header is based on the indication and identifies each of the plurality of receiving units to receive the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data, and wherein the at least one of the digital image data or the data corresponding to the digital image data is transmitted once in a single transmission from the processing device to the cellular transceiver.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the header comprises of a plurality of IDs and each ID corresponds to a corresponding one of the plurality of receiving units. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each ID comprises a single bit that indicates whether the corresponding one of the plurality of receiving units is to receive the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each ID comprises a unique address corresponding to a particular receiver unit of the plurality of receiving units. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cellular transceiver is a first cellular transceiver and is configured to transmit the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data to a second cellular transceiver based on the header, and wherein the second transceiver is configured to transmit the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data to at least one remote cellular transceiver. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one remote cellular transceiver comprises at least one of the plurality of receiving units, and wherein the second cellular transceiver is closer to the at least one of the plurality of receiving units than the first cellular transceiver. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second cellular transceiver is configured to transmit via a single frequency for all receiving units. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second cellular transceiver is configured to transmit via a unique frequency for each receiving unit. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one remote cellular transceiver comprises at least one third cellular transceiver configured to transmit the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data to at least one of the plurality of receiving units, and wherein the third cellular transceiver is closer to the at least one of the plurality of receiving units than the cellular transceiver and the second cellular transceiver. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cellular transceiver is configured to transmit the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data to each receiver unit identified by the header. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the header is transmitted prior to the transmission of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data. 
     
     
         12 . A processing device comprising:
 a memory configured to store digital image data associated with at least one digital image;   a processor configured to receive an indication of a plurality of receiving units, wherein the indication identifies each receiving unit that is to receive at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data; and   a transmitter configured to transmit a header and the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data to a cellular transceiver, wherein the header is based on the indication and identifies each of the plurality of receiving units to receive the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data, and wherein the at least one of the digital image data or the data corresponding to the digital image data is transmitted once in a single transmission from the processing device to the cellular transceiver.   
     
     
         13 . The processing device of  claim 12 , wherein the header comprises of a plurality of IDs and each ID corresponds to a corresponding one of the plurality of receiving units. 
     
     
         14 . The processing device of  claim 13 , wherein each ID comprises a single bit that indicates whether the corresponding one of the plurality of receiving units is to receive the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data. 
     
     
         15 . The processing device of  claim 13 , wherein each ID comprises a unique address corresponding to a particular receiver unit of the plurality of receiving units. 
     
     
         16 . The processing device of  claim 12 , wherein the cellular transceiver is a first cellular transceiver and is configured to transmit the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data to a second cellular transceiver based on the header, and wherein the second transceiver is configured to transmit the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data to at least one remote cellular transceiver. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:
 instructions to store digital image data associated with at least one digital image;   instructions to receive an indication of a plurality of receiving units, wherein the indication identifies each receiving unit that is to receive at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data; and   instructions to transmit a header and the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data to a cellular transceiver, wherein the header is based on the indication and identifies each of the plurality of receiving units to receive the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data, and wherein the at least one of the digital image data or the data corresponding to the digital image data is transmitted once in a single transmission from the processing device to the cellular transceiver.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the header comprises of a plurality of IDs and each ID corresponds to a corresponding one of the plurality of receiving units. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein each ID comprises a single bit that indicates whether the corresponding one of the plurality of receiving units is to receive the at least one of the digital image data or data corresponding to the digital image data. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein each ID comprises a unique address corresponding to a particular receiver unit of the plurality of receiving units.