1. A solid image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image capturing device;
said image capturing device includes means for receiving an optical image;
means responsive to said optical image for conducting photoelectric conversion of said optical image to produce an image output signal;
means for generating characteristic data of said image capturing device to produce a characteristic data signal;
an output terminal;
means for outputting an output signal from output terminal; and
said means for outputting including means for outputting said output signal including both said image output signal and said characteristic data signal,
wherein said image capturing device includes an image field;
said image field includes an effective image field and an invalid image field;
said invalid image field includes characteristic data of said solid image capturing device;
said solid image capturing device includes an optical mask covering said invalid image field; and
said optical mask includes a memory field which optically stores said characteristic data.
2. A solid image capturing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said invalid image filed is located outside said effective image filed.
3. A solid image capturing apparatus, comprising:
an image capturing device;
said image capturing device includes means for receiving an optical image;
means responsive to said optical image for conducting photoelectric conversion of said optical image to produce an image output signal;
means for generating characteristic data of said image capturing device to produce a characteristic data signal;
an output terminal;
means for outputting an output signal from output terminal; and
said means for outputting including means for outputting said output signal including both said image output signal and said characteristic data signal,
wherein said image capturing device includes an image field;
said image field includes an effective image field and an invalid image field;
said invalid image field includes characteristic data of said solid image capturing device;
said invalid image field includes a first memory field;
said first memory field includes non-optical means for storing said characteristic data;
said solid image capturing device includes an optical mask covering said invalid image field; and
said optical mask includes a second memory field for optically storing said characteristic data.
4. A solid image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a lens; and
said lens being integrally combined with said solid image capturing device.
5. A solid image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a processing circuit for processing data output from said output terminal; and
a determining means for determining said characteristic data from said output signal.
6. A solid image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:
said lens unit containing said means for generating characteristic data;
a main body of said image capturing apparatus; and
said lens unit is adapted for interchangeable mounting on said main body, whereby, whenever a lens is changed, characteristic data associated with said new lens is automatically available to said solid image capturing apparatus.
7. An image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a main body of the image capturing apparatus;
a lens unit;
means for permitting interchangeable mounting of said lens unit on said main body; and
said lens unit including therein said image capturing device.
8. An image capturing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:
a processing circuit for processing said output signal; and
a determining means for determining data that is characteristic to the solid image capturing device and processed by the processing circuit.
9. An image capturing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said main body includes:
a processing circuit for processing said output signal; and
a determining means for determining data that is characteristic to said solid image capturing device and processed by the processing circuit.
10. An image capturing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:
said output signal includes said characteristic data and said image output signal; and
said determining means time separating said characteristic data from said image output signal, whereby a single output signal is enabled to contain both said characteristic data and said image output signal without interference therebetween.
11. An image capturing device according to claim 10, wherein said characteristic data is contained in a field outside of a field that generates said image output signal.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1) An improved method for searching, detecting, sensing, and discovering attributes, characteristics, parameters or other data among known and unknown devices and their users, the method comprising:
launching a client application (the SST Client) on a device (the first device), wherein the client application enables searching, detecting, sensing, or discovering (collectively or separately, \u2018discovering\u2019 or \u2018discover\u2019) attributes, characteristics, interests, preferences, parameters or other data (collectively or separately, attributes) associated with other devices, or the users of such devices;
configuring the SST Client on the first device to discover the specified attributes (searched-for attributes) of such other devices or users (a recipient device);
using any of the methods described in the Related Patents, for the first device to communicate with recipient devices;
enabling the SST Client on the first device to send an instruction to discover the searched-for attributes of the recipient devices;
obtaining and compiling on the first device information from recipient devices to enable selection of at least one device with the searched-for attributes; and
displaying a selection on the first device of the at least one device with the searched for attribute(s), or the display of the attributes disclosed by the at least one other device.
2) The method of claim 1, further comprising:
detecting, at the SST Client on the first device, a search by a second SST Client on a recipient device; and
sending from the SST Client on the first device to the SST Client on a recipient device identification of one or more attributes searched for by the SST Client on the second device client.
3) The method of claim 1, further comprising configuration of the SST Client on the first device and use of any of the communications methods of the Related Patents to discover stories, topics, interests, preferences or other content (collectively, Stories) associated with one or more recipient devices, or the users of such devices.
4) The method of claim 1, further comprising configuration of the SST Client on the first device and use of any of the communications methods of the Related Patents, to discover content, products, goods, services, information or other data\u2014in any medium or format (collectively, Content)\u2014whose Commercial Sale is being searched, offered, or identified as being of interest or potential interest (such Content, \u2018Topical Content\u2019) to one or more recipient devices, or the user(s) of such devices.
5) The method of claim 3 or claim 4, further comprising configuration of the SST Client on the first device and use of any of the communications methods of the Related Patents, to alert, display, notify, evaluate, screen, compare or prioritize searched-for attributes, Stories, Content or Topical Content (collectively, \u201csearched-for Interests\u201d) associated with one or more recipient devices, or the user(s) of such devices.
6) The method of claim 5, further comprising configuration of the SST Client on the first device and use of any of the communications methods of the Related Patents, for the Commercial Sale of searched-for Interests by, between or among one or more recipient devices, or the users of such devices.
7) The method of claim 5, further comprising configuration of the SST Client on the first device and use of any of the communications methods of the Related Patents, to market, advertise, deliver product information and other marketing content, solicit and engage to or with one or more recipient devices, or the users of such devices, based on searched-for Interests associated with such devices, or the users of such devices.
8) The method of claim 5, further comprising configuration of the SST Client on the first device and use of any of the communications methods of the Related Patents, to educate, inform, persuade, lobby, advocate, engage or otherwise transmit information or other data to or with one or more recipient devices, or the users of such devices, based on searched-for Interests associated with such devices, or the users of such devices.
9) The method of claims 1-8, further comprising use of any of the communications methods described in the Related Patents, for the first device to communicate with recipient devices when specified, at the option of the first device or one or more recipient devices, for use in lieu of email, instant messaging (IM), text messaging, multimedia messaging, telephony or any other communications protocol or technique based on fixed endpoints, regardless of whether either (a) the sending or recipient device has knowledge or possession of any contact information of the other device, or (b) the user of the other device is a member of any known or identified business, social or communications network.
10) An improved method to market, advertise, deliver product information or other marketing content, solicit and engage to and with one or more known or unknown devices or their user(s), the method comprising:
launching a client application (the SST Client) on a device (the first device), wherein the client application enables searching, detecting, sensing, or discovering (collectively or separately, \u2018discovering\u2019 or \u2018discover\u2019) any one or more of the following:
(i) attributes, characteristics, interests, preferences, parameters or other data (collectively, attributes),
(ii) stories, topics, interests, preferences or other content (collectively, Stories),
(iii) content, products, goods, services, information or other data, in any medium or format (collectively, Content), or
(iv) Content the Commercial Sale of which is being searched, offered, or identified as being of interest or potential interest (such Content, \u2018Topical Content\u2019) to one or more devices or the user(s) of such devices,
(such attributes, Stories, Content or Topical Content collectively, \u2018searched-for Interests\u2019) associated with other devices, or the users of such other devices;
configuring the SST Client on the first device to discover the searched-for Interests of such other devices or users (a recipient device);
using any of the methods described in the Related Patents, for the first device to communicate with recipient devices;
enabling the SST Client on the first device to send an instruction to discover the searched-for Interests of the recipient devices;
obtaining and compiling on the first device information from recipient devices to enable selection of at least one device with the searched-for Interests;
displaying a selection on the first device of the at least one device with the searched-for Interests, or the display of the searched-for Interest(s) disclosed by the at least one other device; and
enabling the first device to select at least one of such recipient devices, and to direct specific or variable marketing or other content to the at least one other such device.
11) An improved method for Commercial Sales with, to or from one or more known or unknown devices or their user(s), the method comprising:
launching a client application (the SST Client) on a device (the first device), wherein the client application enables searching, detecting, sensing, or discovering (collectively or separately, \u2018discovering\u2019 or \u2018discover\u2019) either:
(A) (i) content, products, goods, services, information or other data, in any medium or format (collectively, Content),
(ii) one or more categories, genres, or other types of Content (collectively, \u2018Content Types\u2019), or
(iii) interest in or preferences for Content Types, or
(B) attributes, characteristics, interests, preferences, parameters or other data regarding or otherwise relating to Content or Content Types (collectively, Content Attributes),
(such Content, Content Types, and Content Attributes collectively, \u2018searched-for Content\u2019) associated with other devices, or the users of such other devices;
configuring the SST Client on the first device to discover the searched-for Content of such other devices (a recipient device);
using any of the methods described in the Related Patents, for the first device to communicate with recipient devices;
enabling the SST Client on the first device to send an instruction to discover the searched-for Content of the recipient devices;
obtaining and compiling on the first device attribute information from recipient devices to enable selection of at least one device with the searched-for Content;
displaying a selection on the first device of the at least one device with the searched-for Content, or the display of the searched-for Content disclosed by the at least one other device; and
enabling the first device to select at least one of such recipient devices, and to engage the at least one other device in a Commercial Sale of Content.