New user features for digital still cameras using elastic storage

We present elastic storage, a storage method that offers users of digital still image cameras more flexibility and a more efficient use of storage capacity than currently available. The implementation exploits the flexibility offered by new scalable image compression methods, such as the recently standardized JPEG2000. These make the storage space "elastic", storing a continuously variable number of images in a fixed storage space. Elastic storage, for example, always allows users to take another picture, even when the storage device is completely filled. The quality/resolution of previously stored pictures can also easily be changed (reduced) when desired. In particular, elastic storage allows different images to be stored at a different quality/resolution, according to users' preferences. We provide examples which show how this new flexibility can be incorporated into the user interface.