SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING IMAGES OVER A COMMUNICATION NETWORK
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.
Latest Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC Patents:
- Method for managing privacy of digital images
- Method for deleting data files in an electronic device
- Image display system related-information-access tabs
- System and method for providing customized product configuration and service plan options for a camera device
- Imaging device for capturing self-portrait images
This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/182700, filed Jul. 14, 2011, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/370098, filed Feb. 12, 2009, which is a Reissue of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/626881, filed Jul. 27, 2000, (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,600,510) which is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/232594, filed Jan. 19, 1999, (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,526) which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/842458, filed Apr. 24, 1997, (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,603). which is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/426993, filed Apr. 24, 1995, (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,159) all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
FIELDThe disclosure is directed to an electronic camera system. More specifically, the disclosure is directed to an electronic camera system that includes a transmission mechanism for sending image data to selected receiver units.
BACKGROUNDMotion video cameras and electronic still cameras have been utilized for several years in applications involving image data transmission. Electronic image data generated from a video camera, for example, can be transmitted by a conventional broadcast television station and received by any television in the broadcast area tuned to the appropriate channel. It is not possible, however, for the transmitter to select which receivers will obtain the image data, as selection is controlled at the receiver. Image data from electronic still cameras has been transmitted via conventional telephone lines to selected receivers through the use of a computer equipped with a modem. The image data must first be downloaded from the electronic still camera to the computer, which then transmits the image data to a second modem equipped computer via the telephone line where it can be viewed or printed. Unfortunately, the requirement for a telephone line to transmit image data does not allow images to be quickly and easily transmitted from remote field locations to receiver units. While systems have been proposed that utilize radio frequency transmission to transmit image data from an electronic camera to an individual base unit, none of these systems have the capability of selectively transmitting image data to a plurality of receiver units.
In view of the above, it is an object of the disclosure to provide an electronic camera system that includes a programmable transmission capability for selectively transmitting electronic image data to a plurality of remote receiver units.
SUMMARYThe disclosure provides an electronic camera system that includes a programmable transmission capability for selectively transmitting electronic image data to a plurality of remote receiver units. In one preferred embodiment of the disclosure, a camera module is detachably coupled to a portable computer including a display screen and a data entry device. The camera module includes an electronic image sensor for generating digital image data representative of a scene to be imaged. The electronic image data generated by the camera module is supplied to the portable computer for display on the display screen. The data entry device is used by an operator to select which of the plurality of base units are to receive the digital image data. The digital image data is supplied by the portable computer to a radio-frequency transmitter module for transmission to the selected receiver units. The radio-frequency transmitter module is formed either integral with the portable computer or, like the camera module, is detachably coupled to the portable computer. In a further preferred embodiment, a combined telephone/camera unit is provided that includes a camera module for generating electronic image data representative of a scene to be imaged, a memory unit for storing the electronic image data generated by the camera module, a display screen for displaying the electronic image data stored in the memory unit, a mechanism for selecting which of the plurality of receiver units is to receive the digital image data, and a cellular transceiver for transmitting the digital image data to the receiver units selected by the selection mechanism.
The disclosure will be described in greater detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
A diagram of a camera system in accordance with a first embodiment of the disclosure is illustrated in
The camera module 10 is shown in greater detail in
The operation of the camera system is illustrated in greater detail in the flow diagram illustrated in
As illustrated in
The RF transmission link between the RF transmitter module 14 and the receiver units A-C may be a single frequency system including a cellular system, that uses the same frequency for all receivers, or a multiple frequency system, that uses different frequencies for each of the different receiver units A-C. In the latter case, the image is transmitted multiple times, once using the appropriate frequency band for each selected receiver unit. For single frequency systems, a header code is transmitted prior to transmitting the image. The header includes an ID for each receiver that is to receive the image. In a simple case, a three bit digital code is transmitted, where the first bit is 1if receiver unit A should receive the image and 0if it should not, the second bit is 1if receiver unit B should receive the image and 0if is should not, and the third bit is 1if receiver unit C should receive the image and 0if not. Alternatively, each receiver unit A-C could be assigned a specific address, and the header would contain the address of each receiver that should receive the image.
A second embodiment of the disclosure is illustrated in
In operation, as illustrated in greater detail by the flow diagram illustrated in
The disclosure has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof It will be understood, however, that modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, although the first illustrated embodiment utilizes a pen-based computer, other types of portable computers with non-interactive displays can be utilized. In such a case, commands and data would be entered via a keyboard, mouse or other data entry devices.
INDUSTRIAL UTILITYThe disclosure provides an electronic camera system that includes a programmable transmission capability for selectively transmitting electronic image data to a plurality of remote base units. The camera system is particularly suited to applications, such as news gathering operations, in which it is desirable to capture images in remote field locations and transmit the images to a base station for subsequent review, distribution or publication.
PARTS LIST
- 10 Camera Module
- 12 Pen-based Computer
- 14 RF Transmitter Module
- 16 Display Screen
- 18 Optical Viewfinder
- 20 Capture Switch
- 22 Lens
- 24 Flash Unit
- 26 Computer Bus Connector
- 27 Mounting Clips
- 28 Aperture
- 30 Shutter Mechanism
- 32 Filter
- 34 Electronic Imaging Unit
- 36 Electronic Imaging Sensor
- 38 CCD Driver Unit
- 40 Image Signal Processor
- 42 Camera Control Processor
- 44 Light Measuring Unit
- 46 Driver Unit
- 48 Telephone/Camera Unit
- 50 Lens
- 52 Flash Unit
- 54 Antenna
- 56 Display Screen
- 58 Keypad
- 60 Internal Bus
- 62 Control Processing Unit
- 64 Memory Unit
- 66 Cellular Transceiver
- 68 Camera Module
Claims
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.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 18, 2013
Publication Date: Apr 17, 2014
Applicant: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC (Las Vegas, NV)
Inventors: Kenneth A. Parulski (Rochester, NY), James R. Schueckler (Leroy, NY)
Application Number: 14/132,517
International Classification: H04W 4/18 (20060101);