Camera interface module

• US 20070236576A1
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Byrne, Daniel, Pandit, Amol, Beemer, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 7,623,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

A camera interface module is disclosed. The camera interface module has a first connector on one side configured to couple with a camera dock. The camera interface module has a second smaller connector on a second side configured to couple to a camera. The camera interface module has a standard input/output (I/O) connector and a power jack on a third side.

Claims

1. A camera interface module (CIM), comprising:

a first connector mounted on a first side, the first connector having a first size where the first connector is configured to couple to a camera dock;

a second connector mounted on a second side, the second connector having a second size, where the second size is smaller than the first size, and where the second connector is configured to couple to a camera;

a standard I/O connector and a power jack mounted on a third side.

2. The camera interface module of claim 1 where the CIM is configured such that the standard I/O connector and the power jack are inaccessible when the camera interface module is mounted in the camera dock.

3. The camera interface module of claim 2 further comprising:

an insert attached to the camera interface module where the insert covers the standard I/O connector and the power jack on the third side and where the insert is configured to guide a camera onto the second connector.

4. The camera interface module of claim 3 where the insert is configured to attach onto the camera interface module using an interference fit.

5. The camera interface module of claim 1 where the standard I/O connector and the power connector are automatically electrically disabled when the camera interface module is mounted in the camera dock.

6. The camera interface module of claim 1 where the standard I/O connector is a USB connector.

7. The camera interface module of claim 1 where first side is a bottom side and the second side is a top side.

8. A camera docking system, comprising:

a dock having a first size camera specific I/O connector mounted on a top side of the dock;

a camera interface module (CIM) comprising;

a first camera specific I/O connector mounted on a bottom side of the CIM and configured to couple to the first size camera specific I/O connector mounted on the top side of the dock;

a second camera specific I/O connector mounted on a top side of the CIM, where the size of the second camera specific I/O connector is smaller than the size of the first camera specific I/O connector;

a standard I/O connector and a power jack mounted on a third side of the CIM;

a camera with a second size camera specific I/O connector configured to couple to the second size camera specific I/O connector mounted on the top side of the CIM.

9. A method for manufacturing a camera interface module, comprising:

mounting a first connector on a first side, the first connector having a first size where the first connector is configured to couple to a camera dock;

mounting a second connector on a second side, the second connector having a second size, where the second size is smaller than the first size, and where the second connector is configured to couple to a camera;

mounting a standard I/O connector and a power jack on a third side.

10. The method for manufacturing a camera interface module of claim 9 where the CIM is configured such that the standard I/O connector and the power jack are inaccessible when the camera interface module is mounted in the camera dock.

11. The method for manufacturing a camera interface module of claim 9 further comprising:

forming an insert configured to attached to the camera interface module where the insert covers the standard I/O connector and the power jack on the third side and where the insert is configured to guide a camera onto the second connector.

12. The method for manufacturing a camera interface module of claim 11 where the insert is configured to attach onto the camera interface module using an interference fit.

13. The method for manufacturing a camera interface module of claim 9 where the standard I/O connector and the power connector are automatically electrically disabled when the camera interface module is mounted in the camera dock.

14. The method for manufacturing a camera interface module of claim 9 where the standard I/O connector is a USB connector.

15. The method for manufacturing a camera interface module of claim 9 where first side is a bottom side and the second side is a top side.