Image capturing apparatus and method, and recording medium therefor

• US 20070252897A1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hajime Hata
• Original Assignee: Hajime Hata
• Inventors: Hata, Hajime
• Granted Patent: US 8,134,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

In order that a digital video (DV) camera function as a WWW server in a network, an image capturing section captures an image of a subject. A DV encoder encodes an image signal input from the image capturing section. A recording and playback section plays back DV data recorded in a DV cassette tape. An IP packet assembling/disassembling section assembles a DV signal input from the DV encoder, a DV signal input from the recording and playback section, or an HTML file input from a WWW server processing section into IP packets, and outputs them to an IEEE 1394 interface. The IEEE 1394 interface transmits, via the network, the IP packets input from the IP packet assembling/disassembling section to a personal computer which accessed the DV camera.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. An image capturing apparatus connectable to a network, comprising:

image capturing means for capturing an image;

storage means for storing said captured image;

playback means for playing back said stored image;

maintaining means for maintaining an HTML file which forms a home page with a display area for displaying an image within the home page;

receiving means for receiving via said network a command output by an electronic device;

detecting means for detecting whether said command requests a real-time image which is being captured by said image capturing means or a pre-recorded image which is stored in said storage means;

transmission means for transmitting said HTML file via said network to said electronic device in response to said received command, whereby said home page is displayed on said electronic device;

coding means for coding said image captured by said image capturing means or the played back stored image; and

supply means for supplying coded image data generated by said coding means to said electronic device via said network to correspond to said received command, whereby the supplied image is displayed in said display area of said home page displayed on said electronic device.

10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

checking means for checking the status of said network; and

coding-rate control means for controlling the coding rate of said coding means in such a manner as to correspond to the checked result of said checking means.

11. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

playback speed control means for controlling a playback speed of said playback means.

12. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said network conforms with an IEEE 1394 standard.

13. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said image capturing apparatus is a digital video camera.

14. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said electronic device is a personal computer.