Camera with Integrated Wireless Interface

• US 20080100712A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Louks, Ronald A., Hayes, Gerard J.
• Application Number:
  US11/613,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20080100712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

In one or more embodiments taught herein, a camera comprises a camera body, a flip-out display member coupled to the camera body, and a wireless interface module and one or more associated antennas incorporated into the flip-out display member. The wireless interface module may be integrated within the flip-out display member, or may be removably mounted in it. In such configurations, the flip-out display member 14 includes a receptacle, such as a slot-type receptacle or a snap-in type receptacle, to receive the wireless interface module, which may be configured as a PC card or PCI Mini card, for example. Whether removable or not, the wireless interface module may support one or more cellular and/or wireless LAN standards, such as GSM/GPRS, WCDMA, cdma2000, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, WiMax, etc. Complementing the wireless interface'"'"'s communications capability, the antenna(s) may comprise fixed or movable antennas configured for diversity/MIMO operation, and/or operation in different frequency bands.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

a camera body;

a flip-out display member coupled to the camera body; and

a wireless interface module and one or more associated antennas incorporated into the flip-out display member.

2. The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a video camera having a forward lens disposed in a front portion of the camera body, and wherein the flip-out display member is hingedly integrated into a side portion of the camera body.

3. The camera of claim 1, wherein the flip-out display member includes a wireless interface card receptacle and wherein the wireless interface module comprises a wireless interface card removably mountable in the wireless interface card receptacle.

4. The camera of claim 3, wherein the wireless interface card receptacle is disposed within an interior space of the flip-out display member.

5. The camera of claim 3, wherein the flip-out display member includes a removable cover portion that provides access to the wireless interface card receptacle.

6. The camera of claim 3, wherein the wireless interface card receptacle comprises a card slot receptacle disposed in a back edge of the flip-out display member, wherein a front edge of the flip-out display member is coupled to the camera body.

7. The camera of claim 3, wherein the wireless interface card comprises a wireless modem card.

8. The camera of claim 3, wherein the wireless interface card receptacle comprises a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Mini Card receptacle and the wireless interface card comprises a PCI Mini Card.

9. The camera of claim 1, wherein the wireless interface module includes at least one of a Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, WiMax, and cellular wireless communication interface.

10. The camera of claim 1, wherein the wireless interface module is fixedly integrated in the flip-output display member.

11. The camera of claim 1, wherein the one or more antennas incorporated into the flip-out display member comprise a movable first antenna.

12. The camera of claim 11, further comprising a fixed second antenna configured to operate in conjunction with the movable first antenna.

13. The camera of claim 1, wherein the one or more antennas incorporated into the flip-out display member comprise first and second antennas configured for operation with orthogonal polarizations.

14. The camera of claim 13, wherein the wireless interface module includes receiver or transmitter circuits configured for diversity operation via the first and second antennas.

15. The camera of claim 1, wherein the one or more antennas incorporated into the flip-out display member comprise first and second antennas having first and second operating frequency bands.

16. The camera of claim 15, wherein the wireless interface module includes receiver or transmitter circuits configured for operation in the first and second operating frequency bands.

17. The camera of claim 1, wherein the one or more antennas incorporated into the flip-out display member comprise two or more antennas configured to provide diversity reception.

18. The camera of claim 1, wherein the one or more antennas incorporated into the flip-out display member comprise a fixedly mounted first antenna and a slidably or pivotally mounted second antenna.

19. The camera of claim 1, wherein the one or more antennas incorporated into the flip-out display member comprise a first antenna fixedly integrated along a top edge of the flip-out display member.

20. The camera of claim 19, further comprising a second antenna operatively associated with the first antenna and pivotally connected to the top edge of the flip-out display member, such that it overlies the first antenna when pivoted into its closed position, and is orthogonal to the first antenna when pivoted into its open position.

21. The camera of claim 1, wherein the one or more antennas incorporated into the flip-out display member comprise a first antenna fixedly integrated along a back edge of the flip-out display member, wherein a front-edge of the flip-out display member is coupled to the camera body.

22. The camera of claim 21, further comprising a second antenna operatively associated with the first antenna and pivotally connected to the back edge of the flip-out display member, such that it overlies the first antenna when pivoted into its closed position, and is orthogonal to the first antenna when pivoted into its open position.

23. The camera of claim 1, wherein the camera includes one or more communication control circuits configured to control wireless communications via the wireless interface module, and wherein the wireless interface module comprises a radio modem operating under control of the one or more communication control circuits in the camera.

24. The camera of claim 1, wherein the wireless interface module includes communication control circuits configured to control wireless communications and further includes a camera interface circuit to provide transfer of data into or out of the camera via the wireless interface module.

25. A method of incorporating a wireless interface module into a camera having a flip-out display member coupled to a body of the camera, the method comprising incorporating the wireless interface module and one or more associated antennas into the flip-out display member.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising configuring the one or more associated antennas as a first antenna for wireless communication in a first operating frequency band and a second antenna for wireless communication in a second operating frequency band.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising configuring the one or more associated antennas as first and second diversity antennas.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising configuring the first antenna as a fixedly mounted antenna and configuring the second antenna as a pivotally mounted antenna that swivels into an orthogonal position relative to the fixedly mounted antenna.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the wireless interface module comprises a radio modem, and further comprising integrating communication control circuits within the camera to control the radio modem.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the wireless interface module comprises a wireless interface card, and further comprising configuring the flip-out display member with a wireless interface card receptacle for receiving the wireless interface card.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein configuring the flip-out display member with a wireless interface card receptacle for receiving the wireless interface card comprises configuring an inner or outer face of the flip-out display member with a snap-in or slide-in card receptacle.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein configuring the flip-out display member with a wireless interface card receptacle for receiving the wireless interface card comprises configuring a back edge of the flip-out display member to include a slot receptacle for insertion of the wireless interface card.