MODULAR DIGITAL CAMERA

• US 20080297619A1
• Filed: 08/10/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Walmsley, Simon Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,068,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/008 Controlling printhead for accurately positioning print image on printing material, e.g. with the intention to control the width of margins
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/02 Rollers roller platens B41J11/04
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/103 for the sheet feeding section
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/12 specially adapted for small cards, envelopes, or the like , e.g. credit cards, cut visiting cards
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 19/207 Encoding along a bar
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16508 connected with the printer frame
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16579 Detection means therefor, e.g. for nozzle clogging
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 23/02 Mechanical power drives
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/023 with reduced dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/44 : Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms having dual functions or combined with, or coupled to, apparatus performing other functions
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 : Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/46 : Printing mechanisms combined with apparatus providing a visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 : Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 : Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/50 : with both developing and finishing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/05 : Combinations of cameras with electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 : Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 : for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3232 : wherein the operator is informed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3262 : Player actions which determine the course of the game, e.g. selecting a prize to be won, outcome to be achieved, game to be played
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 : with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00265 : with a photographic printing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 : with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 : with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00397 : Switches, knobs or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00538 : Modular devices, i.e. allowing combinations of separate components, removal or replacement of components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00541 : with detachable image reading apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00557 : Connection or assembly of components or elements H04N1/00538 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0083 : Arrangements for transferring signals between different components of the apparatus, e.g. arrangements of signal lines or cables for control or supervision between image input and output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00962 : Input arrangements for operating instructions or parameters, e.g. updating internal software program loading in general G06F9/445; network-specific protocols involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/107 : with manual scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 : using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 : the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 : using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32598 : Bus based systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/387 : Composing, repositioning or otherwise geometrically modifying originals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/405 : Halftoning, i.e. converting the picture signal of a continuous-tone original into a corresponding signal showing only two levels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/52 : Circuits or arrangements for halftone screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 : Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6019 : using look-up tables H04N1/6025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/62 : Retouching, i.e. modification of isolated colours only or in isolated picture areas only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 : Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 : Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 : Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 : Portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 : Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 : Housings

Abstract

Provided is a pen-shaped modular camera assembly having a plurality of modules each with at least one connector to link the modules together. The assembly includes a camera module having an image sensor for capturing an image in an RGB (red, green, blue) color space. Also included is a central processing module arranged in communication with the camera module, the central processing module having a central processing unit with program memory for storing program steps for execution by the central processing unit to operate the camera module, along with image storage memory for storing the captured image. The assembly also includes an image processing module arranged in communication with the image storage memory, the image processing module configured to dynamically convert the stored image from a L*a*b* color space to a CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow) color space. Also included is a battery module configured so that electrical energy is supplied to the respective modules via the at least one connector.

Claims

1. A pen-shaped modular camera assembly having a plurality of modules each with at least one connector to link the modules together, said assembly comprising:

a camera module having an image sensor for capturing an image in an RGB (red, green, blue) color space;

a central processing module arranged in communication with the camera module, the central processing module having a central processing unit with program memory for storing program steps for execution by the central processing unit to operate the camera module, along with image storage memory for storing the captured image;

an image processing module arranged in communication with the image storage memory, the image processing module configured to dynamically convert the stored image from a L*a*b* color space to a CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow) color space; and

a battery module configured so that electrical energy is supplied to the respective modules via the at least one connector.

2. The pen-shaped modular camera assembly of claim 1, wherein the image processing module has an effects module configured to apply effects to the image, the effects including borders, clip-art, captions, warps, color changes, and/or painting styles.

3. The pen-shaped modular camera assembly of claim 1, having a printer module with a drop-on-demand inkjet printhead operatively producing bi-level dots for printing the CMY image on business card-sized media fed through the printer module.

4. The pen-shaped modular camera assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector includes either a male or a female connector having a four wire serial bus interface for connecting to a respective connector of another module.

5. The pen-shaped modular camera assembly of claim 1, wherein the camera module is configured to capture images in a Bayer color filter array (CFA) pixel arrangement.

6. The pen-shaped modular camera assembly of claim 5, wherein the image processing module is configured to resample red and blue planes of the captured image by scaling up a number of pixels sampled from a mosaic of the captured RGB image in each plane dimension by 2, with intermediate pixels generated by means of a reconstruction filter.

7. The pen-shaped modular camera assembly of claim 6, wherein the image processing module is configured to resample a green plane of the captured image by mapping output coordinates in CMY space to input coordinates of the RGB image according to a particular relationship.