Document camera

• US 20090002548A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Epson America Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Epson America Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Mishra, Rajeev, Liang, Ernie, Mapon, Supina
• Granted Patent: US 7,929,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/373
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00519 Constructional details not otherwise provided for, e.g. housings, covers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00559 Mounting or support of components or elements H04N1/00538 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 Portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/02404 Arrangements for mounting or supporting heads H04N2201/02402 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0436 Scanning a picture-bearing surface lying face up on a support H04N2201/0434 takes precedence; using cylindrical picture bearing surfaces H04N1/06; with manual scanning H04N1/107

Abstract

A document camera includes a base, a first arm, a second arm, and a camera head assembly. The base includes control electronics. The first arm is connected at a first end to a side of the base utilizing a first hinge. The second arm is connected at a first end to a second end of the first arm utilizing the second hinge. The camera head assembly is connected at a first end to a second end of the second arm utilizing the third hinge. The camera head assembly includes a lens adjuster and an imaging sensor and movement of the lens adjuster changes an orientation of the imaging sensor. The first side of the first arm is connected to a first side of the base and a second side of the first arm is connected to the second hinge.

Claims

1. A document camera, comprising:

a base including control electronics;

a first arm connected at a first end to a side of the base utilizing a first hinge;

a second arm connected at a first end to a second end of the first arm utilizing a second hinge; and

a camera head assembly connected at a first end to a second end of the second arm utilizing a third hinge.

2. The document camera of claim 1, where the camera head assembly includes a lens adjuster and an imaging sensor, and movement of the lens adjuster results in changing of an orientation of the imaging sensor.

3. The document camera of claim 1, wherein the first hinge has a rotation angle of up to 90 degrees.

4. The document camera of claim 1, wherein a first side of the first arm is connected to the first side of the base and a second side of the first arm is connected to the second hinge.

5. The document camera of claim 1, wherein when the document camera is a storage position, a first side of the first arm lies next to a first side of the base, and a first side of the second arm lies next to a second side of the first arm.

6. The document camera of claim 5, wherein when the document camera is in the storage position, the camera head assembly lies next to a second side of a base.

7. The document camera of claim 1, wherein a side of the base includes a first VGA input and a VGA output.

8. The document camera of claim 7, further including a S-video output.

9. The document camera of claim 7, wherein the base includes a universal serial bus output port for printing images from the document camera utilizing Pictbridge software.

10. The document camera of claim 1, wherein the base includes a security slot for a Kensington Lock to be attached to the base.

11. The document camera of claim 1, wherein the base includes a memory card input connector.

12. The document camera of claim 1, wherein a side of the base include a memory card input connector, a USB input connector, and an S-video output connector.

13. The document camera of claim 1, wherein the first arm of the document camera is rotated approximately 90 degrees counterclockwise on the first hinge and the second arm is rotated approximately 90 degrees clockwise on the second hinge, which results in the first arm being placed at a right angle from the second arm.

14. The document camera of claim 1, wherein the first arm has a telescoping portion.

15. The document camera of claim 1, wherein the second arm has a telescoping portion.

16. The document camera of claim 1, wherein the camera head assembly has an maximum capture area when the first arm is rotated 90 degrees on the first hinge and is fully extended and the second arm is rotated counterclockwise between 0-45 degrees from the first arm.

17. The document camera of claim 16, where the maximum capture area is an 11″

by 17″

viewing area.

18. The document camera of claim 1, wherein the second arm has a rotation angle of up to 180 degrees.

19. The document camera of claim 1, wherein the camera head assembly can rotate up to 180 degrees.

20. The document camera of claim 1, wherein when the document camera is a storage position, the first arm lies next to a first side of the base, the second arm lies next to the first arm and neither the first arm or the second arm rises above the height of the base when viewing the document camera from a side opposite the first side of the base where the first arm and the second arm are disposed.

21. A document camera, comprising:

a base having a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side;

a first arm connected to the first side of the base via a first hinge; and

a camera head assembly coupled to the first arm,

wherein in a first position, a second side of the base rests on a horizontal surface and wherein in a second position a third side of the base rests on the horizontal surface, the second position placing the camera head assembly in a higher location with respect to the horizontal surface and allowing an imaging sensor in the camera head assembly to capture a larger viewing area.

22. The document camera of claim 21, wherein the second side of the base is perpendicular to the horizontal surface.

23. The document camera of claim 21, further comprising a second arm connected to the first arm via a second hinge, wherein the camera head assembly is connected to the second arm via a third hinge.

24. The document camera of claim 21, wherein the base further includes a pair of support legs that are placed under the base when the base is placed in the second position.

25. The document camera of claim 24, wherein the base includes recesses where the support legs rest when the base is in the first position.

26. The document camera of claim 24, wherein the plurality of support legs each include a plurality of tips.

27. The document camera of claim 26, wherein the plurality of support legs and respective tips raise the base to a height to allow one of the power cable and video cable to pass underneath the base and the other of power cable and video cable to pass between a pair of the plurality of tips.

28. A document camera, comprising:

a base; and

a camera head assembly, the camera head assembly including,

an imaging sensor to capture an image of an object,

a circuit board coupled to the imaging sensor; and

a plurality of lighting elements to illuminate the object, wherein each of the plurality of lighting elements are disposed at approximately a 45 degree angle from a plane formed by a bottom surface of the camera head assembly.

29. The document camera of claim 28, where the plurality of lighting elements are attached to a respective plurality of illumination plates, the illumination plates being disposed at a 45 degree angle from the plane formed by the bottom surface of the camera head assembly.

30. The document camera of claim 28, further including a heat sink attached to the imaging sensor to dissipate heat generated by the imaging sensor, the heat sink being located on a top surface of the imaging sensor.

31. The document camera of claim 29, wherein each of the plurality of illumination plates are connected to a heat sink to dissipate the heat generated by the lighting elements.

32. The document camera of claim 28, wherein a lens adjuster adjusts the orientation of the imaging sensor.