Digital record and replay binoculars
First Claim
1. A hand-held unit comprising:
- binoculars having a pair of monocular components, each component having an image viewing end and an image receiving end and defining a line-of-sight, the binoculars providing three-dimensional event viewing from the image viewing end; and
a digital video camera mounted to the binoculars with the camera lens'"'"' line-of-sight approximately parallel to the lines-of-sight of the monocular components, the digital video camera comprising;
a receiving lens for receiving images;
a digital memory storage unit integral with the hand-held unit;
a display device mounted on an exterior surface of the digital video camera;
a processing system for generating compressed digital motion video images of said received images, storing the compressed digital motion video images in the memory storage unit and displaying the received motion video images on the display device; and
means for controlling the generating, storing and displaying of the motion video images, the digital video camera and the display device being arranged relative to the binoculars so that the following modes of operation are possible;
mode 1--an event can be recorded contemporaneous with a user viewing in three dimensions the contemporaneous event; and
mode 2--a previously-recorded event can be displayed on the display device simultaneous with a user viewing in three dimensions the contemporaneous event.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A combined binocular viewing and digital recording device includes a binocular telescope wherein the binocular telescope includes a pair of monocular components (12a,b). Each monocular component (12a,b) has an image viewing end and an image receiving end. The monocular components (12a,b) include a focusing mechanism (18) to adjust images viewed through the image viewing end of the monocular components. Also, the device includes a digital video camera (15) mounted to and displaced between each monocular component. The camera includes a receiving lens (21) for receiving images with the camera lens'"'"' line-of-sight approximately parallel to the line-of-sight of the monocular components. The camera further includes random access memory (RAM) (56) and a display device (16). Processors (46, 48, 50, 52, 54) are also included within the camera for generating compressed digital video images of the received images, storing the compressed digital video images in the RAM, and displaying the received or stored images on the display device. The camera includes control mechanisms (26, 28, 30, 32) for controlling the generating, storing, and displaying of the video images.
99 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A hand-held unit comprising:
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binoculars having a pair of monocular components, each component having an image viewing end and an image receiving end and defining a line-of-sight, the binoculars providing three-dimensional event viewing from the image viewing end; and a digital video camera mounted to the binoculars with the camera lens'"'"' line-of-sight approximately parallel to the lines-of-sight of the monocular components, the digital video camera comprising; a receiving lens for receiving images; a digital memory storage unit integral with the hand-held unit; a display device mounted on an exterior surface of the digital video camera; a processing system for generating compressed digital motion video images of said received images, storing the compressed digital motion video images in the memory storage unit and displaying the received motion video images on the display device; and means for controlling the generating, storing and displaying of the motion video images, the digital video camera and the display device being arranged relative to the binoculars so that the following modes of operation are possible;
mode 1--an event can be recorded contemporaneous with a user viewing in three dimensions the contemporaneous event; and
mode 2--a previously-recorded event can be displayed on the display device simultaneous with a user viewing in three dimensions the contemporaneous event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A hand-held unit comprising:
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binoculars having a pair of monocular components, each component having an image viewing end and an image receiving end and defining a line-of-sight, the binoculars providing three-dimensional event viewing from the image viewing end; and a digital video camera mounted to the binoculars with the camera lens'"'"' line-of-sight. approximately parallel to the lines-of-sight of the monocular components, the digital video camera;
comprising;a receiving lens for receiving images; a removable digital memory storage unit; a display device mounted on an exterior surface of the digital video camera; a processing system for generating compressed digital motion video images of said received images, storing the compressed digital motion video images in the removable digital memory storage unit and displaying the received motion video images on the display device; and means for controlling the generating, storing and displaying of the motion video images, the digital video camera and the display device being arranged relative to the binoculars so that the following modes of operation are possible;
mode 1--an event can be recorded contemporaneous with a user viewing in three dimensions the contemporaneous event; and
mode 2--a previously-recorded event can be displayed on the display device simultaneous with a user viewing in three dimensions the contemporaneous event. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A hand-held unit comprising:
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binoculars having a pair of monocular components, each component having an image viewing end and an image receiving end and defining a line-of-sight, the binoculars providing three-dimensional event viewing from the image viewing end; and a digital video camera mounted to the binoculars with the camera lens'"'"' line-of-sight approximately parallel to the lines-of-sight of the monocular components, the digital video camera comprising; a receiving lens for receiving images; a digital memory storage unit integral with the hand-held unit; a display device mounted on an exterior surface of the digital video camera; a processing system for generating compressed digital motion video images of said received images, storing the compressed digital motion video images in the memory storage unit and displaying the received motion video images on the display device; means for controlling the generating, storing and displaying of the motion video images, the digital video camera and the display device being arranged relative to the binoculars so that the following modes of operation are possible;
mode 1--an event can be recorded contemporaneous with a user viewing in three dimensions the contemporaneous event; and
mode 2--a previously-recorded event can be displaced on the display device simultaneous with a user viewing in three dimensions the contemporaneous event; anda solar power converter for converting solar rays into electrical energy for powering the components of the digital video camera. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A hand-held unit comprising:
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binoculars having a pair of monocular components, each component having an image viewing end and an image receiving end and defining a line-of-sight, the binoculars providing three-dimensional event viewing from the image viewing end; a display device remote of the image viewing end of the binoculars; and a digital video camera mounted to the binoculars with the camera lens'"'"' line-of-sight approximately parallel to the lines-of-sight of the monocular components, the digital video camera comprising; a receiving lens for receiving images; a digital memory storage unit integral with the hand-held unit; a processing system for generating compressed digital motion video images of said received images, storing the compressed digital motion video images in the memory storage unit and displaying the received motion video images on the display device; and means for controlling the generating, storing and displaying of the motion video images, the digital video camera and the display device being arranged relative to the binoculars so that the following modes of operation are possible;
mode 1--an event can be recorded contemporaneous with a user viewing in three dimensions the contemporaneous event; and
mode 2--a previously-recorded event can be displayed on the display device simultaneous with a user viewing;
in three dimensions the contemporaneous event.
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Specification