Digital record and replay binoculars

• US 6,088,053 A
• Filed: 08/27/1997
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Play It Again LLC
• Original Assignee: Play It Again LLC
• Inventors: Hammack, Jack C., Hammack, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, Y YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/924,546
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 348/61, 348/64, 348/143, 348/207, 348/333, 348/334, 358/906, 386/117, 386/120, 386/38
• US Class Current: 348/61
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/18 for binocular arrangements focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/15 for colour aspects of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/167 Synchronising or controlling image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

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.

Claims

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.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the monocular components include a focus mechanism for focusing images viewed through the image viewing end of the monocular components.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the control means includes forward and reverse video viewing controls.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the means for controlling includes a zoom control.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the camera further comprises a removable memory storage unit for storing the compressed video images.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the camera further comprises means for transmitting data video images off the camera.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory storage unit is random access memory (RAM).

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the display is remote of the image viewing end of the binoculars.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the display is rotatably attached to the digital video camera.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the digital video camera further comprises a solar power converter for converting solar rays into electrical energy for powering the digital video camera.

12. The device of claim 2, wherein the focusing mechanism is an autofocus mechanism for focusing on targeted images.

13. The device of claim 2, wherein the focusing mechanism is a manual focus mechanism for focusing on targeted images.

14. The device of claim 3, wherein the forward and reverse viewing controls are multi-speed video viewing controls.

15. The device of claim 5, wherein the removable memory storage unit is a PC card.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the solar power converter is remotely located from the digital video camera and electrically connected to the digital video camera.

17. 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 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.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the removable memory storage unit is removable from a location internal to the hand-held unit.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the removable memory storage unit is a PC card.

20. 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;

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; and

a solar power converter for converting solar rays into electrical energy for powering the components of the digital video camera.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the solar power converter is remotely located from the digital video camera and electrically connected to the digital video camera.

22. 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;

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.