Camera for use with personal digital assistants with high speed communication link

• US 6,657,654 B2
• Filed: 04/29/1998
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Application Number:
  US09/069,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,043 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14-15, 348/158, 348/207, 348/231, 348/373, 348/552, 348/211, 348/232, 455/90, 455/349, 455/556-558, 455/575, 455/550, 379/93.21, 379/202, 379/100.01, 709/200, 709/204, 708/109, 713/320, 361/683, 361/686, 710/303, 710/13, 358/471, 235/375, 600/322
• US Class Current: 348/14.04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00907 Details of supply connection, e.g. arrangement of power cables H04N1/00901 and H04N1/00904 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• 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 2201/0056 Using mechanical couplings, e.g. mating elements H04N2201/0049, H04N2201/0051, H04N2201/0058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders

Abstract

An attachment apparatus for a handheld computer having a display in accordance with the present invention includes an attachment portion for receiving and securing the handheld computer. A camera assembly mounts to the attachment portion for providing images to the handheld computer, and an interface electrically connects the handheld computing device to the camera assembly for transferring the image data to be displayed on the display of the handheld computer.

Claims

1. An attachment apparatus for a personal digital assistant (PDA) having a display comprising:

a cradle dimensioned and configured for receiving and adjustably securing the PDA, the cradle having an electrical interface to connect to the PDA when securing the PDA in the cradle;

a camera assembly incorporated in the cradle, the camera assembly having a camera for capturing video images and transferring video and still images to said PDA through the electrical interface, the camera assembly having a lens and controls for selectably moving the lens into a plurality of positions.

2. The attachment apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the cradle is adjustable to receive personal digital assistances of different sizes.

3. The attachment apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the electrical interface includes a connector mounted on the cradle for engaging an interface on the PDA.

4. The attachment apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the cradle includes a stand for supporting the cradle.

5. The attachment apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said camera assembly further includes a digital camera which comprises an imager chip, an analog to digital converter, image compressor, and memory chip.

6. The attachment apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said camera assembly has a lens, and the camera assembly further comprises:

a shutter release;

a clock with date and time;

a set of controls to allow the lens to either zoom in or zoom out;

a flash;

a set of flash mode controls; and

a means for connecting a tripod to said camera assembly.

7. An image capture system for use with pocket-size computing devices having a display comprising:

a cradle dimensioned and configured for detachably receiving and adjustably securing the pocket-size computing device, the cradle including a camera assembly being built into the cradle for providing image data to the pocket-size computing device;

the camera assembly having a lens and controls for selectably moving the lens into a plurality of positions; and

a data link attached to the cradle and coupling the computing device to a computer for processing image data received by the camera assembly in the computing device and transmitting the image data to the computer.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the cradle is adjustable to receive handheld computing devices of different sizes.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the data link includes a cable.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the cable provides a data transfer rate of about at least 12 Mbits/sec.

11. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the hand held computing device is a personal digital assistant.

12. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the cradle includes a stand for supporting the cradle and the computing device.

13. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the data link includes a wireless data link.

14. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the computing device performs image compression and processing.

15. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the cradle includes a power connection for providing power to the camera assembly and the computing device.

16. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the computer is linked to a communications network for transmitting and receiving images over the network.

17. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the cradle includes a power source for providing power to the camera assembly.

18. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the cradle includes a power source for providing power to the computing device.

19. An image capture system as recited in claim 7, wherein said camera assembly has a lens, and the camera assembly further comprises:

a shutter release;

a clock with date and time;

a set of controls to allow the lens to either zoom in or zoom out;

a flash;

a set of flash mode controls; and

a means for connecting a tripod to said camera assembly.

20. A video conferencing and still image capture system comprising:

a personal digital assistant (PDA);

a cradle dimensioned and configured for receiving and adjustably securing the PDA for interfacing with a computer;

a camera assembly incorporated in the cradle, the camera assembly including an imager for providing video and still image data to the PDA for image processing;

the camera assembly having a lens and controls for selectably moving the lens into a plurality of positions; and

a data cable coupling the cradle to the computer for connecting the PDA to the computer for transmitting and receiving the video and still image data over a communications network.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the cradle is adjustable to receive handheld computing devices of different sizes.

22. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the data cable provides data transfer at a rate of at least about 12 Mbits/sec.

23. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the cradle includes a stand for supporting the cradle and the computing device.

24. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the PDA performs image compression and processing.

25. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the cradle includes a power connection for providing power to the camera assembly and the PDA.

26. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the cradle includes a power source for providing power to the camera assembly.

27. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the cradle includes a power source for providing power to the computing device.

28. A video conferencing and still image capture system as recited in claim 20, wherein said camera assembly has a lens, and the camera assembly further comprises:

a shutter release;

a clock with date and time;

a set of controls to allow the lens to either zoom in or zoom out;

a flash;

a set of flash mode controls; and

a means for connecting a tripod to said camera assembly.

29. A camera with an attachment apparatus for a personal digital assistant (PDA) having a display comprising:

a cradle incorporated into the camera for receiving and adjustably securing the PDA, the camera for providing image data to the PDA;

the camera having a lens and controls for selectively moving the lens into a plurality of positions; and

an interface adapted for coupling the PDA to the camera to enable image viewing and for transferring image data to be displayed on the display of the PDA, wherein the cradle is adjustable to receive PDAs of different sizes.

30. The camera as recited in claim 29, wherein the interface includes a connector mounted on the cradle for engaging an interface on the PDA.

31. The camera as recited in claim 29, wherein the camera includes a stand for supporting the camera.

32. The camera with an attachment apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein said camera assembly has a lens, and the camera further comprises:

a shutter release;

a clock with date and time;

a set of controls to allow the lens to either zoom in or zoom out;

a flash;

a set of flash mode controls; and

a means for connecting a tripod to said camera assembly.