Digital still camera capable of telecommunication and modification of electromagnetic signal into digital electronic signal

• US 7,006,146 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1998
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd. (Hanwha Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Masahide, Ito, Katsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISLEH, JUSTIN P
• Application Number:
  US09/025,862
• Time in Patent Office: 2,931 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.04, 348/14.08, 348 1412- 1414, 348/207, 348211-213, 348/222, 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 348373-375, 348/552, 358/402, 358/403, 358/906, 358/909.1, 455/556, 455/566, 345/764, 345/784
• US Class Current: 348/376
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3263 of a graphical motif or symbol, e.g. Christmas symbol, logo H04N2201/3211 takes precedence

Abstract

A digital still camera capable of telecommunication includes a device which converts an optical image into a digital electromagnetic signal indicative of a still image, a receiver which receives an electromagnetic signal generated in accordance with a wireless telephone system, a modifying unit which modifies the electromagnetic signal into a digital electronic signal indicative of a still image, and a displaying device which alternatively displays a still image on the basis of the digital electronic signal from the converting device or from the modifying unit.

Claims

1. A digital still camera capable of telecommunication comprising:

a first converting unit which converts an optical image into a digital electronic signal indicative of a still image;

a second converting unit which converts sound into an electronic signal;

a receiver which receives an electromagnetic signal transmitted through a wireless telephone network;

a modifying unit which modifies said electromagnetic signal into a digital electronic signal indicative of a still image;

a display unit which alternatively displays a still image of based on the digital electronic signal from the converting unit or from the modifying unit;

a combination unit which combines the digital electronic signal and the electronic signal to form a combination signal;

a designating unit which designates a remote device in the wireless telephone network with a specific phone number thereof;

a storage unit which stores at least one phone number; and

a control unit which prevents the combination unit from combining the digital electronic signal with the electronic signal when the specific phone number of the remote device coincides with the phone number stored in the storage unit.

2. The digital still camera of claim 1, further comprising a memory which alternatively stores the digital electronic signal from the converting unit or from the modifying unit.

3. The digital still camera of claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a reflection type color liquid crystal display device.

4. The digital still camera of claim 1, further comprising an activation unit for automatically activating the receiver in response to an electromagnetic signal transmitted through the wireless telephone network and identifying the digital still camera.

5. The digital still camera of claim 1, further comprising a speaker for generating an audio signal in response to the electromagnetic signal transmitted through the wireless telephone system and received by the receiver.

6. The digital still camera of claim 5, further comprising a display control unit which controls display unit, in response to the electromagnetic signal received by the receiver, to indicate whether the received electromagnetic signal contains a still image signal or an audio signal.

7. The digital still camera of claim 5, further comprising a switching unit that switches between a first mode of generating the audio signal via the speaker in response to the electromagnetic signal received by the receiver and a second mode of displaying the image on the display unit in response to the electromagnetic signal received by the receiver.

8. The digital still camera of claim 7, further comprising for an inhibiting unit which inhibits the speaker from generating the audio signal in the second mode.

9. The digital still camera of claim 7, further comprising for distinguishing unit which distinguishes an electromagnetic signal containing a still image signal from an electromagnetic signal containing an audio signal, to automatically control the switching unit.

10. The digital still camera of claim 7, further comprising a manual control unit which allows an operator to manually control the switching unit.

11. The digital still camera of claim 5, further comprising a microphone for converting sound into an electronic audio signal,

wherein the speaker and the microphone have a first mode function in which they are used with the ear and the mouth of a user respectively close thereto and a second mode function in which they are used with the ear and the mouth of a user respectively remote therefrom.

12. The digital still camera of claim 11, further comprising a manual switch for activating the display unit,

wherein the speaker and the microphone are automatically changed into the second mode when the display means is activated by the manual switch.

13. The digital still camera of claim 1, wherein the first converting unit is directed toward an object located at a position where the display unit is not observable.

14. The digital still camera of claim 13, wherein the first converting unit is capable of being directed toward an object located at a position where the display unit is observable.

15. A digital still camera capable of telecommunication comprising:

a converting unit which converts an optical image into a digital electromagnetic signal indicative of a still image;

a microphone which converts sound into an electronic signal;

a combination unit which combines the digital electromagnetic signal and the electronic signal to form a combination signal;

a designation unit which designates a remote device in a wireless telephone network with a specific number thereof;

a storage unit which stores at least one phone number;

a control unit which prevents the combination unit from combining the digital electronic signal with the electric signal when the specific phone number of the remote device coincides with the phone number stored in the storage unit;

a receiver which receives an electromagnetic signal transmitted through the a wireless telephone network;

a modifying unit which modifies said electromagnetic signal into a digital electronic signal indicative of a still image;

a display unit which alternatively displays a still image based on the digital electronic signal from the converting unit or from the modifying unit;

a speaker for generating an audio signal to from the electromagnetic signal a transmitted through the wireless telephone network and received by the receiver;

a first extracting unit which extracts an audio signal component from an electromagnetic signal containing both a still image signal and an audio signal; and

a second extracting unit which extracts a still image signal component from the electromagnetic signal containing both a still image signal and an audio signal,

whereby the display unit is capable of displaying the still image while the audio signal is being generated from the speaker.

16. The digital still camera of claim 15, further comprising:

a transmission unit which transmits the combination signal as an electromagnetic signal through the wireless telephone network, whereby the transmission unit is capable of transmitting the digital electronic signal indicative of a still image and the audio signal separately.

17. The digital still camera of claim 16, further comprising a storage unit which stores the digital electromagnetic signal indicative of a still image from the converting unit,

wherein the combination unit is combines the digital electronic signal indicative of a still image stored in the storage unit with the electronic audio signal.

18. The digital still camera of claim 16, wherein the converting unit is capable of converting the optical image into the digital electronic signal indicative of a still image while the audio signal is transmitted by the transmission unit.

19. A digital still camera capable of telecommunication comprising:

a converting unit which converts an optical image into a digital electronic signal indicative of a still image;

a microphone for converting sound into an electronic audio signal;

a selecting unit which selects one of the digital electronic signal and the electronic audio signal;

a first transmitter which transmits an electromagnetic signal through a wireless telephone network to designate a remote device having a telephone number;

a second transmitter which transmits the signal selected by the selecting unit as an electromagnetic signal a through the wireless telephone System network to the designated remote device;

a memory which stores at least one specific telephone number; and

a control unit which prevents the selecting unit from selecting the digital electronic when the telephone number designating the remote device coincides with the specific telephone number.

20. A digital still camera capable of telecommunication comprising:

a converting unit which converts an optical image into a digital electronic signal indicative of a still image;

a microphone for converting sound into an electronic audio signal;

a combination unit which combines the digital electronic signal with the electronic audio signal;

a designation unit which designates a remote device in a wireless telephone network with a specific phone number thereof;

a storage unit which stores at least one phone number;

a first control unit which allows or prevents the combination unit from combining the digital electronic signal with the electronic signal when the specific phone number of the remote device coincides with the phone number stored in the storage unit;

a selecting unit which selects one of the digital electronic signal indicative of the still image and the electronic audio signal;

a transmitter which transmits the signal selected by the selecting unit as an electromagnetic signal containing the still image signal or the electronic audio signal through the wireless telephone network; and

a second control unit which prevents the selecting unit from selecting the digital electronic signal indicative of the still image unless the selection is requested by a manual operation.