Videoconferencing arrangement having multi-purpose digital still camera

• US 7,339,604 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1997
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Inventors: Barraclough, Keith, Deierling, Kevin, Martin, Bryan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US08/941,975
• Time in Patent Office: 3,807 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14, 348/15, 348/10, 348/211, 348/333, 348/552
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A videoconferencing system uses a modular terminal that includes a conventional digital still camera coupled to the input port of the videocommunicator, such as a set top box. There are various features provided by this arrangement, including using the digital still camera to present video information to the videocommunicator with a split screen image representing the still image, a receiver arrangement permitting the digital still camera to fit securely and adjacent to the videocommunicator, and pan/tilt/zoom camera features provided electronically.

Claims

1. A method of videoconferencing comprising the steps of:

providing a videocommunicator having a video signal input port, a video signal output port, and a video signal encoding circuit with a programmable DSP circuit adapted to compress video data and with a programmable general purpose processor circuit;

using a digital still camera to generate video input signals to the video input port of the videocommunicator, the video output port of the videocommunicator capable of communicatively coupling to a communications channel for providing videoconferencing; and

using the videocommunicator for controllably altering a display, including at least one of pan, tilt and zoom functions, of the video input signals without controlling the digital still camera.