Video camera apparatus

• US 7,728,874 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2005
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Masami, Kotani, Yasutaka, Kawata, Shogo
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOSSELMAN, JOEL W
• Application Number:
  US11/182,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20060023081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,779 Days
• Field of Search: 348/2, 348/92, 348/231.3, 348/231.4, 348/207.99, 348/211.1, 348/211.2, 348/81, 381/91
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

A video camera apparatus provided with image capturing means, which includes: audio communication means for receiving an audio signal from a wireless microphone of a subject through short-range wireless data communication means; and recording means for recording image information of the subject captured by the image capturing means and an audio signal received by the audio communication means.

Claims

1. A video camera apparatus provided with image capturing means, comprising:

audio communication means including first audio communication means and second audio communication means, the first audio communication means operative for receiving an audio signal from a wireless microphone of a subject through short-range wireless data communication means, the second audio communication means in a form of a built-in microphone operative for directly receiving sound signals from the subject; and

recording means for recording image information of the subject captured by the image capturing means and an audio signal received by the audio communication means,

wherein, if a communication state of the short-range wireless data communication means is poor and a number of data-resend requests is greater than a predetermined set value, the recording means switches to record an audio signal input from the built-in microphone of the video camera as an audio signal to be recorded, and if the communication state is recovered, the recording means immediately returns to an original state.

2. The video camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless data communication means is communication means employing the Bluetooth system.

3. The video camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless data communication means is communication means used between the wireless microphone and the video camera, which are connected in a one-to-one relation based on an ID recognition system.

4. The video camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in accordance with zoom information of the video camera and an angle of view of the subject, the recording means records while changing the mixing ratio of the audio signal from the wireless microphone and the audio signal from the built-in microphone of the video camera between 0% to 100%.

5. The video camera apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

audio output means for output the audio signal from the video camera to the wireless microphone of the subject through the short-range wireless data communication means.

6. The video camera apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

link display means for displaying as an icon a link state of the short-range wireless data communication means on an electronic view finder of the video camera.

7. The video camera apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if the link of the short-range wireless data communication is disconnected, the recording means becomes stand-by state and switches to record the audio signal input from the built-in microphone of the video camera as an audio signal to be recorded, and if the link is recovered, the recording means immediately returns to an original state.

8. The video camera apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising signal processing means operative to process audio signals from the first audio communication means and sound signals from the second audio communication means such that the processed signals are mixed in a predetermined ratio depending upon whether the subject is located at a short distance or a long distance from the video camera apparatus.

9. A video camera apparatus provided with image capturing means, comprising:

audio communication means for receiving an audio signal from a wireless microphone of a subject through short-range wireless data communication means; and

recording means for recording image information of the subject captured by the image capturing means and an audio signal received by the audio communication means,

wherein, if a communication state of the short-range wireless data communication is poor and a number of data-resend requests is greater than a predetermined set value, the recording means switches to record an audio signal input from the built-in microphone of the video camera as an audio signal to be recorded, and if the communication state is recovered, the recording means immediately returns to an original state.

10. A video camera apparatus provided with an image capturing unit, comprising:

an audio communication unit including a first audio communication sub-unit and second audio communication sub-unit, the first audio communication sub-unit configured to receive an audio signal from a wireless microphone of a subject through a short-range wireless data communication unit, the second audio communication sub-unit in a form of a built-in microphone operative for directly receiving sound signals from the subject; and

a recording unit configured to record image information of the subject captured by the image capturing unit and an audio signal received by the audio communication unit,

wherein, if a communication state of the short-range wireless data communication unit is poor and a number of data-resend requests is greater than a predetermined set value, the recording unit switches to record an audio signal input from the built-in microphone of the video camera as an audio signal to be recorded, and if the communication state is recovered, the recording unit immediately returns to an original state.

11. The video camera apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a signal processing unit operative to process audio signals from the first audio communication sub-unit and sound signals from the second audio communication sub-unit such that the processed signals are mixed in a predetermined ratio depending upon whether the subject is located at a short distance or a long distance from the video camera apparatus.