Non-handheld high-definition digital video camera

• US 9,060,109 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen Aee Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen Aee Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Xianzhi
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US13/244,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20120176470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 348/36, 348/220, 348/222.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

A non-handheld high-definition (HD) digital video camera is disclosed, comprising a thin-film transistor (TFT) display module, a backup battery module, an audio & video (AV) transmission module and a video camera body. Each of the TFT display module, the backup battery module and the AV transmission module is detachably connected with the video camera body; a multifunctional interface is disposed at the bottom of the video camera body to electrically connect with the TFT display module, the backup battery module or the AV transmission module; a wide-angle lens is disposed at the top of the video camera body for forming an image on the TFT display module during operation; the video camera body is further provided with a memory module and a control module.

Claims

1. A non-handheld high-definition (HD) digital video camera, comprising a thin-film transistor (TFT) display module, a backup battery module, an audio &

video (AV) transmission module and a video camera body, wherein each of the TFT display module, the backup battery module and the AV transmission module is detachably connected with the video camera body;

a multifunctional interface is disposed at the bottom of the video camera body to electrically connect with the TFT display module, the backup battery module or the AV transmission module;

a wide-angle lens imaging module is disposed at the top of the video camera body for forming an image on the TFT display module during operation;

the video camera body is further provided with a memory module and a control module, and wherein the memory module is configured to store video or image data captured by the wide-angle lens imaging module and, under the control of the control module, output the video or image data to the TFT display module;

the control module comprises touch buttons disposed to the right of the TFT display module and on a side of the video camera body to allow for input of control instructions for controlling the wide-angle lens imaging module, the TFT display module and the memory module;

wherein

the camera further comprises an environment detection unit adapted to detect a temperature and/or a humidity of a working environment of the camera and send detection results to the control module so that operation statuses of other parts are controlled by the control module; and

the multifunctional interface is a plug-and-play interface configured to load a data transmission protocol and adapt to a variety of connecting circuits so as to connect with the TFT display module, the backup battery module, or the AV transmission module; and

when the TFT display module is connected with the multifunctional interface, the TFT display module is configured to display multimedia information from the multifunctional interface;

when the backup battery module is connected with the multifunctional interface, the non-handheld HD digital video camera is configured to be charged by the backup battery module; and

when the AV transmission module is connected with the multifunctional interface, the AV transmission module is configured to transmit AV information acquired by the wide-angle lens imaging module and the microphone or information stored in the memory module to the outside.

2. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 1, wherein a catching groove is formed at the bottom of the video camera body to be spaced apart from the multifunctional interface;

a catching hook is disposed on a side of each of the TFT display module, the backup battery module and the AV transmission module that makes contact with the bottom of the video camera body, and the catching hook engages with the catching groove to connect each of the TFT display module, the backup battery module and the AV transmission module to the video camera body.

3. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 1, wherein the control module further comprises:

a sound controlled switch, being configured to switch the wide-angle lens imaging module from a sound controlled mode to a button operated mode or from the button operated mode to the sound controlled mode, wherein in the sound controlled mode, the digital video camera and the wide-angle lens imaging module can be activated by an external audio signal to work in an image-capturing status.

4. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 3, wherein the wide-angle lens imaging module has a pixel number ranging between 3 millions and 10 millions of CMOS and a viewing angle range of 100°

˜

200°

.

5. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 4, wherein the video camera body is further provided with a high-definition multimedia interface HDMI and a video output port AV OUT on a side of the video camera body, and the high-definition multimedia interface HDMI and the video output port AV OUT are electrically connected to the wide-angle lens imaging module and the control module respectively to output image and video data.

6. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 5, wherein the video camera body further comprises:

an audio recording module provided with a microphone so that audio information from the ambient is captured by the microphone and output to the memory module for storage.

7. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 6, wherein the video camera body is further provided with a USB data interface, the USB data interface is connected to the memory module and adapts to an external data processing apparatus for purpose of data interaction between the video camera and the external data processing apparatus and also for charging of the video camera.

8. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 7, wherein the control module is further provided with an infrared and/or wireless receiving module configured to receive an external infrared and/or wireless remote control signal for controlling turn-on/-off of the wide-angle lens imaging module.

9. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 8, wherein the control module further comprises:

a clock chip, being configured to display a time and to time an image capturing or audio recording operation; and

a power level detecting sub-block disposed in a power supply circuit of the video camera, being configured to detect a power level of the video camera'"'"'s battery.

10. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 9, wherein the video camera body is further provided with a self-timer indicator disposed at a periphery of the wide-angle lens imaging module, and the self-timer indicator is configured to generate an indication signal under the control of the control module so as to indicate a captured site aligned with the wide-angle lens imaging module and to indicate whether the capturing process has been completed.

11. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 2, wherein the control module further comprises:

a sound controlled switch, being configured to switch the wide-angle lens imaging module from a sound controlled mode to a button operated mode or from the button operated mode to the sound controlled mode, wherein in the sound controlled mode, the digital video camera and the wide-angle lens imaging module can be activated by an external audio signal to work in an image-capturing status.

12. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 1, wherein an operation temperature range of the camera is preset by the control module to be −

10°

C.˜

60°

C., and when the environment detection unit detects that the temperature of the working environment of the camera exceeds the temperature range, the control module stops operation of the camera.

13. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 1, wherein an operation humidity range of the camera is preset by the control module to be 15˜

85% RH, and when the environment detection unit detects that the humidity of the working environment of the camera exceeds the humidity range, the control module stops operation of the camera.

14. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 1, wherein the backup battery module comprises a large-capacity battery and a power management circuit built therein, and is used immediately after being plugged into the multifunctional interface without having to power the video camera off and without interfering with operation of the camera.

15. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a threaded interface on a side surface of the video camera body for connection with an external fixture.

16. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a water-proof enclosure configured to enclose the camera to prevent entry of any liquid.

17. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 1, wherein a plug is disposed on a side of each of the TFT display module, the backup battery module and the AV transmission module that makes contact with the top of the video camera body.

18. The non-handheld HD digital video camera of claim 1, wherein the AV transmission module is configured to transmit, through the multifunctional interface, information acquired by the video camera or information stored in the memory module to the outside for use by a remote terminal or other devices.

19. A non-handheld high-definition (HD) digital video camera, comprising a thin-film transistor (TFT) display module, a backup battery module, an audio &

video (AV) transmission module and a video camera body, wherein each of the TFT display module, the backup battery module and the AV transmission module is detachably connected with the video camera body;

a multifunctional interface is disposed at the bottom of the video camera body to electrically connect with the TFT display module, the backup battery module or the AV transmission module;

a wide-angle lens imaging module is disposed at the top of the video camera body for forming an image on the TFT display module during operation;

the video camera body is further provided with a memory module and a control module, and wherein the memory module is configured to store video or image data captured by the wide-angle lens imaging module and, under the control of the control module, output the video or image data to the TFT display module;

the control module comprises touch buttons disposed to the right of the TFT display module and on a side of the video camera body to allow for input of control instructions for controlling the wide-angle lens imaging module, the TFT display module and the memory module;

wherein

the camera further comprises an environment detection unit adapted to detect a temperature and/or a humidity of a working environment of the camera and send detection results to the control module so that operation statuses of other parts are controlled by the control module; and

a sound controlled switch disposed on a side of the video camera body and adapted to receive an audio signal, once an ambient sound level of the audio signal goes higher than 65 dB while the camera is powered on, the wide-angle lens imaging module enters a video recording mode for video recording; and

in a preview status, if the ambient sound level becomes lower than 65 dB for two minutes, then the memory module saves a video recording file automatically; and

if the ambient sound level then goes higher than 65 dB again in the preview status, the wide-angle lens imaging module enters the video recording mode again for video recording;

if the camera is to be powered off in the video recording status, the sound controlled switch is set to the OFF status firstly and the data is saved automatically by the memory module.

20. A non-handheld high-definition (HD) digital video camera, comprising a thin-film transistor (TFT) display module, a backup battery module, an audio &

video (AV) transmission module and a video camera body, wherein each of the TFT display module, the backup battery module and the AV transmission module is detachably connected with the video camera body;

a multifunctional interface is disposed at the bottom of the video camera body to electrically connect with the TFT display module, the backup battery module or the AV transmission module;

a wide-angle lens imaging module is disposed at the top of the video camera body for forming an image on the TFT display module during operation;

the video camera body is further provided with a memory module and a control module, and wherein the memory module is configured to store video or image data captured by the wide-angle lens imaging module and, under the control of the control module, output the video or image data to the TFT display module;

the control module comprises touch buttons disposed to the right of the TFT display module and on a side of the video camera body to allow for input of control instructions for controlling the wide-angle lens imaging module, the TFT display module and the memory module;

wherein

the multifunctional interface is a plug-and-play interface configured to load a data transmission protocol and adapt to a variety of connecting circuits so as to connect with the TFT display module, the backup battery module, or the AV transmission module; and

when the TFT display module is connected with the multifunctional interface, the TFT display module is configured to display multimedia information from the multifunctional interface;

when the backup battery module is connected with the multifunctional interface, the non-handheld HD digital video camera is configured to be charged by the backup battery module; and

when the AV transmission module is connected with the multifunctional interface, the AV transmission module is configured to transmit AV information acquired by the wide-angle lens imaging module and the microphone or information stored in the memory module to the outside.