Cellular telephone and electronic camera system with programmable transmission capability

• US 6,122,526 A
• Filed: 01/19/1999
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1997
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: SCA Ventures, LLC (Adam Saxon)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Schueckler, James R., Parulski, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): FLYNN, NATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US09/232,594
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/7, 348/8, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 348/14, 348/15, 348/211-214, 354/442, 354/375
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00305 with a cordless telephone apparatus
• 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 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• 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 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

An electronic camera system includes a programmable transmission capability for selectively transmitting electronic image data to a plurality of remote base units. In one embodiment, a camera module is detachably coupled to a portable computer including a display screen and a data entry device. The electronic image data generated by the camera module is supplied to the portable computer for display on the display screen. The data entry device is used by an operator to select which of the plurality of base units are to receive the digital image data. The digital image data is supplied by the portable computer to a radio-frequency transmitter module for transmission to the selected base units. The radio-frequency transmitter module is formed either integral with the portable computer or, like the camera module, is detachably coupled to the portable computer. In a further embodiment, a combined telephone/camera unit is provided that includes a camera module for generating electronic image data representative of a scene to be imaged, a memory unit for storing the electronic image data generated by the camera module, a display screen for displaying the electronic image data stored in the memory unit, a mechanism for selecting which of the plurality of base units is to receive the digital image data, and a cellular transceiver for transmitting the digital image data to the base units selected by the selection mechanism.

Claims

1. A portable handheld telephone system for selectively communicating with at least one of a plurality of receiving units, comprising:

(a) a telephone keypad for selecting a particular receiving unit;

(b) an image sensor for capturing image data;

(c) a memory for storing the captured image data;

(d) a control processor responsive to an image transmission mode signal indicating a type of image transmission mode receivable by the selected receiving unit for converting the stored image data into data which can be received by the selected receiving unit; and

(e) a portable transceiver/receiver including an antenna for transmitting the converted image data to the selected receiving unit in a format corresponding to the image transmission mode receivable by the selected receiving unit.

2. The portable handheld telephone system of claim 1, further including an image display for displaying the stored captured image.

3. The portable handheld telephone system of claim 1, wherein the memory can store a plurality of captured image data.

4. The portable handheld telephone system of claim 1, further including flash unit.

5. The portable handheld telephone system of claim 1, wherein the memory stores phone numbers for the receiving unit.

6. The portable handheld telephone system of claim 1 wherein the image transmission uses facsimile modes.

7. The portable handheld telephone system of claim 6, wherein the facsimile modes include Group IV facsimile and color facsimile.