Cellphone video imaging

• US 8,359,068 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maluf, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US12/215,611
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 4555751-5759, 455 901- 903, 4555501-560, 4555751- 903, 370259-271, 370351-356, 709201-207, 709217-248
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• 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 1/02835 in combination with a light guide, e.g. optical fibre, glass plate light-guides per se G02B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 Portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A system for forming and transmitting a plurality of video images, at an image transmission rate of at least 1-3 images per sec, from a first cellphone to a second cellphone spaced apart from the first cellphone. A first cellphone user can choose to illuminate and transmit an image of the user or an image of a selected object distinct from the user.

Claims

1. A cellphone system for image processing using a cellphone, the system comprising:

a first cellphone having an integrated image forming mechanism and image transmission mechanism and having a lens, located on a first surface of the first cellphone, to receive an optically formed image viewed from a first direction and to transmit a representative of the formed image to at least a second cellphone that is spaced apart from the first cellphone, where the first cellphone has an audio/voice input/output mechanism for receiving and transmitting to the second cellphone an audio or voice input signal and has a keyboard input/output mechanism for receiving and transmitting to the second cellphone a keyboard input signal;

a rotatable image transport channel, having an image-receiving end with an image-receiving lens thereat, to receive an image, to provide an optically formed image and to transport the optically formed image along the channel, where the image-receiving end is rotatable between a first direction, to receive an image of a user of the first cellphone, and a second direction, distinct from the first direction, to receive an image of a selected object; and

an image processing mechanism for receiving the optically formed image from the channel and for producing and issuing an electronically/optically processed image that is transmitted from the first cellphone to the second cellphone,

an antenna, associated with the image processing mechanism, configured to transmit a representation of the received image from the first cellphone to the second cellphone;

where at least one of the first cellphone user image and the image of the selected object is selectively transmitted from the first cellphone to the second cellphone,

wherein said image transport channel comprises at least one image-transmitting optical fiber and said image-receiving end of said channel is an end of the optical fiber with said lens configured to receive and focus said image so that at least part of said image is received by and transported along the optical fiber.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said image transport channel further comprises at least a second optical fiber, having a first end that is oriented in substantially the same direction as said first end of said image-transmitting optical fiber and having a second optical fiber second end;

and

an activatable light source connected to the second end of the second optical fiber, to illuminate said first cellphone user and to illuminate said selected object, when the second end of the second optical fiber is oriented in said first direction and in said second direction, respectively.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a light source that is activated when said image transport channel is oriented in said first direction, to illuminate at least one feature of said first cellphone user.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a light source that is activated when said image transport channel is oriented in said second direction, to illuminate at least one feature of said selected object.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, when said image transport channel is oriented in said first direction, said first cellphone user image received by said lens is passed through an optical filter before said user image is transmitted to said second cellphone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein, when said image transport channel is oriented in said second direction, said selected object image received by said lens is passed through an optical filter before said user image is transmitted to said second cellphone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said second cellphone has an integrated image receipt mechanism and an image forming mechanism, to receive and display said transmitted image of said selected object received by said second cellphone.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said second cellphone has an integrated image receipt mechanism and an image forming mechanism, to receive and display said transmitted image of said first cellphone user received by said second cellphone.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of images of at least one of said first cellphone user and said selected object are transmitted from said first cellphone to said second cellphone at a transmission rate of at least 3 images per second.