Patent ID: 8477238
Filing Date: 2013-07-02
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A modular video camera, comprising: a housing, comprising: a front face comprising an opening; a rear face on an opposite end of the housing from the front face, comprising a first interface configured to communicate power signals and to communicate motion picture image data having a horizontal resolution of at least 4k at a frame rate of at least 23 frames per second; a second interface configured to electrically couple an electronic view finder to the video camera, the electronic viewfinder releasably attachable to the video camera and comprising an eyepiece and a display, the display viewable through an opening of the eyepiece; a third interface configured to removably receive a synchronization module, the synchronization module comprising one or more connectors for communicating camera synchronization signals; and a fourth interface configured to removably receive an audio module, the audio module releasably connectable to the housing and comprising one or more connectors for communicating audio signals; a first mount point for releasably connecting a top handle to the video camera, the top handle comprising a grip that is positioned above the housing when the top handle is mounted to the video camera; a second mount point configured to support a shoulder mount that is releasably connectable to the video camera, the shoulder mount comprising a contoured shoulder pad positioned underneath the housing when the shoulder mount is attached to the video camera; an image sensor within the housing, configured to convert, at a frame rate of at least 23 frames per second, light passing through the opening of the front face of the housing into raw digital image data having a horizontal resolution of at least 4k; a raw recorder module comprising: a front face releasably connectable to the first interface; a receptacle configured to releasably accept a first memory device; a recording bus configured to communicate the raw digital image data for storage on the first memory device at a frame rate of at least 23 frames per second and a horizontal resolution of at least 4k; and a power bus; a memory device receptacle positioned on a face of the housing, configured to releasably accept a second memory device that is configured to record digital image data captured by the image sensor at a frame rate of at least 23 frames per second and a horizontal resolution of at least 2k; and a power module comprising a rechargeable battery and a front face that is configured for releasable connection to a rear face of the raw recorder module; wherein in at least one operational mode the raw digital image data is compressed and recorded into the first memory device at a rate of at least 23 frames per second and at a horizontal resolution of at least 4k, and wherein in an assembled configuration, the power module and the raw recorder module form a stack extending rearwardly from the housing, and the power module delivers power from the rechargeable battery to the raw recorder module and to the image sensor via the power bus of the raw recorder module.