Abstract:
An image capturing apparatus connectable to a display device is provided, including: an image capturing unit to capture and output image data; a recording unit to record image data and parameter data of the display; a command unit to generate a command signal while the display device is connected; a interface connectable to the display of the display device; a power supply unit to supply power for the display via the interface while receiving a power supply signal; and a processing/control unit to generate and output the power supply signal to the power supply unit while receiving the command signal and transmit parameter data and image data to the display via the interface, providing a plug and play function for the display.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This Application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 97144752, filed on Nov. 19, 2008, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus, and more particularly to an image capturing apparatus having a plug and play interface. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Digital photo technology is currently very popular when compared to conventional photo technology. Thus, digital cameras are commonly used to record images for capturing pictures. Some digital camera trends include, light weight, low battery power consumption and long battery operating life to provide long use time for a user. Digital cameras provide viewing of captured images via displays thereof. However, when viewing captured images through displays of digital cameras, much power is consumed. Meanwhile, different sized displays of digital cameras are used for different functions. For example, some outdoor digital cameras are used mainly to record ecological happenings, and images are needed to be captured, but not necessarily immediately viewed. Due to harsh environmental factors, displays of the outdoor digital cameras may be easily damaged during long outdoor operation. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention provides an image capturing apparatus having a plug and play interface. 
         [0007]    The invention provides an image capturing apparatus connected to a display device and comprising an image capturing unit to capture and output image data, a recording unit to record image data and parameter data of the display device, a command unit to generate a command signal while the display device is connected, a plug and play interface connectable to the display device, a power supply unit to supply power for the display device via the plug and play interface while receiving a power supply signal, and a processing/control unit to generate and output the power supply signal to the power supply unit while receiving the command signal, and transmit parameter data and image data to the display device via the plug and play interface. 
         [0008]    A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block view of a display device and an image capturing apparatus having a plug and play interface of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the image capturing apparatus assembled to a display device of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  is a schematic view showing a switch circuit of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  is a schematic view showing a switch circuit of another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a command unit of another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5A  is a schematic view of a switch circuit of another embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 5B  is a schematic view of a switch circuit when a display device is assembled to an image capturing device  10  of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is a block view of a display device  20  and an image capturing apparatus  10  having a interface of the present invention. The image capturing apparatus  10  is connected to the display device  20  via the interface. The display device  20  comprises a connecting interface  201  and a display module  202  coupled to the connecting interface  201 . The display module  202  receives parameter data, image data and power for the display module  202  via the connecting interface  201 . 
         [0018]    The image capturing apparatus  10  comprises an image capturing unit  101 , a recording unit  102 , a command unit  103 , a interface  104  connectable to the display device  20 , a power supply unit  105 , and a processing/control unit  106 . 
         [0019]    The image capturing unit  101  captures and outputs image data. The image capturing unit  101  further comprises a lens (not shown) and an imaging sensor module (not shown). When the image capturing unit  101  executes image capturing, light reflected by objects passing through the lens, arrive at the imaging sensor module. The imaging sensor module senses the light and outputs image data in accordance with the light intensity. The imaging capturing module may be a CCD or a CMOS module. 
         [0020]    The recording unit  102  records image data captured by the image capturing unit  101  and parameter data of the display device  20 . While the image capturing unit  101  is outputting image data, the processing/control unit  106  proceeds with image processing and compresses the image data and saves it in the recording unit  102 . The recording unit  102  also had been recorded with the parameter data initializing the display device  20 . When the display device  20  is initialized in accordance with the parameter data, for example dots per inch, brightness, contrast, and data form of the display device  20 . In this embodiment, the recording unit  102  is a non-volatile random access memory, for example a flash memory. In another embodiment, the recording unit  102  is a hard disc. 
         [0021]    The command unit  103  generates a command signal St while the display device  20  is connected. Referring to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the image capturing apparatus  10  assembled to a display device  20  of the present invention. When the display device  20  is assembled to the image capturing apparatus  10 , the display device  20  will contact with the command unit  103  for generating the command signal. Specifically, in this embodiment, the command unit  103  is a switch circuit. Shown in  FIG. 3A ,  FIG. 3A  is a schematic view showing a switch circuit of the invention. The switch circuit  301  comprises a switch  3011  connected to a contacting end Trg, a voltage input Vin coupled to a reference voltage and a voltage output Vout coupled to the processing/control unit  106 . When the contacting end Trg is contacted, for example pressed, the switch  3011  is switched to be short circuit. The switch  3011  is coupled to the voltage input Vin and connected to the ground GND. If the display device  20  is not assembled to the image capturing device  10 , the switch  3011  is open circuit. Thus, the voltage output Vout is equal to the reference voltage. When the display device  20  is assembled to the image capturing device  10 , the contacting end Trg is pressed to allow short circuit of the switch  3011 . Thus, the voltage of the voltage output Vout is changed from high level to low level so that generate the command signal St, representing that the display device being connected to the image capturing device  10 . The switch  3011  is a normal open switch. Referring to  FIG. 3B ,  FIG. 3B  is a schematic view showing a switch circuit of another embodiment of the invention. The difference with  FIG. 3B and 3A  is that when the contacting end Trg is pressed, the switch  3011  is open circuit. When the display device  20  is assembled to the image capturing device  10 , the contacting end Trg is pressed to make the switch  3011  open circuit. Thus, the voltage of the voltage output Vout is changed from low level to the reference voltage so that the command signal St is generated, representing that the display device is connected to the image capturing device  10 . The switch  3011  is a normal closed switch. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a command unit  103  of another embodiment of the invention. The command unit  103  installed on the image capturing device  10  comprises a first conductive end A and a second conductive end B with two intervals. An electric conductor C, for example of copper, iron or tin material, is installed on the display device  20 . In this embodiment, the command unit  103  is an swithch circuit  5011 . Referring to  FIG. 5A ,  FIG. 5A  is a schematic view of a switch circuit of another embodiment of the invention. The first conductive end A couples to the voltage input Vin and the voltage output Vout. The voltage input Vin receives a reference voltage. The second conductive end B is connected to the ground. Thus, for switch circuit  501  of  FIG. 5A , the voltage of the voltage output Vout is equal to the reference voltage. If the display device  20  is assembled to the image capturing device  10 , the electric conductor C is simultaneously connected to the first conductive end A and the second conductive end B to short the circuits.  FIG. 5B  is a schematic view of a switch circuit  501  when a display device  20  is assembled to an image capturing device  10 . When the electric conductor C makes the first conductive end A and the second conductive end B short circuit, the voltage of the voltage output Vout reduces from the reference voltage to a low level to generate the command signal St. 
         [0023]    The interface  104  is used for connecting the display device  20  and image capturing device  10 . The interface  104  is coupled to the power supply unit  105  and the processing/control unit  106  and is used to be a communicate and connect interface between the image capturing device  10  and the display device  20  and supply power provided by the power supply unit  105  of the image capturing device  10  to the display device  20 . In this embodiment, the interface  104  is a bus. 
         [0024]    When the power supply unit  105  receives a power supply signal Sv, the power is provided by the power supply unit to the display device  20  throughout the interface  104 . The power supply unit  105  is coupled to the processing/control unit  106 . When the power supply unit  105  receives the power supply signal Sv from the processing/control unit  106 , the power outputted from the power supply unit  105  is started to provide to the display device  20  throughout the interface  104  of the image capturing device  10 . Thus, a required power of the display device  20  can be supported throughout the interface  104  of the image capturing device  10  when the display device  20 is connected to the image capturing device  10 . In this embodiment, the power supply unit  105  is a power supply IC. 
         [0025]    When the processing/control unit  106  receives the command signal St, the power supply signal Sv is generated and output to the power supply unit  105 , and parameter data and image data are transmitted to the display device  20  via the interface  104 . The processing/control unit  106  further comprises a control module  1061  and a processing module  1062 . The control module  1061  is coupled to the command unit  103  and power supply unit  105 . Specifically, when the control module  1061  receives the command signal St, a power supply signal Sv and a control signal Sc are generated and outputted. The processing module  1062  couples to the control module  1061 , the image capturing unit  101 , and the interface  104  to transmit parameter data to the interface  104  while receiving the control signal. Image data is also transmitted to the interface  104  after processing of the image data. 
         [0026]    Specifically, when the image capturing device  10  is connected to the display device  20 , the command unit  103  generates the command signal St due to that the display device  20  contact with the command unit  103 . When the control module receives the command signal St, the power supply signal Sv is generated and then transmitted to the power supply unit  105 . Thus, the power supply unit  105  starts to supply power via the interface  104 . Because the display device  20  is connected to the image capturing device  10  via the interface  104 , the display device  20  receives power from the power supply unit  105  of the image capturing device  10  and then the display device  20  is started. After the processing module  1062  receives the control signal Sc, parameter data is saved in the recording unit  102 , and the initial set of the display device  20  starts for setting the value of the display device  20 ; for example, dots per inch, horizontal synchronization input signal and vertical synchronization input signal. Then, the processing module  1062  transmits the image data captured by the image capturing device  101  or the image data saved by recording unit  102  to the display device  20  via the interface  104  for display and browsing the images or providing a user for image proceeding, for example to delete the images. 
         [0027]    In this embodiment, the control module  1061  is a micro control unit, MCU. The processing module  1062  is a digital signal processor (DSP). In an embodiment, the control module  1061  is a DSP, a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a central processing unit (CPU), or a system on chip (SOC). In another embodiment, the processing/control unit  106  is a DSP. 
         [0028]    Note that the display device  20  of this embodiment comprises a connecting interface. The hardware set data and the displayed image data are transmitted to outside devices via the connecting interface  201  for connection and communication. Power is supplied from the outside power source via the connecting interface  201 . In this embodiment, the display device  20  is a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD). 
         [0029]    The invention provides an image capturing device  10  having a interface. The interface may be connected to the display device  20  having the connecting interface  201 . The command unit  103  may detect if the display device  20  is connected. When the display device  20  is connected to the image capturing device  20 , the processing/control unit  106  supplies power and transmits data via the interface  104  for displaying images via the external direct-connect display device  20 . Thus, when not showing images, the image capturing device  10  is not connected to the display device  20  to save power that is supplied to the image capturing apparatus  10  and reduce power consumption of the image capturing apparatus  10 , thus extending operating life of power supply sources. Because the display device  20  is an external direct-connect device, the space for containing the display device  20  can be deleted. Thus, the volume of the image capturing apparatus  10  is decreased. Additionally, when applying the image capturing apparatus  10  of the invention for outdoor ecological recording, a user only brings the display device  20 , thus, damage of the display device  20  due to long term ecological recording is avoided. 
         [0030]    The invention makes the image capturing apparatus capable of being attached or being separated with a display device any time, so that disadvantages of conventional image capturing apparatuses are mitigated. 
         [0031]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.