Abstract:
A cellular transmission device includes an image capture device, a display, a selection mechanism, and a processor. The device also includes a memory in which at least one still image captured by the image capture device is stores; and a cellular transceiver coupled to an antenna; wherein the processor is configured to cause the display of at least one still image stored in the memory on the display; cause the display of a transmission selection menu on the display in response to operation of the selection mechanism; thereby enabling selection of a plurality of receiver units from the selection menu to receive the at least one displayed still image; and cause the transmission of the at least one display still image by the cellular transceiver for receipt by each selected receiver unit.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/182700, filed Jul. 14, 2011, which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/370098, filed Feb. 12, 2009, which is a Reissue of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/626881, filed Jul. 27, 2000, (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,600,510) which is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/232594, filed Jan. 19, 1999, (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,526) which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/842458, filed Apr. 24, 1997, (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,603). which is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/426993, filed Apr. 24, 1995, (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,159) all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The disclosure is directed to an electronic camera system. More specifically, the disclosure is directed to an electronic camera system that includes a transmission mechanism for sending image data to selected receiver units. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Motion video cameras and electronic still cameras have been utilized for several years in applications involving image data transmission. Electronic image data generated from a video camera, for example, can be transmitted by a conventional broadcast television station and received by any television in the broadcast area tuned to the appropriate channel. It is not possible, however, for the transmitter to select which receivers will obtain the image data, as selection is controlled at the receiver. Image data from electronic still cameras has been transmitted via conventional telephone lines to selected receivers through the use of a computer equipped with a modem. The image data must first be downloaded from the electronic still camera to the computer, which then transmits the image data to a second modem equipped computer via the telephone line where it can be viewed or printed. Unfortunately, the requirement for a telephone line to transmit image data does not allow images to be quickly and easily transmitted from remote field locations to receiver units. While systems have been proposed that utilize radio frequency transmission to transmit image data from an electronic camera to an individual base unit, none of these systems have the capability of selectively transmitting image data to a plurality of receiver units. 
         [0004]    In view of the above, it is an object of the disclosure to provide an electronic camera system that includes a programmable transmission capability for selectively transmitting electronic image data to a plurality of remote receiver units. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The disclosure provides an electronic camera system that includes a programmable transmission capability for selectively transmitting electronic image data to a plurality of remote receiver units. In one preferred embodiment of the disclosure, a camera module is detachably coupled to a portable computer including a display screen and a data entry device. The camera module includes an electronic image sensor for generating digital image data representative of a scene to be imaged. 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 receiver 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 preferred 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 receiver units is to receive the digital image data, and a cellular transceiver for transmitting the digital image data to the receiver units selected by the selection mechanism. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The disclosure will be described in greater detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a camera system in accordance with a first embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective side view of a camera module utilized in the camera system illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the camera module illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram of the components of the camera module illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the camera system illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  illustrates the display of a captured image and a receiver unit menu selection on a display screen of the camera system illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective front view of a combined telephone/camera unit in accordance with a second embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the combined telephone/camera unit illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a schematic block diagram of the combined telephone/camera unit illustrated in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a flow diagram illustrating the operation of the combined unit illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a diagram illustrating the transmission of image data to a base unit utilizing the combined unit illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    A diagram of a camera system in accordance with a first embodiment of the disclosure is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The camera system includes a “clip-on” electronic camera module  10  coupled to a pen-based computer  12  that includes a radio frequency (RF) transmitter module  14  including an antenna. The camera module  10  can be of a form described in copending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/988,517 entitled “Electronic Camera with Memory Card Interface to a Computer”, which describes a removable camera module that fits into and interfaces with a standard PCMCIA card interface slot of a pen-based computer, or of a type described in copending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/988,560 entitled “Electronic Camera Incorporating a Computer-Compatible Bus Interface”, which describes a removable camera module that interfaces directly to a standard personal computer compatible bus. The camera module  10  takes still images that can be displayed on an interactive display screen  16  of the pen-based computer  12 . The RF transmitter module  14  can either be a clip-on unit, like the camera module  10 , or constructed integrally with the pen-based computer  12 . The interactive display screen  16  acts as an input device to the pen-based computer  12 , where a stylus or “pen” is used to select various icons or “buttons” displayed on the display screen  16  to enter data or commands into the pen-based computer  12 . Still images captured by the camera module  10  are transmitted from the pen-based computer  12  to one or more receiver units, labeled A, B and C in  FIG. 1 , via the RF transmitter module  14 . The still images can be displayed, printed, manipulated or stored at the receiver units A-C. 
         [0019]    The camera module  10  is shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 2 and 3  as preferably including a slide-out optical viewfinder  18 , a capture switch  20  for initiating an image capture operation, a lens  22 , a flip-out flash unit  24  that protects the lens  22  when the camera module  10  is not in use, and a computer bus connector  26  that connects the camera module  10  to either the internal bus of the pen-based computer  12  or to an interface port (such as a PCMCIA slot) of the pen-based computer  12 . Mounting clips  27  are provided to aid in securing the camera module  10  to the pen-based computer  12 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , which illustrates a schematic block diagram of the internal components of the camera module  10 , scene light passes through the lens  22 , an adjustable aperture  28 , a shutter mechanism  30  and a filter  32  to an electronic imaging unit  34 . The electronic imaging unit  34  includes a charge coupled device (CCD) electronic imaging sensor  36 , for example an Eastman Kodak KAF-400, driven by a CCD driver unit  38 . The electronic imaging unit  34  is coupled to an image signal processor  40  that processes an analog image signal generated by the electronic imaging sensor  36  into digital image data, and supplies the digital image data to the computer bus connector  26 . Specifically, the analog image signal is supplied to a gain stage, a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit and then an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter which are not specifically illustrated in the diagram. The digitized output signal from the A/D converter is processed via an EPROM lookup table which performs gamma correction and white balancing. The overall operation of the camera module  10  is controlled by a camera control processor  42  that includes either a general purpose microprocessor or discrete circuit elements, which receives inputs from a light measuring unit  44  and the capture switch  20 , and controls the operation of the flash  24 , the signal processor  40 , and a driver unit  46  that controls the operation of the aperture  28  and shutter  30 . 
         [0020]    The operation of the camera system is illustrated in greater detail in the flow diagram illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The user turns on the pen-based computer  12  using a power switch (not shown) to activate a camera application program stored in a memory unit of the pen-based computer  12 , and then flips up the flash unit  24  which causes power to be supplied to the camera module  10  by activating a power switch (not shown). The user frames the subject using the optical viewfinder  18  and presses the capture switch  20  to initiate a sequence where the scene light level is read by the camera control processor  42  using the light measuring unit  44 , the aperture  28  is adjusted, and the shutter  30  is opened to expose the electronic image sensor  36  to scene light. The camera control processor  42  also controls the firing of the flash unit  24  if the light measurement taken by the light measuring unit  44  indicates insufficient scene illumination. The image captured by the electronic image sensor  36  is processed by the image signal processor  40  and supplied to the pen-based computer  12  via the connector  26 , where it is stored in the memory unit of the pen-based computer  12 . 
         [0021]    As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the stored image is displayed on the display screen  16  of the pen-based computer  12  along with a transmission selection menu. The user has the option of transmitting the image to one or more of the receiver units A-C. The user selects the receiver units that are to receive the image by utilizing a pen or stylus to touch the appropriate icon displayed on the display screen  16 . If appropriate, the image can be compressed, using for example JPEG compression, and converted to an appropriate format by the pen-based computer  12  prior to transmission to the receiver units A-C. After selection, the image is transmitted to the selected receiver units via the RF transmitter module  14 . 
         [0022]    The RF transmission link between the RF transmitter module  14  and the receiver units A-C may be a single frequency system including a cellular system, that uses the same frequency for all receivers, or a multiple frequency system, that uses different frequencies for each of the different receiver units A-C. In the latter case, the image is transmitted multiple times, once using the appropriate frequency band for each selected receiver unit. For single frequency systems, a header code is transmitted prior to transmitting the image. The header includes an ID for each receiver that is to receive the image. In a simple case, a three bit digital code is transmitted, where the first bit is 1if receiver unit A should receive the image and 0if it should not, the second bit is 1if receiver unit B should receive the image and 0if is should not, and the third bit is 1if receiver unit C should receive the image and 0if not. Alternatively, each receiver unit A-C could be assigned a specific address, and the header would contain the address of each receiver that should receive the image. 
         [0023]    A second embodiment of the disclosure is illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . In this embodiment, a cellular telephone is provided with the components of an electronic image camera to form a combined telephone/camera unit  48 . The top of the combined unit  48  includes a lens  50 , a flip-up flash unit  52 , and an antenna  54 . The front face of the combined unit  48  is provided with a liquid crystal display screen  56  and a telephone keypad  58 , both of which are coupled to an internal bus  60  along with a control processing unit  62 , memory unit  64 , and cellular transceiver  66  as shown in  FIG. 9 . The internal bus  60  is also connected to a camera module  68 , which includes the same basic components as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , with the exception that the output from the image signal processor is supplied directly to the internal bus  60  instead of a connector. 
         [0024]    In operation, as illustrated in greater detail by the flow diagram illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the user takes a picture by flipping up the flash unit  52  and pressing an image capture switch (not shown). Alternatively, a key (for example the # key) on the keypad  58  can be utilized as the image capture switch in an image capture mode of operation. The digitize picture data generated by the camera module  68  is stored in the memory unit  64  and displayed on the display screen  56 . To transmit the image, the user dials the telephone number of a desired fax machine that is to receive the image using the keypad  58 . The number is transmitted to the fax machine via the cellular transceiver  66 . The fax machine responds back to the combined unit  48  with the type of fax mode it is capable of receiving, for example group IV fax, color fax, etc. The stored image is then converted to the appropriate fax standard by the control processing unit  62 , and is transmitted to the receiving fax machine using the normal cellular telephone system that includes an RF link from the cellular transceiver  66  to a cellular base unit, which connects to the normal wire, fiber, and satellite telephone system as shown in  FIG. 11 . Once the image transmission is complete, the image can be transmitted to other fax machines by entering the desired numbers using the keypad  58 . The memory unit  64  can include prestored phone numbers, to reduce the number of keystrokes needed to dial frequently used numbers, and can include memory for multiple images, so that multiple images can be transmitted to the same receiving fax machine, one after the other. In addition, the combined unit  48  may be pre-programmed so that the complete image capture and telephone dialing sequence is performed each time the image capture switch is activated. 
         [0025]    The disclosure has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof It will be understood, however, that modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, although the first illustrated embodiment utilizes a pen-based computer, other types of portable computers with non-interactive displays can be utilized. In such a case, commands and data would be entered via a keyboard, mouse or other data entry devices. 
       INDUSTRIAL UTILITY 
       [0026]    The disclosure provides an electronic camera system that includes a programmable transmission capability for selectively transmitting electronic image data to a plurality of remote base units. The camera system is particularly suited to applications, such as news gathering operations, in which it is desirable to capture images in remote field locations and transmit the images to a base station for subsequent review, distribution or publication. 
       PARTS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           10  Camera Module 
           12  Pen-based Computer 
           14  RF Transmitter Module 
           16  Display Screen 
           18  Optical Viewfinder 
           20  Capture Switch 
           22  Lens 
           24  Flash Unit 
           26  Computer Bus Connector 
           27  Mounting Clips 
           28  Aperture 
           30  Shutter Mechanism 
           32  Filter 
           34  Electronic Imaging Unit 
           36  Electronic Imaging Sensor 
           38  CCD Driver Unit 
           40  Image Signal Processor 
           42  Camera Control Processor 
           44  Light Measuring Unit 
           46  Driver Unit 
           48  Telephone/Camera Unit 
           50  Lens 
           52  Flash Unit 
           54  Antenna 
           56  Display Screen 
           58  Keypad 
           60  Internal Bus 
           62  Control Processing Unit 
           64  Memory Unit 
           66  Cellular Transceiver 
           68  Camera Module