Abstract:
A camera converter is disclosed. The camera converter includes a number electronic components that operate to selectively generate digital still images responsive to user controls using video signals received from a removably attached video conferencing camera, which includes a lens and a first communication interface. The camera further includes a housing that operates to enclose the electronic components, and to removably accept the video conferencing camera. The housing in particular includes a view finder that is optically coordinated with the lens of the video conferencing camera, a second communication interface that mates with the first communication interface of the video conferencing camera, and user input mechanisms for providing said user controls.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of video conferencing and the field of digital camera. In particular, the present invention relates to the temporal conversion of a video conferencing camera into a digital camera.  
           [0003]    2. Background Information  
           [0004]    As advances in microprocessor and other related technologies continue to improve the price/performance of various electronic components, video conferencing, including video conferencing conducted using personal computers (PC), has become increasingly popular in recent years. Numerous PC based video conferencing products designed to take advantage of the increased processing power of today&#39;s PCs are now available in the market place. An example of such video conferencing products is the ProShare™ Video Conferencing product, available from Intel Corp., of Santa Clara, Calif., the assignee of the present invention. Typically, these PCs are equipped with video conferencing cameras that are physically connected or tethered to the main system units of the PCs, for capturing the local video images.  
           [0005]    Most recently, numerous relatively inexpensive but yet functionally rich digital cameras have also become available in the market place. The digital cameras are being used by amateur photographers for day-to-day routine casual photography as well as by professional photographers including photo journalists and artists for serious journalistic and artistic works. Many digital cameras include interfaces that allow the digital cameras to be coupled to PCs, such that the digital photographs can be downloaded to the PCs for viewing and/or further processing.  
           [0006]    None of the video conferencing cameras known in the art can be detachably employed as a digital camera. Similarly, none of the digital camera known in the art can function as a video conferencing camera. As a result, users interested in both video conferencing and digital photography are disadvantageously burdened with the cost of purchasing both cameras. Additionally, since the video conferencing camera requires its own video capture add-on card, while the digital camera requires its own I/O port, the user is disadvantageously burdened with providing more I/O resources to the PC than necessary.  
           [0007]    Thus, a more efficient and cost effective approach to meeting the equipment need of users interested in both video conferencing and digital photography is desired.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    A camera converter is disclosed. The camera converter includes a number electronic components that operate to selectively generate digital still images responsive to user controls using video signals received from a removably attached video conferencing camera, which includes a lens and a first communication interface. The camera further includes a housing that operates to enclose the electronic components, and to removably accept the video conferencing camera. The housing in particular includes a view finder that is optically coordinated with the lens of the video conferencing camera, a second communication interface that mates with the first communication interface of the video conferencing camera, and user input mechanisms for providing the user controls.  
           [0009]    A camera kit is also disclosed. The camera kit includes the above described camera converter and video conferencing camera.  
         BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
         [0010]    The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which:  
           [0011]    [0011]FIGS. 1 a - 1   b  are perspective and internal architectural views of one embodiment of a conventional video conferencing camera suitable for use to practice the present invention;  
           [0012]    [0012]FIGS. 2 a - 2   c  are perspective, back and internal architectural views of one embodiment of a camera converter of the present invention;  
           [0013]    [0013]FIGS. 3 a - 3   c  illustrate the operational flow of one embodiment of the method steps of the present invention; and  
           [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 4 a - 4   b  illustrate a hardware and a software view of one embodiment of computer suitable for use to download the still images for display and/or processing.  
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    In the following description, various aspects of the present invention will be described. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the present invention may be practiced with only some or all aspects of the present invention. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well known features are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the present invention.  
         [0016]    Parts of the description will be presented in terms of operations performed by a computer system, using terms such as data, flags, bits, values, characters, strings, numbers and the like, consistent with the manner commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. As well understood by those skilled in the art, these quantities take the form of electrical, magnetic, or optical signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, and otherwise manipulated through mechanical and electrical components of the computer system; and the term computer system include general purpose as well as special purpose data processing machines, systems, and the like, that are standalone, adjunct or embedded.  
         [0017]    Various operations will be described as multiple discrete steps in turn in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent, in particular, the order of presentation.  
         [0018]    Referring now to FIGS. 1 a - 1   b , wherein a perspective view and an internal architectural view of one embodiment of a conventional video conferencing camera suitable for use to practice the present invention are shown. For the illustrated embodiment, video conferencing camera  100  includes lens  102 , communication interface  104 , video capture  106 , random access memory  108 , digital signal processor  110 , and bus  112  coupling elements  104 - 110  to each other. Together, these elements  102 - 112  cooperate to enable video conferencing camera  100  to be attached and used by a computer (not shown) to conduct a video conference for a user of the computer.  
         [0019]    Each of these elements  102 - 112  performs its respective conventional function known in the art. That is, video capture  106  in cooperation with lens  102  captures and digitizes visual images, memory  108  provides temporary storage to the digitized video data, digital signal processor  110  generates video signals representative of the visual images, and provides them to the attached computer through communication interface  104 , and so forth. Elements  102 - 112  are intended to represent a broad range of these elements known in the art. In fact, video conferencing camera  100  is intended to represent a broad range of video conferencing camera known in the art.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIGS. 2 a - 2   c  illustrate a perspective view, a back view and an internal architectural view of one embodiment of the camera converter of the present invention. For the illustrated embodiment, camera converter  120  includes microcontroller  122 , random access memory  124 , removable non-volatile storage medium  126 , general I/O interface  128 , first and second communication interfaces  130  and  132 , and bus  134  coupling elements  122 - 132  to each other. Camera converter  120  also includes housing  136  having disposed thereon on/off switch  138 , viewfinder  140 , snap shot control button  142 , battery  144 , first and second visual displays  146  and  148 , and fastening features  150 . Together, these elements cooperate to temporally convert video conferencing camera  100  of FIG. 1 into a digital camera.  
         [0021]    Housing  136  houses the electronic elements  122 - 132 , and removably accepts video conferencing camera  100  when it is not attached to a computer. Video conferencing camera  100  is physically secured to camera converter  200  using fastening features  150 . Camera converter  200  and video conferencing camera are electrically and communicatively coupled to each other through communication interfaces  104  and  130 . Battery  144  supplies power to the electronic elements of camera converter  120  as well as to video conferencing camera  100 , through communication interfaces  104  and  130 .  
         [0022]    The physical shape and dimensions of housing  136  as well as fastening features  150  are application, i.e. video conferencing camera, dependent. Communication interfaces  104  and  130  may be any one of a number of serial or parallel communication interfaces known in the art. Similarly, any one of a number of known battery types as well as sizes may be employed for battery  144 .  
         [0023]    On/off switch  138  in cooperation with general I/O interface  128  facilitates a user powering the combined unit on or off. Responsive to a change of position of on/off switch  138 , microcontroller  122  applies or removes power supplied by battery  144  to/from the electronic elements of video conferencing camera  100  as well as the electronic elements of camera converter  120 . Upon powering up the electronic elements of the combined unit, camera converter  102  initializes and directs video conferencing camera  100  through communication interfaces  104  and  130  as an attached computer would direct video conferencing camera  100 . In response, video conferencing camera  100  starts outputting video signals for visual images “seen” by video capture  106 . The video signals, however, are received by camera converter  120  instead, also through communication interfaces  104  and  130 . The fact that the video signals are received by camera converter  120  is transparent to video conferencing camera  100 .  
         [0024]    View finder  140  enables a user to see the same visual images “seen” by video capture  106  of video conferencing camera  100 , and snap shot control button  142  in cooperation with general I/O interface  128  enables the user to control the actual taking of still images. Responsive to each “signaling” by the user, through snap shot control button  142 , e.g. by depressing snap shot control button  142 , microcontroller  122  generates a still image by taking a “snap shot” of the “current” visual image represented by the video signals.  
         [0025]    View finder  140  is optically coordinated with lens  102  of video conferencing camera  100  to enable a user to see the same visual images “seen” by video capture  106  of video conferencing camera  100 . Snap shot control button  142  and general I/O interface  128  are intended to represent a broad range of these elements known in the art.  
         [0026]    Memory  124  is used to provide temporary storage for the received video signals, and working storage for generating the still images. Removable non-volatile storage medium  126  is used to provide permanent storage for the generated still images (until deleted). Any one of a number of memory types may be employed for memory  124 . In one embodiment, removable non-volatile storage medium  126  is a removable flash memory card. In another embodiment, it is a diskette. In yet another embodiment, the non-volatile storage medium is a fixed non-volatile storage medium instead, such as a disk drive.  
         [0027]    The stored still images may be transferred to a display and/or processing device (not shown), such as a compatibly equipped computer, by removing removable non-volatile storage medium  126  and “coupling” it to the compatibly equipped computer through a compatible input/output mechanism. For example, in the case of a flash memory card, by placing the flash memory card in a flash memory card reader of the computer. For the illustrated embodiment, the stored still images may also be transferred to a display and/or processing device, by coupling the display and/or processing device to the combined unit through communication interface  132 . Communication interface  132  may also be one of a number of known serial or parallel communication interface.  
         [0028]    Visual display  146  and  148  are used to provide feedback to the user to facilitate operation of the combined unit as a digital camera. For the illustrated embodiment, visual display  146  is a LCD display for use to display a numeric count of the number of still images stored, and visual display  148  is a LCD display for use to display user messages for the user. Both types of displays are rendered by microcontroller  122 .  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 3 a - 3   c  are three flow charts illustrating one embodiment of the operational steps of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 3 a  and alluded to earlier, in response to a power on event, microcontroller  122  powers on the electronic elements of video conferencing camera  100  through communication interfaces  104  and  130 , as well as the electronic elements of camera converter  102 , step  152 . Upon powering up, camera converter  102  starts receiving the video signals representing the visual images “seen” by video capture  106 , step  154 . Camera converter  102  continues to receive the video signals until the power-off event is detected, step  156 , which for the illustrated embodiment, is denoted by an interrupt to microcontroller  122  triggered by general I/O interface  128  in response to the changing of the position of power on/off switch  138 .  
         [0030]    As illustrated in FIG. 3 b , while receiving the video signals, in response to a snap shot event, camera converter  120  generates a still image of the current frame using the video signals, and stores the generated still image in non-volatile storage medium  126 , step  158 . For the illustrated embodiment, te snap shot event is denoted by an interrupt to microcontroller  122  triggered by general I/O interface  128  in response to the user “signaling” from snap shot control button  142 . As illustrated in FIG. 3 c , while connected to a computer and “idle”, in response to a command from the attached computer, camera converter  120  downloads the stored still image to the attached computer, step  160 , if the received command is a “download” command. Camera converter  120  deletes the stored still image, step  162 , if the received command is a “delete” command. Otherwise, camera converter  120  handles the command in accordance with the semantics of the command, step  164 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIGS. 4 a - 4   b  illustrate a hardware view and a software view of one embodiment of a computer system suitable for use to download and display/process the generated still images. As shown, for the illustrated embodiment, computer system  200  includes processor  202 , processor bus  206 , high performance I/O bus  210  and standard I/O bus  220 . Processor bus  206  and high performance I/O bus  210  are bridged by host bridge  208 , whereas I/O buses  210  and  212  are bridged by I/O bus bridge  212 . Coupled to processor bus  206  is cache  204 . Coupled to high performance I/O bus  210  are system memory  214  and video memory  216 , against which video display  218  is coupled. Coupled to standard I/O bus  220  are disk drive  222 , keyboard and pointing device  224  and communication interface  226 .  
         [0032]    These elements perform their conventional functions known in the art. In particular, disk drive  222  and system memory  214  are used to store a permanent and a working copy of still image download/display/process application  242 . The permanent copy may be pre-loaded into disk drive  222  in factory, loaded from distribution medium (not shown), or down loaded from a remote distribution source (not shown). Disk drive  222  and system memory  214  are also used to store a permanent and a working copy of operating system  244  including camera device driver  246  and communication interface driver  248 . The constitutions of these elements are known. Any one of a number of implementations of these elements known in the art may be used to form computer system  200 .  
         [0033]    In general, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is not limited by the details described; instead, the present invention can be practiced with modifications and alterations within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The description is thus to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive on the present invention.  
         [0034]    Thus, a method and apparatus for temporally converting a video conferencing camera into a digital camera.