Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A method and system allow a hand-held digital camera to access and
store large volumes of digital image data utilizing a wireless communications
link between a host computer and the camera. In an embodiment of
the invention, imaging optics and a photosensor array capture image
data that represents an image of a subject. A transceiver integrated
into the hand-held digital camera then transmits the image data
to a host computer via a wireless communications link. The host
computer stores the image data, or a copy of the image data, and
retransmits related image data or, alternatively, the same image
data back to the hand-held digital camera via the wireless communications
link. Once the image data is received by the hand-held digital camera,
an electronic image is formed by a display device that is integrated
into the camera. The host computer may process the digital image
data into enhanced digital image, thereby enabling the camera to
display an enhanced electronic image of a subject. The communications
link between the hand-held digital camera and the host computer
can transfer data at a sufficiently high bandwidth to provide virtually
real-time feedback to a computer operator. Digital Camera Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of managing image information utilizing a hand-held
camera comprising the steps of: capturing raw image data representative
of a subject of interest utilizing an imaging device of said hand-held
camera; transmitting said raw image data to a host computer during
a continuous session via a wireless link between said hand-held
camera and said host computer; receiving, as an automated response
by said host computer to said transmitting step, related image data
at said hand-held camera during said continuous session via said
wireless link; forming an image from said related image data on
a display device of said hand-held camera, wherein enabling a display
of said subject of interest on said display device is dependent
upon operations at said host computer; and browsing stored image
data that is stored in said host computer, where said browsing is
controlled by operations at said hand-held camera.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of: receiving said related
image data includes a substep of receiving said related image data
automatically echoed between said hand-held camera and said host
computer.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting said
raw image data includes a substep of storing said raw image data
at said host computer.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of: receiving said
related image data includes a substep of receiving enhanced image
data, wherein said enhanced image data is generated at said host
computer by processing said raw image data that is transmitted from
said hand-held camera; and forming said image from said related
image data comprises processing said enhanced image data and forming
an enhanced image.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said substep of receiving said
enhanced image data is executed in continuity with said steps of
transmitting said raw Image data and forming said enhanced image,
such that said enhanced image is formed at said hand-held camera
in substantially real time with said capturing of said raw image
data.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein said step of transmitting said
raw image data includes a substep of transferring said raw image
data to a network of processors that rapidly processes said raw
image data into said enhanced image data.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein said step of receiving said enhanced
image data comprises wirelessly inputting said raw image data originally
captured by said hand-held camera and transmitted to said host computer
for enhancement with respect to at least one of: adjusting said
raw image data for color balance; adjusting said raw Image data
for gamma; adjusting luminance; filtering said raw image data; and
changing zoom factors.
8. The method of claim 1 further including a step of buffering
said raw image data in a memory within said hand-held camera.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein sold step of transmitting said
raw image data comprises transmitting said image data in parallel
via a plurality of wireless channels and wherein said step of receiving
said related image data comprises receiving said related image data
in parallel transmissions via a plurality of wireless channels.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of forming an image
includes a substep of dynamically dithering pixel values of said
related image data, thereby displaying a higher resolution image.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising steps of: receiving
said stored image data from memory of said host computer, wherein
said stored image data represents a previously captured image, including
using said hand-held camera to browse a database of captured images
and to select said previously captured image; and forming an image
from said stored image data that is received from said memory.
12. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of: capturing
audio data; and transferring said audio data to said host computer
during said continuous session via said wireless link.
13. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of: receiving,
as an automated response by said host computer, audio data at said
hand-held camera during said continuous session via said wireless
link; and projecting sound that is representative of said audio
data from a transducer of said hand-held camera.
14. The method of claim 1 further including the step of receiving
a broadcast signal via said wireless link from a broadcast signal
source.
15. A wireless digital imaging system comprising: a camera housing;
imaging means incorporated into said camera housing for imaging
a subject and generating digital image data representative of said
subject; camera transceiver means, incorporated into said camera
housing and operationally associated with said imaging means, for
transmitting said digital image data to a remote computer over a
wireless communications link and for subsequently receiving said
digital image data from said remote computer over said wireless
communications link; control interface means incorporated into said
camera housing for generating requests for image processing operations
to be performed at said remote computer, said control interface
means being user controlled and being cooperative with said camera
transceiver means to transmit said requests to said remote computer
via said wireless communication link, said control interface means
enabling browsing through said digital image data transmitted via
said camera transceiver means for storage in a database of images
at said remote computer, where determinations of which of said images
are accessed during said browsing are controlled by operation of
said control interface means; and camera display means, attached
to said camera housing and operationally associated with said camera
transceiver means, for displaying an image that corresponds to said
digital image data that has been received by said camera transceiver
means from said remote computer, said camera display means being
cooperative with said control interface means to display images
from said database of said remote computer during said browsing.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein said remote computer has a computer
transceiver means for receiving said digital image data from said
camera transceiver means and for transmitting said digital image
data to said camera transceiver means, and said remote computer
has a computer memory means operatively associated with said computer
transceiver means for accessibly storing said digital image data
received from said camera transceiver means, thereby forming said
database of images through which said browsing is enabled by said
control interface means.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein said remote computer has an
image processor, said image processor having an input for inputting
said digital image data from said camera transceiver means and having
an output for outputting enhanced digital image data that is generated
from said input digital image data.
18. The system of claim 15 further including a camera memory means
having an input from said imaging means for buffering said digital
image data.
19. The system of claim 15 wherein said camera transceiver means
includes: a multi-channel transmitter for transmitting said digital
image data in parallel over a plurality of wireless channels; and
a multi-channel receiver for receiving said digital image data in
parallel over said plurality of wireless channels.
Digital Camera Patent Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to digital cameras and more specifically
to a digital camera system that provides remote storage and image
enhancement combined with an in-camera display device.
BACKGROUND ART
A digital camera captures an image of a particular subject using
an imaging system that includes an optical lens and a photosensor
array, such as a charged coupled device (CCD). The imaging system
"captures" a set, or frame, of digital image data that
represents a particular subject at the time that the frame is captured.
Each frame of digital image data can be stored in a memory for subsequent
viewing on a display, printing onto paper, or downloading to a computer
system. Because of the inherent space limitations of a hand-held
digital camera, memory capacity for storing frames of digital image
data within the camera is limited.
In addition to having storage capability, hand-held digital cameras
are able to process digital image data to enhance the resolution
and overall quality of an image that is presented to a viewer. In
order to perform increasingly complex image enhancements, additional
processing capability is required on-board a hand-held digital camera,
but because of the inherent space limitations of hand-held digital
cameras, processing capability is limited.
Hand-held digital cameras are available in which a still image
of a subject can be viewed from a display device located within
the hand-held digital camera. In hand-held digital cameras with
image display capability, the problems of memory and processing
limitations are magnified.
One technique used to overcome the memory limitations of hand-held
digital cameras is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,921, entitled
"CCD Digital Camera System With Selectable Memories,"
issued to Sawanobori. In the Sawanobori patent, a detachable memory
card is inserted into a hand-held digital camera and digital image
data is transferred to the memory card. When the storage capacity
of the memory card is reached, the memory card can be removed from
the camera and replaced with a new memory card. A concern with the
Sawanobori technique is that the memory cards themselves have limited
storage capacity. A second concern is that the memory cards must
be manually replaced when memory capacity is reached, creating a
delay and a distraction to the operator of a hand-held digital camera.
Another technique that is employed to address the memory limitations
of hand-held digital cameras is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,170
entitled "Hand-Manipulated Electronic Camera Tethered To A
Personal Computer," issued to Parulski et al. (hereinafter
'170). In the '170 patent, an electronic camera is linked to a computer
by a cable and an interface protocol is utilized to allow the camera
to transmit image data over the cable and into a memory device of
the computer. Disadvantages of the technique are that the hand-held
digital camera must be "tethered" to the computer by a
cable in order to accomplish data storage and that the technique
only allows data transfer in one direction, from the camera to the
computer, eliminating the possibility of viewing previously stored
images on the display device of the hand-held digital camera.
A technique for overcoming the memory limitations involving the
wireless transmission of electronic image data from an electronic
hand-held camera is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,159, entitled
"Electronic Camera System With Programable Transmission Capability,"
issued to Parulski (hereinafter '159). In the '159 patent, an electronic
camera is detachably coupled to a portable computer that has a display
module and a radio-frequency transmitter module. The system is able
to transmit electronic image data to a selected base unit using
standard wireless communications techniques. While the technique
is intended to be used to send facsimile images of a subject to
a fax machine, the technique can be adapted to allow corresponding
facsimile image data to be stored in a properly equipped computer.
A disadvantage of the technique is that image data is transferred
in only one direction, from the camera/computer combination to a
base unit.
Another example of a wireless transmission technique used to transmit
electronic image data is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,441, entitled
"Electronic Camera With Memory Card Interface To A Computer,"
issued to Parulski et al (hereinafter '441). In the '441 patent,
electronic image data is transmitted from an electronic hand-held
camera with no display capability to a computer via a wireless transmission
link. The computer that receives the data is relied upon to perform
image processing, image data storage, and image display. While the
'441 patent provides a high speed interface for transferring image
data from a hand-held camera to a computer, a disadvantage of the
'441 patent is that the hand-held camera does not have image display
capability and the interface does not allow image data that is stored
on the computer to be transmitted back to the hand-held camera for
viewing.
What is needed is a hand-held digital camera system that has a
built-in image display device and high capacity image data storage.
In addition, what is need is a hand-held digital camera system that
can display high quality images for viewing immediately after an
image is captured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and system allow a hand-held digital camera to have continuous
access to large volumes of digital image data utilizing a bi-directional
wireless communications link between a host computer and the camera.
In an embodiment of the invention, imaging optics and a photo-sensor
array capture image data that represents an image of a subject.
A transceiver integrated into the hand-held digital camera transmits
the image data to a host computer via a wireless communications
link. The host computer stores the image data, or a copy of the
image data, and retransmits the image data back to the hand-held
digital camera via the wireless communications link. Once the image
data is received by the hand-held digital camera, an electronic
image representative of the image data is displayed by a display
device that is integrated into the camera. The communications link
between the hand-held digital camera and the host computer can transfer
data at a sufficiently high rate to provide virtually real-time
feedback to a camera operator.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, when the image data
is received at the host computer, the image data is processed by
an image processor within the host computer in order to enhance
the quality of the image data that was initially captured by the
hand-held digital camera. Enhancements in the image data may include
applying mathematical algorithms to generate greater pixel density
or adjusting color balance, contrast, and/or luminance. Once the
improved image data is generated by the image processor of the host
computer, the host computer transmits the improved image data to
the hand-held digital camera. The hand-held digital camera receives
the improved image data and forms an enhanced electronic image that
is displayed on the display device of the camera. The bi-directional
communications link and the processing speed of the host computer
enable virtually real-time feedback to a camera operator. The improved
data may consist of image correction data or it may contain an entire
array of image data. In addition, the improved image data may be
made responsive to user-defined criteria that may include morphing,
distortion, changes in perspective, and other artistic enhancements.
In addition to displaying images that have just been captured by
the hand-held digital camera, the camera can display previously
captured images by accessing image data that is stored in the host
computer. For example, the hand-held digital camera can access and
display an image that was captured the previous day, since the data
is stored in the host computer.
An advantage of the hand-held digital camera is that the camera
can display just-captured images in nearly real-time, while having
continuous and wireless access to a large image data storage capacity
that allows viewing of previously captured images. The hand-held
digital camera also provides the capability of comparing captured
images to images in an image database and displaying certain stored
images that meet user-specified similarity criteria. In addition,
stored global positioning system (GPS) data concerning camera position
and even orientation can enable the display of previously captured
images having similar associated attributes.
Another advantage is that processing performance required to display
high quality images is not limited by the processing capability
of the hand-held digital camera, but by the processing capability
of the host computer. The processing capability of the host computer
allows the host computer to improve captured image data well beyond
the practical capabilities of a hand-held digital camera. Another
advantage of the hand-held digital camera is that the camera does
not require removable memory cards which must be frequently exchanged
and the camera is not "tethered" to a host computer by
a data cable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a hand-held digital camera in wireless
communication with an adapted host computer in accordance with the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the components of the hand-held digital
camera and the adapted host computer of FIG. 1 in accordance with
the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method for managing image information
through a hand-held digital camera that includes storing image data
in a host computer in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method for managing image information
through a hand-held digital camera that includes processing the
image data to enhance image resolution in accordance with the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a hand-held digital camera 40 that
is linked to a portable computer 10 by a wireless communications
link 20 which may include segments of wire, cable, optical fiber,
or other physical connections to complete the wireless link. The
components of the hand-held digital camera 40 and the host computer
10 are shown in FIG. 2. Integrated into a housing 42 of the hand-held
digital camera are imaging optics 44 that may include a single lens
or a lens array positioned to collect optical energy representative
of a subject or scenery, and to focus the optical energy onto a
photosensor array 48. In addition to a lens or lens system, color
filters may be placed between the imaging optics and the photosensor
array to achieve desired color manipulation.
The photosensor array 48 defines a matrix of photosensitive pixels.
Each photosensitive pixel generates an electrical signal that is
representative of the optical energy that is directed at the pixel
by the imaging optics. The resolution of an image that can be produced
from a photosensor array directly relates to the density of photosensitive
pixels in the photosensor array. The electrical signals that are
output by the photosensor array are characterized as image data
or digital image data, wherein each image or "picture"
that is captured is considered one "set" or "frame"
of digital image data. In the preferred embodiment, the photosensor
array is a charged coupled device (CCD).
A processor 56 that is in data transfer communication with the
photosensor array 48 is also integrated into the hand-held digital
camera 40. The processor performs data management functions within
the hand-held digital camera and is also able to perform limited
processing on raw digital image data in order to e quality of the
raw digital image data. Processing of the image data may include
performing data compression in order to decrease the quantity of
data that is transmitted or stored and data decompression to display
previously compressed data. This processing may include run length
encoding and/or delta modulation.
Memory 52 that is in data transfer communication with the processor
56 is also integrated into the hand-held digital camera 40. In the
preferred embodiment, the camera memory is electronic memory, such
as flash memory, that can be used to store frames of digital image
data. The camera memory can be used to buffer digital image data
before the digital image data is displayed and/or processed. The
memory may have a capacity of, for example, 2 megabytes, allowing
storage of dozens of pictures. In alternative embodiments, the built-in
memory of the hand-held digital camera may be augmented by removable
memory, or the camera may have removable memory completely substituted
for built-in memory. In other alternative embodiments, the memory
may be other than electronic memory, for example magnetic memory.
A power source 60 is contained within the hand-held digital camera
40 to operate the electronic components of the camera. The power
source may be conventional alkaline batteries, such as AA size batteries,
or rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries.
A control interface 64 is included in the hand-held digital camera
40 to allow an operator to control the functions of the camera.
Interface functions of the hand-held digital camera may include
an on/off switch, an image capture switch, a battery status readout,
image display option controllers, and controllers for lens focus,
exposure, and shutter speed. The control interface may also include
selections for requesting desired image enhancements from the host
computer.
A display device 68 is also integrated into the hand-held digital
camera 40. The display device may be, for example, a liquid crystal
display (LCD) or a thin-film transistor (TFT) display, and the resolution
of the display device is related to the number of pixels in the
fixed display area. The display device allows a camera operator
to view an image that has been captured, so that the camera operator
has real-time feedback on the imaging process. In addition to displaying
a single image, the display device may be able to display more than
one image at a time, allowing the operator to compare multiple images
side-by-side. In an alternative embodiment, the display device need
not be integrated into the camera housing 42 but may be external
to the camera, such as viewing goggles or a remote display.
In an alternative embodiment of the hand-held digital camera 40,
image data displayed on the display device 68 is dynamically dithered
to allow the displayed image to appear to have higher resolution
and quality than would otherwise be expected from the display device.
A camera transceiver 72 is also associated with the hand-held digital
camera 40, preferably integrated into the hand-held digital camera
housing 42, and is connected such that the transceiver can transfer
data to and from the processor 56, the memory 52, and the display
device 68 of the camera. The camera transceiver has a transmitter
portion 74 and a receiver portion 76 for transferring data over
a wireless communications link between the camera transceiver and
a compatible transceiver. The camera transceiver may include an
infrared transmission system or a radio-frequency (RF) transmission
system. In an RF system, the full 1.25 megahertz (MHz) band-width
of the IS-95 Mobile Radio Standard can be used. The IS-95 Mobile
Radio Standard is a service using Code Division Multiple Access
(CDMA) and Quadrature Phase Shift-Keying (QPSK)/Bipolar Phase Shift-Keying
(BPSK) modulation on a carrier frequency of 824-994 MHz or 1.8-2.0
gigahertz (GHz). Emerging systems with much higher bandwidths on
carriers upwards of 60 GHz and higher may also be used. In order
to increase the bandwidth of the wireless transfer of image data
between compatible transceivers, parallel code and/or parallel transmission
channels may be used simultaneously. Alternatively, the camera transceiver
can receive broadcast transmissions of information. For example,
the host computer 10, or a network of host computers, may broadcast
signals that designate the availability of the host computer. The
hand-held digital camera 40 may include an annunciator device such
as an indicator light showing when the host computer is within communications
range.
The host computer 10 is preferably a conventional computer system
that is adapted for use with a hand-held digital camera 40. The
host computer may be a portable computer, a desktop computer, a
super computer, or even a network of computers. As an alternative
embodiment, the host computer may be a specially designed single-use
computer. In any case, the host computer is remote from the hand-held
digital camera in that the host computer is not physically connected
to the camera.
An added component to the host computer 10 is a computer transceiver
14. The computer transceiver is compatible with the camera transceiver
72 and enables the transfer of electronic data between the hand-held
digital camera 40 and the host computer over a communications link
that is at least partially a wireless communications link. The computer
transceiver may be internal or external to the host computer as
long as the computer transceiver is in data-transfer communication
with a memory 16 and an image processor 18 of the computer.
The memory 16 of the host computer 10 can be any conventional computer
memory, including electronic memory and/or magnetic memory. Electronic
memory may be in the form of RAM computer chips, and magnetic memory
may be in the form of a magnetic disk drive. The computer memory
can be used to store large quantities of image data in comparison
to the storage capacity of the hand-held digital camera memory 52.
Image data stored in the computer memory can be transferred to and
from the computer transceiver 14 to allow rapid communication between
the host computer and the hand-held digital camera 40. The memory
can also store image data in a relational database format, enabling
the database to be rapidly searched for related data which may include
the original image data. For example, if the database is presented
with an image of a horse, the database could be searched for other
images of horses. In addition, images could be searched by other
criteria, such asa GPS marker or an identified name.
The image processor 18 of the host computer 10 is a combination
of computer hardware and software. The hardware may include a single
or multiple processors and various other support circuits, while
the software may include image enhancement software that operates
to improve or custom tailor digital image data to create, for example,
a higher resolution, better quality, or stylized image of a subject.
The processor may also enable database searches for image data that
is related to initially captured image data. The image processor
is connected to the host computer such that digital image data can
be transferred between the computer memory and the computer transceiver
14.
The image processor 18 may operate on image data by, for example,
adjusting color balance, gamma and luminance, filtering device limiting
fixed pattern noise, filtering noise using a Wiener filter, changing
zoom factors, recropping, applying enhancement filters, applying
smoothing filters, applying subject-dependent filters, and applying
coordinate transformations.
Operation of a first embodiment of the invention is described with
the reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. In the embodiment, the hand-held
digital camera 40 is used to capture image data that represents
an image of a subject. The image data is captured at step 100 by
directing the camera at the subject of interest and activating an
image capture button. The captured image data may be compressed
by the processor 56 and is then transferred, either directly or
indirectly, to the camera transceiver 72, where the image data is
processed for wireless transmission to the host computer 10.
In step 102, the camera transceiver 72 transmits the image data
to the host computer 10 via the at least partially wireless communications
link 20 that is established between the camera transceiver and the
computer transceiver 14 located within the host computer 10. The
computer transceiver immediately retransmits or "echos"
related image data back to the hand-held digital camera 40, where
the related image data is received at step 104 by the camera via
the communications link established with the camera transceiver.
In response to the proper command, at step 106 the hand-held digital
camera forms a related image from the related image data and displays
the related image of the subject on the display device of the camera.
Rapidly transmitting the related image data, via a wireless communications
link, to a host computer memory enables the hand-held digital camera
to store a large quantity of image data without requiring exchanges
of removable memory diskettes and without having the camera physically
connected to a supporting computer by a cable or a memory card.
In an alterative embodiment, the related image data that the host
computer 10 sends to the hand-held digital camera 40 consists of
nothing more than the original image data. In another embodiment,
when the host computer initially receives the image data from the
camera transceiver 72, the host computer forms a copy of the image
data to store in the computer memory 16. In addition to displaying
images on the camera display device, images captured by the camera
may also be remotely displayed, for example, on a big screen display
monitor. Remote display may allow many people to view captured images
simultaneously.
Operation of a second embodiment of the invention is described
with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4. In this embodiment, the hand-held
digital camera 40 is used to capture image data that represents
an image of a subject or scene. The image data is captured at step
120 by directing the camera at the subject or scene of interest
and activating an image capture button. The captured image data
is transferred, either directly or indirectly, to the camera transceiver
72 where the image data is processed for wireless transmission.
At step 122, the camera transceiver transmits the image data to
the host computer 10 via the at least partially wireless communications
link 20 that is established between the camera transceiver 72 and
the computer transceiver 14 located within the host computer. The
image processor 18 within the host computer receives the transmitted
image data and at step 124 processes the image data into enhanced
image data. The process of enhancing the image data is executed
in continuity with the previous steps and may include performing
software algorithms that operate to generate more detailed pixel
information than was provided by the original image capture. Upon
completion of the enhancement processing, a copy of the image data
is stored in the memory 16 of the host computer. The computer transceiver
14 then transmits the enhanced image data to the hand-held digital
camera, where the enhanced image data is received at step 126 by
the camera via the communications link established with the camera
transceiver 72. Once at the hand-held digital camera, and in response
to the proper command, at step 128 an enhanced image is formed from
the enhanced image data and the enhanced image is displayed on the
display device of the camera.
Transmitting the raw image data to the host computer allows the
host computer to perform more extensive image improvements on the
image data in less time than could be practically accomplished by
the internal processor of the hand-held digital camera. The improved
image data allows the display device of the hand-held digital camera
to display a higher resolution image. In addition to greater processing
capability, the host computer can store large amounts of image data,
allowing an operator to capture more images without being interrupted
by memory card changes and without being burdened by the limitations
of a physical data cable connected to the hand-held digital camera.
In addition to displaying images that have just been captured,
the hand-held digital camera system can display previously captured
images. For instance, the hand-held digital camera is able to display
an image that was captured by the camera the previous day or the
previous week by manipulating the control interface 64 of the camera
to access the image data that is stored in the host computer 10.
The hand-held digital camera and the host computer may also work
together to display, on the camera display, prerecored images based
on other captured data parameters such as GPS and/or camera orientation
data or the date or time of image capture. The camera and computer
combination can also operate together to allow a camera operator
to browse a remote image database through the camera.
Although the hand-held digital camera system is described with
reference to still pictures, the system can also be applied to video
data. For example, the hand-held digital camera may have video capture
capability, with the captured video data being transmitted to the
host computer via the wireless communications link. The host computer
can then store and/or process the video data in a similar fashion
to the still image data.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a microphone is
located within the hand-held digital camera. The microphone allows
the recording of sound along with the capturing of images. Voice
recording can be used to annotate images as the images are captured.
Voice data that is recorded by the hand-held digital camera is managed
in the same manner as the image data and can be considered equivalent
to the image data, except that it is collected from a microphone
and output from a speaker. That is, voice or other audio data is
captured using the microphone and is transmitted to the host computer,
with "improved" audio data that is echoed to the hand-held
digital camera being used to provide the output from the speaker
or similar transducer of the hand-held digital camera. In accordance
with the invention, voice data can be transmitted to the host computer
for storage and/or improvement along with the image data. |