Digital Camera Patent AbstractAn extensive device for use with a digital camera, including a lens
and a display for showing an image received via the lens, is disclosed.
The extensive device includes a housing having a window thereon
and a cradle for placing the digital camera therein and an optical
guiding device disposed inside the housing for guiding the image
received via the lens and shown on the display to the window. The
window and the lens of the digital camera in the cradle substantially
orient the same first direction, so that an image information is
recorded via the lens and viewed via the window in the first direction.
Digital Camera Patent ClaimsWhat is claimed is:
1. An extensive device for use with a digital camera, said digital
camera including a lens and a display for showing an image received
via said lens, said extensive device comprising: a housing having
a window thereon and a cradle for placing said digital camera therein,
wherein said window and said lens of said digital camera in said
cradle substantially orient in the same first direction; an optical
guiding device disposed inside said housing for guiding said image
received via said lens and shown on said display to said window
so that an image information is recorded via said lens and viewed
via said window in said first direction, wherein said image received
via said lens is processed by a digital signal processor, and stored
in a memory; and a detecting device electrically connected to said
digital signal processor for detecting an environmental change to
trigger said digital camera to automatically display said image
information, wherein said detecting device is a vibration detector
for detecting a certain level of vibration to trigger said digital
camera to display said image information.
2. The extensive device according to claim 1 wherein said optical
guiding device includes a reflective mirror set.
3. The extensive device according to claim 2 wherein said reflective
mirror set includes at least one reflective mirror.
4. The extensive device according to claim 1 further comprising
a button for optionally enabling or disabling said detecting device
so as to have said digital camera automatically or manually display
said image information.
5. The extensive device according to claim 1 wherein said display
is a liquid crystal display.
6. The extensive device according to claim 1 further comprising
a voice information generator which includes: a voice input device
electrically connected to a digital signal processor of said digital
camera for receiving a voice information to be processed by said
digital signal processor and stored in a memory of said digital
camera; and a voice playing device electrically connected to said
digital signal processor of said digital camera for playing said
stored voice information.
7. The extensive device according to claim 6 further comprising
a button for enabling or disabling said voice information generator
so as to allow or disallow said voice information to be recorded
and played.
8. The extensive device according to claim 6 wherein said voice
input device and said voice playing device are a microphone and
a speaker, respectively.
9. The extensive device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a digital tablet electrically connected to a digital signal processor
of said digital camera for inputting a word information; and a button
for enabling or disabling said digital tablet so as to allow or
disallow said word information to be recorded and played.
10. The extensive device according to claim 1 further comprising
a plurality of operating buttons on said housing for starting recording
said image information, starting playing said recorded image information,
and transmitting said image information to a personal computer,
respectively.
11. An extensive device for use with a digital camera, said digital
camera including a lens and a display for showing an image received
via said lens, said extensive device comprising: a housing having
a window thereon and a cradle for placing said digital camera therein,
wherein said window and said lens of said digital camera in said
cradle substantially orient in the same first direction; an optical
guiding device disposed inside said housing for guiding said image
received via said lens and shown on said display to said window
so that an image information is recorded via said lens and viewed
via said window in said first direction, wherein said image received
via said lens is processed by a digital signal processor, and stored
in a memory; and a detecting device electrically connected to said
digital signal processor for detecting an environmental change to
trigger said digital camera to automatically display said image
information, wherein said detecting device is a motion detector
for detecting a movement of an environmental object to trigger said
digital camera to display said image information.
12. The extensive device according to claim 11 wherein said optical
guiding device includes a reflective mirror set.
13. The extensive device according to claim 12 wherein said reflective
mirror set includes at least one reflective mirror.
14. The extensive device according to claim 11 further comprising
a button for optionally enabling or disabling said detecting device
so as to have said digital camera automatically or manually display
said image information.
15. The extensive device according to claim 11 wherein said display
is a liquid crystal display.
16. The extensive device according to claim 11 further comprising
a voice information generator which includes: a voice input device
electrically connected to a digital signal processor of said digital
camera for receiving a voice information to be processed by said
digital signal processor and stored in a memory of said digital
camera; and a voice playing device electrically connected to said
digital signal processor of said digital camera for playing said
stored voice information.
17. The extensive device according to claim 16 further comprising
a button for enabling or disabling said voice information generator
so as to allow or disallow said voice information to be recorded
and played.
18. The extensive device according to claim 16 wherein said voice
input device and said voice playing device are a microphone and
a speaker, respectively.
19. The extensive device according to claim 11 further comprising:
a digital tablet electrically connected to a digital signal processor
of said digital camera for inputting a word information; and a button
for enabling or disabling said digital tablet so as to allow or
disallow said word information to be recorded and played.
20. The extensive device according to claim 11 further comprising
a plurality of operating buttons on said housing for starting recording
said image information, starting playing said recorded image information,
and transmitting said image information to a personal computer,
respectively.
21. An extensive device for use with a digital camera, said digital
camera including a lens and a display for showing an image received
via said lens, said extensive device comprising: a housing having
a window thereon and a cradle for placing said digital camera therein,
wherein said window and said display of said digital camera in said
cradle substantially orient the same first direction; and an optical
guiding device disposed inside said housing for guiding an image
from said window to said lens and shown on said display so that
an image information is recorded via said window and viewed via
said display in said first direction. Digital Camera Patent DescriptionFIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an extensive device, and more
particularly to an extensive device for use with a digital camera.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Along with the informationizing and digitalizing trend of the society,
a digital still camera (DSC) gradually becomes one of common electrical
appliances for the modern family.
Please refer to FIG. 1A which is a schematic diagram showing the
front side of a typical digital camera. As shown in FIG. 1A, the
digital camera 1 includes a casing 10, a lens 11, a viewfinder 12
and a shutter button 13. The lens 11 is disposed on one surface
of the casing 10 for defining an image field of an object. The viewfinder
12 penetrates through the casing 10 for conveying the image of the
object from the surface where the lens 11 is disposed to the opposite
surface of the casing 10 to be observed by the photographer. The
shutter button 13 is also disposed on the casing 10, generally on
the to surface thereof, for starting shooting to capture the image
of the object of the image field defined by the lens 11 in response
to a pressing operation thereon of the photographer. FIG. 1B is
a schematic diagram showing the rear side of the typical digital
camera. On the rear side of the digital camera as shown in FIG.
1B, a display 14 is disposed. Generally, the display 14 is a liquid
crystal display (LCD) for displaying photographing information or
parameters as well as synchronously revealing the picking-up frame
by the lens 11, which is similar to that observed via the viewfinder
12. Thus, the user can optionally watch the picking-up frame via
the display 14 or the viewfinder 12. In addition, the digital camera
includes, generally, a signal output end for transmitting therethrough
digital data of the captured image to, for example, computer to
be stored and/or processed.
Conventionally, a digital camera is only used for taking pictures.
In other words, digital cameras are left unused for most families
for most of time. Thus, it is cost-inefficient to purchase a digital
camera with the only use for taking pictures.
Therefore, the purpose of the present invention is to extend the
use of a digital camera.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an extensive device
for use with a digital camera, which enables the digital camera
to function as an electronic messenger.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided
an extensive device for use with a digital camera. The digital camera
includes a lens and a display for showing an image received via
the lens. The extensive device includes a housing having a window
thereon and a cradle for placing the digital camera therein, wherein
the window and the lens of the digital camera in the cradle substantially
orient the same first direction, and an optical guiding device disposed
inside the housing for guiding the image received via the lens and
shown on the display to the window so that an image information
is recorded via the lens and viewed via the window in the first
direction.
Preferably, the optical guiding device includes a reflective mirror
set. For example, the reflective mirror set can include at least
one reflective mirror.
Preferably, the image received via the lens is processed by a digital
signal processor, and stored in a memory.
In an embodiment, the extensive device further includes a detecting
device electrically connected to the digital signal processor for
detecting an environmental change to trigger the digital camera
to automatically display the image information. For example, the
detecting device can be a vibration detector for detecting a certain
level of vibration to trigger the digital camera to display the
image information, or a motion detector for detecting a movement
of an environmental object to trigger the digital camera to display
the image information.
Preferably, the extensive device further includes a button for
optionally enabling or disabling the detecting device so as to have
the digital camera automatically or manually display the image information.
Preferably, the display is a liquid crystal display.
In another embodiment, the extensive device further includes a
voice information generator. The voice information generator includes
a voice input device electrically connected to a digital signal
processor of the digital camera for receiving a voice information
to be processed by the digital signal processor and stored in a
memory of the digital camera, and a voice playing device electrically
connected to the digital signal processor of the digital camera
for playing the stored voice information. Preferably, the extensive
device also includes a button for enabling or disabling the voice
information generator so as to allow or disallow the voice information
to be recorded and played. For example, the voice input device and
the voice playing device can be a microphone and a speaker, respectively.
In a further embodiment, the extensive device further includes
a digital tablet electrically connected to a digital signal processor
of the digital camera for inputting a word information, and a button
for enabling or disabling the digital tablet so as to allow or disallow
the word information to be recorded and played.
Preferably, the extensive device further includes a plurality of
operating buttons on the housing for starting recording the image
information, starting playing the recorded image information, and
transmitting the image information to a personal computer, respectively.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an extensive device for use with a digital camera. The
digital camera includes a lens and a display for showing an image
received via the lens. The extensive device includes a housing having
a window thereon and a cradle for placing the digital camera therein,
wherein the window and the display of the digital camera in the
cradle substantially orient the same first direction, and an optical
guiding device disposed inside the housing for guiding an image
from the window to the lens and shown on the display so that an
image information is recorded via the window and viewed via the
display in the first direction.
According to an additional aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an extensive device for use with a digital camera. The
digital camera includes a lens and a display for showing an image
received via the lens. The extensive device includes a housing having
a cradle for placing the digital camera therein, and a detecting
device disposed in the housing and electrically connected to a digital
signal processor of the digital camera for detecting an environmental
change to trigger the digital camera to automatically display an
image information.
For example, the detecting device can be a vibration detector or
a motion detector. The extensive device preferably includes a button
for optionally enabling or disabling the detecting device so as
to have the digital camera automatically or manually display the
image information.
Preferably, the display is a separate rotatable display. The separate
rotatable display is unfolded and rotated to substantially orient
the same first direction with the lens when the digital camera is
operated with the extensive device.
In an embodiment, the extensive device further includes a window
disposed on the housing, wherein the window and the lens of the
digital camera in the cradle substantially orient the same first
direction. Preferably, the extensive device further includes an
optical guiding device disposed inside the housing for guiding the
image received via the lens and shown on the display to the window
so that an image information is recorded via the lens and viewed
via the window in the first direction.
In another embodiment, the extensive device further includes a
window disposed on the housing, wherein the window and the display
of the digital camera in the cradle substantially orient the same
first direction. Preferably, the extensive device further includes
an optical guiding device disposed inside the housing for guiding
an image from the window to the lens and shown on the display so
that an image information is recorded via the window and viewed
via the display in the first direction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention may best be understood through the following
description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing the front side of a digital
camera;
FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing the rear side of a digital
camera;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the appearance of a preferred
embodiment of an extensive device for use with a digital camera
according to the present invention;
FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram illustrating the front side of the
extensive device of FIG. 2 disposed therein a digital camera of
FIG. 1 with its lens facing forwards;
FIG. 3B is a schematic top view illustrating an optical path from
the lens of the digital camera to the window of the extensive device
via an optical guiding device in under the arrangement of FIG. 3A;
FIG. 3C is a functional block diagram illustrating the use of the
extensive device of FIG. 2 with the digital camera of FIG. 1 to
record and view image messages in a first manner;
FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating the front side of the
extensive device of FIG. 2 disposed therein the digital camera of
FIG. 1 with its display facing forwards;
FIG. 4B is a functional block diagram illustrating the use of the
extensive device of FIG. 2 with the digital camera of FIG. 1 to
record and view image messages in a second manner;
FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating another preferred
embodiment of an extensive device for use with a digital camera
according to the present invention;
FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram illustrating the front side of a
further preferred embodiment of an extensive device according to
the present invention, wherein the extensive device is disposed
therein a digital camera with a separate rotatable display unit;
and
FIG. 6B is a functional block diagram illustrating the use of the
extensive device of FIG. 6A with the dispay-rotatable digital camera.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention will now be described more specifically with
reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the
following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention
are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description
only; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the
precise form disclosed.
Please refer to FIG. 2 which is a schematic diagram showing the
appearance of a preferred embodiment of an extensive device for
use with a digital camera according to the present invention. The
extensive device 2 includes a housing 20, a cradle 21, a window
22 and a plurality of operating buttons 23, wherein the cradle 21,
the window 22 and the buttons 23 are disposed on the housing 20.
The cradle 21 is used for accommodating the digital camera 1 therein.
Further referring to FIG. 3A, when the digital camera 1 cooperates
with the extensive device 2 by being placed into the cradle (not
shown) with the lens 11 thereof facing to the user, the digital
camera can serve as an electronic messenger for leaving image messages.
When the message-leaving function is enabled, the image message
of the user is received via the lens 11 and can be simultaneously
viewed by the user via the window 22 in the presence of an optical
guiding device of the extensive device 2. Please refer to FIG. 3B
which schematically shows an embodiment of the optical guiding device.
The optical guiding device including reflective mirrors 30 is disposed
inside the housing 20 of the extensive device 2. When the digital
camera 1 is placed into the cradle 21 with the lens 11 facing forwards,
the image received via the lens 11 will be shown on the liquid crystal
display (LCD) 14 of the digital camera 1, which is opposite to the
lens 11. The optical signal from the LCD 14 is then guided to the
window 22 via the reflective mirror set 30, and viewed by the user
while recording the image message, as shown in FIG. 3C. When the
image message recorded by the digital camera 1 is to be viewed by
the receiver, it will be displayed on the LCD 14, and transmitted
to the receiver's eyes via the optical guiding device 30 and the
window 22 in a similar way. As for the operating buttons 23 on the
housing 20 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, they are optionally pressed
to enable the functions of starting recording the image information,
starting playing the recorded image information, and transmitting
the image information to a personal computer.
Please refer to FIG. 4A which is a schematic diagram illustrating
the front side of the extensive device of FIG. 2 disposed therein
the digital camera of FIG. 1 with its display facing forwards. In
this embodiment, the digital camera is disposed in the cradle in
a manner opposite to the above embodiment with reference to FIG.
3A. The image information of the user enters the window 22 first,
and then reaches the lens 11 of the digital camera 1 via the optical
guiding device 30 of the extensive device 2 to be recorded, as shown
in FIG. 4B. The user may view the image information at the same
time from the LCD 14 facing forwards. In this case, the receiver
directly views the LCD 14 to get the recorded image information.
Please refer to FIG. 5 which is a functional block diagram illustrating
another preferred embodiment of an extensive device for use with
a digital camera according to the present invention. Typically,
a digital camera 40 includes a lens 41, a liquid crystal display
42, a digital signal processor (DSP) 43 and a memory 44. The extensive
device 45 in this embodiment is similar to the embodiment of FIG.
3 except that the extensive device 45 further includes a vibration
detector 48, a microphone 491 and a speaker 492 in addition to an
optical guiding device 46, a window 47 and a plurality of buttons
451 mentioned above, and the recorded information can be played
automatically. The microphone 491, the speaker 492, and the vibration
detector 48 are electrically connected to the DSP 43 when the digital
camera 40 is placed into the cradle of the extensive device 45.
According to this embodiment, one or both of the image and voice
messages can be recorded and played. One or more of the buttons
451 are used for switching the image/voice messages. When the image
and/or voice information are recorded via the lens 41 and/or the
microphone 491, respectively, the image and the voice information
are stored in the memory 44 of the digital camera via the DSP 43.
If any receiver comes near the extensive device 45, the image/voice
messages will be played automatically. The coming of the receiver
is determined by the vibration detector 48. Once the vibration detector
48 detects an environmental vibration, for example the vibration
of the base where the extensive device is located, it will sends
out a trigger signal to the DSP 43 to allow the image and/or voice
information to be read out. Then, automatically, the visible information,
if any, is played on the liquid crystal display 42 and the voice
information, if any, is broadcasted from the speaker 492. For making
the extensive device with the digital camera prominent and easily
detecting the vibration, the extensive device 45 with the digital
camera 40, for example, can be positioned on the door of a refrigerator.
Once the door of the refrigerator is opened, the vibration detector
48 will detect the vibration and send out the trigger signal to
allow the image and/or the voice information to be automatically
played. Thus, the extensive deice for use with the digital camera
according to the present invention can actively notify the receiver
of the presence and the contents of information, thereby extending
the function of the digital camera to include an electric messenger
function. Of course, the user can disable the vibration detector
48 via one of the buttons 451, so the image and/or the voice information
are only played when the receiver pushes or touches the starting
button.
Please refer to FIG. 6A which is a schematic diagram illustrating
the front side of a further preferred embodiment of an extensive
device according to the present invention, wherein the extensive
device is disposed therein a digital camera with a separate rotatable
display unit. In this embodiment, the liquid crystal display 52
of the digital camera 50 can be unfolded to substantially orient
the same direction as the lens 51. The extensive device of this
embodiment is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 5 except that the
window 47 shown in FIG. 5 is not required because the user can record
image information via the lens 51 and view the image information
being recorded directly via the LCD 52. Of course, the optical guiding
device can also be omitted in this case. FIG. 6B is a functional
block diagram illustrating the use of the extensive device of FIG.
6A with the dispay-rotatable digital camera. Similarly, a digital
camera 50 includes a lens 51, a liquid crystal display 52, a digital
signal processor (DSP) 53 and a memory 54. The extensive device
55 includes a vibration detector 56, a microphone 57, a speaker
58, and a plurality of buttons 551. The function and structure of
the above devices are similar to those in the embodiment of FIG.
5.
In addition to image information and voice information, word information
can also be inputted if the extensive device further includes a
digital tablet (not shown) electrically connected to the DSP of
the digital camera. Similarly, a button is used for enabling or
disabling the digital tablet so as to allow or disallow the word
information to be recorded and played. In addition, the vibration
detector used in the above embodiments can be replaced by a motion
detector, e.g. an infrared-ray motion detector.
To sum up, the extensive device for use with a digital camera according
to the present invention can extend the functions of digital camera,
e.g. to be an electric messenger, for increasing the additional
value of the digital camera.
While the invention has been described in terms of what are presently
considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it
is to be understood that the invention need not be limited to the
disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various
modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit
and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the
broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications
and similar structures.
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