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Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A digital camera equipped with surveillance and burglarproof functions
includes a host and a picture taking device that are separable.
The host may be placed in a hidden location in a house. The picture
taking device may be used to take pictures for surveillance purpose.
The picture taking device and the host may also be coupled to become
one body to function as a digital camera for taking pictures directly.
The picture taking is performed one by one in a static fashion to
produce clear images.
Digital Camera Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A digital camera equipped with surveillance and burglarproof
functions comprising a picture taking device and a host; wherein
the picture taking device contains a first control circuit which
includes an infrared detection unit, a lens unit, an optical viewfinder
unit, an image storage buffer, a microprocessor and an image transmission
unit; wherein the infrared detection unit generates signals which
are transmitted to the microprocessor, the microprocessor issues
signals to the image transmission unit; the lens unit generates
signals which are transmitted to the microprocessor and the image
storage buffer; the optical viewfinder unit displays the signals
of the lens unit; the image storage buffer stores temporarily the
signals captured by the lens unit; the microprocessor receives the
signals from the infrared detection unit and the lens unit and transfers
the signals to the image transmission unit; and the image transmission
unit receives the signals from the microprocessor and transmits
the signals to the image storage buffer; wherein the host contains
a second control circuit which includes an operation unit, an operation
display unit, a viewing unit, a signal output unit, a power supply
unit, a memory storage unit, a radio receiving unit, a radio emission
unit and a control unit; wherein the operation unit generates operation
signals which are transferred to the control unit; the operation
display unit receives the operation signals from the control unit;
the viewing unit receives signals from the control unit; the signal
output unit receives the signals from the control units; the power
supply unit is connected to a charge circuit and a backup battery
to supply electric power required; the memory storage unit stores
signal conditions of the control unit and receives the signals from
the image storage buffer and stores the signals; the radio receiving
unit receives the signals from the infrared detection unit and transfers
the signals to the control unit; the radio emission unit receives
the signals from the control unit and emits the signals by radio;
and the control unit receives the signals from the image transmission
unit and remote detection radio signals emitted by the radio emission
unit, and transmits the signals to other units.
2. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the picture taking device
has a burglarproof sensor and an optical viewfinder.
3. The digital camera equipped with surveillance and burglarproof
functions of claim 2, wherein the burglarproof sensor is an electronic
human body sensor.
4. The digital camera equipped with surveillance and burglarproof
functions of claim 2, wherein the burglarproof sensor is an infrared
sensor.
5. The digital camera equipped with surveillance and burglarproof
functions of claim 1, wherein the host further includes a manual
shutter button, an operation display window, a LCD viewing window,
a video/audio output jack and a video/audio input jack.
6. The digital camera equipped with surveillance and burglarproof
functions of claim 1, wherein the radio emission unit is connected
to a transceiver.
Digital Camera Patent Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a digital camera and particularly
to a digital camera equipped with surveillance and burglarproof
functions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Digital camera differs from the conventional camera mainly
in the image forming media. The conventional camera forms images
on films, while the digital camera forms images on a charge-coupled
device (CCD) that is a photosensitive semiconductor. CCD transforms
the light passing through the lens to charged signals of different
intensity. And the signals are converted to digital data that are
stored as files readable by computers.
[0003] The picture taken by the digital camera is a static image.
It is presented one frame at a time. The image and picture is clear.
A great added value for the digital camera may be created if it
can be adapted for burglarproof use. Such an approach can improve
the drawbacks occurred to the conventional burglarproof devices.
As the conventional burglarproof devices mostly adopt dynamic and
continuous picture taking, the resulting dynamic images are often
blurred and fuzzy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Therefore the primary object of the invention is to provide
a digital camera that equips with surveillance and burglarproof
functions. In one aspect, the digital camera according to the invention
includes a host and a picture taking device that are separable for
surveillance use. When in use for burglarproof purpose, the host
may be placed in a hidden location in the house while the picture
taking device functions as a surveillance picturing device. When
use as a digital camera, the picture taking device and the host
are coupled together for taking pictures.
[0005] Another object of the invention is to provide a digital
camera that equips with surveillance and burglarproof functions
so that it can take picture one by one in a static fashion to produce
clear and high quality images.
[0006] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a control circuit block diagram of the picture
taking device of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a control circuit block diagram of the host of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
Embodiment
[0010] Please referring to FIG. 1, the digital camera 10 equipped
with surveillance and burglarproof functions according to the invention
includes a picture taking device 20 and a host 40 that are separable
or coupled together. The picture taking device 20 includes a lens
21 which consists of CCD sensor (charged coupled device) and a lens
that may be selectively a telephoto lens, a standard lens or a wide-angle
lens. It adopts photosensitive electronic principle to capture images.
Namely, the sensors receive light and generate electrons at a quantity
proportional to the intensity of the light. The picture taking device
20 includes an optical viewfinder 22 to enable users to see the
images to be taken through the lens 21, and at least one burglarproof
sensor 23 to automatically detect signals of human body temperature
or movement. The burglarproof sensor 23 may be an electronic human
sensor or an infrared sensor.
[0011] Refer to FIG. 2 for the control circuit block diagram of
the picture taking device of the invention. The picture taking device
20 contains a first control circuit 30 which includes an infrared
detection unit 31 to receive signals from the burglarproof sensor
23 and emit signals to a microprocessor 35 which issues signals
to an image transmission unit 36; a lens unit 32 to receive the
signals from the lens 21 and transfer the signals to the microprocessor
35 and an image storage buffer 34; an optical viewfinder unit 33
to display the signals of the lens unit 32; the image storage buffer
34 to temporarily store the signals taken by the lens unit 32; the
microprocessor 35 to receive the signals from the infrared detection
unit 31 and the lens unit 32, and issue signals to the image transmission
unit 36; the image transmission unit 36 to receive the signals from
the microprocessor 35 and transfer the signals in the image storage
buffer 34 to a memory unit 57 in the host 40 for storing.
[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the host 40 is connected to
the picture taking device 20 through a transmission line 60 so that
they may be separated or coupled together. The host 40 includes
a manual shutter button 41 which functions like the shutter release
of the digital camera 10 for activating the picture taking device
20 to take pictures and has different operation modes for selection,
an operation display window 42 to display the operation mode of
the manual shutter button 41, a LCD viewing window 43 to enable
users to directly see the picture taken, at least one set of video/audio
output jack 44 for connecting to a TV set, and a video/audio input
jack 45 for connecting to a power supply to provide electric power
needed.
[0013] Refer to FIG. 3 for the control circuit block diagram of
the host. The host 40 contains a second control circuit 50 which
includes an operation unit 51 connecting to the manual shutter button
41 and issuing operation signals to a control unit 52, a operation
display unit 53 to receive the operation signals from the control
unit 52 and display signal conditions on the operation display window
42, a viewfinder unit 54 to receive signals from the control unit
52 and transfer the signals to the LCD viewing window 43 to allow
users to directly see the pictures taken, a signal output unit 55
to receive the signals from the control unit 52 and transfer the
signals to the TV set, a power supply unit 56 to connect to a charge
circuit 560 and a backup battery 561 to provide electric power needed,
a memory unit 57 to store the signals conditions of the control
unit 52, and receive the signals temporarily stored in the image
storage buffer 34, a radio receiving unit 58 to receive external
remote control signals and transmit the signals to the control unit
52, and a radio emission unit 59 to receive the signals from the
control unit 52 and emit radio signals to a transceiver 70 such
as a USB transceiver box or the like. Images may be transmitted
to a computer through USB signal transmission. The control unit
52 receives signals from the image transmission unit 36 and the
radio remote control signals from the radio emission unit 59, and
transmits signals to various units.
[0014] The digital camera 10 thus constructed has enhanced functions
and can overcome the drawbacks of single function occurred to the
conventional digital cameras. The picture taking device 20 and the
host 40 may be separated or coupled together. Namely, they may be
coupled to become one body and function as the digital camera 10
for picture taking during travel and trips outdoors. When use for
burglarproof purpose, the picture taking device 20 and the host
40 may be separated. For instance, the picture taking device 20
may be placed on a location in the house where intruders are likely
to enter to take pictures, and the burglarproof sensor 23 can detect
the intrusion to trigger picture taking. The burglarproof sensor
23 may have different detection angles for selection (such as 15,
30, 60, 90, 120 degrees) to enhance the surveillance effectiveness.
The host 40 may be linked to the picture taking device 20 through
the transmission line 60 so that they may be separated and mounted
on hidden locations. Therefore the host 40 may be hidden in any
desired location in the house and remote from the picture taking
device 20. In other words, even if the intruders detect the picture
taking device 20, they cannot find out the location of the host
40. Thus the host 40 may be prevented from being sabotaged, and
the burglarproof function may be maintained intact.
[0015] In addition, the second control circuit 50 of the host 40
includes the radio receiving unit 58 or radio emission unit 59.
The radio receiving unit 58 can receive external remote signals
to activate the control unit 52 in the host 40. When the control
unit 52 receives the signals of the infrared detection unit 31 that
indicate invasion of intruders occurs, the picture signals being
taken will be emitted by radio transmission to avoid the host 40
being discovered and destroyed and lost of burglarproof function.
The invention adopts the static picture taking approach. The pictures
are taken one by one in a static fashion. It is different from the
dynamic picture taking of the conventional surveillance burglarproof
devices. Moreover, the pictures taken by the invention are stored
in the memory. The resolution of the pictures may be adjusted as
desired to get clearer pictures for identification.
[0016] Furthermore, the invention can transmit the signal to TV
sets or to a computer through the transceiver 70 to enhance practicality. |