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Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A digital camera equipped with burglarproof and surveillance functions
contains a burglarproof surveillance element. When the burglarproof
surveillance element detects an object, the digital camera is activated
to take pictures and store the pictures in a memory storage unit.
A picture taking device is provided to take the pictures in a static
fashion and present the pictures individually with a clear image.
Digital Camera Patent Claims
1. A digital camera equipped with burglarproof and surveillance
functions comprising a picture taking device and a host; wherein
the digital camera contains a burglarproof surveillance element
which is installed on a front side of the picture taking device.
2. The digital camera equipped with burglarproof and surveillance
functions of claim 1, wherein the burglarproof surveillance element
is an electronic human sensor.
3. The digital camera equipped with burglarproof and surveillance
functions of claim 1, wherein the burglarproof surveillance element
is an infrared sensor.
4. The digital camera equipped with burglarproof and surveillance
functions of claim 1, wherein the picture taking device has 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 unit, 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
each unit.
5. The digital camera equipped with burglarproof and surveillance
functions of claim 5, wherein the radio emission unit is connected
to a transceiver.
6. The digital camera equipped with burglarproof and surveillance
functions of claim 1, wherein the picture taking device includes
an optical viewing window.
7. The digital camera equipped with burglarproof and surveillance
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.
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 burglarproof and surveillance
functions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] With arriving of the information age, the digital camera
has become increasingly popular and has gradually replaced the conventional
camera. In principle, there is no much difference between the digital
camera and the conventional camera. They all focus light reflected
from an object through a lens into the camera. The only difference
is that the conventional camera forms an image on a film, however
the digital camera forms an image on a charge-coupled device (CCD).
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] As the digital camera has rich functions and is more convenient,
it gradually replaces the conventional camera. The picture taken
by the digital camera is a static image. It is a still image presented
individually. The image and picture is clear. A great added value
for the digital camera may be created if it can be adapted for use
in burglarproof function.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Therefore the primary object of the invention is to provide
a digital camera equipped with burglarproof and surveillance functions
that includes a burglarproof surveillance element in the digital
camera to take pictures for preventing burglars.
[0005] Another object of the invention is to provide a digital
camera equipped with burglarproof and surveillance functions that
can take pictures one by one in a static fashion to produce clear
and high quality images.
[0006] The digital camera according to the invention includes a
picture taking device and a host. The digital camera also has a
burglarproof surveillance element which is installed on a front
side of the picture taking device to detect and take pictures to
provide burglarproof functions.
[0007] 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
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a control circuit block diagram of the picture
taking device of the invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a control circuit block diagram of the host of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] Please refer to FIG. 1 for the perspective view of the invention.
A digital camera 10 according to the invention includes a picture
taking device 20 and a host 40. The picture taking device 20 includes
a lens 21 which consists of a 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.
When an object is detected, the lens 21 is activated, and image
data may be captured through the picture taking function of the
digital camera 10.
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, 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 (also referring
to FIG. 4).
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 again, the host 40 is connected
to the picture taking device 20 through a transmission line 60 to
transmit the images taken by the picture taking device 20 to the
host 40. 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 signal
source. The image of the signal source may be seen through the LCD
viewing window 43.
[0015] Referring to FIG. 4, 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.
[0016] The digital camera 10 thus constructed has burglarproof
and surveillance functions. For instance, the digital camera 10
may be placed on a location in the house where intruders are likely
to enter, and at least one burglarproof sensor 23 is deployed to
detect the intrusion and take pictures. The burglarproof sensor
23 may have different detection angles for selection (such as 15,
30, 60, 90, 120 degrees) to enhance the surveillance effectiveness.
Moreover, 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 the
occurrence of invasion of intruders, the signals of the picture
being taken will be immediately emitted by radio transmission. Thus,
even if the digital camera 10 is being discovered and destroyed
by the intruder, the burglarproof function of the invention may
be maintained intact.
[0017] It is to be noted that the invention adopts the static picture
taking approach to achieve the burglarproof and surveillance functions.
The pictures are taken individually in a static fashion same as
the ordinary digital camera. It is different from the dynamic picture
taken by the conventional surveillance burglarproof devices. As
the dynamic picture taking often results in fuzzy images and difficult
to recognize, 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 recognition. In addition, the image
may be transmitted to a TV set or a computer through the transceiver
70 to further enhance the practicality.
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