Off line photocopying system using portable electronic camera, visual previewing and image processing

In a photocopier system including at least one printer and that may include a number of portable electronic video still cameras, that may be carried to a location of an object or document to be copied with each such camera having an associated memory for storing video images corresponding to optical images that are taken by the camera associated therewith, and including read-out circuits for selectively reading-out a stored image in the memory of the camera;

• and wherein the memory of an electronic camera may be selectively coupled to a printer at the convenience of a user to read-out and print a visible copy of a stored image,
• and wherein there is provided a previewing optical display means detachably coupleable to the memory of an electronic camera for receiving a stored image therefrom and visibly displaying the image,
• and wherein said optical display means includes image processing means provided with adjustable control means for adjustably processing an image received from the memory of an electronic still camera,
• the improvement wherein said optical display means, image processing means and adjustable control means are provided as a portable modular unit that can be readily hand carried to the location of an object or document to be copied along with a portable electronic video camera, and can be detachably coupled to the camera,
• whereby an image of the object or document recorded by the camera may be visually previewed by a user at the location of the object or document and may be adjustably processed at said location by said portion image processing means.

In a photocopier system including at least one printer and a greater number of portable electronic video still cameras with each such camera having an associated memory for storing video images taken by the camera of an object or document to be copied;

• and wherein there is provided previewing means including a visual display for selectively receiving a recorded video image from any one of the camera memories and visably displaying the received video image,
• and wherein said previewing means includes a memory and adjustable controls for enabling the printability of the received image to be improved,
• the improvement wherein said previewing means, optical display, memory, and adjustable controls are provided as portable modular unit that are hand carryable to of an object or document to be copied, and are detachably coupleable to a video camera,
• thereby to enable a video image to be taken of the object or document and enabling said video image to be optically viewed at said situs and adjustably processed to improve its printability at said situs.

In a photocopier system including at least one printer and more than one electronic video still cameras adapted to be detachably coupled in multiplexed relationship with said printer,

• and with each said camera having an associated memory for storing video images taken by its associated camera in an off line manner, and with said memories being detachably coupleable to the printer to read-out a stored video image and print a copy thereof,
• said video cameras being hand carryable to a location of an object or document to be copied that is sometimes remotely located from the printer,
• a portable modular unit adapted to be hand carried with a video still camera to the location of an object or document to be copied,
• said portable modular unit including a memory and adjustable controls for variably processing video images,
• interfacing means for coupling the memory of a video camera to the portable modular unit for enabling a recorded video image to be read-out from the memory of the camera to the modular unit,
• whereby video images taken by a video camera at the situs of an object or document to be copied may be processed at said situs,
• and detachable coupling means for interconnecting the portable modular unit to said printer to print a copy of the processed video image.

A modular photocoping system for documents and objects to be copied and printed comprising:

• a plurality of portable electronic video still cameras, each having a memory for imaging and nonvisably recording video images of objects and documents to be copied,
• a printer that is detachably connectable to the memory of any one of the cameras for printing an image of a nonvisably recorded video image,
• and a portable electro-optical solid state visual display, that is detachably connectable to any of the memories of the video cameras for visibly displaying a recorded video image,
• said cameras and visual display being sufficiently small and portable as to be hand carried by a user to a sometime remote location of a document or object to be copied, thereby to image, record, and visably display the video image at said location of the object or document, thereby enabling a user to determine at said location whether a legible printable image has been recorded by said camera and associated memory,
• and said printer being normally stationary and usually located at a distance from the object or document to be copied, whereby a printed copy is usually made at a later time after the video image is recorded in the memory of the camera.