Camera for use with personal digital assistants with high speed communication link
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorChandrasekhar Narayanaswami
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An attachment apparatus for a handheld computer having a display in accordance with the present invention includes an attachment portion for receiving and securing the handheld computer. A camera assembly mounts to the attachment portion for providing images to the handheld computer, and an interface electrically connects the handheld computing device to the camera assembly for transferring the image data to be displayed on the display of the handheld computer.
Claims32
An attachment apparatus for a personal digital assistant (PDA) having a display comprising:
- a cradle dimensioned and configured for receiving and adjustably securing the PDA, the cradle having an electrical interface to connect to the PDA when securing the PDA in the cradle;
- a camera assembly incorporated in the cradle, the camera assembly having a camera for capturing video images and transferring video and still images to said PDA through the electrical interface, the camera assembly having a lens and controls for selectably moving the lens into a plurality of positions.
An image capture system for use with pocket-size computing devices having a display comprising:
- a cradle dimensioned and configured for detachably receiving and adjustably securing the pocket-size computing device, the cradle including a camera assembly being built into the cradle for providing image data to the pocket-size computing device;
- the camera assembly having a lens and controls for selectably moving the lens into a plurality of positions;
- and
- a data link attached to the cradle and coupling the computing device to a computer for processing image data received by the camera assembly in the computing device and transmitting the image data to the computer.
A video conferencing and still image capture system comprising:
- a personal digital assistant (PDA);
- a cradle dimensioned and configured for receiving and adjustably securing the PDA for interfacing with a computer;
- a camera assembly incorporated in the cradle, the camera assembly including an imager for providing video and still image data to the PDA for image processing;
- the camera assembly having a lens and controls for selectably moving the lens into a plurality of positions;
- and
- a data cable coupling the cradle to the computer for connecting the PDA to the computer for transmitting and receiving the video and still image data over a communications network.
A camera with an attachment apparatus for a personal digital assistant (PDA) having a display comprising:
- a cradle incorporated into the camera for receiving and adjustably securing the PDA, the camera for providing image data to the PDA;
- the camera having a lens and controls for selectively moving the lens into a plurality of positions;
- and
- an interface adapted for coupling the PDA to the camera to enable image viewing and for transferring image data to be displayed on the display of the PDA, wherein the cradle is adjustable to receive PDAs of different sizes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.