US 6,930,709 B1Granted

Integrated internet/intranet camera

AssigneePENTAX of America, Inc.

InventorsRob Creamer, Walter Knapp, Mark Koch, Yoshiyuki Araki, Richard Helton

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Abstract

An integrated Internet camera includes, as embedded components contained within the camera body and controlled by a microcontroller, at least a network interface device for connecting to the Internet, a transport control device for packetizing according to Internet protocols, a file transfer device for communicating with a destination user directory on the Internet, and a transmission initiating device for initiating the connection and transfer operations of the file transfer device and transport control device. The network interface device may be a modem, network adapter, or adapter for connection to the Internet. Upon capturing the digital image, the camera initiates a connection to the Internet, connects to the destination user directory, and uploads the digital images. Thereafter, the digital images are available to authorized (or any) user having access to the Internet.

Claims91

Dependent claims

An integrated Internet camera for transmitting digital images to an Internet address, comprising:

an image pickup;
an optical system for forming an image on the image pickup;
an image capturing circuit, for capturing digital images from the image pickup;
a network interface device connectible to the Internet for transmission of the digital image files to the Internet;
a file transfer device for communicating, via the network interface device, with a destination shell account at a predetermined Internet address and for transferring the digital image files to the destination shell account according to a predetermined file transfer protocol, the digital image files in the destination shell account then being available to users accessing the Internet;
a transport control device for packetizing the digital image files according to a predetermined Internet transport control protocol and for controlling addressing of the packetized digital image files to the predetermined Internet address;
a self-initiating transmission initiating device for self-initiating a connection with the Internet via said transport control device and said network interface device;
a first scheduling device, including at least one timer, for scheduling transfer of the digital image files to the destination shell account by said transport control device and said file transfer device;
a microcontroller that controls the operations and communication between each of said optical system, said image capturing circuit, said network interface device, said file transfer device, transport control device, said transmission initiating device, and said first scheduling device;
and
a camera body, within which are housed all of said image pickup device, said optical system, said image capturing circuit, said network interface device, said file transfer device, transport control device, said self-initiating transmission initiating device, said first scheduling device, and said microcontroller.

8 more elements

An Internet camera system for transmitting digital images via the Internet, comprising:

a destination shell account having a user directory at a predetermined Internet address;
an accessing device for accessing the user directory of the destination shell account via the Internet;
and
an integrated Internet camera having a camera body, said camera body containing:
an image capturing system, for capturing digital images;
a network interface device connectible to the Internet for transmission of the digital image files to the Internet;
a file transfer device for communicating, via the network interface device, with the destination shell account and for transferring the digital image files to the user directory of the destination shell account according to a predetermined file transfer protocol, the digital image files in the user directory of the destination shell account then being available to the accessing device accessing the Internet;
a transport control device for packetizing the digital image files according to a predetermined Internet transport control protocol and for controlling addressing of the packetized digital image files to the predetermined Internet address;
a self-initiating transmission initiating device for self-initiating a connection with the Internet via said transport control device and said network interface device;
and
an E-mail transmission device and E-mail message assembler, wherein said E-mail message assembler assembles E-mail messages representing a status of said camera and said E-mail transmission device transmits said E-mail messages to a predetermined E-mail address via said transport control device and said self-initiating transmission initiating device.

8 more elements

An integrated network-capable camera, comprising:

an image pickup;
an optical system for forming an image on the image pickup;
an image capturing circuit, for capturing digital images from the image pickup;
a network interface device connectible to a computer network for transmission of the digital images as digital image files across the computer network;
a file transfer device for communicating, via the network interface device, with a destination computer at a selected network address on the computer network and for transferring the digital image files to the destination computer according to a predetermined file transfer protocol;
a transport control device for controlling addressing of the digital image files to the selected network address;
a self-initiating transmission initiating device for self-initiating a connection with the computer network via said transport control device and said network interface device;
a first scheduling device, including at least one timer, for scheduling transfer of the digital image files to the destination computer at the selected network address by said transport control device and said file transfer device;
a microcontroller that controls the operations and communication between each of said optical system, said image capturing circuit, said network interface device, said file transfer device, transport control device, said transmission initiating device, and said first scheduling device;
and
a camera body, within which are housed all of said image pickup device, said optical system, said image capturing circuit, said network interface device, said file transfer device, transport control device, said transmission initiating device, said first scheduling device, and said microcontroller.

8 more elements

A network-capable self-controlled camera, comprising:

a camera body, said camera body housing:
an image pickup;
an optical system for forming an image on the image pickup;
an image capturing circuit, for capturing digital images from the image pickup;
a network interface device connectible to a computer network for transmission of the digital images, as digital image files, across the computer network;
a file transfer device for communicating, via the network interface device, with a destination computer at a selected network address on the computer network, and for transferring the digital image files to the destination computer according to a predetermined file transfer protocol;
a transport control device for controlling addressing of the digital image files to the selected network address;
a set of transfer-initiating devices for self-initiating transfer of the digital image files to the destination computer, including:
a transfer-initiating trigger device that self-initiates an image capture and transfer of the digital image files to the destination computer at the selected network address via said file transfer device, and said transport control device in response to triggering of said transfer-initiating trigger device;
and
a transfer-initiating scheduling device, including at least one timer, that self-initiates an image capture and transfer of the digital image files to the destination computer at the selected network address via said file transfer device and said transport control device in response to a schedule established by said transfer-initiating scheduling device,
wherein said self-controlled camera transfers the digital image files to the destination computer according to said transfer-initiating trigger device and said transfer-initiating scheduling device.

9 more elements

An integrated network-capable camera, comprising:

an optical system for forming an image;
an image pickup upon which the image is formed;
an analog video input capable of receiving standard video signals from an external video source;
an image capturing circuit, for capturing digital images from both the image pickup and from the analog video input as digital image files;
a network interface device connectible to a computer network for transmission of the digital image files across the computer network;
a file transfer device for communicating, via the network interface device, with a destination computer at a selected network address on the computer network and for transferring the digital image files to the destination computer, wherein said file transfer device transfers both digital image files based on the standard video signals and digital image files from the image pickup;
a transport control device for controlling addressing of the digital image files to the selected network address;
an E-mail transmission device that assembles E-mail messages having the digital image files associated therewith, and wherein said E-mail transmission device transmits the E-mail messages, including the digital image files associated therewith, to a predetermined E-mail address, wherein said E-mail transmission device transmits the E-mail messages according to a predetermined schedule stored in a memory associated with said microcontroller;
a microcontroller that controls operations and communication among said image pickup, said optical system, said image capturing circuit, said network interface device, said file transfer device, said transport control device, and said video input;
and
a camera body, within which are housed all of said image pickup, said optical system, said image capturing circuit, said network interface device, said file transfer device, said transport control device, said video input, and said microcontroller.

8 more elements

An integrated network-capable camera, comprising:

an image pickup;
an optical system for forming an image on the image pickup;
an image capturing circuit, for capturing digital images from the image pickup as digital image files;
a network interface device for connecting to a network for transmission of digital image files to the network, said network interface device wirelessly connecting to the network for wireless transmission of digital image files;
a file transfer device for transferring the digital image files to a destination computer at a selected address on the network via the network interface device;
an E-mail transmission device that assembles E-mail messages having the digital image files associated therewith, wherein said E-mail transmission device transmits the E-mail messages, including the associated digital image files associated therewith, to an E-mail address via the network interface device, and said E-mail transmission device transmits the E-mail messages according to a predetermined schedule stored in a memory associated with said microcontroller;
a microcontroller that controls the operations and communication among each of said image pickup, said optical system, said image capturing circuit, said network interface device, said file transfer device, and said E-mail transmission device;
and
a camera body, within which are housed all of said image pickup, said optical system, said image capturing circuit, said file transfer device, said E-mail transmission device, said transport control device, and said microcontroller.

6 more elements

An Internet camera system for transmitting digital images via the Internet, comprising:

a destination shell account having a user directory at a predetermined Internet address;
an accessing device for accessing the user directory of the destination shell account via the Internet;
and
an integrated Internet camera having a camera body, said camera body containing:
an image capturing system, for capturing digital images;
a network interface device connectible to the Internet for transmission of the digital image files to the Internet;
a file transfer device for communicating, via the network interface device, with the destination shell account and for transferring the digital image files to the user directory of the destination shell account according to a predetermined file transfer protocol, the digital image files in the user directory of the destination shell account then being available to the accessing device accessing the Internet;
a transport control device for packetizing the digital image files according to a predetermined Internet transport control protocol and for controlling addressing of the packetized digital image files to the predetermined Internet address;
a first scheduling device, including at least one timer, for scheduling transfer of the digital image files to the destination shell account by said transport control device and said file transfer device;
and
a self-initiating transmission initiating device for self-initiating a connection with the Internet via said transport control device and said network interface device.

8 more elements

An integrated network-capable camera, comprising:

an optical system for forming an image;
an image pickup upon which the image is formed;
an analog video input capable of receiving standard video signals from an external video source;
an image capturing circuit, for capturing digital images from both the image pickup and from the analog video input as digital image files;
a network interface device connectible to a computer network for transmission of the digital image files across the computer network;
a file transfer device for communicating, via the network interface device, with a destination computer at a selected network address on the computer network and for transferring the digital image files to the destination computer, wherein said file transfer device transfers both digital image files based on the standard video signals and digital image files from the image pickup;
a transport control device for controlling addressing of the digital image files to the selected network address;
an E-mail transmission device that assembles E-mail messages representing a status of said camera and transmits said E-mail messages to a predetermined E-mail address via said transport control device;
a microcontroller that controls operations and communication among said image pickup, said optical system, said image capturing circuit, said network interface device, said file transfer device, said transport control device, said E-mail transmission device and said video input;
and
a camera body, within which are housed all of said image pickup, said optical system, said image capturing circuit, said network interface device, said file transfer device, said transport control device, said E-mail transmission device, said video input, and said microcontroller.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/204,289Filed 3 Dec 1998 · us provisional application
Priority: 4 Dec 1997
Granted: 16 Aug 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H04N 23/661
Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices: transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via…
H04N 1/00214
Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax: details of…
H04N 1/00217
Details of transmission: only involving computer data transmission protocols, e.g. SMTP, WAP or HTTP
H04N 1/00244
With a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server: with a server, e.g. an internet server