Game hunting video camera

Abstract

A video camera with range finding and sound producing capabilities. In one embodiment, a video camera comprises a speaker to produce one or more select sounds and an amplifier coupled to the speaker to amplify the one or more select sounds. The one or more select sounds are game calling sounds. In other embodiments, a video camera includes a display housing member that is movably coupled to a camera base to selectively cover and uncover a lens of the video camera. In addition, the video camera includes a range finder circuit that is used to determine the distance from the video camera to an object being recorded. Moreover, the range finder circuit is coupled to convey the determined distance on a display that is received in the display housing member.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A video camera comprising: 
 a speaker to produce one or more select sounds; and    an amplifier coupled to the speaker to amplify the one or more select sounds.    
     
     
         2 . The video camera of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a microphone;    a recording medium coupled to record the one or more select sounds detected by the microphone; and    wherein the speaker is coupled to selectively produce the one or more select sounds recorded in the recording medium.    
     
     
         3 . The video camera of  claim 1 , wherein the recording medium is a digital format.  
     
     
         4 . The video camera of  claim 1 , wherein the recording medium is an analog format.  
     
     
         5 . The video camera of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an attachment means to selectively couple the video camera to a weapon.    
     
     
         6 . The video camera of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more select sounds produced by the speaker circuit are game calls.  
     
     
         7 . The video camera of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a range finder circuit to determine the distance from the video camera to an object being recorded.    
     
     
         8 . The video camera of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an user interface coupled to selectively cause the one or more select sounds to be produced by the speaker.    
     
     
         9 . The video camera of  claim 8 , wherein the user interface is a remote control unit.  
     
     
         10 . The video camera of  claim 9 , the remote control unit further comprises: 
 an activation button for each one of the one or more select sounds, wherein when an activation button is depressed an associated select sound is produced by the speaker.    
     
     
         11 . A video camera comprising: 
 a main camera body;    a camera base coupled to a first end of the main camera body;    a lens received in the camera base;    a display housing member movably coupled to the camera base to selectively cover and uncover the lens;    a display received in the display housing member; and    a range finder circuit to determine the distance from the video camera to an object being recorded, the range finder circuit being coupled to convey the determined distance on the display.    
     
     
         12 . The video camera of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a means to coupled the video camera to a weapon.    
     
     
         13 . The video camera of  claim 11 , wherein the range finder circuit causes the determined distance to be recorded on a video recording produced by the video camera.  
     
     
         14 . The video camera of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a speaker circuit to selectively produce one or more sounds.    
     
     
         15 . The video camera of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a user interface coupled to selectively cause the range finder circuit to activate.    
     
     
         16 . The video camera of  claim 15 , wherein the user interface comprises: 
 a remote control unit with a range finder activation button.    
     
     
         17 . The video camera of  claim 11 , wherein the range finder circuit comprises: 
 a range finder control to control range finding functions;    a transmitter coupled to the range finder control to transmit a laser signal to the object; and    a receiver coupled to the range finder control to receive the laser signal when the laser signal is reflected back from the object to the video camera.    
     
     
         18 . The video camera of  claim 17 , wherein the display housing member selectively covers the transmitter and the receiver when not in use.  
     
     
         19 . A video camera comprising: 
 a main camera body;    a camera base coupled to a first end of the main camera body;    a lens received in the camera base;    a display housing member movably coupled to the camera base to selectively cover and uncover the lens;    a display received in the display housing member; and    a speaker circuit to produce one or more select sounds.    
     
     
         20 . The video camera of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 an attachment means to coupled the video camera to a weapon.    
     
     
         21 . The video camera of  claim 19 , wherein the speaker circuit comprises: 
 a microphone to receive the one or more select sounds;    a recording medium to store the one or more select sounds; and    a speaker to reproduce the one or more select sounds.    
     
     
         22 . The video camera of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more select sounds are game calling sounds.  
     
     
         23 . The video camera of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 a range finder circuit to determine the distance from the video camera to an object being recorded, the range finder circuit is coupled to convey the determined distance on the display.    
     
     
         24 . The video camera of  claim 23 , wherein the range finder circuit comprises: 
 a range finder control to control range finding functions;    a transmitter coupled to the range finder control to transmit a laser signal to the object; and    a receiver coupled to the range finder control to receive the laser signal when the laser signal is reflected back from the object to the video camera.    
     
     
         25 . The video camera of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 an user interface coupled to selectively operate the speaker circuit and the range finder circuit.    
     
     
         26 . The video camera of  claim 25 , wherein the user interface is a remote control unit.  
     
     
         27 . The video camera of  claim 26 , wherein the remote control unit further comprises: 
 an activation button for each sound, wherein each activation button is assigned to a specific sound and is coupled to activate the speaker to produce the assigned sound when depressed.    
     
     
         28 . The video camera of  claim 26 , wherein the remote control unit further comprises: 
 a range finder activation button coupled to activate the range finder circuit when depressed.    
     
     
         29 . A video camera recorder comprising: 
 a main camera body having a first end generally cylindrical in shape;    an electronic compartment coupled to the main camera body, the electronic compartment housing electronic circuits for operations of the video camera, the electronic compartment having one or more external connection terminals, wherein each external connection terminal is in electrical communication with an associated electronic circuit housed in the electronic compartment;    a recording medium holder in electrical communication with the electronic components, the recording medium holder is coupled to the main camera body;    a power source in electrical communication with the electronic circuits and the recording medium holder; and    a weather cover to selectively cover and protect the electronic compartment, the cassette holder and the power source from weather, the weather cover having a first end generally cylindrical in shape and a second enclosed end, the first end of the weather cover is selectively connected to the first end of the main camera body forming a weatherproof seal, wherein when the weather cover is coupled to the main camera body the one or more external connection terminals are protected from the weather by the weather cover.    
     
     
         30 . The video camera recorder of  claim 29 , wherein when the weather cover is not connected to the main camera body the one or more external connection terminals can be accessed by a user.  
     
     
         31 . The video camera recorder of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more external connection terminals are selected from a group consisting of, memory card terminal, DV in/out terminal, S-video terminal, audio terminal, video terminal and charging terminal.  
     
     
         32 . The video camera recorder of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 a power source base coupled to receive the power source, the power source base having a charging terminal coupled to a charging circuit to charge the power source from an external power supply, wherein the charging terminal is covered by the weather cover when the weather cover is coupled to the main camera body.    
     
     
         33 . The video camera recorder of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 the first end of the main camera body having internal threads; and    the first end of the weather cover having external threads terminating in a shoulder, the external threads are adapted to threadably engage the internal threads of the first end of the main camera body.    
     
     
         34 . The video camera recorder of  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 a seal positioned adjacent the shoulder of the weather cover, wherein the seal is compressed to form the weatherproof seal when the external threads of the weather cover are engaged with the internal threads of the main camera body.