Integrated Camera Stand With Wireless Audio Conversion and Battery Charging

Abstract

The present invention provides a combined camera, camera stand, audio hub, and audio headset charger. The audio headset is wireless, with a wireless connection to the stand/hub. The stand/hub then connects over a bus to a personal computer. The camera can be both tilted and adjusted in height on the stand. Seamless switching from one audio path (e.g., external speakers and microphone in webcam) to another (e.g., wireless headset) occurs, providing the user with a regular telephone like experience. In addition, it is easily possible to mute audio as well as video for the entire system.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a camera;   a camera stand for supporting said camera;   a wireless transceiver for communicating with a wireless audio headset;   a bus connection to a host;   an audio conversion circuit for converting audio signals received wirelessly into audio signals for transmission over said bus; and   a bus interface circuit for transmitting over said bus both video signals from said camera and audio signals from said audio conversion circuit.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an audio receptacle for storing said wireless audio headset; and   a battery charger, connected to said audio receptacle, for charging said wireless audio headset.   
   
   
       3 . A device for capturing and receiving video and audio data, the device comprising:
 a video module for capturing video data;   a connection to a host to transmit video data captured by the video module;   a wireless module for communicating with a wireless audio headset;   an audio conversion circuit for converting audio data received wirelessly from the wireless audio headset into audio data for transmission over the connection to the host; and   a battery charger for charging the wireless audio headset.   
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a control module for controlling the video module and the wireless audio headset.   
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the control module comprises:
 a pause button for interrupting the audio data and the video data received by the host.   
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the pause button being pressed electronically silences the audio data. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the pause button being pressed activates a mechanical shutter which covers a part of the video module. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the control module comprises:
 a launch button for launching an application software program.   
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the application software program is a videoconferencing program. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the application software program is an instant messaging program. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the audio conversion circuit further converts audio data received from the host into audio data for wireless transmission to the wireless audio headset. 
   
   
       12 . A method for capturing audio and video data for transmission to a host, the method comprising:
 capturing video data;   capturing audio data;   transmitting the captured audio data to a device where the captured video data is available; and   transmitting the transmitted audio data and the captured video data to the host over a single connection.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein transmitting the captured audio data to a device where the captured video data is available is performed wirelessly. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 converting the transmitted audio data into data suitable for transmission over the single connection.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 in response to the activation of a single button,
 interrupting the capture of video data; and 
 interrupting the capture of audio data. 
   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 in response to the activation a single button, interrupting the transmission of the transmitted audio data and the captured video data to the host over a single connection.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 in response to the activation of a single button
 interrupting the capture of video data; and 
 interrupting the transmission of the transmitted audio data to the host. 
   
   
   
       18 . A method for providing a user with audio and video data received by a host over a network, the method comprising:
 receiving video data at a host;   receiving audio data at a host;   displaying the received video data on a display communicatively coupled to the host;   transmitting the received audio data from the host to a device;   transmitting the audio data transmitted from the device to an audio headset.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein transmitting the audio data transmitted from the device to an audio headset is performed wirelessly. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 converting the audio data transmitted from the device into data suitable for wireless transmission.   
   
   
       21 . A system for capturing and transmitting audio data to a host, the system comprising:
 a microphone communicatively coupled to the host for capturing audio data;   a base unit communicatively coupled to the host;   a headset including a headset microphone, wherein the headset is communicatively coupled to the base unit and wherein, in a first position the headset is in physical contact with the base unit and in a second position the headset in not in physical contact with the base unit; and   a switching module residing on the host for automatically switching capture of audio data from the microphone to the headset microphone in response to the headset moving from the first position to the second position.   
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21  further comprising:
 a muting module for interrupting capture of audio data from both the microphone and the headset microphone.   
   
   
       23 . A system for providing a user with audio data received by a host over a network, the system comprising:
 a speaker communicatively coupled to the host for receiving audio data;   a base unit communicatively coupled to the host;   a headset including a headset speaker, wherein the headset is communicatively coupled to the base unit and wherein, in a first position the headset is in physical contact with the base unit and in a second position the headset in not in physical contact with the base unit; and   a switching module for automatically switching received audio data from the speaker to the headset speaker in response to the headset moving from the first position to the second position.   
   
   
       24 . A method for bidirectional audio communication via a host over a network, the method comprising:
 transmitting audio data along a first audio path comprising a speaker for receiving audio data from the host and a microphone for transmitting audio data to the host; and   in response to a user picking up a headset, automatically switching from the first audio path to a second audio path, wherein the second audio path comprises the headset for receiving audio data from the host and for transmitting audio data to the host.   
   
   
       25 . An apparatus comprising:
 a camera;   a camera stand for supporting said camera;   a wireless transceiver for communicating with a wireless audio headset;   a bus connection to a host;   an audio conversion circuit for converting audio signals received wirelessly into audio signals for transmission over said bus;   a battery charger;   a connector module, connected to said battery charger and having a connector for connecting to and charging said wireless audio headset: and   a bus interface circuit for transmitting over said bus both video signals from said camera and audio signals from said audio conversion circuit.