Self-Contained Wireless Camera Device, Wireless Camera System and Method

Abstract

A self-contained wireless camera and a wireless camera system having such a device and a base station. Video processing (e.g. video compression) circuitry of the camera device receives video signals from a camera and provides processed video signals. These are transmitted over a shared radio channel. A radio receiver receives processed (e.g. compressed) video signals from the base station or another camera device. Images from the camera or the base station are displayed in a selected manner on a display or monitor. The base station device receives processed (e.g. compressed) video signals, stores them and retransmits them. A command signal is received by the radio receiver to modify operation in such a manner as to control bandwidth usage. Wireless camera devices can adjust their operation to accommodate other wireless camera devices. Different transport protocol modules can be selected according to the application that the user selects for operation.

1 . A wireless camera device comprising:
 a camera;   video compression circuitry coupled to the camera, the video compression circuitry receiving signals from the camera and providing compressed video signals compressed according to a compression scheme;   still image compression circuitry coupled to the camera, the still image compression circuitry receiving signals from the camera and providing compressed still image signals compressed according to a compression scheme; and   a radio transmitter coupled to the video compression circuitry and to the still image compression circuitry for transmission of the compressed video and still image signals.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless camera device according to  claim 1 , further including a user selection input coupled to the video compression circuitry and to the still image compression circuitry, the signals from the camera being compressed according to a selected one of at least two compression schemes, dependent on the user selection input. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless camera device according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least two compression schemes comprise a still image compression scheme and a video compression scheme. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless camera device according to  claim 3 , further wherein the still image compression scheme comprises JPEG. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless camera device according to  claim 3 , further wherein the video compression scheme comprises MPEG. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless camera device according to  claim 1 , further including a radio receiver for receipt of a compressed signal from a base station. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless camera device according to  claim 6 , further wherein the compressed signal is a video signal. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless camera device according to  claim 6 , further wherein the compressed signal is a still image signal. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless camera device according to  claim 6 , further including decompression circuitry coupled to the radio receiver, the decompression circuitry receiving the compressed signal from the base station and providing a decompressed signal. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless camera device according to  claim 9 , further including a display selectively coupled to the camera and the video decompression circuitry, the display selectively displaying an image from the camera and an image represented by the decompressed signals. 
     
     
         11 . A method of operation of a wireless camera device comprising:
 receiving a signal from a camera, the signal selected from the group consisting of video signals and still image signals;   if the received signal is a video signal, providing video signals compressed according to a video compression scheme;   if the received signal is a still image signal, providing still image signals compressed according to a still image compression scheme; and   transmitting the compressed signal.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including a user selecting if the signal is a video signal or a still image signal, and compressing the signal from the camera according to a selected one of at least two compression schemes, dependent on the user selection. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further including if the user selects a video signal, a video compression scheme. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further including if the user selects a video signal, an MPEG compression scheme. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further including if the user selects a still image signal, a still image compression scheme. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further including if the user selects a still image signal, a JPEG compression scheme. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further including the camera device receiving a compressed video signal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including the camera device receiving a compressed video signal and providing a decompressed video signal. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further including the camera device selectively displaying an image from the camera and an image represented by the decompressed video signal.