Apparatus for capturing, converting, and transmitting a visual image signal via a digital transmission system

Abstract

An image capture, conversion, compression, storage and transmission system provides a data signal representing the image in a format and protocol capable of being transmitted over any of a plurality of readily available transmission systems and received by readily available, standard equipment receiving stations. In its most comprehensive form, the system is capable of sending and receiving audio, documentary and visual image data to and from standard remote stations readily available throughout the world.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An information processing apparatus, comprising:
 an image capture device for generating information representing a visual image captured thereby;   a signal processor coupled to the image capture device for receiving said information therefrom and converting said information into a visual image signal representing the visual image, wherein the visual image signal includes information specifying a location at which the image capture device was located when the visual image was captured;   cellular telephone circuitry coupled to the signal processor for enabling the visual image signal to be wirelessly transmitted for reception by a remote receiving station; and   a housing having the image capture device, the signal processor and the cellular telephone circuitry mounted thereon.   
     
     
         2 . The information processing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the information specifying the location includes geo-spatial information. 
     
     
         3 . The information processing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the information specifying the location includes data provided by a global positioning system. 
     
     
         4 . The information processing apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the remote receiving station includes a network server. 
     
     
         5 . The information processing apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the information specifying the location includes data provided by a global positioning system. 
     
     
         6 . A hand held apparatus, comprising:
 an image capture system including a camera and a signal processor coupled to the camera, wherein the signal processor enables a visual image signal corresponding to a visual image captured by the camera to be generated, wherein the visual image signal includes information enabling a location of the camera when the visual image was captured thereby to be determined; and   a signal transmitter coupled to the imaging capture system, wherein the signal transmitter enables the visual image signal to be wirelessly transmitted for reception by a network server.   
     
     
         7 . The hand held apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the information enabling the location of the camera to be determined includes geo-spatial information. 
     
     
         8 . The hand held apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the information enabling the location of the camera to be determined includes data provided by a global positioning system. 
     
     
         9 . The hand held apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 cellular telephone circuitry that comprises the signal transmitter.   
     
     
         10 . The hand held apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the signal transmitter includes a radio signal transmitter for enabling the visual image signal to be wirelessly transmitted for reception by the network server through use of radio signals. 
     
     
         11 . The hand held apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the information enabling the location of the camera to be determined includes data provided by a global positioning system. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method for sharing a visual image captured using a handheld information processing apparatus, comprising:
 capturing a visual image using a camera of a handheld information processing apparatus;   generating a signal representing the visual image using a signal processor of the handheld information processing apparatus, wherein the signal includes information enabling a location at which the visual image was captured to be determined; and   wirelessly transmitting the signal for reception by a remote receiving station using a signal transmission system of the handheld information processing apparatus.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving the information enabling the location to be determined from a global positioning system.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12  wherein:
 the signal transmission system includes cellular telephone circuitry; and 
 wirelessly transmitting the signal includes wirelessly transmitting the signal using the cellular telephone circuitry. 
 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12  wherein:
 the signal transmission system includes a radio signal transmitter; and 
 wirelessly transmitting the signal includes wirelessly transmitting the signal using the radio signal transmitter. 
 
     
     
         16 . A hand held information processing apparatus, comprising:
 an image capture system;   a signal transmission system;   an information processing system coupled to the image capture system and to the signal transmission system, wherein the information processing system includes at least one data processing device and at least one memory device coupled to the at least one data processing device, wherein the at least one memory device has stored thereon and accessible therefrom processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one data processing device, causes the at least one data processing device to perform a method comprising:
 capturing a visual image using the image capture system; 
 associating information representing the visual image with information defining a location of the hand held information processing apparatus when the visual image was captured; and 
 causing the signal transmission system to wirelessly transmit the information representing the visual image and the information defining the location of the hand held information processing apparatus for reception by a network server. 
   
     
     
         17 . The hand held information processing apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the information defining the location of the handheld information processing apparatus includes geo-spatial information. 
     
     
         18 . The hand held information processing apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the information defining the location of the handheld information processing apparatus includes data provided by a global positioning system. 
     
     
         19 . The hand held information processing apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 wirelessly receiving the information defining the location of the handheld information processing apparatus from a global positioning system that is external to the handheld information processing apparatus.   
     
     
         20 . The hand held information processing apparatus of  claim 16  wherein:
 the signal transmission system includes cellular telephone circuitry and a radio signal transmitter; and 
 wirelessly transmitting the information representing the visual image and the information defining the location of the hand held information processing apparatus is performed using at least one of cellular telephone circuitry and the radio signal transmitter.