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 image data capture system, comprising:
 a housing configured for being held within a hand of a user;   a camera mounted on the housing and configured for collecting visual image information;   image processing circuitry within the housing, wherein the image processing circuitry is coupled to the camera, wherein the image processing circuitry is configured for enabling the visual image information to be selectively retrieved from a digital memory device and wherein the image processing circuitry includes a transmission protocol selector enabling a visual image signal comprising the visual image information to be selectively processed in accordance with a plurality of transmission protocol modes; and   cellular telephone circuitry within the housing, wherein the cellular telephone circuitry is coupled to the image processing circuitry and is configured for enabling visual image information to be wirelessly transmitted for reception by a remote receiving device after being processed by the image processing circuitry.   
     
     
         2 . The image data capture system of  claim 1  wherein:
 a first one of the transmission protocol modes is a modem transmission protocol mode; and 
 a second one of the transmission protocol modes is a serial transmission protocol mode. 
 
     
     
         3 . The image data capture system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the image processing circuitry includes one or more compressors; and 
 the visual image information is provided to the one or more compressors when the transmission protocol selector designates selection of a modem transmission protocol mode. 
 
     
     
         4 . The image data capture system of  claim 1  wherein:
 a first one of the transmission protocol modes is a transmission protocol mode that causes the visual image information being compressed in accordance with a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) compression algorithm; and 
 a second one of the transmission protocol modes is a serial transmission protocol mode. 
 
     
     
         5 . The image data capture system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a serial interface connected to the image processing circuitry;   the visual image information is provided to the cellular telephone circuitry when the transmission protocol selector designates selection of the transmission protocol mode that causes the visual image information being compressed in accordance with the JPEG compression algorithm; and   the visual image information is provided to the serial interface when the transmission protocol selector designates selection of the serial transmission protocol mode.   
     
     
         6 . An image data capture system, comprising:
 a housing configured for being held within a hand of a user;   a camera mounted on the housing;   a digital memory device coupled to the camera for receiving visual image information collected thereby;   a serial interface;   cellular telephone circuitry within the housing, wherein the cellular telephone circuitry is configured for enabling the visual image information to be wirelessly transmitted for reception by a remote receiving device; and   image processing circuitry within the housing, wherein the image processing circuitry is coupled to the cellular telephone circuitry, the serial interface and the digital memory device, wherein the image processing circuitry is configured for enabling the visual image information to be selectively retrieved from the digital memory device and wherein the image processing circuitry includes a transmission protocol selector enabling a visual image signal comprising the visual image information to be selectively provided to the cellular telephone circuitry after being processed in accordance with a modem protocol and provided to the serial interface after being processed in accordance with a serial transmission protocol.   
     
     
         7 . The image data capture system of  claim 6  wherein:
 the image processing circuitry includes a JPEG compressor and a protocol generator connected to the JPEG compressor; and 
 processing of the visual image signal to provide the transmission protocol configured instance of the visual image information is performed by the JPEG compressor and the protocol generator. 
 
     
     
         8 . The image data capture system of  claim 6  wherein:
 the image processing circuitry includes an interim format compressor, an interim format decompressor and an image viewing device; 
 the interim format compressor is connected to the camera for receiving the visual image information therefrom and to the digital memory for enabling the visual image information generated by the camera to be provided in an interim compressed format within the digital memory; 
 the interim format decompressor is connected to the digital memory for enabling a visual image defined by the visual image information to be viewed on the image viewing device in an uncompressed format and to be provided to the image processing circuitry in the uncompressed format; and 
 the digital memory is connected to the an output portion of the image processing circuitry for enabling the visual image information to be accessed therefrom and to be selectively outputted from image data capture system in accordance with the modem protocol and the serial transmission protocol. 
 
     
     
         9 . A handheld information communication and image processing system comprising:
 a camera;   an image viewing device;   cellular telephone circuitry within the housing, wherein the cellular telephone circuitry is configured for enabling visual image information to be wirelessly transmitted for reception by a remote receiving device; and   image processing circuitry within the housing, wherein the image processing circuitry is coupled to the cellular telephone circuitry, the image viewing device, and to the camera, wherein the image processing circuitry includes a digital memory, an interim format compressor, an interim format decompressor, wherein the image processing circuitry is configured for enabling the visual image information to be selectively retrieved from a digital memory device, wherein the interim format compressor is connected to the digital memory for enabling the visual image information to be provided in an interim compressed format within the digital memory, wherein the interim format decompressor is connected to the digital memory for enabling a visual image defined by the visual image information to be viewed on the image viewing device in an uncompressed format and to be provided to the image processing circuitry in the uncompressed format, wherein the image processing circuitry includes a transmission protocol selector enabling the visual image information to be selectively processed in accordance with a plurality of transmission protocol modes.   
     
     
         10 . The handheld information communication and image processing system of  claim 9  wherein:
 a first one of the transmission protocol modes is a modem transmission protocol mode; and 
 a second one of the transmission protocol modes is a serial transmission protocol mode. 
 
     
     
         11 . The handheld information communication and image processing system of  claim 9  wherein:
 a first one of the transmission protocol modes is a transmission protocol mode that causes the visual image information being compressed in accordance with a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) compression algorithm; and 
 a second one of the transmission protocol modes is a serial transmission protocol mode. 
 
     
     
         12 . The handheld information communication and image processing system of  claim 9  wherein the visual image information is provided to the image processing circuitry in a state of compression dependent upon a transmission protocol mode designated by the transmission protocol selector. 
     
     
         13 . The handheld information communication and image processing system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a communications interface, wherein a first one of the transmission protocol modes is a modem transmission protocol mode and wherein the visual image information is provided to the communication interface after being processed in accordance with a serial transmission protocol.   
     
     
         14 . The handheld information communication and image processing system of  claim 12  wherein:
 the image processing circuitry includes a JPEG compressor; and 
 processing of the visual image signal to provide the transmission protocol configured instance of the visual image information includes compression of the visual image information by the JPEG compressor. 
 
     
     
         15 . The handheld information communication and image processing system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a serial interface, wherein a second one of the transmission protocol modes is a serial transmission protocol mode, and wherein the visual image information is provided to the serial interface after being processed in accordance with a serial transmission protocol.   
     
     
         16 . The handheld information communication and image processing system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a housing configured for being held within a hand of a user, wherein the camera, the image viewing device, the cellular telephone circuitry, the image processing circuitry, the communication interface, and the serial interface are all mounted on the housing.   
     
     
         17 . A handheld image data capture system, comprising:
 an image data collection device;   a serial interface;   a communication interface;   image processing circuitry coupled to the image data collection device, the serial interface and the communication interface, wherein the image processing circuitry is configured for enabling the visual image information to be selectively retrieved from a digital memory device of the image processing circuitry, wherein the image processing circuitry includes a transmission protocol selector enabling the visual image information to be selectively processed in accordance with a modem protocol and a serial transmission protocol, and wherein the visual image information is provided to the communications interface after being processed in accordance with the modem protocol and is provided to the serial interface after being processed in accordance with the serial transmission protocol; and   cellular telephone circuitry coupled to the communications interface, wherein the cellular telephone circuitry is configured for enabling visual image information to be wirelessly transmitted for reception by a remote receiving device after being processed by the image processing circuitry.   
     
     
         18 . The handheld image data capture system of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a housing configured for being held within a hand of a user, wherein the image data collection device, the serial interface, the image processing circuitry, and the cellular telephone circuitry are at mounted on the housing.   
     
     
         19 . The handheld image data capture system of  claim 17  wherein:
 the image processing circuitry includes one or more compressors; and 
 the visual image information is provided to the one or more compressors when the transmission protocol selector designates selection of the modem transmission protocol mode. 
 
     
     
         20 . The handheld image data capture system of  claim 17  wherein:
 the image processing circuitry includes an interim format compressor, an interim format decompressor and an image viewing device; 
 the interim format compressor is connected to the image data collection device for receiving the visual image information therefrom and to the digital memory for enabling the visual image information generated by the image data collection device to be provided in an interim compressed format within the digital memory; and 
 the interim format decompressor is connected to the digital memory for enabling a visual image defined by the visual image information to be viewed on the image viewing device in an uncompressed format and to be provided to the image processing circuitry in the uncompressed format. 
 
     
     
         21 . The handheld image data capture system of  claim 17  wherein the visual image information is provided to the image processing circuitry in a state of compression dependent upon a transmission protocol mode designated by the transmission protocol selector. 
     
     
         22 . The handheld image data capture system of  claim 21  wherein:
 the image processing circuitry includes an interim format compressor, an interim format decompressor and an image viewing device; 
 the interim format compressor is connected to the image data collection device for receiving the visual image information therefrom and to the digital memory for enabling the visual image information generated by the image data collection device to be provided in an interim compressed format within the digital memory; and 
 the interim format decompressor is connected to the digital memory for enabling a visual image defined by the visual image information to be viewed on the image viewing device in an uncompressed format and to be provided to the image processing circuitry in the uncompressed format. 
 
     
     
         23 . The handheld image data capture system of  claim 22  wherein:
 the image processing circuitry includes one or more compressors; and 
 the visual image information is provided to the one or more compressors when the transmission protocol selector designates selection of the modem transmission protocol mode. 
 
     
     
         24 . The handheld image data capture system of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a housing configured for being held within a hand of a user, wherein the serial interface, the image processing circuitry, and the cellular telephone circuitry are at mounted on the housing.