Camera Having a Separate Image Capture Module and a Method of Assembling the Camera

Abstract

A camera including an image capture module, and at least one other module. The image capture module is a sealed module and includes: a housing; at least one image sensor to convert light into electrical signals; an optical system associated with the image sensor and arranged to transmit light through the housing to the at least one image sensor; the image capture module and the at least one other module being directly or indirectly mounted to each other, and interoperable with each other to capture images. An image capture module and method of construction of a camera are also described.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A camera including:
 a body module including a body housing;   at least one image capture module, said at least one image capture module including:
 a housing; 
 at least one image sensor to convert light into electrical signals; 
 an optical system associated with the image sensor and arranged to transmit light through the housing to the at least one image sensor; and 
 a lens mount including a coupling to releasably engage a lens or other optical module to connect the lens or other optical module to the image capture module, wherein each image sensor has an imaging plane, said image sensor being mounted within the image capture module such that the imaging plane lies at a predefined distance from a plane of a mounting face of the lens mount; 
   said image capture module being mounted to the body housing, and interoperable with the body module to capture images;   the body module further including a data processing system to process image data received from an image sensor of the image capture module; and   a user interface subsystem to enable user control of the image capture module.   
     
     
         22 . The camera of  claim 21  further including at least one second image capture module. 
     
     
         23 . The camera of  claim 21  wherein any one or more of the following subsystems is mounted within the housing of said body module:
 a power supply subsystem arranged to supply power to the image capture module; 
 a thermal control subsystem arranged to dissipate heat generated in the image capture module; and 
 an input and/or output subsystem to enable data or electrical connection to another device. 
 
     
     
         24 . The camera of  claim 21  wherein the at least one image sensor is mounted to the image capture module via an adjustable mounting structure to allow adjustment of a position of the at least one image sensor with respect to the housing and lens mount. 
     
     
         25 . The camera of  claim 24  wherein the at least one image sensor is mounted on a substrate, and wherein the adjustable mounting structure includes a series of adjustment screws holding the substrate to the housing. 
     
     
         26 . The camera of  claim 25  wherein said adjustable mounting structure further includes one or more spacers positioned between the substrate and the housing to set the predefined distance between the imaging plane and the plane of the mounting face of the lens mount. 
     
     
         27 . The camera of  claim 26  wherein the optical system of the image capture module includes one or more light transmissive elements in front of and covering the at least one image sensor. 
     
     
         28 . The camera of  claim 27  wherein the one or more light transmissive elements includes a light transmissive element selected from a group including:
 one or more lenses; 
 one or more filters, 
 one or more polarisers; and 
 a light transmissive cover. 
 
     
     
         29 . The camera of  claim 27  wherein the light transmissive element covering the image sensor is spaced apart from the image sensor and sealed to the housing. 
     
     
         30 . The camera of  claim 25  wherein the image capture module further includes a rear seal sealing at least one of the substrate or the image sensor to the housing. 
     
     
         31 . The camera of  claim 21  wherein the image capture module additionally includes a cooling system arranged to cool the image sensor and provide a thermal interface with the body module. 
     
     
         32 . The camera of  claim 31  wherein the cooling system is an active cooling system in thermal communication with the image sensor arranged to transfer heat away from the image sensor. 
     
     
         33 . The camera of  claim 21  wherein the image capture module includes a generally tubular body with said lens mount located at one end thereof and a substrate carrying the image sensor mounted on or adjacent to another end thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The camera of  claim 31  wherein the thermal interface of the image capture module is connected to the body module to transmit heat generated in the image capture module for dissipation by the body module. 
     
     
         35 . The camera of  claim 21  wherein the body housing is metal. 
     
     
         36 . The camera of  claim 35  wherein the metal body housing is thermally connected to the image capture module, either directly or via a heat transmitter such that heat generated in the image capture module is transmitted to the metal body housing for dissipation. 
     
     
         37 . The camera of  claim 21  wherein the body housing includes ventilation openings to enable air to move through the body housing and the camera includes a thermal control subsystem to cause movement of said air for cooling. 
     
     
         38 . The camera of  claim 21  wherein the camera includes a data storage subsystem to store at least data derived from an image sensor of the image capture module, wherein the data storage subsystem includes a removable solid state drive. 
     
     
         39 . The camera of  claim 21  wherein the housing of the image capture module forms part of an external housing of the camera. 
     
     
         40 . The camera of  claim 35  wherein the metal is aluminium.