DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA WITH RETRACTABLE DATA CONNECTOR AND RESIDENT SOFTWARE APPLICATION
A digital video camera may include a digital video image sensor for capturing digital video footage to be stored on an internal memory. The digital video image sensor and internal memory may be housed in a camera body. A retractable arm having a data connector may be attached to the camera body. The arm can be extended from and retracted into the camera body, while the data connector can be used to transfer digital video footage to an external device, such as a computer. The data connector may conform to a standard for connecting peripheral devices, such as the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 1394 (IEEE 1394) standard.
1 . A digital video camera comprising:
a central processor;
a digital video image sensor coupled to the central processor, wherein the digital video image sensor is configured to capture digital video footage;
a lens optically coupled to the digital video image sensor;
a memory coupled to the central processor and configured to store the digital video footage captured by the digital video image sensor;
a microphone coupled to the central processor;
a speaker coupled to the central processor, wherein the speaker is configured to produce sound associated with the digital video footage;
a digital viewfinder coupled to the central processor, wherein the digital viewfinder is configured to display images associated with the digital video footage;
a power supply coupled to the central processor, wherein the power supply is configured to supply power to the central processor;
a digital video camera body housing at least the central processor and the digital video image sensor;
a rigid arm permanently attached to the digital video camera body and configured to swivel about an axis in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction;
a USB data connector attached to the rigid arm;
a spring mechanism configured to bias the rigid arm so that the rigid arm moves about the axis to an extended position configured for coupling to a personal computer having a USB port;
a playback button configured to enable viewing of the digital video footage from the memory;
a delete button configured to enable deletion of the captured digital video footage from the memory;
a record button configured to control capturing of the digital video footage; and
a power button on the digital video camera body configured to cause the digital video camera to turn on.
2 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein:
the rigid arm is capable of being in an extended position when the digital video camera is coupled to the USB port of the personal computer; and
the rigid arm is capable of being in a retracted position when the digital video camera is not coupled to the USB port of the personal computer.
3 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein the memory comprises a non-volatile internal memory.
4 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein the memory comprises a removable memory.
5 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein the USB data connector is configured to transfer the digital video footage from the digital video camera to the personal computer via the USB port of the personal computer.
6 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein the personal computer is configured to access the internal memory of the digital video camera using the personal computer when the personal computer is connected to the digital video camera.
7 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein the digital video camera body also houses the memory.
8 . The digital video camera of claim 1 further comprising a resident software application stored in an internal memory in the digital video camera, wherein the resident software application contains code scripted to install compression-decompression software in the personal computer upon connection of the USB connector to the personal computer.
9 . The digital video camera of claim 8 wherein the memory and the internal memory are a same memory.
10 . The digital video camera of claim 8 wherein the internal memory in the digital video camera further comprises code to decompress, decode, and display the digital video footage.
11 . The digital video camera of claim 8 further comprising an email client configured to create an email message with the digital video footage attached to the email message, wherein the email client is stored in the internal memory in the digital video camera or in the personal computer.
12 . The digital video camera of claim 11 further comprising software code scripted to create a thumbnail image associated with a digital video file, wherein the software code is stored in the internal memory.
13 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein the digital video camera also comprises zoom in and zoom out controls on the camera body.
14 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein the digital video camera also comprises volume up and volume down controls on the camera body.
15 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein the digital video camera further comprises a rocker switch having soft-key functions determined by a mode in which the digital video camera is operating.
16 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein the personal computer comprises a display screen with a graphical user interface.
17 . The digital video camera of claim 1 wherein the digital video camera further comprises a sliding latch coupled to the digital video camera body.
18 . The digital video camera of claim 17 wherein the digital video camera further comprises a latch spring configured to apply pressure to the sliding latch.
19 . The digital video camera of claim 18 wherein the sliding latch is configured to house at least a portion of the USB data connector.
20 . A system comprising:
a personal computer having a USB port; and
a digital video camera comprising:
a central processor;
a digital video image sensor coupled to the central processor, wherein the digital video image sensor is configured to capture digital video footage;
a lens optically coupled to the digital video image sensor;
a memory coupled to the central processor;
a microphone coupled to the central processor;
a speaker coupled to the central processor, wherein the speaker is configured to produce sound associated with the digital video footage;
a digital viewfinder coupled to the central processor, wherein the digital viewfinder is configured to display images associated with the digital video footage;
a power supply coupled to the central processor;
a digital video camera body housing at least the central processor and the digital video image sensor;
a rigid arm permanently attached to the digital video camera body and configured to swivel about an axis in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction;
a USB data connector attached to the rigid arm;
a spring mechanism configured to bias the rigid arm so that the rigid arm moves about the axis to an extended position configured for coupling to the USB port of the personal computer;
a playback button;
a delete button;
a record button; and
a power button.
21 . The system of claim 20 wherein the memory comprises a non-volatile internal memory configured to store the digital video footage captured by the digital video image sensor.
22 . The system of claim 21 wherein the system further comprises a removable memory.
23 . The system of claim 20 wherein the USB data connector is configured to transfer the digital video footage from the digital video camera to the personal computer via the USB port of the personal computer.
24 . The system of claim 20 further comprising a resident software application stored in an internal memory in the digital video camera, wherein the resident software application contains code scripted to install compression-decompression software in the personal computer upon connection of the USB connector to the USB port of the personal computer.
25 . The system of claim 24 wherein the internal memory in the digital video camera further comprises code to decompress, decode, and display the digital video footage.
26 . The system of claim 20 further comprising software code scripted to create a thumbnail image associated with a digital video file, wherein the software code is stored in the internal memory.
27 . The system of claim 20 wherein the digital video camera further comprises a rocker switch having soft-key functions determined by a mode in which the digital video camera is operating.
28 . The system of claim 20 wherein the personal computer comprises a display screen with a graphical user interface.
29 . The system of claim 20 wherein the digital video camera further comprises a sliding latch coupled to the digital video camera body.
30 . The system of claim 29 wherein the sliding latch is configured to house at least a portion of the USB data connector.