KR100261608B1 - Digital camera possible for telecommunication - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A digital still camera capable of remote communication is provided to receive image and voice signals without crosstalks and to enable conversation while watching a screen by incorporating a cellular phone in a rigid housing. CONSTITUTION: The digital still camera capable of remote communication includes a camera, a number assigner, a modulator, a transmitter, a receiver, a signal converter, a display, the first reducer and controller. The camera converts an optical image to a digital electrical signal. The number assigner assigns the number of a remote device to be contacted. The modulator modulates the digital electrical signal and the assigned phone number to an electro-magnetic signal corresponding to the telephone system. The transmitter transmits the electro-magnetic signal to the remote device. The display displays corresponding still image with response to the output signal from the signal converter and the camera. The first reducer decreases the number of pixels of the digital electrical signal from the signal converter and outputs the result to the display. The controller drives the display in the first mode when the signal received at the receiver is of the first type and drives the display in the second mode when the signal received at the receiver is of the second type. The number of pixels of the first type signal is smaller than that of the second type signal.

Description

Digital Still Camera with Remote Communication

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital still camera that converts an optical image into a digital electrical signal representing a still image and stores the digital electrical signal. More specifically, the present invention relates to remote communication using an electromagnetic signal formed according to a wireless telephone system. It relates to digital still camera which can do it.

In the field of digital still cameras, communication of digital electric signals representing still images has been proposed in various forms. In a general form of communication, a digital still camera is connected to a wireless telephone via a modem to transmit a still image digital electric signal captured by the digital still camera to a remote device such as a computer, and the remote device connected to the telephone line is connected to the signal. To receive it.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 6-133081 and Hei 6-268582 describe digital still cameras each including a wireless cellular phone in one inseparable housing. The purpose of combining the wireless cellular phone and the digital still camera in one inseparable housing is to ensure the capacity of the memory device for storing the captured still picture digital electrical signals.

That is, instead of the electromagnetic signals formed according to the wireless telephone system, digital electric signals representing still images are transmitted to a large capacity memory device included in a computer far from the digital still camera.

The digital electrical signal representing the still picture must also be stored in a memory device included in the digital still camera itself.

Accordingly, the digital still camera can photograph and store a plurality of screens continuously without a large-capacity memory device, thereby producing a compact and inexpensive digital still camera.

That is, the system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 6-133081 or Hei 6-268582 has a large-capacity memory in the apparatus for receiving a digital electric signal representing a still image captured by a digital still camera far from the receiving device. It features a built-in device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a digital still camera capable of remote communication capable of receiving and displaying a digital electric signal representing a still image taken by another digital still camera, unlike the conventional one described above.

In other words, the digital still camera provided by the present invention as a device for receiving a digital electric signal representing a still image captured by another digital still camera is not necessarily a device having a large memory device embedded therein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital still camera capable of remote communication capable of properly receiving image signals and audio signals without any interference.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a digital still camera capable of remote communication, which allows not only to talk in a general manner but also to be able to talk while viewing the displayed image.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital still camera capable of remote communication, which can communicate with various types of remote devices in which an ordinary computer is embedded.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a digital still camera capable of remote communication, which can communicate with the same kind of digital still camera with a minimum communication time.

1 is a perspective view of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention,

2 is a block diagram of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention,

3 is an operation conceptual diagram of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A structure of this invention for achieving the above object comprises: means for converting an optical image into a digital electrical signal representing a still image; Means for receiving an electromagnetic signal formed in accordance with a wireless telephone system; Means for converting the electromagnetic signal into a digital electrical signal representing a still image; Means for selectively displaying a still picture in accordance with a signal output from said changing means or converting means; Means for controlling the display means in a first mode in response to an electromagnetic signal of a first form including a still image and in a second mode in response to an electromagnetic signal of a second form including a still image.

By the above configuration, the most preferred embodiment that can be easily carried out by those skilled in the art with reference to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a perspective view of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention,

2 is a block diagram of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is an operation conceptual diagram of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention consists of a digital cellular phone including a microphone 2 and a speaker 3 in one inseparable housing.

The digital still camera includes a reflective color liquid crystal display (LCD) 4 without backlight illumination for storing power, wherein the display device 4 displays a color digital image of 60.000 pixels, and displays the display device. On (4), a touch panel is formed to act as a dial button of the digital cellular phone.

The camera lens 5 is rotatable and usually faces the arrow D. FIG. That is, the lens 5 is usually directed toward an object located where the display device 4 cannot be observed.

The lens 5 may optionally be directed to an object located where the display device 4 can observe, as indicated by the dotted line. In other words, the lens 5 at the dotted line position faces the user who observes the display device 4.

The speaker 3 and the microphone 2 operate according to the proximity mode used respectively for the eyes and ears of the user close to it and the remote mode used for the eyes and ears of the user far from them.

The manual switch 6 drives the display device 4 to " ON " to display a still image, and the speaker 3 and the microphone 6 are driven by the manual switch 6 so that the display device 4 is driven. In this case, it is automatically changed to the second mode.

The manual request switch 7 is for requesting image transmission, and a pen input touch panel is formed on the display device 4 to input an image by a fan when the switch 8 is operated. 9 is a shutter release button.

In Fig. 2, the thick line represents the flow of information, and the thin line represents the control relationship.

As shown in FIG. 2, a configuration of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a CCD camera 10 for converting an optical image into a digital electric signal representing a still image, and an electromagnetic signal formed according to a wireless telephone system. A transmission / reception switching unit 11 for receiving and amplifying and outputting the demodulation unit 12 for demodulating and outputting an electromagnetic signal connected to an output terminal of the transmission / reception switching unit 11 and the demodulation unit ( An A / D converter 13 for converting and outputting an electromagnetic signal applied to the output terminal of the digital signal into a digital electric signal representing a still image, and a switching unit 15 connected to the output terminal of the A / D converter 13; An extraction unit 22 which extracts and outputs audio signal components and image signal components from an electromagnetic signal including a still image signal and an audio signal connected to an output terminal of the switching unit 15, and the weight A memory 14 for storing a digital electric signal connected to an output terminal of the unit 22 or storing a digital electric signal output from the CCD camera 10, the transmission / reception switching unit 11, A speaker 3 for generating a voice signal in response to an electromagnetic signal formed according to the wireless telephone system received by the grandfather 12, and a first proximity / remote converter for operating the speaker 3 in a proximity or remote mode (18) and a first discrimination for automatically controlling the switching unit 15 from the first mode to the second mode by distinguishing a still picture electromagnetic signal from the electromagnetic signal output from the A / D converter 13; The first proximity / remote mode conversion unit 18 is connected to an output terminal of the first discriminating unit 16 so that the speaker 3 does not generate a voice signal in the second mode. Connected to the first prohibition portion 17 and the input end of the first prohibition portion 17 A manual request switch 7 which selects the switching unit 15 to operate in the second mode from the first mode, and a telephone number signal which is connected to the output of the A / D conversion unit 13 and formed according to a wireless telephone system; And a response receiver 40 for receiving a response signal transmitted by being connected to the output terminal of the A / D converter 13.

In addition to the configuration for receiving and processing electromagnetic signals transmitted from other digital cameras as described above, outputting corresponding audio signals, and displaying image signals, the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a microphone for converting audio into an electrical audio signal. (2) and a second proximity / remote mode converter 21 connected to an output end of the microphone 2 to operate the microphone 2 in a proximity or remote mode, and to an output end of the memory 14, A first change unit 41 for generating and outputting a still image signal having a smaller number of pixels than an applied electromagnetic image signal, and an output terminal of the first change unit 41 and the second proximity / remote mode conversion unit 21. A combination unit 23 which combines and outputs the connected electric voice signal and the applied image signal, and mixes a signal according to a pen input when the applied image signal and the switch 8 are operated. And a display unit 4 for selectively outputting a signal that is connected to an output terminal of the first mixing unit 34, the combination unit 23, and the first mixing unit 34. A dial 28 formed as a touch panel on the phone, a telephone number memory 29 for storing at least one specific telephone number, and a phone number connected to an output of the dial 28 to compare the dialed phone number with the stored telephone number. A remote telephone number connected to the first comparator 30, the second comparator 47, and the output terminal of the first comparator 30 and dialed corresponds to a specific telephone number of the telephone number memory 29. In the case of a device, the second prohibiting portion 31 and the output end of the second comparing portion 47 prohibit the combining portion 23 from combining the electric voice signal and the digital electrical signal representing the still image. A control unit 43 connected to control the first change unit 41 and an output terminal of the memory 14 The second changing unit 35 determines whether the digital electric image signal applied in connection with the second image signal is an image signal of the first type or the image signal of the second type, changes the image signal applied accordingly, and outputs the image signal to the display device 4. A response unit 39 connected to the output terminal of the telephone number receiver 38 and outputting a response signal indicating that a signal transmitted is received, the selection unit 24, the response unit 39, and the dial 28; A second mix unit 25 that mixes and outputs a plurality of signals applied to an output terminal of the second output unit and a signal that is connected to an output terminal of the second mix unit 25 and converted into an analog signal and outputs an analog signal. And a modulator 27 connected to an output terminal of the D / A converter 26 to modulate an applied signal and output the modulated signal to the transmit / receive switcher 11. .

The first changing part 41 includes a first reducing part 42 which reduces and outputs the number of pixels of an image signal applied from the memory 14, and the second changing part 35 includes the memory 14. A second discrimination unit 37 for determining whether the image signal applied from the first type image signal or the second type image signal is connected to the output terminal of the second discrimination unit 37, and And a second reducer 36 for reducing the image signal and outputting the image signal to the display device 4.

In addition, the apparatus further includes an input / output interface 44 and a memory card 46 for outputting an image signal applied from a card or the like to the memory 14.

The transmission / reception switching unit 11 has a function of amplifying an electromagnetic signal transmitted and received, in addition to a function of transmitting / receiving an electromagnetic signal.

Next, the relationship between the magnitudes of the still image signals processed by the digital memory 14, the display device 4, and the CCD camera 10 will be described.

The first form image signal according to the embodiment of the present invention is a color still image signal having 60,000 pixels per frame, and the second form image signal is a color still image signal having 240,000 pixels per frame.

The size, i.e., the number of pixels of one frame still image processed by the digital memory 14, the display device 4, and the CCD camera 10 is 240,000, and the number of pixels of the still image signal included in the electromagnetic signal of the first type. More than 60,000.

The number of pixels of the still image per frame processed by the display device 4 is 60,000, and is actually equal to the number of pixels of the still image contained in the electromagnetic signal of the first form.

In contrast, the number of pixels of the still picture signal included in the electromagnetic signal of the second aspect is 240,000, which is actually the same as the number of pixels of the still picture per frame processed by the CCD camera 10.

The most important feature of this invention is that in the case of transmitting and receiving a still picture for displaying an image on the display device 4 of 60,000 pixels, the number of pixels of the still picture per frame is reduced from 240,000 to 60,000.

This reduces the time required for the digital still camera to exchange a still picture signal of one frame with a digital still camera of the same type.

The display device 4 selectively displays a still image based on the electromagnetic signal of the second form or the electromagnetic signal of the first or second form or the digital electromagnetic signal from the CCD camera 10 received from an external remote device. can do.

The input / output interface 44 acts as a means for extracting the digital electromagnetic signal from the digital memory 14, and 240,000 pixels of the still picture signal per frame taken out are still picture signals included in the electromagnetic signal of the first type. That is, the number of pixels is larger than 60,000. The input / output interface 44 includes means for connecting the card 45 to an external device.

The memory card 46 also serves as a means for extracting a digital electrical signal from the digital memory 14, and the number of pixels of 240,000 of the still picture signal per one frame taken out is the still picture signal contained in the electromagnetic signal of the first type. That is, the number of pixels is larger than 60,000. The memory card 46 serves as a memory for storing a still image of 240,000 pixels per frame, and is inserted into a digital still camera. In other words, the memory card slot serves as a means for removing the digital still picture memory itself out of the digital still camera.

The operation of the digital still camera capable of remote communication according to the embodiment of the present invention by the above configuration will be described.

First, an operation of receiving and displaying a signal transmitted from another digital still camera, that is, an electromagnetic image signal formed according to a wireless telephone system, and receiving and outputting a signal transmitted from another telephone, that is, an electromagnetic voice signal formed according to a wireless telephone system, are output. The operation will be described.

The antenna receives an electromagnetic signal transmitted from another digital still camera or a telephone, and at this time, the transmission / reception switching unit 11 operates in a reception mode and outputs the electromagnetic signal received by the antenna to the demodulator 12. .

The demodulator 12 demodulates and outputs the received electromagnetic signal, and the A / D converter 13 converts the demodulated electromagnetic signal into a corresponding digital electrical signal and outputs the demodulated signal.

The digital electrical signal output from the A / D converter 13 is input to the extractor 22, and the extractor 22 extracts an audio signal component and an image signal component from the applied signal and outputs the extracted audio signal component.

The audio signal output from the extraction section 22 is input to the first proximity / remote mode conversion section 18 and the image signal is input to the memory 14.

At this time, the digital electrical signal output from the A / D converter 13 is also input to the first discriminating unit 16, and the first discriminating unit 16 is a digital electrical signal including an applied audio signal. Determine the image signal.

When the received electromagnetic signal is an image signal, the first discriminating unit 16 operates the switch unit 15 in the second mode so that the received image is displayed on the display device 4.

The switch unit 15 has a first mode for outputting a voice signal by the speaker 3 according to the received electromagnetic signal, and a second mode for displaying an image on the display device 4 according to the received electromagnetic signal. Each works in mode.

When a signal for operating in the second mode is output from the first discriminator 16, the switching unit 15 outputs a digital electrical signal output from the A / D converter 13 to the memory 14. At this time, the first prohibiting unit 17 switches the proximity / remote mode conversion unit 18 so that the speaker 3 does not generate a voice signal in the second mode according to the signal output from the first discriminating unit 16. OFF "control.

The image signal output from the switching unit 15 and input into the memory 14 is output to the display device 4 through the second changing unit 35. The second discriminating unit 37 of the second changing unit 35 determines whether the applied image signal is the first form image signal or the second form image signal, and generates a second control signal corresponding to the determined result. Output to the reduction unit 36. The number of pixels of the display device 4 is 60,000, which is the same as that of the first form image signal.

Accordingly, the second discriminating unit 37 operates the second reducing unit 36 so that the number of pixels of the received pixel signal matches the number of pixels of the display device 4.

More specifically, in the case where the image signal received above is the first type image signal, the second discriminating portion 37 has the same number of pixels as the number of pixels of the display device 4, so that the second reducing portion 37 36) Do not operate. Therefore, the received image signal output from the memory 14 is output to the display device 4 as a signal having 60,000 pixels per frame as it is without changing the number of pixels, and reproduced.

However, when the image signal received above is the second type image signal, the number of pixels of the received image signal is larger than the number of pixels of the display device 4, so that the second discriminating portion 37 has a second reduction portion ( Activate 36). Therefore, the received image signal output from the memory 14 is reduced from 240,000 pixels to 60,000 pixels per frame through the second reduction unit 36 and output to the display device 4 for reproduction.

In the above, the first discriminating unit 16 operates the switching unit 15 in the second mode and outputs a control signal to the display device 4 so that the electromagnetic signal received on the display device 4 is an image signal. Control to display whether or not including a or a speech signal as a character or symbol.

As described above, when an image is displayed on the display device 4 and talks with an external telephone, a voice signal is transmitted while the image signal is transmitted. In this case, the combination of the digital electric signal and the electric voice signal representing the still picture is formed in accordance with the wireless telephone system.

In the case where the audio signal is transmitted while the image signal is being transmitted, the extractor 22 extracts the audio signal component from the signal of the still image signal and the audio signal output from the A / D converter 13. By outputting to the first proximity / remote mode conversion unit 18, the transmitted audio signal is reproduced through the speaker (3).

At this time, the first discriminating unit 16 operates the switching unit 15 in the first mode in which the audio signal by the speaker 3 is reproduced, and outputs the corresponding signal to the first prohibiting unit 17. The first prohibition section 17 turns on the proximity / remote mode conversion section 18 in the " OFF " state.

As the display device 4 is turned on, the first proximity / remote mode converter 18 and the second proximity / remote mode converter 21 are closer to the speaker 3 and the microphone 2. Mode used for the ear and mouth of the user, i.e., in the proximity mode that allows a user using a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention to hear the received voice signal, that is, the mode used for the ear and mouth of a remote user, that is, the user. Is switched to remote mode to transmit the voice signal to another phone.

As the first proximity / remote mode converter 18 is changed to the remote mode, the voice signal output from the extractor 22 is transferred to the speaker 3 through the first proximity / remote mode converter 18. Is input, and the received voice is output.

Thus, the display device 4 can display a still image while the audio signal is reproduced from the speaker 3.

By receiving and processing the combined signal in which the audio signal and the image signal are combined as described above, the user can hear the audio while watching the transmitted image.

In response to the transmitted voice and image, the user transmits the corresponding voice and image to another digital still camera or telephone.

When the user speaks the response message, the voice corresponding to the response message of the user is converted into the corresponding electric voice signal through the microphone 2 and input to the second proximity / remote mode conversion unit 21.

The second proximity / remote mode converter 21 outputs an input voice signal to the combiner 23, and the voice signal input to the combiner 23 is a D / A converter 26 and a modulator. Modulated via (27), it is then transmitted to another telephone via the transmission / reception switching section 11 which is a transmission mode.

At this time, the image signal can be transmitted while the audio signal is being transmitted. That is, by combining and outputting the still image photographed by the CCD camera 10 to the audio signal to which the combination unit 23 is applied, the still image can be transmitted.

In the above, when the user operates the dial 28 formed as the touch panel on the display device 4 and selects a phone number of a remote device such as a mobile phone to which a signal is to be transmitted, the selected phone number is the first comparison unit 30. ) And the second comparison unit 47 are respectively input.

At this time, the telephone number selected by the dial 28 is transmitted through the second mixing unit 25, the D / A converter 26, the modulator 27, and the transmit / receive switcher 11 to perform a wireless telephone call. Electromagnetic signals formed in accordance with the system are transmitted to the device with the dialed telephone number.

In the above, when the dialed telephone number is input, the first comparison unit 30 compares the input telephone number with a specific telephone number stored in the telephone number memory 29 and outputs a corresponding signal to the second prohibition unit 31. )

In the above, the telephone number memory 29 stores at least one specific telephone number.

If the dialed telephone number corresponds to a device having a specific telephone number stored in the telephone number memory 29, the second prohibiting unit 31 is connected to a remote device having no function of receiving a digital electric image signal. It determines that it is applicable, and the said combination part 23 controls so that it may not combine an audio signal and an image signal.

In this case, the second prohibiting section 31 controls the selecting section 24 not to output the image signal.

The selector 24 selects and outputs one of an applied audio signal and a digital electric signal representing a still image, and selects and outputs signals output from the combination unit 23 and the first mix unit 34. .

The signal output from the selector 24 is transmitted as an electromagnetic signal formed according to a wireless telephone system through the D / A converter 26, the modulator 27, and the transmit / receive switch 11. FIG.

However, in the above, when the combination of the audio signal and the image signal is requested according to the operation of the manual request switch 7, the second prohibiting unit 31 controls the selector 24 to selectively output the image signal.

That is, when a character or symbol indicating that an electromagnetic signal received on the display device 4 is a still picture signal is displayed, when the user operates the manual request switch 7 to select image transmission, the selector 24 selects an image. Controls the signal output.

Therefore, the manual request switch 7 is operated separately, and the still picture signal is selectively outputted only when the telephone number specifying the remote device does not match the telephone number stored in the telephone number memory 29. FIG.

The telephone number memory 29 may also store at least one or more specific telephone numbers of a remote device capable of receiving digital electrical image signals. A remote device capable of receiving the digital electrical image signal is called a second remote device.

When the first comparison unit 30 compares the dialed telephone number with a specific telephone number corresponding to the second remote device and outputs the corresponding signal, the second prohibiting unit 31 determines that the dialed telephone number is the first. In the case of coinciding with the specific telephone number of the two remote devices, the combination unit 23 controls to combine the applied image signal with the audio signal, and also controls the selection unit 24 to select the image signal.

In the case where the combination and selection of the still picture signal is allowed as described above, the dialed telephone number matches the specific telephone number corresponding to the second remote apparatus.

The telephone number receiver 38 automatically operates the digital still camera to receive a transmitted signal in response to an electromagnetic signal formed according to a wireless telephone system integrated with the digital still camera.

When the telephone number receiver 38 receives the transmitted electromagnetic signal and outputs the corresponding signal, the response unit 39 outputs the corresponding response signal. The response signal is transmitted through the second mix unit 25, the D / A converter 26, the modulator 27, and the transmit / receive switch 11.

The response signal is a signal indicating that the digital still camera receiving the signal is a digital still camera capable of receiving an image signal having a number of 60,000 pixels per frame, and from the other digital still camera as the response signal is transmitted. An image signal having 60,000 pixels per frame will be transmitted with a transmission time less than the transmission time of an image signal having 240,000 pixels per pixel.

In this case, the response receiver 40 operates to output a corresponding signal to the controller 43. When the control unit 43 outputs a signal indicating that an image signal having a number of 60,000 pixels per frame is to be transmitted from another digital still camera from the response receiving unit 40, the control unit 43 drives the first changing unit 41 to operate the digital. The number of pixels of the image signal output from the memory 14 is adjusted to be smaller than the number of pixels of the image signal to be transmitted.

In order to reduce the transmission time of the image signal, the first reduction unit 42 of the first change unit 41 reduces the number of pixels of the image signal output from the digital memory 14 and outputs it. That is, an image signal of 240,000 pixels per frame is changed into an image signal of 60,000 pixels per frame and output.

The first reduction unit 42 does not operate when the response receiving unit 40 does not receive a response from another digital still camera having a specific type (a type of transmitting an image signal of 60,000 pixels per frame). In this case, the number of pixels of the image signal output from the digital memory 14 is output without decreasing.

The image signal output from the first reducing unit 42 is input to the first mixing unit 34, and the first mixing unit 34 receives the pen input signal input according to the operation of the switch 8. And the image signal is output to the selector 24, so that the image signal is transferred through the second mixer 25, the D / A converter 26, the modulator 27, and the transmit / receive switch 11. Sent to a digital still camera.

As described above, the telephone number memory 29 stores a plurality of telephone numbers, which are classified into a first group and a second group. The first group is a telephone number corresponding to a remote device without a function of receiving a digital electrical signal representing a still picture, and the second group is a telephone number corresponding to a remote device capable of receiving a digital electrical signal representing a still picture. admit.

In more detail, the second group is classified into a first sub group and a second sub group. The first subgroup is telephone numbers corresponding to a remote device capable of receiving an electromagnetic signal including an image signal of the first type, which is 60,000 pixels per frame, and the second sub group is used to receive the image signal of the first type. Corresponding to a remote device which does not receive, telephone numbers corresponding to a remote device capable of receiving an electromagnetic signal including an image signal of a second type, which is 240,000 pixels per frame.

In more detail, the image signal transmission operation according to the dialed telephone number is described. The second comparison unit 47 compares the dialed telephone number with the telephone number stored in the telephone number memory 29, and according to the comparison result. The first reduction section 42 reduces or outputs the number of pixels of the image signal output from the digital memory 14, or outputs it as it is without decreasing.

As described above, according to the image signal processing capability of another apparatus to transfer image signals output from the CCD camera 10 or the input / output interface 44 and the memory card 46, the number of pixels of the image signals is reduced, i.e., transmitted. By reducing the time output or outputting without changing the number of pixels, the image signal can be transmitted simultaneously with receiving the transmitted image signal.

As described above, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a wireless mobile phone capable of receiving and displaying a digital electric signal representing a still image captured by a digital still camera is built into one inseparable housing without any interference. It is possible to appropriately receive video signals and audio signals, and also to make a call while watching the displayed image as well as making a call in a general manner.

The present invention can also communicate image signals and audio signals at the same time, and can communicate with various types of telephones including ordinary ones without the function of receiving image signals.

The invention can also communicate with various types of remote devices incorporating conventional computers, and with the same type of digital still camera with minimal communication time.

The present invention can provide a digital still camera capable of remote communication as a wireless cellular phone having various effects as described above is embedded in one inseparable housing.

Claims (6)

Imaging means for converting an optical image into a digital electrical signal representing a still image; Lawyer designating means for designating a telephone number of a remote device to which a signal is to be transmitted or received; Modulation means for modulating the digital electrical signal or a designated telephone number into an electromagnetic signal formed in accordance with a wireless telephone system; Transmitting means for transmitting a signal output from the modulation means to a remote device having a designated telephone number; Receiving means for receiving an electromagnetic signal comprising an image signal formed in accordance with a radiotelephone system; Signal changing means for changing the electromagnetic signal into a digital electrical signal representing a still image; Display means for selectively displaying the still image in accordance with a signal output from the signal changing means or the imaging means; First reducing means for reducing the number of pixels of the digital electrical signal output from said signal changing means and outputting it to said display means; When the electromagnetic signal received by the receiving means is an electromagnetic signal of the first type including a still image, the display means is driven in a first mode, and the electromagnetic signal is an electromagnetic signal of the second type including a still image. And a control means for driving the first reducing means and driving the display means in a second mode, wherein the number of pixels of the image signal of the electromagnetic signal of the first form is the number of pixels of the electromagnetic signal of the second form. Digital still camera capable of remote communication, characterized by less than the number of pixels of the signal. The digital still camera capable of remote communication according to claim 1, wherein the number of pixels of the image signal processable by the display means is smaller than the number of pixels of the image signal contained in the electromagnetic signal of the second form. The digital still camera capable of remote communication according to claim 1, wherein the number of pixels of the image signal that can be processed by the display means is substantially the same as the number of pixels of the image signal included in the electromagnetic signal of the second form. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: signal discriminating means for discriminating whether the electromagnetic signal received by the receiving means is an electromagnetic signal of a first type or an electromagnetic signal of a second type; And switching means for switching said control means between a first mode and a second mode in response to said discriminating means. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: storage means for storing a digital electrical signal output from the imaging means; Second reducing means for reducing the number of pixels of the digital electrical signal stored in the storage means according to the type of the designated remote device, wherein the receiving means is adapted from a specific type of remote device in response to a designation through the transmitting means. Receiving an electromagnetic signal formed by a radiotelephone system comprising a return confirmation signal, said control means driving said second reducing means when an acknowledgment signal is received, and said transmitting means outputting at said second reducing means A digital still camera capable of remote communication for converting a digital signal to an electromagnetic signal according to a wireless telephone system and transmitting the same to a designated remote device. 6. The digital still camera capable of remote communication according to claim 5, wherein the number of pixels of the still picture stored in the storage means is larger than the number of pixels of the still picture signal included in the electromagnetic signal.

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