WO2009135278A2

WO2009135278A2 - Hinge for a cabinet rocker door strapped frame, item of clothing with attached image screen, portable monitoring device and process for producing, capturing, evaluating and sorting images and sounds for final use or disposal

Info

Publication number: WO2009135278A2
Application number: PCT/BR2009/000121
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ricardo Joffily
Original assignee: Ricardo Joffily
Priority date: 2008-05-09
Filing date: 2009-05-05
Publication date: 2009-11-12
Also published as: BRPI0801266A2; WO2009135278A3

Abstract

This invention refers to a frame that can attach and support a device provided with an image screen; an item of clothing with an image screen attached to its external surface; a portable monitoring device that can display images and play sounds and to a process for producing, capturing, evaluating and sorting images and sounds for final use or disposal. This invention refers to a portable monitoring device that can display images and play sounds received in the form of analog or digital signals that can be generated by a photo or video camera and/or microphones to which said portable monitoring device is connected by an electric cable or through electromagnetic radiation. Said portable monitoring device consists of an image screen adapted to a hinged panel positioned on the front side of a flat casing. Said casing can contain, apart from the image screen, a battery, loudspeakers, an energy supply unit, image de interlaces, an image controller, a logic system board, an optical reader/recorder, a memory card slot, a hard drive and a wireless communication system. Said flat casing of the device is provided with at least one fastening point to which the ends of at least one adjustable length strap are fastened, so that a user can carry the device around hanging from his or her neck or shoulders or in his or her head. Alternatively, said image screen can be attached to any part of the external surface of an item of clothing, such as a waistcoat or a hat, which can support and/or contain one or more of the electronic elements mentioned above, besides said image screen.

Description

Title: "HINGE FOR A CABINET ROCKER DOOR"STRAPPED FRAME, ITEM OF CLOTHING WITH ATTACHED IMAGE SCREEN, PORTABLE MONITORING DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING, CAPTURING, EVALUATING AND SORTING IMAGES AND SOUNDS FOR FINAL USE OR DIS- POSAL"

Field of the Invention

This invention refers to a frame that can hold and support the weight of a device provided with an image screen on an item of clothing with an image screen attached to a portable monitoring device that can display images and play sounds on an image screen and loudspeakers from analog or digital signals received from a photo or video camera and a microphone and to a process for producing, capturing, evaluating and sorting images and sounds for final use or disposal.

Background of the Invention Portable electronic devices that can display images and play sounds from analog or digital signals, such as portable DVD readers (see pending patent application US20050053365 of Adams, Dale R. et al. filed on March 10, 2005), portable personal computers and portable TV sets are known in the state of the art. Although the inventive concept and intended use of the above- mentioned devices are different than those of this invention and alien to the field of photographic techniques, due to their relative availability, they were used for building the prototypes of this invention. Certain models of the devices mentioned above proved to be particularly appropriate for building the prototypes of this invention. As a result of this fact, the ergonomic adaptations which were made in them to produce the basic functionalities of this invention were regarded as one of the configurations of the invention itself in this report (Figures 1 and 2).

Many solutions for monitoring images captured by photo and video cameras are known in the state of the art, such as: range-finder optical monitors; single-lens reflex (SLR) and waist-level finder monitors; digital monitors - liquid crystal display screens incorporated into the front side of a digital photo camera or of a digital video camera or into one of the sides of a moving panel linked to the body of such a camera, or even liquid crystal display screens incor- porated into the upper side of such a camera, in the style of a horizontal optical range-finder; the size of these screens is typically limited to three inches at most, due to the size scale of the cameras themselves.

It is worth mentioning that some of these image-capturing digital cameras, both photo and video cameras, incorporate image screens in the form of panels hinged to the camera body, allowing for one to move the image screen to different positions, including to the front of a person whose image is being captured, which combined with the capacity to invert this image, would make it possible to emulate, to a certain extent, the function of this invention on a small scale. However, this is not an actual function of such devices, since, be- cause they are alien to this possibility, they were not designed for this purpose and are not large enough to provide a good visualization of the image from a compatible distance to the point of view of the person whose image is being captured.

Luminous screens, based on technologies such as LCD, TFT/LCD, Plasma, OLED or SED, including flexible screens that can be rolled up, are also known in the state of the art, as well as image deinterlacing circuits that can turn analog signals containing interlaced images into signals that can be displayed in the progressive scan mode. Image controllers that can control the display of images in the progressive scan mode are also known in the state of the art, as well as direct finger-touch-command image screens. This functionality, known as touch screen, can be achieved through a range of different technologies. Image-capturing devices such as miniature digital cameras, which basically consist of an optical set coupled to an image sensor and usually associated with an audio-capturing microphone, are also known in the state of the art. The well-known webcam is a device with these features. Using a PC monitor as a means to monitor images captured by a webcam is a process that is similar to the one developed in this invention, as it allows for the person whose image is being captured to monitor the process in real time and activate commands for capturing his or her image. However, this image-capturing process does not involve the intervention of a photographer or videographer, but only that of the user him or herself, while in the case of this invention it does.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of this invention to create a frame equipped with adjustable size straps that fits into the casing of a piece of equipment known in the state of the art that displays images and plays sounds, such as a portable DVD reader, a notebook computer or a portable TV set, allowing for users to carry it around hanging from their neck or shoulders, over their chest, like a bag or backpack, preferably facing forward.

It is an object of this invention to create a portable monitoring device that can display images and/or play sounds equipped with an image screen attached to the external surface of an item of clothing, which is supported on the shoulders and/or neck and/or head of a user, such as a jacket, a waistcoat or a hat.

The invention contemplates the possibility of using any part of the surface of any item of clothing that is supported on the neck, shoulders or head of a user for attaching the elements making up the configurations described in this invention, particularly the image screen, which could be attached, for example, to the lapel of a jacket, the back of a jacket, the side of a hat, etc., without departing from the scope of this invention.

It is an object of this invention to create a portable device equipped with an image screen provided with straps ergonomically adapted to allow for the above-mentioned device to be carried around hanging from the neck or shoulders of a user, over his or her chest, as a backpack or bag, preferably facing forward. As in the previous case, it is stressed that the use of one, two or more straps or positioning the device in a different way than those directly mentioned in this report, provided that said device is supported by said straps and is supported on the shoulders or neck of the user, do not constitute a departure from the scope of this invention.

It is an object of this invention to create a portable monitoring device capable of displaying and playing, in real time, images and sounds captured by a manually operated digital photographic camera, miniature image- capturing camera (webcam type) or digital video camera through an image screen of a size allowing for it to be visualized from the point of view of one or more people positioned in front of the system's operator.

It is an object of this invention to create a portable monitoring device capable of displaying images and playing sounds generated or stored remotely and of transmitting images and sounds generated or stored in the device itself through a communication network, by capturing and transmitting analog or digital signals through electric cables or electromagnetic signals.

It is an object of this invention to determine the steps of a process through which one can analyze, produce, capture, share, evaluate and sort for final use or disposal images and sounds captured by the system's opera- tor, with the collaboration of one or more people positioned in front of the system's operator. In the course of this innovative process, people positioned in front of the system's operator can, for example, ask the system's operator to delete, record and/or transmit digital files containing a certain image and/or sound, or even activate these controls themselves by touching the touch-screen or buttons built on the body of the portable monitoring device. Description of the Drawings

In its simplest configuration, shown in Figure 1 , the invention consists of a rectangular frame (01) for supporting a device (02) provided with an LCD screen (17) that can display images and play sounds from analog or digital signals, known in the state of the art, such as a portable DVD reader, a portable personal computer or a portable TV set, which is shown with the screen facing forward, something that can only be done with some models. The above-mentioned frame (01 ) consists of four miter parts

(03, 04, 05 and 06) joined at their ends, forming a rectangular frame that can also have two horizontal bars (07 and 08) attached at their ends to the vertical miters (04 and 05) of said rectangular frame. As a casuistic solution, which is not being claimed, since it represents one of many obvious possibilities in the state of the art to attach the device (02) to the frame (01 ), it was decided, in this configuration, that the lower horizontal miter part (06) would be fastened to the two vertical miter parts (04 and 05) by screws and would have a rim (not shown) that fits into the lower horizontal bar (08) that can be removed to allow for said device (02) to be fitted and then screwed into position, with the rim fitted into position, firmly holding said device (02).

The above-mentioned higher horizontal bar (7) is provided with at least two fastening points (09 and 10) to which the ends of at least one adjustable length strap (13) are fastened.

In a preferred configuration, also shown in Figure 1 , two ad- justable length straps (13 and 14) are used instead of only one adjustable length strap (13), with additional fastening points (11 and 12) located in the lower horizontal bar (08). In this preferred configuration of the invention, said frame (1) is fastened to the casing (15) of the device (02) but is not fastened to the mobile panel (16) that contains the image screen (17), allowing for users to take advantage of all movements of the hinge between the device casing (15) and its mobile panel (16) (see pending patent application US20050041171 of Shin, Chen-Hwa, filed on February 24, 2005). Figure 2 shows the same preferred configuration, with the device (02) in place and fastened to the rectangular frame (01 ). It should be noticed that the vertical miter parts (04 and 05) have holes and tears which make it possible for one to access the control means and connections on the device (02). Figure 3 shows a user wearing an item of clothing similar to a waist- coat (18) to which a panel (16) containing an image screen (17) is attached to the front surface of said waistcoat (18), which also has pockets to hold all the necessary elements to operate the image-displaying, sound-playing device, such as a battery and loudspeakers, as well as other items such as an energy supply unit, deinterlacers, an image controller, a logic system board, an optical reader/recorder, a memory card slot, a hard drive, a wireless communication system, etc. Figure 3 also shows a miniature video camera (19), similar to a webcam known in the state of the art, which is redundantly shown in two different positions, one on the panel body (16) and another one adapted to a hat (22). This configuration provides ongoing monitoring of the images captured by the minia- ture video camera (19) through the image screen (17). In this configuration, the operator of the invention and/or one or more people positioned in front of the system's operator can control the functions of the camera and/or edit and/or record the captured images through control buttons (20) built on the panel (16) or a manual remote control (21 ) or by touching the touch-screen. Figure 3 shows a redundancy, namely, the presence of two image screens (17), one of which is attached to the panel (16), which in turn is attached to the waistcoat (18), and a second image screen (17) attached to the hat (22), illustrating another possible configuration of the invention. In an integrated design of the invention, we have the configuration shown in Figure 4, in which the fastening points (09, 10, 11 and 12) for the adjustable length straps (13 and 14) are incorporated into the casing (15) of a portable monitoring device specifically designed for the functionalities of the inven- tion. Figure 4 shows a basically rectangular and flat casing (15) containing the basic elements for operating the image-displaying, sound-playing device, such as a battery and loudspeakers, an energy supply unit, deinterlacers, an image controller, a logic system board, an optical reader/recorder, a memory card slot, a hard drive, a wireless communication system. Said flat casing (15) is coupled to the mobile panel (16) containing an image screen (17) through a hinge not shown in the figure. The hinge that is not shown in the figure allows for two movements: 90-degree rotation to both sides on a basically vertical plane and 90-degree forward tilting in relation to a basically vertical plane. In both cases, course limiters and position fixers are required which are not shown in the figure either. It is beyond the scope of the invention to determine specific features for building the above-mentioned hinge, but there are many applicable mechanic solutions available that are well known by the general public. The conjugation of the functionalities described above, however, are part of the invention's characterization. Both Figure 4 and Figure 5 show an electric conductor cable

(23) provided with adaptors at its ends whose purpose is to connect the portable monitoring device to a photo camera (24).

In a preferred configuration of this integrated design of the invention, shown in figure 5, we have a redundancy, namely, two image screens (17), one of which is incorporated into the flat casing (15) and placed in front of the system's operator, while this operator sees the same image simultaneously on the image screen (17) attached to the internal portion of the panel (16), bearing in mind that this second image screen (17) is indicated in its position by its respective number but cannot be actually seen in the perspective of Figure 5.

Figure 5 also shows an external battery (25) that is connected to the casing (15) through an electric cable (26).

Description of the Invention According to the innovative design of the invention, the operator of the photo or video camera is the first physical support of the captured images, thus becoming a "Photoman". Here is where we achieved the relevant result, through experimentation, that one or more people positioned in front of the system's operator, having access to the images at the same time that the camera operator does, can have a decisive influence on the course of the process of producing, capturing, evaluating and sorting images and sounds for final use or disposal

As a result of intensive experimentation with the invention's prototype, it was confirmed that the first benefit of the invention is that it affords, to one or more people positioned in front of the system's operator, immediate access to the captured images, which can lead to a positive, negative, hilarious, emotional reaction, etc. Reactions of both approval and rejection are part of a fun process brought about by the use of the innovative system, which is a benefit in itself. The selection of images and/or sounds based on the subjective approval of their contents by one or more people through the innovative process and use of the device proposed in the invention turns the digital file containing these images and/or sounds into a tangible and priceable product as the work of the photographer or videographer. These files can then be negotiated, sold and delivered, without any use of paper and ink, by transmitting them to a WWW address or recording them on any digital medium, which affords great advantages, such as: cost-effectiveness, practicality and the opportunity to provide a service that can satisfy customers immediately. As a result of the experimentation process, another far- reaching benefit of the invention was also confirmed, which is that of allowing one or more people positioned in front of the system's operator to share the process of producing and capturing images in which they appear. By monitoring the im- ages displayed on the device in real time, one or more people positioned in front of the operator of the image-capturing device can interact with him or her and even activate commands directly, for the purpose of personalizing the result of the process.

Another benefit afforded by the innovation is that it can ad- vantageously replace image-displaying monitors consisting of image screens contained in the body of photo and video cameras, for the benefit of the photographer or videographer. By physically separating the image-monitoring device from the camera, turning it into an independent portable device, we can accept much larger image screen formats than those that are reasonably associated with the body of a portable camera, allowing for the photographer or videographer to visualize images that are much more similar to the final image than is possible in the state of the art.

As a substitute of range finders or image monitors that are known in the state of the art, in all their above-mentioned versions, the innovation also affords the advantage of allowing the system's operator to use the full action radius of his or her arm while manipulating the image-capturing camera, without losing sight of the image and releasing the camera movements from limits imposed on the reach and angles of vision of the eyes of the system's user.

If the image-capturing camera that will generate the images displayed on the screen of the portable monitoring device is a miniature camera (webcam type), it can be built on or adapted to the body of the portable monitoring device or be carried by the user in a hat, for example, leaving the two hands of the system's operator free to activate commands directly built in the body of the portable monitoring device or built in the form of a manually operated remote control.

Admitting the use of an interface program that displays, on the image screen of the portable monitoring device, visual and/or text messages on the various stages of the process, we can add to the invention the functionality of accepting commands from a person positioned in front of the system's operator by touching the above-mentioned screen (touch screen) or using control means built on the front panel of the portable monitoring device.

The innovative process described in the invention turns the process of producing, capturing, evaluating and sorting images and/or sounds for final use or disposal into a fun interactive activity that greatly enhances the chances of a produced image and/or sound pleasing a certain person. This is so mainly because this person or people are afforded an opportunity to judge each captured image or sound even before it is ultimately recorded on the digital file that con- tains it. The evolution of the scenic awareness of the person or people being photographed is brought to bear in the process of excluding images and/or sounds. At each new "attempt", elements that are present in the images and/or sounds are modified with the aim of improving the final result based on the awareness of the previous visual reading process. The final result is highly personalized, thus increasing the subjective value of the produced images and/or sounds.

Claims

1. Frame that can attach and support a portable device provided with an image screen, such as a portable DVD reader, a portable personal computer or a portable TV set, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it has four lateral parts joined at their corners and is provided with at least one fastening point to which the ends of at least one adjustable length strap are fastened.

2. Frame, according to claim 1 , CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it is attached to the casing of said portable device but does not restrict the mobility of the hinged panel that contains the image screen of said portable device, allow- ing all hinged movements between said casing and the hinged panel.

3. Frame, according to claim 1 , CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it has holes and/or tears on at least one of its lateral parts, allowing for the control means and connections of said portable device to be accessed.

4. Frame, according to claim 1 , CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it has at least one of its four lateral parts provided with demountable fastening means that make it possible for it to be removed or partially displaced in relation to the main structure of said frame, allowing for said portable device to be inserted into or removed from said frame, and also making it possible, subsequently, for this lateral part or parts to be assembled and locked in position, at- taching the casing of said portable device to said frame.

5. Portable monitoring device that can display images and/or play sounds, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it has a flat casing containing one or more elements such as: an image screen, an electric battery, an energy supply unit, a logic system board, a central processing unit, a volatile memory device, a non-volatile memory device, circuits and connections, image deinterlac- ers, an image controller, an audio controller, loudspeakers, microphone, an optical reader/recorder, a memory card slot and/or a wireless communication system, said casing being provided, at any point on its surface except on the front side, of at least one fastening point to which the ends of at least one adjustable length strap are fastened.

6. Device, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it consists of one item of clothing supported on the shoulders and/or neck and/or head of a user, such as a waistcoat or a hat, and that at least one image screen is attached to any part of the external surface of this item of clothing.

7. Device, according to claim 6, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it has, contained and/or attached to any part of said item of clothing, one or more of the following elements: an electric battery, an energy supply unit, a logic sys- tern board, a central processing unit, a volatile memory device, a non-volatile memory device, circuits and connections, image deinterlacers, an image controller, an audio controller, loudspeakers, microphone, an optical reader and recorder, a memory card slot and/or a wireless communication system.

8. Device, according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it has a movable panel that contains said image screen and is hinged to said casing through a hinge that allows said movable panel to rotate 90 degrees to both sides around a fixed point near its gravity center, on a vertical plane coinciding with its largest surface or coinciding with the largest surface of the casing.

9. Device, according to claim 5, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it has a movable panel that contains said image screen and is hinged to said casing through a hinge that allows said movable panel to tilt 90 degrees forward from a vertical position on a horizontal axis near its base.

10. Device, selected among those described in claims 5 to 7, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it displays images and plays sounds received in the form of analog and/or digital signals generated by a photo or video camera and/or microphones and transmitted to said portable monitoring device through an electric cable or electromagnetic radiation.

11. Device, selected among those described in claims 5 to 7, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it can connect itself, through signals contained in electromagnetic radiation, to a local communication network through which it can receive and/or transmit, to a remote server, analog and/or digital signals containing images and/or sounds and/or digital files.

12. Device, selected among those described in claims 5 to 7,

CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it can manipulate digital files through an operating system installed in the device.

13. Device, selected among those described in claims 5 to 7, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it can read and/or record digital files on an optical, magnetic or digital medium.

14. Device, selected among those described in claims 5 to 7, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it has at least two image screens that can display the same image simultaneously.

15. Device, selected among those described in claims 5 to 7, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it accepts commands from control means built in the body of said photo or video camera and/or commands from control means built in the body of said portable monitoring device and/or commands from control means built in the body of a manually operated remote control and/or direct touch-screen commands and/or commands from a remote server.

16. Process for producing images and/or sounds using a photo or video camera and/or a microphone connected to a portable monitoring device selected among the configurations described in claims 1 to 15, CHARACTERIZED by comprising the following steps: a first stage, during which the images and/or sounds in the surrounding environment are analyzed as they are displayed and/or played in real time in the portable monitoring device and/or as these images and/or sounds are transmitted to a remote server; a second stage, during which selected images and sounds are captured, without necessarily interrupting the previous stage; a third stage, during which the captured images and/or sounds are displayed and/or played through the portable monitoring device to one or more people positioned in front of the system's operator and/or the captured images and/or sounds are displayed and/or played through a remote server; a fourth stage, during which the system's operator interacts and discusses with one or more people what to do with the shared images and/or sounds; a fifth stage, during which the commands that control the final use or disposal of the obtained images and/or sounds, such as delete or record or transmit, are activated by the system's operator under the supervision of one or more people or are directly activated by one of these people.

17. Process, according to claim 16, CHARACTERIZED by contemplating an interlaced step in which visual and/or text and/or sound messages are displayed on the image screen of said portable monitoring device and/or through the transmission of signals to a remote server which report the status of the various steps involved in the process and/or make command options available to the system's operator under the supervision of one or more people or directly to these people, including the operator of a remote server.

18. Process, according to claim 16, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that one or more of its steps are initiated and/or controlled through commands activated by the system's operator through control means built in the body of said photo or video camera.

19. Process, according to claim 16, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that one or more of its steps are initiated and/or controlled through commands activated by the system's operator or by one or more people positioned in front of the system's operator through control means built in the body of a portable moni- toring device selected from one of the configurations described in claims 1 to 15.

20. Process, according to claim 16, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that one or more of its steps are initiated and/or controlled through commands activated by the system's operator or by one or more people positioned in front of the system's operator through control means built in the body of a manually operated remote control.

21. Process, according to claim 16, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that one or more of the its steps are initiated and/or controlled through commands activated by the system's operator or by a person positioned in front of the system's operator by touching the surface of said image screen directly.

22. Process, according to claim 16, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that one or more of its steps are initiated and/or controlled by the operator of a remote server through a communication network, through signals contained in electromagnetic radiation.