System and method for a software steerable web Camera

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling the capture of an image of an object in a camera field of vision, includes: a camera including a wide angle lens capable to capture a scene within a field of vision of the wide angle lens; an image collection array communicatively coupled to the wide angle lens and capable to store data of the scene within the field of vision; a memory communicatively coupled to the image collection array and capable to store digitized data of the scene within the field of vision; and a webcam engine communicatively coupled to the memory and capable to select, based upon a user command, a subset of the digitized data of the scene to simulate an image captured by a panning, tilting or zooming function of the camera.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of capturing an image by use of a camera, the method comprising: 
 placing a scene within a field of vision of a wide angle lens coupled to the camera;    storing image data of the scene in an image collection array;    digitizing the scene image data into a digitized scene image data and storing the digitized scene image data in memory;    based on a command, selecting a subset of the digitized scene image data; and    performing additional processing on the selected subset of the digitized scene image data.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the camera is used to transmit images on a network.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the camera is communicatively coupled to a set top box that is capable of transmitting images over data streams in a network.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the selecting the subset is controlled by a set top box that is capable to transmit images across a network.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the performing the additional processing is controlled by a set top box that is capable to transmit images across a network.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the camera is communicatively coupled to a companion box that is capable to control a set top box for transmitting images across a network  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the selecting the subset is controlled by a companion box that is capable to control a set top box for transmitting images across a network.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the performing the additional processing is controlled by a companion box that is capable to control a set top box for transmitting images across a network.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the additional processing comprises: 
 performing distortion compensation on the selected subset of the digitized scene image data.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the additional processing comprises: 
 performing compression on the selected subset of the digitized scene image data.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 transmitting the compressed selected subset of the digitized scene image data to a destination device.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the selected subset of the digitized scene image data is based on a pan command.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the selected subset of the digitized scene image data is based on a tilt command.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the additional processing includes: 
 enlarging the image in the selected subset of the digitized scene image data in response to a zoom command.  
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the additional processing includes: 
 enlarging an area of the selected subset of the digitized scene image data in response to a zoom command.  
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the camera is connected to a processor device.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the selecting the subset is controlled by a processor device.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the performing the additional processing is controlled by a processor device.  
     
     
         19 . A method of controlling the capture of an image of an object in a camera field of vision, the method comprising: 
 storing, in an image collection array, data of a scene within the field of vision;    storing, in memory, digitized data of the scene within the field of vision;    based upon a user command, selecting a subset of the digitized data of the scene to simulate an image captured by at least one of panning, tilting and zooming functions of a camera; and    performing additional processing on the subset of the digitized data of the scene.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the camera is used to transmit images in a network.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the camera is communicatively coupled to a first unit that is capable to transmit images in a network.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the selecting the subset is controlled by a first unit that is capable to transmit images in a network.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the performing the additional processing is controlled by a first unit that is capable to transmit images in a network.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the camera is communicatively coupled to a companion unit that is capable of being communicatively coupled to a first unit for transmitting images in a network.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the selecting the subset is controlled by a companion unit that is capable of being communicatively coupled to a first unit for transmitting images in a network.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the performing the additional processing is controlled by a companion unit that is capable of being communicatively coupled to a first unit for transmitting images in a network.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the camera is communicatively coupled to a processing device.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the selecting the subset is controlled by a processing device.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the performing the additional processing is controlled by a processing device.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the selected subset of the digitized data is based on a pan command.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the selected subset of the digitized data is based on a tilt command.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the additional processing includes: 
 enlarging the image in the selected subset of the digitized data in response to a zoom command.  
 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the additional processing includes: 
 enlarging an area of the selected subset of the digitized data in response to a zoom command.  
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the additional processing comprises: 
 performing distortion compensation on the selected subset of the digitized data of the scene.  
 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the additional processing comprises: 
 performing compression on the selected subset of the digitized data of the scene.  
 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising: 
 transmitting the compressed selected subset of the digitized data to a destination device.    
     
     
         37 . An article of manufacture, comprising: 
 a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to: 
 store image data of a scene in an image collection array;  
 digitize the scene image data into a digitized scene image data and store the digitized scene image data in memory;  
 based on a command, select a subset of the digitized scene image data; and  
 perform additional processing on the selected subset of the digitized scene image data.  
   
     
     
         38 . An article of manufacture, comprising: 
 a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to: 
 store, in an image collection array, data of a scene within a field of vision of a wide angle lens of a camera;  
 store, in memory, digitized data of the scene within the field of vision;  
 based upon a user command, select a subset of the digitized data of the scene to simulate an image captured by at least one of panning, tilting and zooming functions of the camera; and  
 perform additional processing on the subset of the digitized data of the scene.  
   
     
     
         39 . An apparatus for capturing an image by use of a camera, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for placing a scene within a field of vision of a wide angle lens coupled to the camera;    communicatively coupled to the placing means, means for storing image data of the scene in an image collection array;    communicatively coupled to the storing means, means for digitizing the scene image data into a digitized scene image data and for storing the digitized scene image data in memory;    communicatively coupled to the digitizing and storing means, means for selecting a subset of the digitized scene image data based on a user command where the user can be local or remote to the camera location (remote access is optionally allowed); and    communicatively coupled to the selecting means, means for performing additional processing on the selected subset of the digitized scene image data.    
     
     
         40 . An apparatus for controlling the capture of an image of an object in a camera field of vision, the apparatus comprising: 
 first means for storing, in an image collection array, data of a scene within the field of vision;    communicatively coupled to the first storing means, second means for storing, in memory, digitized data of the scene within the field of vision;    communicatively coupled to the second storing means, means for selecting a subset of the digitized data of the scene to simulate an image captured by at least one of panning, tilting and zooming functions of a camera, based upon a user command; and    communicatively coupled to the selecting means, means for performing additional processing on the subset of the digitized data of the scene.    
     
     
         41 . An apparatus for controlling the capture of an image of an object in a camera field of vision, the apparatus comprising: 
 a camera including a wide angle lens capable to capture a scene within a field of vision of the wide angle lens;    an image collection array communicatively coupled to the wide angle lens and capable to store data of the scene within the field of vision;    a memory communicatively coupled to the image collection array and capable to store digitized data of the scene within the field of vision; and    a webcam engine communicatively coupled to the memory and capable to select, based upon a user command, a subset of the digitized data of the scene to simulate an image captured by at least one of panning, tilting and zooming functions of the camera.    
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41  further comprising: 
 a compression/correction engine communicatively coupled to the memory and capable to perform compression and distortion compensation on the subset of the digitized data of the scene.  
 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 41  wherein the camera is capable to transmit images over a network.  
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 41  wherein the image collection array is capable to store data of an entire scene within the field of vision  
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 41  wherein the subset of the digitized data is transmitted to a destination device.  
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 41  wherein the webcam engine is included in a set top box unit that is capable to transmit images across a network.  
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 41  wherein the webcam engine is included in a companion unit for controlling a set top box unit for transmitting images across a network.  
     
     
         48 . An apparatus for controlling the capture of an image of an object in a camera field of vision, the apparatus comprising: 
 a camera including a wide angle lens capable to capture a scene within a field of vision of the wide angle lens;    an image collection array communicatively coupled to the wide angle lens and capable to store data of the scene within the field of vision;    a processor device including a memory communicatively coupled to the image collection array and capable to store digitized data of the scene within the field of vision, the processor device capable to select a subset of the digitized data of the scene to simulate an image captured by at least one of panning, tilting and zooming functions of the camera.    
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48  wherein the processor device further includes a webcam engine communicatively coupled to the memory and executable by the processor device to select, based upon a user command, the subset of the digitized data of the scene.  
     
     
         50 . An apparatus for controlling the capture of an image by a camera, the apparatus comprising: 
 a camera having a wide angle lens capable to capture a scene within a wide vision field;    an image collection array communicatively coupled to the wide angle lens and capable to store image data of the entire scene within the wide vision field;    sampling and digitizing stage communicatively coupled to the image collection array and capable to read and digitize the image data stored in the image collection array;    a memory communicatively coupled to the sampling and digitizing stage and capable to store digitized image data of the entire scene within the wide vision field; and    a webcam module communicatively coupled to the memory and capable to select a subset of the stored digitized image data based upon user commands.    
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 50  wherein the camera is used to transmit images across a network.  
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 50  further comprising: 
 a compression/correction module communicatively coupled to the memory and capable to perform compression and distortion compensation on the subset of the stored digitized data.  
 
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 50  wherein the image collection array is capable to store data of an entire scene within the wide vision field.  
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 50  wherein the subset of the stored digitized data is transmitted to a destination device.  
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 50  wherein the webcam module is included in a unit that is capable to transmit images across a network.  
     
     
         56 . The apparatus of  claim 50  wherein the webcam module is included in a companion unit for controlling a set top box unit for transmitting images across a network.  
     
     
         57 . An apparatus for controlling the image capture by a camera, the apparatus comprising: 
 a unit capable of being communicatively coupled to the camera, and capable to store digitized data of a scene within a field of vision of the camera;    the unit including a webcam engine capable to select, based upon a user command, a subset of the stored digitized data of the scene to simulate an image captured by at least one of panning, tilting and zooming functions of the camera;    the unit further including a processor communicatively coupled to the webcam engine and capable to execute the webcam engine to permit the selection of the subset of the stored digitized data.    
     
     
         58 . The apparatus of  claim 57  wherein the unit further comprises: 
 an image correction module communicatively coupled to the processor and capable to perform distortion compensation on the selected subset.  
 
     
     
         59 . An apparatus for controlling the capture of an image of an object, the apparatus comprising: 
 a lens capable to capture a scene within a wide field of vision of the lens;    an image collection array communicatively coupled to the lens and capable to store data of the scene within the wide field of vision;    a memory communicatively coupled to the image collection array and capable to store digitized data of the scene within the wide field of vision; and    a processing stage communicatively coupled to the memory and capable to select a subset of the digitized data of the scene in response to a user command for controlling the capture of the image.    
     
     
         60 . The apparatus of  claim 59  wherein the processing stage further includes a webcam engine communicatively coupled to the memory and capable to select the subset of the digitized data of the scene.  
     
     
         61 . The apparatus of  claim 59  wherein the processing stage further includes an image correction engine communicatively coupled to the processor and capable to perform distortion compensation on the selected subset.