Digital camera system and method capable of performing document scans

Abstract

A digital camera system is provided for capturing pictures of scenery or scanning the text of a document. A lens of the digital camera system receives light from a scene, and a conversion device defines a first set of digital data based on this light. A scanning mechanism included within the digital camera system scans a document as the system is passed over the surface of the document and produces a second set of data that defines an image of the document. An audio signal interface included within the digital camera system receives an audio message and defines a third set of digital data based on the audio message. A system controller stores the first, second, and third sets of data into a storage device. If desired, the first and second sets of data may be merged together to define a combined image depicting at least a portion of the scene defined by the first set of digital data and depicting at least a portion of the document defined by the second set of digital data.

Now, therefore, the following is claimed:  
     
         1 . A digital camera system, comprising: 
 a lens;    a conversion device configured to receive light from said lens and to define a first set of digital data based on said light;    a scanning mechanism configured to scan a document and to produce a second set of digital data, said second set of digital data defining an image of said document;    a storage device; and    a system controller configured to store said first set of digital data and said second set of digital data into said storage device.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , a housing unit coupled to said lens, said housing unit housing said conversion device, said scanning mechanism, and said storage device.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an audio signal interface configured to receive audio signals and to define a third set of digital data based on said audio signals, wherein said system controller is further configured to correlate one of said sets of digital data with another one of said sets of said digital data.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said scanning device comprises: 
 an imaging sensor configured to receive light reflected from said document and to produce electrical signals; and    a processing device configured to receive said electrical signals from said imaging sensor, said processing device further configured to define said second set of digital data based on said electrical signals from said imaging sensor.    
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said system controller is further configured to merge said first and second sets of digital data into a third set of digital data.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said third set of data digital data defines an image based on data from said first set of digital data and from said second set of digital data.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said first set of digital data defines an image of an object and said document includes information associated with said object.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein said document is a contour map of a geographical region and said first set of data defines an image of said geographical region.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said third set of digital data defines said image of said geographical region and defines an image of said contour map.  
     
     
         10 . A digital camera system, comprising: 
 a lens;    means for defining digital data based on light passing through said lens;    means for scanning a document;    means for defining a second set of digital data based on light received by said scanning means;    a storage device; and    means for storing said first and second sets of digital data in said storage device.    
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a means for housing said scanning means, said housing means coupled to said lens.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a means for tracking a path of said system.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a means for merging said first set of digital data and said second set of digital data into a third set of digital data.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said third set of digital data defines an image based on data from said first and second sets of digital data.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said first set of digital data defines an image of an object, said second set of digital data defines an image of said document, and said third set of digital data defines an image depicting at least a portion of said image of said object and depicting at least a portion of said image of said document.  
     
     
         16 . A method for use with a digital camera, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving light through a lens of said digital camera;    defining a first set of digital data based on said light;    scanning a document via an imaging sensor of said digital camera;    defining a second set of digital data based on said scanning step; and    storing said first and second sets of digital data into a storage device of said digital camera.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of correlating said first set of digital data with said second set of digital data.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of: 
 receiving audio signals via an audio signal interface of said digital camera;    defining a third set of digital data based on said receiving audio signals step; and    storing said third set of digital data into said storage device of said digital camera.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of merging said first set of digital data and said second set of digital data into a third set of digital data.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of rendering said third set of digital data to produce an image defined by said first and second sets of digital data.