O
`Umted States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`McNelley et a1.
`
`[54] TELECONFERENCING CAMCORDER
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: Steve McNelley, Capistrano; Eric
`Williams Altadena both of Calif.
`’
`’
`-
`.
`-
`-
`[73] Ass‘gnee' Edi?“ Rézlegrch 3"” Juan
`a? s an“
`‘
`
`[21] Appl. N0.: 242,131
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`6
`
`May 13, 1994
`
`..................................................... H05K 11/00
`Int. Cl.
`[51]
`.......................................... 364/514 A; 348/13
`[52] US. Cl.
`[58] Field of Search .......................... 364/514 A; 348/14,
`348/15, 13’ 19
`
`56
`
`]
`
`[
`
`C' d
`R f
`rte
`e erences
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`_
`_
`8/1983 Tamgakl -
`4,400,725
`323223; 151322 :mlson et al..
`4,819,101
`4/1989 13:12:: '
`4,829,555
`5/1989 Hashim)“; ~
`.
`4:875:107 10/1989 Heidt et a1.
`4,894,715
`1/1990 Uchikubo eta]. ,
`4,899,231
`2/1990 Maeda et a1.
`.
`4,928,300
`5/1990 Ogawa et a1.
`4,928,301
`5/1990 Smogt .
`43961592
`2/1991 “”9“” -
`ggfésggg
`£1331 fiifian‘xo‘n a1. """""""""""" 348/14
`5,061,992 10,1991 Ueno
`'
`348/14
`5,111,498
`5/1992 01116115111111."T:I:.l.'.'.-.-.-.-.‘.'...‘.I..‘.l.'.l.l.l 348/14
`5:117:285
`5/1992 Nelson et a]. _
`5,142,562
`8/1992 Guichard et a1,
`5,151,727
`9/1992 Sasaki .
`
`............................ 348/14
`
`......................... 348/14
`
`I|||||||||||l|lllllllllllll|||||||l||||l||||||||||||lllllllllllllllllllllll
`U8005550754A
`
`5,550,754
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`Aug. 27, 1996
`
`5,157,512 1011992 Inada et 31..
`5,159,445
`10/1992 Gitlin et al. .
`5,162,915
`11/1992 Idem et a1.
`,
`5,170,427
`12/1992 Guichard et 8.1.
`5,189,691
`2/1993 Dunpal.
`5,206,731
`4/1993 Takaiwa et a1.
`5,243,413
`9/1993 6111111 et a1.
`.
`5,249,053
`9/1993 Jain.
`5,253,286 10/1993 Sano et a1.
`................................ 348/14
`5,278,631
`1/1994 Gitlin et a1.
`.
`
`......................... 348/14
`
`.
`
`Primary Examiner—Emanuel T. Voeltz
`Assistant Examiner—Thomas Peeso
`Attorney, Agem, or Firm—Price, Gess & Ubell
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`A combination portable recording video camera and video-
`conferencing terminal is described, wherein a video camera
`and lens is adjustable so that it can either produce images of
`an operator’s surroundings for recording on a medium such
`as video tape, as in normal recording video cameras, or of
`the operator as in video conferencing terminals. The device
`is preferably provided with a video display screen that
`functions as a viewfinder in video-graphing the surround-
`ings. The device is equipped with communication electron—
`ics that establish a connection over a network, and then
`transmits video and audio signals from the device while
`displaying video signals and reproducing audio signals that
`arrive over the network. Attempts by the network to estab—
`lish a connection with the device result
`in the device
`automatically establishing the connection. Then the device
`activates its internal recording systems to play the prere—
`corded video message and transmit it over the network. The
`Operator is later able [0 Play the recorde‘i Signals and View
`them on the device’s built-111 display.
`
`65 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`
`/02
`//4 /52 /56
`
`LG 1004
`
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 27, 1996
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`

`1
`TELECONFERENCING CAMCORDER
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`The present invention relates generally to video telecon-
`ferencing and, more specifically,
`to devices which make
`video teleconferencing less expensive and more convenient:
`namely, a specially-devised portable video recorder that can
`be used as a regular recording video camera and as a
`teleconferencing terminal and video answering machine.
`2. Description of Related Art
`The ordinary telephone is now over 100 years old. People
`have come to take for granted and to depend upon the ability
`to carry on, with ease, conversations with persons located
`halfway around the world. With the recent blossoming of
`cellular telephone service, the parties conversing do not have
`to be tied to any wire connections. Yet a persistent dream for
`over 50 years has been the ability to add a moving image to
`a telephone so that the conversation would include sight as
`7, u
`well as sound. The terms “teleconferencing,” “video tele-
`conferencing,” “video-eonferencing,
`video telephone”,
`and “video—phone” all refer to a communication system that
`provides simultaneous sound and visual communication
`with a simplicity of operation similar to that of current
`telephones.
`Much more business information could be readily trans-
`mitted if telephones were video as well as audio. Decisions
`could be made more rapidly and with more certainty if the
`parties could see and gauge each other’s expressions. In
`terms of personal conversations, visual contact would allow
`more rapid and accurate communication of important emo—
`tions. Technological limitations of the present telephone and
`TV cable infrastructures have proven to be the primary
`stumbling blocks to achieving visual contact during a tele-
`phone conversation. That is, the technology to capture video
`as well as audio is well developed, but video signals have a
`large bandwidth which readily exceeds the capacity of
`present cables and other transmission systems. However, the
`completion of a fiberoptic infrastructure and the recent
`advances in signal compression should go a long way to
`overcoming these problems. In just a few years millions of
`people may be video conferencing.
`transmission
`However,
`fiberoptic
`cables
`and other
`enhancements will not cause teleconferencing to appear
`overnight. Consumers will need specially designed telecon—
`ferencing hardware to take advantage of the new commu—
`nication medium. Imagine the millions upon millions of
`telephones that will have to be replaced by video-telephone
`systems. This will result in considerable equipment expense
`for the consumer. The consumer might solve the problem by
`using video cameras contained in a housing with a speaker
`and microphone placed on top or near a television or
`computer monitor. Another, and possibly more costly, alter—
`native is the use of special telephones that include a video
`display, video camera, microphone, and speaker.
`One can expect a well-equipped video-phone user to have
`all the accoutrcmcnts of the present telephone user. Thus, an
`additional expense will doubtless be the video answering
`machine. A complete system may be so costly that many
`consumers may not have the resources to enjoy teleconfer-
`encing. Widespread acceptance of new types of consumer
`electronics is often very cost sensitive. For example, color
`television, video cassette tape recorders (VCRs), and home
`computers were on the market for a considerable period of
`time before the availability of inexpensive hardware made
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
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`3O
`
`35
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`4O
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`45
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`50
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`55
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`6O
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`65
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`14
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`5,550,754
`
`2
`
`them popular. If economical teleconferencing hardware is
`available, the acceptance of that technology may be accel-
`erated.
`
`Although commonly-available hardware like the ubiqui—
`tous portable video camera/recorder (camcorder) has some
`of the attributes of a teleconferencing systems, current
`hardware has many drawbacks. The home camcorder can
`provide audio and visual pickup, but lacks simultaneous
`incoming and outgoing signal processing capabilities, phone
`ringing, dialing, and answering machine capabilities and, in
`most cases, has an inadequate image display to be useful in
`teleconferencing. The consumer will need to purchase addi-
`tional components to even use a camcorder in a teleconfer-
`encing system.
`Specialized video-phone hardware developed to date also
`fails to offer an economical solution. U.S. Pat. No. 5 ,046,079
`to Hashimoto provides a special telephone answering device
`with a TV telephone. This unit can record an incoming
`picture as well as an incoming message. Like a standard
`answering machine, it also transmits a prerecorded message.
`This device can record an incoming video signal, but has no
`means for producing or transmitting a video signal in turn.
`U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,691 to Dunlap teaches the use of a dual
`deck VCR to act as a video telephone answering machine.
`Essentially, the unit is a dual VCR with telephone answering
`machine logic so that a video—phone line will be automati—
`cally answered, a prerecorded video message will be trans-
`mitted to the caller, and a video message from the caller will
`be recorded. There is no provision for facilities to produce
`the outgoing message.
`
`OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`It is an object of the present invention to provide a single
`unit that economically supplies the basic parts of a video
`telephone system;
`It is another object of the present invention to also provide
`the functions of a portable video camera! recorder or cam-
`corder in the same unit; and
`
`It is a further object of the present invention to also
`provide a video-phone answering machine in the same unit.
`Given the scope of the prior art, it is the object of this
`present invention to provide a device that is both a portable
`hand-held camcorder and is also a complete teleconferenc-
`ing device that comprises audio and video-phone circuitry
`and audio and video answering capability. Economy is
`achieved by allowing components to be used for multiple
`purposes. The video camera is used for both camcorder
`purposes, i.e., on vacations, etc., and teleconferencing pur—
`poses, i.e., for recording video messages and for transmitting
`the user’s image during a teleconference. An image display
`is used as a viewfinder so the user knows exactly what image
`the video camera is capturing, and also as a teleconferencing
`display to show the image of the distant caller during a
`teleconference. The speaker and microphone are also shared
`between camcorder and teleconferencing modes. The video
`and audio recorder and playback component is utilized for
`camcorder recording and for automatic video and audio
`answering capability.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The objects and features of the present invention, which
`are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the
`appended claims. The present
`invention, both as to its
`organization and manner of operation, together with further
`
`14
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`

`5,550,754
`
`3
`objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference
`to the following description, taken in connection with the
`accompanying drawings.
`FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art video-phone;
`FIG. 2 illustrates a prior art computer teleconferencing
`system;
`FIG. 3 illustrates a prior art teleconferencing arrange—
`ment;
`
`FIG. 4 illustrates a prior art camcorder configuration;
`FIG. 5 illustrates a prior art distortion of a camcorder’s
`operator who’s image is being captured when viewing a
`viewfinding screen;
`FIG. 6 illustrates the preferred placement of camcorder
`camera in relation to a teleconferencing display;
`FIG. 7 illustrates a preferred captured image of a con-
`feree;
`
`10
`
`15
`
`FIG. 8 illustrates a configuration of a complete telecam-
`corder terminal;
`FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of the telecamcorder of FIG.
`
`20
`
`8;
`
`FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of the telecamcorder of
`FIG. 8 when placed on a surface for teleconferencing;
`FIG. 11 illustrates the telecamcorder of FIG. 8 that is
`raised to improve the image while captured while confer-
`encing;
`FIG. 12 illustrates a telecamcorder configuration where
`the camera is rotated by a knob;
`FIG. 13 illustrates a telecamcorder configuration where
`the camera is rotated by a spinning turret;
`FIG. 14 illustrates the telecamcorder of FIG. 8 when
`placed above or below an external monitor;
`FIG. 15 illustrates a telecamcorder that is modular;
`FIG. 16 illustrates a side view of a telecamcorder that is
`modular;
`FIG. 17 illustrates a telecamcorder that has a detachable
`teleconferencing display;
`FIG. 18‘illustrates a side view of the telecamcorder with
`a detachable teleconferencing display that is in teleconfer-
`encing mode;
`FIG. 19 illustrates a side view of the telecamcorder in
`camcorder mode with
`the
`teleconferencing
`display
`detached;
`FIG. 20 illustrates a telecamcorder with a partially-sil-
`vered mirror enabling eye contact;
`FIG. 21 illustrates a preferred placement of a telecam-
`corder camera when placed behind a semitransparent dis-
`play;
`FIG. 22 illustrates a preferred displayed appearance of a
`conferee that can achieve eye contact with a local conferee;
`FIG. 23 illustrates a telecamcorder with a semitransparent
`display;
`FIG. 24 illustrates a top view of the telecamcorder of FIG.
`23;
`FIG. 25 illustrates a side view of the telecamcorder of
`FIG. 23;
`
`FIG. 26 illustrates a telecamcorder with a semitransparent
`display that may detach from the main housing and is raised
`for improved image capturing while conferencing;
`FIG. 27 illustrates a side view of the telecamcorder of
`FIG. 26 in teleconferencing mode;
`FIG. 28 illustrates a side view of the telecamcorder of
`FIG. 26 in camcorder mode with the display detached;
`
`25
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`30
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`FIG. 29 illustrates a telecamcorder with a camera that, can
`be aimed by remote control;
`FIG. 30 represents a block diagram of a telecamcorder of
`the present invention; and
`FIG. 31 represents a block diagram of a telecamcorder
`with answering machine functions.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`
`The following description is provided to enable any
`person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and
`sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventors of
`carrying out their invention. Various modifications, how-
`ever, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art,
`since the generic principles of the present invention have
`been defined herein specifically to provide a camcorder
`which can also act as a video telephone and as a video
`telephone answering machine.
`A basic review of teleconferencing terminal configura-
`tions is helpful in understanding the present invention. The
`first and best known video-phone configuration is illustrated
`in FIG. 1. Here a phone unit 120 has a small video display
`100 and a video camera 102. A phone line 104 carries both
`incoming and outgoing audio and video signals. A network
`access control
`(dial) 106 allows network access to any
`desired video-phone. A hand-held receiver 108 may be used
`or a speaker phone arrangement (not shown) may be used.
`Various adaptations and modifications of this basic configu-
`ration are well known in the art.
`
`Recently personal computers with a GUI (graphical user’ 5
`interface) such as MACINTOSH or WINDOWS have been
`used in rudimentary teleconferencing. The computer hard-
`ware and operating system compress and decompress video
`signals and display in a small “window” on the user’s
`screen. FIG. 2 shows a GUI computer configured for tele-
`conferencing. A video conferencing device 110 is placed
`above or built into a computer monitor 118 with a camera
`102 placed above and on center with display 100. The device
`includes a speaker 112 and a microphone 114 that operate
`like a speaker phone. A computer 116 is connected to a
`phone network by the line 104 and also supports multitask-
`ing software which enables the display of a conferee on a
`monitor 118 during execution and display of various com-
`puter programs.
`A final basic teleconferencing configuration is illustrated
`in FIG. 3. Here a separate teleconferencing phone 122 with
`network access controls 106 is capable of receiving and
`sending signals through the phone line 104. A typical phone
`handset 108 may be employed or a speaker phone arrange-
`ment (not shown) may be used. The teleconferencing phone
`122 is connected by a line 124 to a television monitor 126
`for displaying the image of the'distant conferee on a display
`100. A speaker 112 of the television 126 may also be used
`for producing the audio portion of the teleconference. A
`video camera 128 connected to the phone 122 by a line 130
`is placed on top of the television and captures the image of
`the local conferee. A tripod 132 or similar device may be
`used to position the camera.
`The present invention uses a configuration of components
`fundamentally diiferent from the configurations previously
`mentioned by restructuring a camcorder so that it may also
`serve as a complete teleconferencing system. A prior art
`camcorder consists primarily of an electronic camera, a
`recording and playback device, a microphone, a viewfinder,
`and a portable power supply all contained in a housing that
`
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`5,550,754
`
`5
`can be held while in use. A camcorder (telecamcorder) of the
`present invention contains an integral video-phone capable
`of receiving and sending teleconferencing signals and
`includes a built-in display to view an incoming teleconfer-
`encing signal and a video pickup device that can produce an
`image of the operator for transmission during teleconfer-
`encing. The telecamcorder operates either as a conventional
`camcorder or a teleconferencing tenninal allowing one
`single device to have multiple uses. Also, an audio and video
`answering machine is provided by utilizing the integral
`recording medium of the camcorder.
`Quality teleconferencing requires restructuring of the
`camcorder’s basic elements. The video camera component
`must be capable of capturing scenes like a typical cam-
`corder, but must also be capable of capturing an image of the
`operator during teleconferences. Any camcorder can do this
`if the camcorder lens is turned towards the operator during
`teleconferencing. However, the current invention uses the
`display/viewfinder screen of the camcorder as the display
`screen of a video telephone. Thus, the device must allow the
`screen and camera to face in the same direction.
`
`There currently are camcorders with viewfinder screens
`large enough to serve in teleconferencing. Furthermore,
`some of these devices have flexible camera mounts that can
`allow the camera to be pointed at the operator viewing the
`camcorder display. However, these devices, even if they
`were equipped with electronics for teleconferencing, would
`have serious limitations. As seen in FIG. 4, such a device has
`its camera 102 mounted on a handgrip 134 that is attached
`to the main housing 136 by a rotating pivot 138. The device
`can capture the image of the operator when the pivot 138 is
`turned toward the operator as is seen in the figure. The
`camera 102 is located below and to the right of the right
`vertical edge of the viewfinding display 101.
`With such an arrangement a captured image of the opera-
`tor will be distorted. FIG. 5 illustrates the image of the
`operator captured while looking at the viewfinding display.
`A camcorder operator 139 in the display 101 appears to be
`looking up and to the right and also appears to be facing in
`that direction, thereby exposing the operator’s 139 left ear.
`This device, even if it were capable of teleconferencing,
`would provide extremely poor results because the distortion
`would hinder natural conversation. The conferees would
`appear to one another as disinterested; the lack of straight
`face-on viewing would frustrate comfortable conversation
`and thereby negate the intent of teleconferencing.
`The telecamcorder of the present invention serves two
`distinct functions as a image/audio recording device and as
`a self-contained teleconferencing terminal. Unlike tradi-
`tional camcorders where only one signal is processed, the
`telecamcorder, while in teleconferencing mode, simulta-
`neously processes an outgoing audio/image signal and
`incoming audio/image signal. In the teleconferencing mode
`the device may also serve as an audio phone in the case
`where the distant caller has an audio—only phone or where
`either party chooses to suppress the images of incoming
`and/or outgoing video signals to ensure visual privacy. A
`telecamcorder as disclosed here also functions as a telecon-
`
`ferencing answering machine, and thereby eliminates the
`added cost of a separate answering machine.
`In both the teleconferencing and camcorder modes the
`same camera optics are used and are designed to allow
`optimal performance in both modes. Features such as zoom
`and auto focus and numerous other special features common
`to camcorders may also be advantageously applied to tele-
`conferencing. Numerous nonoptical camcorder features,
`
`6
`
`such as video snapshots, time codes, and covers to protect
`the lens and display, may also be applied as desired to the
`camcorder configurations of this invention and adapted to
`teleconferencing when applicable. Or the display may be
`hinged to the main housing and fold down for protection,
`rather like the display of a notebook computer.
`FIG. 6 illustrates the preferred placement of the camera.
`The camera is placed either above 142 or below 144 the
`horizontal perimeters of the display 100. The camera is
`positioned along a perpendicular axis that passes through a
`center 146 of the display 100. FIG. 7 illustrates the appear-
`ance of a conferee whose image is being captured by the
`camera in position 142 of FIG. 6. The appearance is
`improved over the appearance of the operator 139 in FIG. 5
`because in FIG. 7 the conferee 140 faces straight ahead and
`not to the side in the display 100. This permits natural
`conversation in which people face each other while talking.
`Even with this improved conversational appearance the
`cortferees cannot achieve eye contact because the camera is
`directed away from the eyes of the conferee who gazes
`toward the displayed image of the distant conferee and not
`toward the camera. This problem is a problem of parallax
`and frustrates all teleconferencing systems unless specific
`technologies are employed to overcome it.
`When the camera in position 142 of FIG. 6 captures the
`image of the conferee, the conferee appears to be looking
`downward, as illustrated by the conferee 140 of FIG. 7.
`Likewise, when the camera in position 144 of FIG. 6
`captures the image of the conferee, that conferee appears to
`be looking upward (not shown). Despite the lack of eye
`contact, mounting the camera above 142 or the camera
`below 144 the horizontal edges of the display and between
`the vertical edges, preferably along the center axis, does
`allow quality straight-on face—to—face conversation.
`FIG. 8 shows a telecamcorder configured for use as a
`self-contained teleconferencing terminal as well as a cam-
`corder. FIG. 8 illustrates the telecamcorder in teleconfer—
`encing mode where the camera 102 is pointed in the same
`direction as the viewing side of the display 100 which
`images the distant conferee from the incoming video tele—
`phone signal. The display may be of any type, but thin,
`lightweight displays, such as an active matrix LCD, are
`preferred. The camera 102 is placed above the display 100
`along a center axis 150, permitting straightaon facevto—face
`conversation. The microphone 114, an optional light 152,
`and a remote sensor 154, along with the camera 102, are
`contained on a camera boom 156 that can rotate a full 360
`degrees on a pivot 158. In camcorder mode, the camera
`boom 156 is turned 180 degrees, allowing the camera 102,
`the microphone 114, the light 152, and the sensor 154 to be
`directed toward the action to be videographed while using
`the display 100 as a camera viewfinder. The camera boom
`156 may be pointed in any direction in either teleconfer-
`encing mode or camcorder mode, thus allowing recording of
`the operator’s own image while in camcorder mode or
`capturing other images besides the local conferee for trans—
`mission to the distant conferee while in teleconferencing
`mode.
`
`The camera boom 156 is connected to a rotating hand-grip
`160 by a pivot 158. The hand-grip 160 is, in turn, connected
`to a main housing 148 by a pivot 162. The hand-grip 160
`serves as a battery housing and also contains controls 164 for
`various features such as camera zoom and record/playback
`functions. The pivot 162 allows the hand-grip 160 to rotate
`vertically, and thereby positions camera boom 156 as well.
`As a result, camera boom 156 can be adjusted vertically by
`the pivot 162 and horizontally by the pivot 158. Such a
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`positioning arrangement allows the camera 102 to provide a
`multitude of framing options and, particularly, allows con-
`trol over the conferee’s own image during teleconferencing.
`The telecamcorder of FIG. 8 may also include a tradi-
`tional single-eye viewfinder 166. A mounting bracket 168
`attaches the viewfinder 166 and has two pivots allowing
`vertical 170 and horizontal 172 positioning of the viewfinder
`166. The viewfinder 166 may be optical or may contain a
`small electronic display that displays the image captured by
`the camera 102. The single-eye viewfinder 166 causes less
`battery drain than the larger teleconferencing display 100, an
`important factor in situations where long battery life is a
`necessity. Also, the single-eye viewfinder 166 allows the
`camcorder operator
`to more effectively track moving
`objects. The telecamcorder may be configured without the
`single-eye viewfinder 166 and then utilizes one display 100
`as both teleconferencing display and viewfinder. The single—
`eye viewfinder 166 may also simply be a second video
`display which is viewed with one eye or both eyes and is
`substantially smaller than the display 100 used for telecon-
`ferencing. If the viewfinder, as well as the display screen, is
`provided by an electronic display, either the display screen
`or the viewfinder may be configured for use in both the
`camcorder mode and the teleconferencing mode.
`The microphone 114 of FIG. 8 serves as audio pick-up for
`both camcorder mode and teleconferencing mode. The
`microphone 114 can be repositioned to face in the same
`direction or in the opposite direction as the display 100. The
`speaker 112 is provided for reproducing an audio signal
`from the distant conferee while in teleconferencing mode or
`for reproducing audio during playback of recorded material.
`In teleconferencing mode the speaker 112 and the micro-
`phone 114 serve as aspeaker phone. Additional speakers and
`microphones may be added as desired, either within the
`main housing 148 or as external speakers and microphones.
`Speaker volume and microphone sensitivity may be con-
`trolled by automatic circuits or manual controls may be
`provided. Controls for suppression of either speaker and/or
`microphone may also be included.
`A separate handset unit 174 that includes a microphone
`176 and a speaker 178 may serve in addition to or in lieu of
`the previously-mentioned built-in speaker phone. The hand-
`set 174 functions similarly to a traditional phone receiver
`and can be directly connected to the main housing by a line
`184 by means of common phone jacks (not shown). Alter-
`natively, the microphone 176 and the speaker 178 may be
`mounted on a headset (not shown). Microphone 176 and
`speaker 178 may additionally serve as a remote speaker
`phone that includes sensitivity controls for either hand-held
`use close to the ear and mouth, or for speaker phone use
`placed near the conferee.
`When handset 174 is used as a remote speaker phone, the
`speaker 178 may be suppressed and the speaker 112 of the
`telecamcorder or another speaker near the display 100 may
`be substituted to create the impression that audio is coming
`from the direction of the distant conferee whose image is
`being displayed. In that case, the microphone 176 serves as
`a speaker phone microphone and the handset 174 is placed
`near the local conferee. The handset 74 also contains net-
`work access controls 186, telecamcorder controls 188, and a
`latch 190 which mates with latch 92 on the main housing
`148. Cordless phone technology can be employed in place of
`the line 184 and is the preferred configuration when the
`telecamcorder is used with an auxiliary monitor, such as a
`television, and the conferee is several feet away from the
`telecamcorder.
`
`The handset 174 transmits and receives cordless phone
`signals through an integral antenna 194 and a main housing
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`antenna 196. The telecamcorder controls 188 may be linked
`to the main housing 148 by infrared signals using a sensor
`198 on the handset 174 and a sensor 156 on the main housing
`148. Cordless phone technology need not be limited to a
`hand-held unit, but may be included on a headset or other
`common arrangement. The telecamcorder controls 188 can
`also utilize cordless phone technology (not shown), and
`thereby eliminate the need for infrared or similar remote
`control means.
`FIG. 9 shows a left side view of the telecamcorder
`illustrated in FIG. 8. This figure shows the dialing controls
`186 and the telecamcorder controls 188 built into the main
`housing 148. Built—in controls may serve in lieu of controls
`on the handset 174, or both sets of controls may be employed
`on a single telecamcorder. Electronic connectors are illus-
`trated, including a low voltage connection 200, an incoming/
`outgoing phone connection 202, an RGB-out connection
`204, and a television-out connection 206.
`FIG. 10 illustrates a right side view of the telecamcorder
`of FIG. 8. Here the main housing 148 is positioned on a table
`top or flat surface 208 and angled backwards by positioning
`arm 210. The arm 210 moves away from the unit so the main
`housing 148 can lean backward,
`toward the horizontal,
`pointing the display 100 upwards. Likewise, when the
`positioning arm 210 is moved toward the main housing 148,
`angle of the display 100 moves toward the vertical. When
`the positioning arm 210 is closed into the back of the main
`housing 148, the telecamcorder is able to stand by itself with
`the display 100 in a vertical position.
`The various positioning angles of the display 100 permits
`comfortable viewing of the display 100 during teleconfer-
`encing. The hand grip 160 can be slightly tilted backward by
`means of the pivot 162 that connects it to the main housing.
`This enables the camera 102 to be adjusted in the vertical
`direction to produce a desired framing of the local conferee.
`Also, adjustments of the aiming direction can be made in a
`horizontal direction by the pivot 158. A removable recording
`medium 209 is placed into the telecamcorder through a door
`212 which is released by a latch 214 and then closed for
`recording.
`FIG. 11 shows an alternative design for using the tele-
`camcorder placed on the surface of a desk or table. The
`embodiment explained above leans backwards when placed
`on a surface. This may introduce additional distortion into
`the image of the local conferee or of the surroundings. One
`method of avoiding this problem is to include means to
`elevate the telecamcorder to approximate eye level of the
`local conferee. In this way the camera 102 is directed
`straight at the conferee rather than at an angle. Elevation can
`be achieved by providing a separate stand that is attached to
`the telecamcorder or, as in FIG. 11, a self-contained means
`of elevation can be used. In the figure, two extension rods
`216 are designed to telescope into the main housing 148
`when not in use. Attached to the rods 216 is a flat resting
`plate 218 that closes up onto the bottom of the main housing
`148 when the rods 216 are not extended. Additional foldout
`legs 220 are hingedly attached to the plate 218 and provide
`extra stability. A latch 222 is provided on the main housing
`148 to lock the rods 216 at any desired height. Other means
`of providing built-in elevation will be apparent to those of
`ordinary skill in the art and may be applied to all of the
`disclosed embodiments.
`
`FIG. 12 sh