Wireless hand-held digital camera

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said step of: receiving said related image data includes a substep of receiving said related image data automatically echoed between said hand-held camera and said host computer.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said step of transmitting said raw image data includes a substep of storing said raw image data at said host computer.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of: receiving said related image data includes a substep of receiving enhanced image data, wherein said enhanced image data is generated at said host computer by processing said raw image data that is transmitted from said hand-held camera; and forming said image from said related image data comprises processing said enhanced image data and forming an enhanced image.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein said substep of receiving said enhanced image data is executed in continuity with said steps of transmitting said raw Image data and forming said enhanced image, such that said enhanced image is formed at said hand-held camera in substantially real time with said capturing of said raw image data.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4 wherein said step of transmitting said raw image data includes a substep of transferring said raw image data to a network of processors that rapidly processes said raw image data into said enhanced image data.

Claim 8

The method of claim 4 wherein said step of receiving said enhanced image data comprises wirelessly inputting said raw image data originally captured by said hand-held camera and transmitted to said host computer for enhancement with respect to at least one of: adjusting said raw image data for color balance; adjusting said raw Image data for gamma; adjusting luminance; filtering said raw image data; and changing zoom factors.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 further including a step of buffering said raw image data in a memory within said hand-held camera.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 wherein sold step of transmitting said raw image data comprises transmitting said image data in parallel via a plurality of wireless channels and wherein said step of receiving said related image data comprises receiving said related image data in parallel transmissions via a plurality of wireless channels.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 wherein said step of forming an image includes a substep of dynamically dithering pixel values of said related image data, thereby displaying a higher resolution image.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 further comprising steps of: receiving said stored image data from memory of said host computer, wherein said stored image data represents a previously captured image, including using said hand-held camera to browse a database of captured images and to select said previously captured image; and forming an image from said stored image data that is received from said memory.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 further including the steps of: capturing audio data; and transferring said audio data to said host computer during said continuous session via said wireless link.

Claim 14

The method of claim 1 further including the steps of: receiving, as an automated response by said host computer, audio data at said hand-held camera during said continuous session via said wireless link; and projecting sound that is representative of said audio data from a transducer of said hand-held camera.

Claim 15

The method of claim 1 further including the step of receiving a broadcast signal via said wireless link from a broadcast signal source.

Claim 16

A wireless digital imaging system comprising: a camera housing; imaging means incorporated into said camera housing for imaging a subject and generating digital image data representative of said subject; camera transceiver means, incorporated into said camera housing and operationally associated with said imaging means, for transmitting said digital image data to a remote computer over a wireless communications link and for subsequently receiving said digital image data from said remote computer over said wireless communications link; control interface means incorporated into said camera housing for generating requests for image processing operations to be performed at said remote computer, said control interface means being user controlled and being cooperative with said camera transceiver means to transmit said requests to said remote computer via said wireless communication link, said control interface means enabling browsing through said digital image data transmitted via said camera transceiver means for storage in a database of images at said remote computer, where determinations of which of said images are accessed during said browsing are controlled by operation of said control interface means; and camera display means, attached to said camera housing and operationally associated with said camera transceiver means, for displaying an image that corresponds to said digital image data that has been received by said camera transceiver means from said remote computer, said camera display means being cooperative with said control interface means to display images from said database of said remote computer during said browsing.

Claim 17

A wireless digital imaging system comprising: a camera housing; imaging means incorporated into said camera housing for imaging a subject and generating digital image data representative of said subject; camera transceiver means, incorporated into said camera housing and operationally associated with said imaging means, for transmitting said digital image data to a remote computer over a wireless communications link and for subsequently receiving said digital image data from said remote computer over said wireless communications link; control interface means incorporated into said camera housing for generating requests for image processing operations to be performed at said remote computer, said control interface means being user controlled and being cooperative with said camera transceiver means to transmit said requests to said remote computer via said wireless communication link, said control interface means enabling browsing through said digital image data transmitted via said camera transceiver means for storage in a database of images at said remote computer, where determinations of which of said images are accessed during said browsing are controlled by operation of said control interface means; and camera display means, attached to said camera housing and operationally associated with said camera transceiver means, for displaying an image that corresponds to said digital image data that has been received by said camera transceiver means from said remote computer, said camera display means being cooperative with said control interface means to display images from said database of said remote computer during said browsing.

Claim 18

The system of claim 15 wherein said remote computer has a computer transceiver means for receiving said digital image data from said camera transceiver means and for transmitting said digital image data to said camera transceiver means, and said remote computer has a computer memory means operatively associated with said computer transceiver means for accessibly storing said digital image data received from said camera transceiver means, thereby forming said database of images through which said browsing is enabled by said control interface means.

Claim 19

The system of claim 16 wherein said remote computer has an image processor, said image processor having an input for inputting said digital image data from said camera transceiver means and having an output for outputting enhanced digital image data that is generated from said input digital image data.

Claim 20

The system of claim 15 further including a camera memory means having an input from said imaging means for buffering said digital image data.

Claim 21

The system of claim 15 wherein said camera transceiver means includes: a multi-channel transmitter for transmitting said digital image data in parallel over a plurality of wireless channels; and a multi-channel receiver for receiving said digital image data in parallel over said plurality of wireless channels.