Camera controlled by cover pushing action

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of cameras, in particular to a camera controlled through cover pushing actions. Comprising a camera body, a lens unit, an image processing unit, a data transmission unit, a power supply unit and a control unit are integrated in the camera body, a lens hole is formed in the front end of the camera body, the lens unit is in butt joint with the lens hole, and a lens cover used for covering the lens hole is further arranged at the front end of the camera body. A sliding block is arranged on the back of the lens cover, a sliding groove is formed in the camera body, the lens cover is connected to the front end of the camera body in a sliding mode through cooperation of the sliding block and the sliding groove, and a power-on button and a power-off button are arranged on the two sides in the sliding groove respectively. Operations of opening and closing the lens hole and opening and closing the lens unit can be performed synchronously, so that a user only needs to open the lens cover when using the camera, and too many tedious operations are not needed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of cameras, and in particular to a camera controlled by a cover-pushing action. Background Art

[0002] As a video input device, the camera module is widely used in video conferencing, telemedicine and real-time monitoring. An existing camera module can be purchased as an independent product and applied to a display screen. When the camera pixels on some computers or TVs are low or there is no camera, people will buy this camera and fix it with a camera bracket.

[0003] This type of camera generally does not have a lens protection cover structure in its structural setting, which causes a certain amount of dust to be generated at the lens position after a period of use. In order to solve this problem, the prior art has also proposed some lens protection cover structures, but the existing lens protection covers are generally set in a detachable manner, which is troublesome to disassemble and assemble, and the lens protection cover is easy to lose after removal; in addition, the camera needs to be switched on or off when it is in use or not, that is, the user needs to open the lens protection cover and turn on the lens when using the camera, and the camera bracket is basically set to a structure that can be adjusted at any angle. When opening or covering the lens protection cover, and performing operations such as turning the camera on and off, the angle of the lens is easily offset, resulting in the need to adjust the lens angle once before each use.

[0004] In summary, the existing camera modules of this type have many deficiencies in the setting and operation of the lens protection cover, which need to be further improved and optimized. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings, the present invention aims to provide a technical solution that can solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0006] A camera controlled by a cover-pushing action comprises a camera body, wherein a lens unit, an image processing unit, a data transmission unit, a power supply unit and a control unit are integrated and arranged inside the camera body, a lens hole is arranged at the front end of the camera body, the lens unit is docked with the lens hole, a lens cover for covering the lens hole is also arranged at the front end of the camera body, a sliding block is arranged at the back of the lens cover, a sliding groove is arranged inside the camera body, the lens cover is slidably connected to the front end of the camera body through the cooperation of the sliding block and the sliding groove, a power-on button and a power-off button are respectively arranged at two sides of the sliding groove, and the lens unit, the image processing unit, the data transmission unit, the power-on button, the power-off button and the control unit are respectively electrically connected to the control unit; The sliding block contacts the power button when the lens cover slides to open the lens hole, and contacts the power off button when the lens cover slides to close the lens. The power button is used to generate a power on command to open the lens unit, and the power off button is used to generate a power off command to close the lens unit.

[0007] Preferably, the control unit is provided with a timing module. After the power button is triggered, the control unit starts the timing module and detects the data transmission unit. If the data transmission unit does not run within the preset time range of the timing module, a shutdown command is automatically generated. If the data transmission unit runs within the preset time range of the timing module, the preset time range is calculated again after the data transmission unit runs.

[0008] Preferably, the power-on button is configured to be triggered by a long press or multiple taps within a unit time to generate a power-on instruction, and the power-off button is configured to be triggered by a tap to generate a power-off instruction.

[0009] Preferably, an installation window is provided at the front end of the camera body, a lens mount is fixedly installed at the position of the installation window, a fixed panel is fixed in front of the lens mount, the lens hole and the sliding groove are both arranged on the lens mount; a light-transmitting portion is provided at a position corresponding to the lens hole on the fixed panel; a guide long hole is provided at a position corresponding to the sliding groove on the fixed panel, the lens cover is located in front of the fixed panel, a connecting portion which passes through the guide long hole is provided on the back of the lens cover, and the lens cover is fixedly connected to the sliding block after passing through the guide long hole through the connecting portion.

[0010] Preferably, a cover slot and an open cover slot are provided in the sliding groove, and an elastic block is formed on the sliding block. The sliding block is restricted in sliding by the snap fit between the elastic block and the cover closing slot or the open cover slot. When the lens cover slides to cover the lens hole, the sliding block is restricted in sliding by the snap fit between the elastic block and the cover closing slot; when the lens cover slides to open the lens hole, the sliding block is restricted in sliding by the snap fit between the elastic block and the open cover slot.

[0011] Preferably, a guide abutting edge is provided on the back of the fixed panel, and an abutting protrusion is provided on the side of the sliding block, and the sliding block abuts and cooperates with the guide abutting edge of the fixed panel through the abutting protrusion.

[0012] Preferably, the camera body includes a shell, a fixed bracket connected to the lower end of the shell, and a PCB board installed inside the shell, the lens unit, image processing unit, data transmission unit, power supply unit and control unit are all integrated on the PCB board, and the lens hole and sliding groove are both arranged on the shell.

[0013] Preferably, a microphone penetrating from the housing is also integrated on the PCB board.

[0014] Preferably, the data transmission unit is a USB serial bus.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: A lens cover for protecting the lens hole is provided, and the lens cover is arranged to be installed on the camera body in a sliding manner, so that the lens cover will not be separated from the camera body, thereby avoiding the situation of the lens cover being lost, and the lens hole is opened and closed in a sliding opening and closing manner, which is simpler to operate. In addition, on this basis, the structure of the sliding block and the sliding groove is further utilized to cleverly set the power button and the power off button, and the sliding block can be dragged to make it contact with the power on button or the power off button, so that the operation of opening and closing the lens hole and the lens unit can be achieved. When using the camera, the user only needs to open the lens cover without performing too many cumbersome operations, thereby reducing the occurrence of camera angle deviation caused by opening the lens unit, and the lens cover can be conveniently closed in the process of closing the camera, without the need to take traditional and similar means to operate again specifically to protect the lens unit.

[0016] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention when the lens cover is opened; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention when the lens cover is closed; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the lens cover of the present invention not being assembled on the camera body; Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the explosion structure of the present invention; Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the process of assembling the lens cover on the fixed panel of the present invention; Figure 6 It is a block diagram of the circuit connection module of the present invention.

[0019] The reference numerals and names in the figures are as follows: Camera body 10, installation window 101, housing 102, fixing bracket 103, PCB board 104, microphone 106, lens unit 11, image processing unit 12, data transmission unit 13, power supply unit 14, control unit 15, lens hole 16, sliding slot 17, power on button 18, power off button 19, lens cover 20, sliding block 21, elastic card block 22, abutment protrusion 23, lens mount 30, fixing panel 31, light transmitting portion 32, guide long hole 33, connecting portion 34, cover closing card slot 35, cover opening card slot 36, guide abutment edge 37. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are described clearly and completely below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] See also Figure 1-6In an embodiment of the present invention, a camera controlled by a push cover action is proposed, including a camera body 10, in which a lens unit 11, an image processing unit 12, a data transmission unit 13, a power supply unit 14 and a control unit 15 are integrated; the lens unit 11 is responsible for collecting and focusing the light from the outside world onto the image sensor, so that the light of the scene being photographed can be accurately imaged on the sensor, and lenses with different focal lengths can achieve different viewing angles and shooting distances. The image processing unit 12 performs digital processing on the original analog image signal generated by the lens unit 11 focusing on the image sensor, including operations such as amplification, filtering, and sampling of the signal, so as to convert it into digital image data that can be recognized and processed by subsequent devices; and performs a series of enhancement processing on the digital image data, and according to different application requirements, converts the processed image data into a suitable image format, such as common formats such as JPEG and PNG, so as to facilitate storage, transmission and display on different devices. The data transmission unit 13 packages and encodes the image data processed by the image processing unit 12 according to a specific communication protocol, and then sends it out through the corresponding physical interface to ensure that the data can be accurately and stably transmitted to the receiving devices such as computers, servers, mobile phones, etc. connected thereto. The power supply unit 14 converts the external input power into the appropriate voltage and current specifications required by each unit inside the camera. Different units require different voltage levels to work normally. The power supply unit 14 can effectively regulate the voltage and distribute the current to ensure that each unit can obtain a stable and matching power supply. The control unit 15 controls the zooming, focusing and other operations of the lens unit 11 according to the user's settings, the instructions of the application program or the preset working mode, and coordinates the image processing parameter settings of the image processing unit 12, the transmission mode and rate selection of the data transmission unit 13, etc., to ensure that the various units can work together to achieve the normal shooting, image acquisition and transmission functions of the camera.

[0022] On this basis, the present invention further proposes that a lens hole 16 is provided at the front end of the camera body 10, the lens unit 11 is connected to the lens hole 16, a lens cover 20 for covering the lens hole 16 is also provided at the front end of the camera body 10, a sliding block 21 is provided at the back of the lens cover 20, a sliding groove 17 is provided inside the camera body 10, the lens cover 20 is slidably connected to the front end of the camera body 10 through the cooperation of the sliding block 21 and the sliding groove 17, a power button 18 and a power off button 19 are respectively provided at both sides of the sliding groove 17, and the lens unit 11, the image processing unit 12, the data transmission unit 13, the power on button 18, the power off button 19 and the control unit 15 are respectively electrically connected to the control unit 15; The sliding block 21 contacts the power button 18 when the lens cover 20 slides to open the lens hole 16, and contacts the power button 19 when the lens cover 20 slides to close the lens. The power button 18 is used to generate a power-on command to open the lens unit 11, and the power-off button 19 is used to generate a power-off command to close the lens unit 11.

[0023] In the above technical solution, a lens cover 20 for protecting the lens hole 16 is provided, and the lens cover 20 is arranged to be installed on the camera body 10 in a sliding manner, so that the lens cover 20 will not be separated from the camera body 10, thereby avoiding the loss of the lens cover 20, and the lens hole 16 is opened and closed in a sliding manner, which is simpler to operate. In addition, on this basis, the structure of the sliding block 21 and the sliding groove 17 is further utilized to cleverly set the power button 18 and the power off button 19, and the sliding block 21 can be dragged by the lens cover 20 to contact the power on button 18 or the power off button 19, so that the operation of opening and closing the lens hole 16 and the lens unit 11 can be performed synchronously, so that the user only needs to open the lens cover 20 when using the camera, without having to perform too many cumbersome operations, thereby reducing the occurrence of camera angle deviation caused by opening the lens unit 11, and the lens cover 20 can be conveniently closed in the process of closing the camera, without having to take traditional or similar means to operate again in order to protect the lens unit 11.

[0024] On the basis of the above technical solution, it is further proposed that the control unit 15 is provided with a timing module. After the power button 18 is triggered, the control unit 15 starts the timing module and detects the data transmission unit 13. If the data transmission unit 13 does not run within the preset time range of the timing module, a shutdown instruction is automatically generated. If the data transmission unit 13 runs within the preset time range of the timing module, the preset time range is calculated again after the data transmission unit 13 runs. Through this setting, if the user does not operate the lens unit 11 for a period of time after opening it, the lens unit 11 will automatically turn off even if the lens cover 20 is not closed. This effectively avoids the camera from continuously consuming electricity when it is turned on but not in use, achieves energy saving effects, and makes rational use of energy. This is especially useful for those who may open the lens unit 11 due to misoperation or fail to use the camera in time due to something urgent after opening it, thereby reducing unnecessary waste of electricity. In addition, by automatically detecting the operating status of the data transmission unit 13 and deciding whether to automatically shut down according to a preset time range, the operating time of the lens unit 11, image processing unit 12 and other related components when they are not actually functioning can be reduced. Long-term unnecessary operation may cause problems such as equipment heating and component aging, and this automatic shutdown mechanism allows these components to rest in time, thereby helping to extend the service life of the entire camera device and reduce the cost of equipment maintenance and replacement.

[0025] Please refer to Figure 6 On the basis of the above technical scheme, it is further proposed that the power button 18 is set to be triggered by long pressing or multiple tapping within a unit time to generate a power-on instruction. The power button 18 is set to be triggered by long pressing or multiple tapping within a unit time to generate a power-on instruction. This relatively complex triggering method effectively avoids the situation where the camera is accidentally turned on due to accidentally touching the lens cover 20; the power off button 19 is set to be triggered by a tapping to generate a power off instruction. The power off button 19 is set to be triggered by a tapping to generate a power off instruction, which makes the operation of turning off the camera very convenient. When the user finishes using the camera, he only needs to push the lens cover 20 to tap the power off button 19 to quickly turn off the camera. There is no need to perform a relatively complex long pressing or multiple tapping operation like turning on the camera. This meets the user's psychological expectation of quickly turning off the device when finishing use, and provides an efficient and convenient shutdown experience.

[0026] Please refer to Figure 3-5On the basis of the above technical solution, it is further proposed that a mounting window 101 is provided at the front end of the camera body 10, a lens seat 30 is fixedly installed at the position of the mounting window 101, a fixed panel 31 is fixedly connected to the front of the lens seat 30, the lens hole 16 and the sliding groove 17 are both arranged on the lens seat 30; a light-transmitting portion 32 is provided at a position corresponding to the lens hole 16 on the fixed panel 31; a guide long hole 33 is provided at a position corresponding to the sliding groove 17 on the fixed panel 31, the lens cover 20 is located in front of the fixed panel 31, and a guide slot 33 is provided on the back of the lens cover 20. The lens cover 20 passes through the guide long hole 33 through the connecting portion 34 and is fixedly connected to the sliding block 21. During the assembly process, the lens mount 30 and the camera body 10 are fixedly installed in advance, and then the sliding block 21 and the lens cover 20 are assembled on the fixed panel 31. Finally, the fixed panel 31 is snapped onto the lens mount 30 to complete the installation. This installation method is simple and can ensure the firmness of the overall installation. The fixed panel 31 of different sizes, models or colors can also be replaced according to actual needs to achieve a more flexible and changeable installation. A cover slot 35 and an open cover slot 36 are provided in the sliding groove 17, and an elastic block 22 is formed on the sliding block 21. The sliding block 21 limits its sliding by the engagement between the elastic block 22 and the cover closing slot 35 or the cover opening slot 36. When the lens cover 20 slides to cover the lens hole 16, the sliding block 21 limits its sliding by the engagement between the elastic block 22 and the cover closing slot 35; when the lens cover 20 slides to open the lens hole 16, the sliding block 21 limits its sliding by the engagement between the elastic block 22 and the cover opening slot 36, so that the lens cover 20 can be more stable after opening and closing without shaking, and the lens cover 20 will not slip when the camera is adjusted to some more inclined angles. A guiding abutting edge 37 is provided on the back of the fixed panel 31, and an abutting protrusion 23 is provided on the side of the sliding block 21. The sliding block 21 abuts against the guiding abutting edge 37 of the fixed panel 31 through the abutting protrusion 23, so that the lens cover 20 has a certain damping during the dragging process, so that the whole will not feel loose during use and affect the use effect.

[0027] Please refer to Figure 3-6On the basis of the above technical solution, it is further proposed that the camera body 10 includes a housing 102, a fixing bracket 103 connected to the lower end of the housing 102, and a PCB board 104 installed inside the housing 102. The lens unit 11, the image processing unit 12, the data transmission unit 13, the power supply unit 14 and the control unit 15 are all integrated on the PCB board 104, and the lens hole 16 and the sliding groove 17 are all arranged on the housing 102; the housing 102 provides physical protection for each unit to prevent external factors from damaging the internal components, and also plays a certain electromagnetic shielding role, reducing the influence of external electromagnetic interference on the normal operation of the camera. The fixing bracket 103 connected to the lower end of the housing 102 facilitates the installation and fixation of the camera, so that it can be flexibly placed according to different usage scenarios. A microphone 106 penetrating from the housing 102 is also integrated on the PCB board 104, so that this camera not only has an image acquisition function, but also in application scenarios such as video conferencing and remote teaching, the user can clearly input his voice through the microphone 106, so that the other party can accurately hear the speech content. The data transmission unit 13 is a USB serial bus. The data transmission unit 13 adopts the design of USB serial bus and provides a stable and high-speed wired transmission method. When more reliable transmission performance is needed or in an environment with poor wireless signal, you can choose to connect the camera through the USB interface for data transmission to ensure the integrity and timeliness of data transmission.

[0028] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above and that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential features of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-restrictive in all respects, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the above description, and it is intended that all changes falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements of the claims be included in the present invention.

Claims

1. A camera controlled by a push cover action, characterized in that: The invention comprises a camera body (10), wherein a lens unit (11), an image processing unit (12), a data transmission unit (13), a power supply unit (14) and a control unit (15) are integrated and arranged inside the camera body (10); a lens hole (16) is arranged at the front end of the camera body (10); the lens unit (11) is connected to the lens hole (16); a lens cover (20) for covering the lens hole (16) is also arranged at the front end of the camera body (10); a sliding block (21) is arranged at the back of the lens cover (20); A sliding groove (17) is provided inside the camera body (10); a lens cover (20) is slidably connected to the front end of the camera body (10) by means of a sliding block (21) cooperating with the sliding groove (17); a power-on button (18) and a power-off button (19) are respectively arranged at two sides of the sliding groove (17); and the lens unit (11), the image processing unit (12), the data transmission unit (13), the power-on button (18), the power-off button (19) and the control unit (15) are respectively electrically connected to the control unit (15); The sliding block (21) contacts and triggers the power-on button (18) when the lens cover (20) slides to open the lens hole (16); the sliding block (21) contacts and triggers the power-off button (19) when the lens cover (20) slides to close the lens; the power-on button (18) is used to generate a power-on command to open the lens unit (11); and the power-off button (19) is used to generate a power-off command to close the lens unit (11).

2. A camera controlled by a push cover action according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit (15) is provided with a timing module. After the power button (18) is triggered, the control unit (15) starts the timing module and detects the data transmission unit (13). If the data transmission unit (13) does not operate within a preset time range of the timing module, a shutdown instruction is automatically generated. If the data transmission unit (13) operates within the preset time range of the timing module, the preset time range is calculated again after the data transmission unit (13) operates.

3. A camera controlled by a push cover action according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power-on button (18) is configured to be triggered by a long press or multiple taps within a unit time to generate a power-on command, and the power-off button (19) is configured to be triggered by a tap to generate a power-off command.

4. A camera controlled by a push cover action according to claim 1, characterized in that: A mounting window (101) is provided at the front end of the camera body (10), a lens seat (30) is fixedly mounted at the position of the mounting window (101), a fixed panel (31) is fixedly connected in front of the lens seat (30), a lens hole (16) and a sliding groove (17) are both provided on the lens seat (30); a light-transmitting portion (32) is provided at a position corresponding to the lens hole (16) on the fixed panel (31); a guide long hole (33) is provided at a position corresponding to the sliding groove (17) on the fixed panel (31), a lens cover (20) is located in front of the fixed panel (31), a connecting portion (34) is provided on the back of the lens cover (20) and is penetrated through the guide long hole (33), and the lens cover (20) is fixedly connected to the sliding block (21) after passing through the guide long hole (33) via the connecting portion (34).

5. A camera controlled by a push cover action according to claim 4, characterized in that: A cover-closing slot (35) and an opening slot (36) are provided in the sliding slot (17); an elastic block (22) is formed on the sliding block (21); the sliding block (21) is restricted from sliding by the elastic block (22) engaging with the cover-closing slot (35) or the opening slot (36); when the lens cover (20) slides to cover the lens hole (16), the sliding block (21) is restricted from sliding by the elastic block (22) engaging with the cover-closing slot (35); when the lens cover (20) slides to open the lens hole (16), the sliding block (21) is restricted from sliding by the elastic block (22) engaging with the opening slot (36).

6. A camera controlled by a push cover action according to claim 4, characterized in that: The back of the fixed panel (31) is provided with a guide abutment edge (37), the side of the sliding block (21) is provided with an abutment protrusion (23), and the sliding block (21) abuts and cooperates with the guide abutment edge (37) of the fixed panel (31) via the abutment protrusion (23).

7. A camera controlled by a push cover action according to claim 4, characterized in that: The camera body (10) comprises a housing (102), a fixing bracket (103) connected to the lower end of the housing (102), and a PCB board (104) installed inside the housing (102); a lens unit (11), an image processing unit (12), a data transmission unit (13), a power supply unit (14) and a control unit (15) are all integrated on the PCB board (104); and a lens hole (16) and a sliding groove (17) are both provided on the housing (102).

8. A camera controlled by a push cover action according to claim 7, characterized in that: A microphone (106) is also integrated on the PCB board (104) and is exposed through the housing (102).

9. A camera controlled by a push cover action according to claim 1, characterized in that: The data transmission unit (13) is a USB serial bus.

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