Claims
- 1. A video imaging system, comprising:
a camera head for transmitting image data; a camera control unit for receiving and processing said image data from said camera head; a storage device accessible by said camera control unit; and information stored on said storage device; said information used by said camera control unit for selecting hardware in said camera control unit to process the image data.
- 2. The video imaging system according to claim 1, further comprising a camera head identifier received by said camera control unit for retrieving said information from said storage device.
- 3. The video imaging system according to claim 2, wherein said camera head transmits said camera head identifier.
- 4. The video imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said camera head includes said storage device.
- 5. The video imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said camera control unit further comprises at least one replaceable hardware component.
- 6. The video system according to claim 5, wherein said information specifies said at least one replaceable hardware component.
- 7. The video system according to claim 5, wherein said at least one replaceable hardware component further includes a processor.
- 8. The video system according to claim 5, wherein said at least one replaceable hardware component further includes a memory device.
- 9. The video system according to claim 5, wherein said at least one replaceable hardware component further includes a field programmable gate array.
- 10. The video system according to claim 5, further comprising a video bus and said at least one replaceable hardware component attaches to said video bus.
- 11. The video imaging system according to claim 5, wherein said replaceable hardware component includes a connector.
- 12. The video imaging system according to claim 11, wherein said connector receives the image data.
- 13. The video imaging system according to claim 11, wherein said connector outputs a signal processed from the image data.
- 14. The video imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said camera control unit further comprises hardware capable of processing at least two different types of image data.
- 15. The video imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said information routes the image data received by said camera control unit to the hardware capable of processing a specified type of image data.
- 16. The video imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said information enables said camera control unit to issue commands to said camera head.
- 17. A video imaging system, comprising:
a camera head for transmitting image data; and a camera control unit for receiving and processing the image data from said camera head; said camera control unit includes at least one replaceable hardware component.
- 18. The video imaging system according to claim 17, further comprising a storage device accessible by said camera control unit.
- 19. The video imaging system according to claim 18, further comprising information stored on said storage device.
- 20. The video imaging system according to claim 17, further comprising a connector for outputting a signal processed from the image data.
- 21. The video imaging system according to claim 17, wherein said at least one replaceable hardware component processes at least two different types of image data.
- 22. A video imaging system, comprising:
a camera head for transmitting image data; a camera control unit for receiving and processing the image data from said camera head; said camera control unit includes at least one replaceable hardware component; and software executing on said camera control unit for selecting hardware in said camera control unit to process the image data.
- 23. The video imaging system according to claim 22, further comprising a storage device accessible by said camera control unit.
- 24. The video imaging system according to claim 23, wherein said software for selecting hardware is stored on said storage device.
- 25. A method for video imaging, comprising the steps of:
providing a camera for transmitting image data; providing a camera control unit for processing the transmitted image data; coupling a storage device to the camera control unit; storing information on the storage device; retrieving the information from the storage device; executing the information on the camera control unit; and selecting hardware in the camera control unit to process the image data.
- 26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of coupling at least one replaceable hardware component to the camera control unit.
- 27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of configuring the at least one replaceable hardware component.
- 28. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of processing at least two different types of image data.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation in part of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/______ for a “Programmable and Reconfigurable Camera Control Unit for Video Systems” filed Nov. 9, 2001.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10039931 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Child |
10034273 |
Dec 2001 |
US |