CRT Monitor with built-in camera

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT Referring generally to FIGS.
1 and 2, the present invention relates to a compact CRT monitor 10 with a built-in camera for producing photographs from the screen of the CRT 12.
It is particularly useful for recording data from the type of CRT display which is used in monitoring devices, such as medical monitors, oscilloscopes, and related apparatus.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a relatively compact combination CRT monitor-camera unit 10 of the type shown in FIG.
1.
The unit 10 incorporates a pop-up CRT screen 12 which is pivotally mounted in a housing 14.
The CRT screen 12 is shown in its popped up "viewing" configuration in FIG.
1 and in its depressed "photographing" configuration in FIG.
2.
In the depressed configuration, a photograph 16 of an image on the CRT screen 12 can be produced in a manner which will be explained hereinafter.
With reference to FIG.
3, the main components contained within the housing 14 include the CRT 12, a lens 18, and an apparatus 20 for holding a light-sensitive medium in a plane parallel to the CRT screen 12 while an image is projected from the CRT screen 12 onto the light sensitive medium.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the light sensitive medium is an "instant" photo, produced on a device such as Polaroid's SX-70 brand "film" system, and the apparatus 20 is comprised of the film holding and handling portion of such a device.
As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, other mechanisms and films can be used without departing from the present invention.
However, the particular choice of the Polaroid unit enables a fully electronic interface to be made to the camera mechanism 20.
The lens 18 is preferably selected to be one which enlarges the image on the screen of the CRT 12 for projection onto the light sensitive medium.
This provides an advantage in that when the CRT screen 12 is depressed for photographing, the image on the screen 12 can be reduced by providing a smaller raster area on the screen 12