HAND-HELD COMPUTERS INCORPORATING REDUCED AREA IMAGING DEVICES

A reduced area-imaging device is provided for use with a miniature hand-held computer referred to in the industry as a PDA. Various configurations of the imaging device are provided which position elements of the imaging device in desired locations. The PDA includes a miniature LCD-type video screen which can display not only images taken by the camera module, but also incoming video images. The camera module may communicate with the housing of the PDA either by a wired connection, or wirelessly. The camera module is small enough that it can be stored within the housing of the PDA. The camera module may be pointed at an object within sight of the user without having to move the PDA housing in order to take an image. Any acceptable wireless standard may be used for wireless communication between the camera module and the PDA. One particularly advantageous standard includes Bluetooth.