AU746290B2

AU746290B2 - Transceiver for video, language and text information

Info

Publication number: AU746290B2
Application number: AU40132/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Daniel Lecomte
Original assignee: Alcatel CIT SA; Alcatel SA
Current assignee: Alcatel Lucent SAS
Priority date: 1997-07-31
Filing date: 1997-07-31
Publication date: 2002-04-18
Anticipated expiration: 2017-07-31
Also published as: CA2267341A1; AU4013297A; WO1999007143A1

Description

1 Device for Receiving and Transmitting Video Messages, Voice Messages and Text Messages Field of the invention The concern of the invention is a device for transmitting and receiving video messages, voice messages and text messages, which are transmitted via a telecommunications network.

Background of the invention A video phone system is known from state of the art technology EP 0 666 693 Al, which comprises a PC workstation, a keyboard or mouse, a monitor, a camera and an .i 10 interface circuit for matching. In such a system, an image is transmitted to the matching circuit via an ISDN line, from this it is transmitted to the PC, again via a corresponding matching circuit and then it is displayed on the monitor. A camera located on the o* monitor takes a picture of the user, passes this straight to the interface matching circuit and transmits this, once again via the ISDN line, to a further subscriber. Such a video telephone system therefore combines a video phone device with a standard PC. The disadvantage with such a system is that the whole PC has to be switched on, to be ready for operation and that the system has been implemented in a relatively expensive manner.

Also, it is only possible to display the actual video telephone call without recording it.

Furthermore, the state of the art technology also knows a patent application JP 3- 20 201649, which explains a video answering machine. Such a video phone system is used to answer an incoming call, when the user is not present. A message received in this manner is recorded and at the same time the sending subscriber receives a message that his message is only being recorded. With such a system it is however necessary, that the sending, as well as the receiving subscriber, have equipment which is ready for reception.

Summary of the invention It is therefore the task of the present invention to create a device for transmitting and receiving video messages, which comprises simple means and is, in addition, able to process other messages of other formats. It is a further task of the invention to configure ~I the device so that the messages can be recorded, even if the subscriber does not receive them personally.

Accordingly, this invention therefore provides a message storage device for interfacing signals from at least two different media (video/image, voice, text etc) having different data formats (transmission rates and/or protocols) delivered over a telecommunication link, the interface device including: line/device interfacing means adapted to match transmission speeds and protocols between the line and the device; a controller mediating between one or more input devices, one or more output devices, one or more signal processing devices and memory means; each input device being adapted to receive at least one data format, at least one of the signals being a video message; the memory means storing under control of the controller, received via the input devices under control of the controller, directly under the control of the microcontroller, or after processing in a corresponding signal processing device; meas the controller controlling the delivery of messages from the memory :means to one or more of the output devices. It is advantageous herewith, that other messages, for example those coming from the Internet, can be displayed on such a device for transmitting and receiving video messages. Different image formats can also be 20 displayed by means of this device. It therefore follows from this, that such a system, in an advantageous form, is not only able to display images of one standard, but is also able to display images of a further standard. It is also advantageous that in its function as a video answering machine, a received image is stored in a data format and that it can be output in any other chosen data format via the monitor.

It is advantageous herewith, that other messages, for example those coming from the Internet, can be displayed on such a device for transmitting and receiving video messages. Different image standards can also be displayed by means of this device. It therefore follows from this, that such a system, in an advantageous form, is not only able i R to display images of one standard, but is also able to display images of a further standard.

003998580 T 7 -W ;0 It is also advantageous that in its function as a video answering machine, a received image is stored in a data format and that it can be output in any other chosen data format via the monitor.

According to one embodiment of the invention, information can be added to a stored video message. This means that a user, who retrieves the messages later finds out precisely when this message was recorded, its length and the day on which it was received.

According to a further embodiment, a subscriber can be informed at a particular, predetermined location about the reception of a video message on his device, which can be located e.g. at his home base. This enables him to retrieve his video messages at any time.

According to another embodiment, a video message can be edited and can be sent to further subscribers, i.e. it can be supplemented with comments. These comments can be added in the form of a text message or an additional video message.

In yet another embodiment, a traditional television set can be connected and the video message can be played back on this.

Brief description of the drawings In the following the invention is explained in more detail by means of a practical example and with the aid of the figure. The figure shows the following: Figure 1: Schematic illustration of a device for receiving and transmitting video messages, voice messages and text messages.

Detailed description of the embodiments A device for receiving and transmitting video messages, voice messages and text messages comprises an interface S for matching the device to a telecommunications network. Such a telecommunications network N is, for example, the ISDN network. The device is connected to network N, in the following called ISDN network, via interface S.

A standard interface S can be used for this purpose. This interface S is also connected p R; with a network interface LI, to match the device to messages sent and received via micro- 003998580 controller jiC with different transmission rates. This network interface, for example, comprises a modem, which enables the device to process different data transmission rates, i.e. up to several Kbit/s. For example, such a modem is able to process transmission rates as they occur in the Internet. In a further configuration, this modem can be designed in the form of a digital interface according to the ISDN standard.

Furthermore, an interface circuit 5 for voltage supply is provided in the device together with the interface S for matching the device and the network interface LI for matching the device. This circuit can, for example, be in the form of a battery, so that a device for receiving and transmitting video messages is always ready for operation.

Furthermore, the device for receiving and transmitting can include a camera C for recording a video message, to directly record a video message itself. This camera C can .be integrated in the device. On the other hand, the camera can be a traditional camera and can be connected with the device for receiving and transmitting video messages by a plug-in device. Furthermore, the device for receiving and transmitting video messages 15 comprises a monitor MON to playback a video message and for playback of a text message. Furthermore, the device for receiving and transmitting a video message •"comprises a loudspeaker L and a microphone M for recording and playing back a voice message, or the speech associated with a video or text message. This loudspeaker L and the microphone M can be implemented in the form of a handset.

20 To store an incoming video message, which is to be replayed at a later date, storage means MEM are provided in the device for receiving and transmitting video messages to store the received video message. Also provided are means ZI for adding information to the stored video message. With these means, for example, time, date, length of message and further information are added to the stored video message.

Also provided in the device are means MA for storing a location of the recipient.

In these means MA for storing the location, the contact number of the current location of the recipient is stored or is available as a list from which the number is then selected, so that a voice or text message can be sent to the location of the recipient when a video message is received, to inform him about the presence of the video message. Therefore, a recipient always knows when a message has been sent for him.

003998580 Furthermore, the device comprises a coder/decoder CO/DE for converting an image coded in H.261 into an MPEG coded image and vice versa. This coder/decoder CO/DE is generally designed in such a manner, that it conducts the conversion of a coded image of a first standard into a coded image of a further standard. Here, conversions of the H.320 standard into an MPEG standard, or similar standards, is also possible. The following procedure is feasible: a H.261-coded image is available, where the H.261coded image can be available in two different image formats. This is put into a decoder, which re-transforms the image onto the image platform. Then, the so decoded image is put into an MPEG coder, which codes the image into an MPEG format. MPEG has multiple image formats. Such a procedure is also possible in reverse direction. Attention must be paid, that the image repetition rate is firmly defined with MPEG.

It is advantageous here, that the image format of a receiving device does not necessarily have to be compatible with the image format of a transmitting device.

The device comprises additional editing means ED to edit a video message. Here, 15 for example, a text message is spoken and recorded in addition to the video message, or a comment is added by means of a text message. Parts of the message can also be cut and o. •°transmitted to other recipients.

oooo As it is possible to guarantee a playback on a television set from the given means ooo for converting an image of a first standard into another standard, the device also S: 20 comprises an interface TV-S to connect the television set to playback the video message :on the said TV.

It is also important with the present invention, that the network interface LI conducts a match to text messages of the Internet type and to voice messages from the telecommunications network, the ISDN network. The network interface LI therefore enables the device for receiving and transmitting a video message, a voice message and a text message to send and receive text messages from the Internet as well as to send voice messages via the telecommunications network, or better said, the ISDN network.

When applying the device for receiving and transmitting video messages, voice messages and text messages, the following application seems feasible: The device 36 receives a video message, stores this and registers the presence of a video message. A 003998580 C tc~~TL--- 6 receiver is informed about the presence of the message, by sending him an email via the Internet. In future it can also be feasible that the video message can be sent to the receiver in a follow-up transmission via the performance feature of the video transmission via the Internet.

*o ,003998580

Claims

1. A message storage device for interfacing signals from at least two different media having different data formats delivered over a telecommunication link, the interface device including: line/device interfacing means adapted to match transmission speeds and protocols between the line and the device; a controller mediating between one or more input devices, one or more output devices, one or more signal processing devices and memory means; each input device being adapted to receive at least one data format, at least 10 one of the signals being a video message; 0 .the memory means storing under control of the controller, received via the input devices under control of the controller, directly under the control of the micro- o o° controller, or after processing in a corresponding signal processing device; the controller controlling the delivery of messages from the memory S: 15 means to one or more of the output devices.

S2. A message storage device as claimed in claim 1, including message editing o.oa or tagging means for adding information to messages stored in the memory means.

3. A message storage device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, including a forwarding address register to contain a forwarding address to which notification of a 20 receipt of a message is to be sent.

4. A message storage device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, including format conversion means to convert an incoming message from a first format to a second format.

A message storage device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the incoming message is an image and the first format is one of MPEG or H.261 and the second format is the other of MPEG or H.261. 003998580 I 8

6. A message storage device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, including TV interface means whereby the device may be connected to a TV to enable the playing of a video message stored in the memory means.

7. A message storage device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the output devices include one or more of the following: monitor; a loud speaker; a speaker

8. A message storage device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, including video editing means to edit video messages stored in the memory means.

9. A message storage device substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing. a 9 S e SS 5*5* S S S .5.5 Dated this 04th day of February 2001 ALCATEL by its attorneys Freehills Carter Smith Beadle 003998580