JPH01272388A - Static image television telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to transmit the image of a talking subscriber himself/herself and the contents of a necessary document by connecting an image reader as an input means in addition to a TV camera and optionally selecting and outputting respective output data. CONSTITUTION:The title telephone set is provided with the TV camera 14 and the image reader 18 as image input means. The output data of the TV camera 14 and the image reader 18 are stored in an image memory 6 as picture information data. An image picked up by the TV camera 14 and an image read out by the image reader 18 are optionally selected from the image memory 16 and transmitted to a terminating side telephone set by operating an image switching means constituted of a transmission switching button 20 and a transmission start button 21.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a still image video telephone device, and particularly to an improvement of image input means.

[Prior Art] There is a demand for a videophone that simultaneously transmits audio and images using a telephone communication line, but in reality, current telephone communication lines cannot continuously transmit dynamic images that require a huge amount of data. Since it is difficult to send and receive a still image to the other party during a call, still image videophones are being put into practical use.

This still image videophone allows you to
It is possible to temporarily interrupt this call and send a desired still image, such as the speaker's face, a photo screen or a picture depending on the content of the call, or the like.

Therefore, with such a still image videophone, it is possible to send and receive images over a telephone line, which was previously impossible, and data processing capacity is also limited because only one still image is sent each time. This had the advantage that it was easy to put videophones into practical use.

A videophone capable of transmitting such still images is shown, for example, in the October 1986 issue of Foreign Communication Technology.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the simple still picture video telephone. In the figure, (1) is a handset, (2) is a microphone, (3) is an audio input/output circuit, (4) is an analog circuit, (5) is a matrix switch, (6) is a telephone interface circuit, and (7) is a is the telephone line connection terminal, (8) is the speaker, (9) is the keypad, (10) is the input/output board, (11) is the CPU, (12) is the program memory, (
13) is a modulation/demodulation circuit, (14) is a television camera, (15)
) is the image controller, (16) is the image memory, (
17) is a display.

Next, the operation of audio and image signal transmission of this conventional video telephone will be explained based on FIGS. 2 and 3.

1. In Fig. 2, for voice calls, sound is transmitted from the handset/receiver (1) or microphone (2), the H input/output circuit (3),
Telephone line connection terminal (
7). Also, the audio signal from the other party is
The signal is reproduced by the handset (1) or speaker (8) via a path opposite to the second signal path.

When transmitting an image signal, as shown in Figure 3, in order to confirm whether the communication partner is a video phone that has the ability to communicate image data in the same data format, an ID code such as data regarding the ability is sent. Sends the containing header. Then, after receiving the header back from the other party and confirming that the other party has similar capabilities, the image data is transmitted.

That is, in FIG. 2, when the keypad (9) is used to instruct image transmission, the CPU (11) detects this via the human output port (10), and the program memory (
12), the header is sent to the modulation/demodulation circuit (13) according to the program stored in advance. After converting this header to an analog signal, the matrix switch (5)
It is sent from the telephone line connection terminal (7) via the telephone line connection terminal (7). The header from the communication partner is sent to the CPU via a path opposite to the above signal path.
(11) checks the code etc.

Meanwhile, the self-image captured by the television camera (14) during this period is quantized by the image controller (15), stored in the image memory (16), and sequentially displayed on the display (17).
Derived and displayed. The image is then output from the image memory (16) to the telephone line connection terminal (7) in response to a transmission instruction from the CPU (11) by operating the keypad (9).

Additionally, if there is a header from the other party, the matrix switch (5) recognizes that image data reception is about to start, and uses the carrier signal received by the matrix switch (5) to change the destination to the received signal from the telephone interface circuit (6). Switch from the analog circuit (4) to the modulation/demodulation circuit (13). After the received signal is demodulated by the modulation/demodulation circuit (13), the CPU (11) returns the header, or (1) stores the image data from the other party in the first image memory (16), and then the image controller (15) sequentially derives the self-portrait data and the other party's image data and displays it on the display (
17). Further, a simple header containing an indicator that the image data starts is usually placed at the beginning of the image data.

Note that when the transmission and reception of images is completed and the carrier signal from the modulation/demodulation circuit (13) disappears, the matrix switch (5
) is the telephone interface circuit (6) and the analog circuit (4).
) to restore voice calls.

Furthermore, if the reply from the receiving side is to be omitted, information regarding the omission is included in the header, and the image data is transmitted following the header. In this case, the receiving side still prepares to receive the image data using this header.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] -1- In the conventional still image videophone device, only one television camera is installed as the image input means. When photographing an object with this television camera and outputting image data, photographing the reporter's own image means pointing the camera in the direction where the caller is normally located.
Furthermore, by automatically adjusting the focus, almost accurate photography can be achieved. However, when sending images such as letters, figures, or pictures written on a document,
It was necessary to place the document in a position where it could be captured by the television camera and to photograph it using the television camera.

Therefore, it is difficult to adjust the distance of the document from the camera.
There is a problem in that it is difficult to transmit clear images or characters and figures of an appropriate size, and furthermore, in the case of small characters, they cannot be read on the screen.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention was made with the aim of solving the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to manually display both the self-image of the caller and the document image using separate image-powered means. It is an object of the present invention to provide a video telephone device that can clearly display static images on the screen.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A still image video telephone device according to the present invention includes a television camera and an image reader provided as image input means in a still image video telephone device that transmits and receives each still image using a telephone device. and an image storage unit that stores output data from the television camera and image reader as screen information data, and controls storage operation of the image storage unit and selective output of each of the screen information data from the image storage unit. A CPU and a control switching signal is sent to the CPU to output each screen information data from the image storage section.

It is characterized by comprising an image converting means that enables arbitrary selection switching, and a modulation circuit that modulates the data selectively output from the image storage section into an image data signal that can be transmitted over a telephone line. It is said that

[Operation] According to the above configuration, the self-image of the caller is photographed by a television camera and output as image data.

The content of the document to be transmitted is then read by the image reader and output as document image data. The image storage section stores image data from the television camera and document image data from the image reader as screen information data. The CPU controls the storage operation of the image storage section and selectively outputs the stored screen information data from the image storage section.

Then, the modulation circuit modulates the screen information data output from the image storage unit into an image data signal that can be transmitted over a telephone line.

The selective output of each screen information data from the image storage section by the CPU is switched by a switching signal from an image switching means. Therefore, the operator can arbitrarily select the screen information data based on the output data from the television camera and the screen information data based on the output data from the image reader as the output from the image storage section by operating the image switching means. .

This allows you to send the contents of a document as an image.
Since the document itself is photographed by a television camera and transmitted as image data, it can be read by an image reader and output as document image data.

Therefore, an image reader that reads an image at a position close to the document can output document image data that can be displayed as a clear image on the other party's display.

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the still image videophone device according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the embodiment, and the characteristics of the present invention are that an image reader (18) is provided outside the television camera (14) as an image input means, and a keypad ( 9) is provided with an image switching means.

In the embodiment, the image reader (18) is connected to the human output boat (10) via an interface (19).

Further, the image switching means is constructed by providing a transmission switching button (20) and a transmission start button (21) on the keypad (9).

In this embodiment, the other components are the same as the conventional still image videophone device shown in FIG.

Further, the image reader (18) has, for example, an optical reading means and a rotary position detection roller, and reads the density of the document at a predetermined resolution for each line at a predetermined interval by tracing the document surface, for example. Use something that outputs as binary document image data.

Next, the television camera (14) and image reader (18)
) The image storage unit that stores each output data from the image display device as screen information data is composed of an image controller (15) and an image memory (16).

In this embodiment, the CPU (11) also controls the image controller (15) to quantize the image data from the television camera (14), that is, to store it in the image memory (16) as display pixel information. The document image data from the image reader (18) is also quantized by the image controller (15) and stored in the image memory (16).
).

In this embodiment, storage of screen information data in the image memory (16) is controlled so that output data from the television camera (14) and output data from the image reader (18) are selectively stored.

Then, output control of the data stored in this image memory (16) is performed.

Storage control of the screen information data in the image memory (16) by the CPU (11) is controlled by the operator by pressing the transmission disconnection button (
20).

In this embodiment, the image transmission switching button (20) is provided on the keypad (9).

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

First, when transmitting an image signal, as in the conventional example, a header is sent to confirm whether the communication partner has the ability to communicate image data in the same format.

Here, currently, self-images taken with a television camera (14) are quantized by an image controller (15) as in the past, stored in an image memory (16), and sequentially derived and displayed on a display (17). I will explain the case when First, start sending the button (2) on the keypad (9).
1) is operated, this signal is sent to the input/output port (10)
is sent to the CPU (11) via the CPU (11).
sends a command to the image memory (16);
) is outputted based on the output data of the television camera (14), and sent to the modulation/demodulation circuit (13) via the image controller (15). Here, the screen information data is converted into an image data signal that can be transmitted over a telephone line, and the matrix switch (5) and the telephone I
The signal is output to the telephone line terminal (7) via the /F circuit (6).

Next, in order to send the document image data, use the keypad (
9) on the image reader (18).
), this switching signal is sent to the CPU (11) via the input/output capo (10), and the CPU (11) stores the image data from the TV camera (14) in the image memory. Stop writing to interface (19) and input/output port (10).
) to process the document image data from the image reader (18) input via the image controller (15).
send to Then, it is quantized by an image controller (15) and stored in an image memory (16).

At this point, the image read by the image reader (18) can be transmitted, and when the transmission start button (21) provided on the keypad (9) is operated, a transmission start signal is sent from the keypad (9). Output and CPU (11
) outputs screen information data based on the document image data stored in the image memory (16) and read by the image reader (18) based on this transmission start signal. Then, as in the case of image transmission from the television camera (14), a modulation/demodulation circuit (13) and a matrix switch (5) are installed.
and telephone line terminal (7) via telephone 1/F circuit (6)
Output to .

Therefore, according to this embodiment, by operating the image switching means constituted by the transmission switching button (20) and the transmission start button (20), the image taken by the television camera (14) and the image reader (18) can be switched. It is possible to arbitrarily select the document image read by the user and send it to the other party's telephone device. - The content of the document can be read by the image reader (18) by reading the characters written in the closest position of the document and outputting it as document image data. Image data that is clearer than image data obtained by photographing a document and can be displayed in a desired size on a display can be obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the still image videophone device according to the present invention, an image reader capable of reading the contents of documents is provided in addition to the television camera as an image input means, and each output data can be read. By being able to arbitrarily select and memorize and convert and output image data signals that can be transmitted over a telephone line, it is possible to clearly transmit the caller's self-image and the contents of necessary documents to the other party. can. As a result, image transmission of the still image videophone device can be diversified, and its functions can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of a still image videophone device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a conventional device, and FIG. 3 is an image transmission diagram of a conventional videophone device. It is a sequence diagram showing a procedure. In the figure, (1) is a handset, (5) is a matrix switch, (11) is a CPU, (13) is a modulation/demodulation circuit, (
14) is a TV camera, (15) is an image controller, (16) is an image memory, (17) is a display,
(18) is an image reader, (20) is a transmission switching button, and (21) is a transmission start button. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or corresponding parts. Agent: Patent attorney Masuo Oiwa (and 2 others) CD ~ -

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A still image video telephone device that transmits and receives still images between telephone devices, comprising: a television camera that takes a self-image and outputs it as image data; and a television camera that reads the contents of a document and outputs it as document image data. an image reader that outputs; an image storage unit that can store each output data from the television camera and the image reader as screen information data; and a storage unit that controls the storage operation of the image storage unit and stores each image information data from the image storage unit. a CPU for selectively outputting data; an image switching means for sending a control switching signal to the CPU to enable arbitrary selection and switching of each screen information data output from the image storage section; 1. A still image videophone device comprising: a modulation circuit that modulates an image data signal that can be transmitted over a line.