JPH05276510A - Video conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To recognize the direction of a video camera at a remote conference location. CONSTITUTION:A position detection section 9 detects a panning manipulated quantity of a video camera 2. A prescribed electronic picture is turned by a pickup position display signal generating section 10 by an angle in response to the detected panning manipulated quantity and the turned electronic picture is superimposed onto a background picture stored in a memory 11 by a pickup position display memory 12. A picture from the pickup position display memory 12 and a picture from the video camera are read while synchronizing the pictures by a picture processing section 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video conference system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A video conference system is composed of a plurality of conference terminal devices, lines, exchanges and the like.

A conventional conference terminal device shown in FIG. 7 is known. An image signal from the video camera 72 is processed by an image processing unit 75 and output to a line by a transmission unit 76. The audio signal from the microphone or the like is encoded by the audio unit 1 and output to the line by the transmission unit 76.

The image signal input to the transmission unit 76 via the line is processed by the image processing unit 75, and an image is output to the monitor 73 based on the processed image signal. The audio signal input to the transmission unit 76 via the line is decoded by the audio unit 71 and output to a speaker (not shown).

The operation of the video camera 72 is controlled by the camera controller 74 in accordance with the operation of the operation section 8, and the camera controller 74, the image processing section 75 and the transmission section 76 are controlled by the system control section 77.

[0006]

However, in the above conventional example, it was not possible to confirm at which position in the conference room the image displayed on the monitor 73 was located.

In addition, the same conference participant at the remote conference hall is
Again, it was not possible to confirm the preset position to be set when the image was displayed on the monitor.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and allow a conference participant to know the direction of a video camera at a remote conference hall and to confirm a preset position. To provide a system.

[0009]

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides a detecting means for detecting a pan operation amount of a video camera, and the video according to the pan operation amount detected by the detecting means. A first creating means for creating an electronic image indicating the direction of the camera; and a first combining means for combining the electronic image created by the first creating means with the image from the video camera. To do.

Further, according to the present invention, a detecting means for detecting a pan operation amount of the video camera, a storing means for storing the pan operation amount detected by the detecting means for each preset,
Second creating means for creating an electronic image indicating the direction of the video camera preset according to the amount of pan operation stored in the storing means, and the electronic image created by the second creating means for the video camera And a second synthesizing means for synthesizing the image from the image.

[0011]

According to the present invention, the pan operation amount of the video camera is detected by the detecting means, and the electronic image in which the direction of the video camera is instructed is created by the first creating means in accordance with the pan operation amount detected by the detecting means. The electronic image created by the first creating means is combined with the image from the video camera by the first combining means.

Further, according to the present invention, the pan operation amount of the video camera detected by the detecting means for each preset is stored in the storing means, and the video camera is made by the second creating means according to the pan operating amount stored in the storing means. The electronic image created by the second creating means is combined with the image from the video camera by the second combining means.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a conference terminal device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 is a video camera for photographing the inside of the conference hall. Reference numeral 4 denotes a camera controller for panning and tilting the video camera of the other party according to the operation of the operation unit 8. The pan operation amount of the video camera 2 is 180 degrees at maximum.

A position detector 9 detects the pan operation amount of the video camera 2. An image pickup position display signal generation unit 10 generates a predetermined electronic image, for example, an arrow, which is rotated by an angle corresponding to the amount of pan operation detected by the position detection unit 9. Reference numeral 11 is a memory in which background image data is stored. An image pickup position display memory 12 superimposes the electronic image from the image pickup position display signal generation unit 10 on the background image data from the memory 11. An image processing unit 5 processes an image signal from the video camera 2 and an image signal from a transmission unit 6 which will be described later, and converts the image signal from the imaging position display memory 12 into an image signal from the video camera 2. The data is read in synchronization. A monitor 3 displays an image based on the image signal output from the transmission unit 6 to the image processing unit 5.

Reference numeral 1 denotes an audio section which encodes an audio signal from a microphone (not shown) or the like, while decoding an audio signal from a transmission section 6 which will be described later.

A transmission unit 6 outputs the image signal from the image processing unit 5 and the audio signal from the audio unit 1 to the line, outputs the image signal from the line to the image processing unit 5, and outputs the audio from the line. The signal is output to the voice unit 1.

Next, the operation will be described.

When the operation unit of the other party is operated, the camera controller 4 pans the video camera 2, and the position detecting unit 9 detects the pan operation amount of the video camera 2. The detected pan operation amount data is used by the system controller 7
Is output to the image pickup position display signal generator 10 via. Then, an electronic image, for example, an arrow is rotated according to the detected pan operation amount, and is output to the image pickup position display memory 12 by the image pickup position display signal generation unit 10 and is stored in the memory 11 in the image pickup position display memory 12. Is superimposed on the background image data from. And the imaging position display memory 1
The arrow data stored in 2 is read by the image processing unit 5 in synchronization with the image data from the video camera 2 and output to the line by the transmission unit 6.

Therefore, the image from the video camera 2 is output to the parent screen of the other monitor, and the arrow is output to the child screen. The monitor screen is shown in FIG. FIG. 2A shows an example in which the arrow rotates about its end, and FIG.
Is an example in which the arrow rotates around its center.

Second Embodiment FIG. 3 shows a conference terminal device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 3, 1-4, 6, 8 and 9 are shown in FIG.
Shows the same part as. Reference numeral 30 denotes an image pickup position display signal generator,
The segment array image data is generated, and the color of the cursor corresponding to the amount of pan operation detected by the position detector 9 is changed to a predetermined color. An image processing unit 35 superimposes the segment array image from the imaging position display signal generating unit 30 on the image from the video camera 2. A system control unit 37 controls the camera controller 4, the transmission unit 6, and the image processing unit 35.

Next, the operation will be described.

When the operation part of the other party is operated, the camera controller 4 pans the video camera 2 and the position detecting part 9 detects the pan operation amount of the video camera 2. The detected pan operation amount data is used by the system controller 7
Is output to the image pickup position display signal generation unit 30 via. Then, the image pickup position display signal generation unit 10 changes the color of the segment corresponding to the pan operation amount to a predetermined color, and the segment array image from the image pickup position display signal generation unit 10 and the image from the video camera 2 are subjected to image processing. It is superposed by the unit 35 and is output to the line by the transmission unit 6.

Therefore, an image in which the segment array image is superimposed is output to the monitor of the other party. FIG. 4 shows an example of the composition screen. This is an example in which the color of the fourth segment from the left has changed.

Third Embodiment FIG. 5 shows a conference terminal device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 5, 1-4, 6, 8 and 9 are shown in FIG.
Shows the same part as. Reference numeral 51 is a memory for storing pan operation amount data detected by the position detection unit 9 when preset by the operation unit of the other party. 5
An image pickup position display signal generation unit 0 outputs a segment array image and changes the color of the segment corresponding to the direction obtained based on the preset data read from the memory 51 to a predetermined color. An image processing unit 55 superimposes the segment array image from the imaging position display signal generating unit 50 on the image from the video camera 2. A system control unit 57 controls the camera controller 4, the transmission unit 6, the imaging position display signal generation unit 50, the memory 51, and the image processing unit 55.

Next, the operation will be described.

When a preset operation is performed by the operation unit of the other party, the pan operation amount detected by the position detection unit 9 is stored in the memory 51 for each preset. Then, the pan operation amount is read from the memory 51 by the system control unit 57, and the color of the corresponding segment is switched to a predetermined color by the imaging position display signal generation unit 50 based on the read pan operation amount. Then, the segment array image from the image pickup position display signal generation unit 50 is superimposed on the image from the video camera 2 by the image processing unit 55,
It is output to the line by the transmission unit 6.

Therefore, for example, FIG.
As shown in, the image from the video camera 2 and the segment array image in which the colors of the 1, 4, 6, 10, and 13th segments from the left are changed are displayed.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention,
With the above configuration, the conference participants can know the direction of the video camera at the remote place and can confirm the preset position.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conference terminal device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display example of a monitor screen in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conference terminal device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of a monitor screen in the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conference terminal device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of a monitor screen in the third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a conventional video conference terminal device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Audio Section 2 Video Camera 3 Monitor 4 Camera Controller 5 Image Processing Section 6 Transmission Section 7 System Control Section 8 Operation Section 9 Position Detection Section 10 Imaging Position Display Signal Generation Section 11 Memory 12 Imaging Position Display Memory

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A detecting means for detecting a pan operation amount of a video camera, and a first creating means for creating an electronic image indicating a direction of the video camera according to the pan operation amount detected by the detecting means. A video conferencing system comprising: first combining means for combining the electronic image created by the first creating means with the image from the video camera. 2. A detection means for detecting a pan operation amount of a video camera, a storage means for storing the pan operation amount detected by the detection means for each preset, and a pan operation amount stored in the storage means. Second creating means for creating an electronic image preset with the preset direction of the video camera, and second combining means for combining the electronic image created by the second creating means with the image from the video camera. A video conferencing system characterized by being equipped.