JPH06189303A - Video telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To revise a display size and a display position of a sent/received picture optionally with respect to the video telephone system. CONSTITUTION:When a displayed picture size is revised, a CPU 20 outputs data designating the picture display size (longitudinal l X lateral m size) to a CCD 12, a color processing circuit 14 and a picture companding circuit 15 and outputs coordinate data (y) designating a picture display position to the picture companding circuit 15 and also adds display size data of its own picture (longitudinal l X lateral m size) to multiplexed picture audio data to be sent to a destination communication terminal equipment as parameter revision data. Furthermore, upon the receipt of revision parameter data (longitudinal l' Xlateral m' size) of the pattern size added to the picture data from a destination communication, the CPU 20 designates the picture sound display size data (longitudinal l X lateral m' size) of the destination communication terminal equipment to the picture companding circuit 15.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a videophone device, and more particularly to a videophone device having a function of changing an image display size and a display position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, with the development of an advanced information society, demand for a communication medium for transmitting / receiving a large amount of information at high speed has increased, and ISDN (Integrated Services Digital) has been used as a communication system corresponding to this communication demand. Network:
A digital communication network such as a service integrated digital network) has been put into practical use, and a facsimile device, a videophone device, etc. have been developed and put into practical use as a communication terminal connected to this digital communication network.

In addition, a communication terminal such as a telephone device connected to an existing analog communication network such as an existing telephone line is highly functionalized, and a videophone device connectable to the analog communication network has been developed.

In particular, the videophone device has the merit that the user can talk while looking at the facial expression of the other party, and also has the merit that the information that is difficult to convey to the other party can be shown and transmitted only by the explanation. By applying the above, for example, a company can realize a video conference with a branch office or a sales office in a remote place, and it is expected to be widely used because it has the potential of a video conference system.

Video telephone devices are roughly classified according to the type of communication network to be connected and the type of image and voice transmission function. For example, a device having a monochrome still image transmission function by connecting to an analog telephone line or an analog telephone line. Some are connected to have a color still image transmission function and some are connected to a digital telephone line to have a color moving image transmission function.

A video telephone device connected to such a digital communication network and an analog communication network has a communication function of transmitting and receiving by multiplexing image information and audio information,
Regarding the communication procedure corresponding to the connected communication network and the encoding method of image information and audio information transmitted / received in addition to the communication signal based on the communication procedure, CCITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee) It is stipulated for each type of communication network by the recommendation.

[0007] For example, in a videophone device conforming to the CCITT-recommended H series, connections between different models are possible, and the number of display pixels is CIF (352 pixels × 288).
Line) and QCIF (176 pixels × 144 lines) are selectable.

[0008]

However, in such a conventional video telephone apparatus conforming to the CCITT recommended H series, the number of display pixels is CIF (352).
Pixel x 288 lines and QCIF (176 pixels x 144)
Line), but in communication with a videophone device that does not comply with this recommendation, a display pixel number other than the selectable display pixel number may be set, There is a problem that received images cannot be displayed mutually.

That is, for example, an analog telephone line (P
STN: Public telephone network)
The still image video communication function is stipulated by the TTC (Telephone and Telephone Technical Committee) standard of 1988. This TTC standard is a standard only in Japan, and the number of transmission pixels stipulated is 100 × 160. , 200 × 160, 100 × 9
It is possible to select 6 types of 6,200 × 96. In the videophone device conforming to this TTC standard, the CC
It is not possible to send / receive image data to / from a videophone device conforming to the IT series H series.

An object of the present invention is to make it possible to arbitrarily change the display size and display position of images to be sent / received.

[0011]

The means of the present invention are as follows.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a videophone device for transmitting and receiving image data and audio data via a telephone line and displaying the image data, a storage means for storing the image data and an arbitrary pixel size. Of pixel data of the image data written in the storage means and the storage means for reading the image data of the predetermined pixel size from the storage means. The feature is that the pixel sizes of the output image data are different.

Further, in this case, as in the invention described in claim 2, the reading means may change the reading cycle of the storage means according to the pixel size of the image data to be read.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, image data and voice data are transmitted and received to and from the other party via a telephone line.
A videophone device for displaying image data is characterized by having setting means for arbitrarily setting the pixel size of the display image displayed on the screen or the image data transmitted to the other party.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, image data and voice data are transmitted and received to and from the other party via a telephone line.
A videophone device for displaying image data, having means for setting the pixel size of the image data, and transmitting and receiving the pixel size of the set image data with the other party via a telephone line together with the image data and audio data. Is characterized by.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, image data and voice data are transmitted / received to / from the other party via a telephone line.
A videophone device for displaying image data is characterized by having means for arbitrarily setting the display position of the display image displayed on the screen.

[0017]

The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in a videophone device for transmitting and receiving image data and voice data via a telephone line and displaying the image data, a storage means for storing the image data, and an arbitrary storage means. Means for writing pixel data of pixel size in the storage means and means for reading image data of a predetermined pixel size from the storage means are provided, and the pixel size of the image data written in the storage means and the storage The pixel size of the image data read from the means is different, and in this case, as in the invention described in claim 2, the reading means reads the read cycle of the storage means according to the pixel size of the image data to be read. Is changed.

Therefore, the display size and the display position of the image to be sent / received can be arbitrarily designated, and the image data can be sent / received to / from the videophone device having different image display functions. The convenience of the videophone device can be improved.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in a videophone device for transmitting and receiving image data and voice data to and from the other party via a telephone line and displaying the image data,
A setting means for arbitrarily setting the pixel size of the display image displayed on the screen or the image data transmitted to the other party is provided, and according to the invention of claim 4, the setting is made together with the image data and the audio data. The pixel size of the image data is transmitted / received to / from the other party via a telephone line, and further, according to the invention of claim 5, means for arbitrarily setting the display position of the display image displayed on the screen is provided.

Therefore, it is possible to arbitrarily specify the display size and the display position of the image data to be transmitted / received together with the voice data via the telephone line with the other party, and the image can be displayed on the videophone device having a different image display function. By transmitting and receiving data, the convenience of the videophone device can be improved.

[0022]

EXAMPLES Examples will be described below with reference to FIGS.

1 to 4 are views showing an embodiment of the video telephone device of the present invention.

First, the structure will be described. FIG. 1 is an external view of the videophone device 1. In this figure, a videophone device 1 includes a camera unit 2 for capturing an image, a monitor 3 for displaying an image captured by the camera unit 2 and an image received via a line, a power switch,
A key operation unit 4 provided with an image mute switch, an image display range, a designation switch for designating a display position, a connection unit 5 for connecting a telephone, a card insertion slot 6 for inserting an IC card 8, and an IC card And an eject switch 7 for ejecting the card 8 from the card insertion slot 6.
Further, in FIG. 1, the IC card 8 is a ROM and RA.
It is composed of M and the like, and stores an image and sound compression / expansion program or a communication processing program which will be described later.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the videophone device 1 shown in FIG. In the figure, the videophone device 1 includes a lens mechanism 11, a CCD 12, an A / D conversion circuit 13, a color processing circuit 14, an image compression / expansion circuit 15, a dual port memory 16, a counter 17, and a D / A conversion circuit 1.
8, monitor 19, CPU 20, audio compression / expansion circuit 21,
It is composed of a modem 22 and an NCU 23, and each unit is connected to a bus 24.

Further, in FIG. 2, a handset 25 is connected to the NCU 23, and an I / O port for video output for outputting a sending / receiving image to an external monitor is provided at the output of the D / A conversion circuit 18. It is connected.

The lens mechanism 11 and the CCD 12 are housed in the camera section 2 shown in FIG. 1, and the lens mechanism 11 is a CPU.
The focal length and the like are controlled by 20, and the CCD (Charge
The Co-upled Device) 12 photoelectrically converts incident light of an image incident through the lens mechanism 11 and accumulates it, and outputs an analog image signal to the A / D conversion circuit 13.

Further, the CCD 12 is data (vertical l × horizontal m) that specifies the image display size input from the CPU 20.
The incident image is sampled accordingly.

The A / D conversion circuit 13 converts the analog image signal input from the CCD 12 into a predetermined digital image signal and outputs it to the color processing circuit 14.

The color processing circuit 14 processes the digital image signal input from the A / D conversion circuit 13 and outputs the image data which is a video signal to the image compression / expansion circuit 15, and the image display input from the CPU 20. A / D conversion circuit 13 according to the data designating the size (vertical l × horizontal m)
The digital image signal input from the processor is processed and the color signal data is output to the image compression / expansion circuit 15.

The image compression / expansion circuit 15 includes a color processing circuit 14.
The image data input from is subjected to a predetermined encoding method, that is, compression (encoding) processing according to the type of image to be handled (still image, moving image), for example, a block encoding method, a predictive encoding method, or An encoding process such as an orthogonal transform encoding method is executed, and an expansion (decoding) process of the reception compressed image data received via the line and demodulated by the modem 22 is executed, and the expanded image data is dualized. The compressed image data is output to the port memory 16 for writing and the compressed image data is output to the CPU 20 via the bus 24.

Further, the image compression / expansion circuit 15 includes the CPU 2
The image data input from the color processing circuit 14 is written in the dual port memory 16 based on the coordinate data (y) specifying the image display position input from 0, and
The image data is expanded based on the image display size data (vertical l ′ × horizontal m ′) of the partner communication terminal input from the CPU 20 at the time of reception, and the coordinate data (y ′) input from the CPU 20 to specify the image display position. ) To the dual port memory 16.

The dual port memory 16 is a RAM (Ra
ndom access memory) and the like, and forms a memory area in which the image data output from the image compression / expansion circuit 15 is written for each predetermined number of display lines, and sequentially outputs the written image data to the D / A conversion circuit 18. . Further, in the dual port memory 16, the output timing of the expanded image data to the D / A conversion circuit 18 is controlled by a predetermined timing signal input from the counter 17.

The D / A conversion circuit 18 converts the expanded image data sequentially input from the dual port memory 16 into an analog image signal and outputs the analog image signal to the monitor 19 to display its own captured image and received image. The monitor 19 is a CRT
(Cathode Ray Tube) etc.

CPU (Central Processing Unit) 20
Outputs various control signals for controlling each unit in the videophone device 1 to each unit via the bus 24, and at the same time, the NCU 2
3 executes the communication control program according to the line type connected to 3. Further, the CPU 20 determines that the image / sound data multiplexed and transmitted from the other party's videophone device is NCU2.
3 is received, demodulated by the modem 22, and input, the image / audio data is separated, the compressed image data is output to the image compression / expansion circuit 15 via the bus 24, and the compressed audio data is output to the bus. Output to the audio compression / expansion circuit 21 via 24, and the CPU 20 outputs compressed image data input from the image compression / expansion circuit 15 via the bus 24 and compressed audio input from the audio compression / expansion circuit 21 via the bus 24. The data is multiplexed and output as image / sound data to the modem 22 via the bus 24.

Further, when the CPU 20 changes its own display image size by designating its own image display range and display position by operating the keys of the key operation unit 4, the CPU 20 sets the image display size to the image compression / expansion circuit 15. The specified image data (vertical l × horizontal m) is output, the coordinate data item (y) that specifies the image display position is output to the image compression / expansion circuit 15, and the multiplexed image / sound data to be transmitted to the partner communication terminal. The display size data of the self-portrait (vertical l × horizontal m) is added as the parameter change data. Also, the CPU 20
Receives the screen size change parameter (vertical l ′ × horizontal m ′) added to the image / sound data from the partner communication terminal, the image compression / expansion circuit 15 receives the image display size data of the partner communication terminal. Specify (vertical l ′ × horizontal m ′).

The voice compression / expansion circuit 21 is used for the handset 2
5 to the digital audio data which is A / D converted and input by the modem 22 via the NCU 23, a predetermined encoding method, for example, CELP (Code-Excited Linear Predivti).
on) method and VSELP (Vec-tor Sum Excited Linear P
rediction) method etc. to perform compression (encoding) processing,
Further, the compressed audio data input from the CPU 20 is expanded (decoded), and the compressed audio data is processed by the CPU 20.
And the expanded voice data is output to the modem 22.

The modem 22 modulates the image / sound data multiplexed and input by the CPU 20 and NCU 23.
In addition to outputting to the CPU 20, the multiplexed image / audio data received and input by the NCU 23 is demodulated and output to the CPU 20. Further, the modem 22 converts an analog audio signal input from the handset 25 via the NCU 23 into predetermined digital audio data by the analog front end and outputs the digital audio data to the audio compression / expansion circuit 21.
The expanded audio data input from the audio compression / expansion circuit 21 is converted into an analog audio signal by the analog front end and output to the handset 23 via the NCU 23.

The NCU (Network Control Unit) 23 is
The so-called AA-NCU is called NCU2.
A line (for example, a telephone line or ISDN) is connected to 3. The NCU 23 automatically receives an incoming call from the line and performs an automatic outgoing call process to the line. Also, N
A handset 25 is connected to the CU 23, and voice signals are exchanged between the modem 22 and the handset 25.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

First, the transmission processing in the video telephone 1 will be described.

Now, when the power of the video telephone 1 is turned on by the operation of the key operation unit 4 by the operator, the CPU 2
By 0, each part related to image processing (camera part and image processing, each part related to display) and each part related to audio processing are started up. Next, when a call to the destination videophone device is instructed by the push button operation of the operator's handset 25, the NCU 23 starts automatic call processing to the destination videophone device via the telephone line, and the line is connected. The connection is established and the call is started.

When a call is started, image processing and voice processing are started. At this time, the operator operates the key operation unit 4 to display his own image display size (vertical l × horizontal m) and its display position (coordinate data). (Y)) is designated, this image display size designation data (vertical l × horizontal m)
It is output from 0 to the image compression / expansion circuit 15 via the bus 24. The image of the self taken by the camera unit 2 is C
The CD 12 samples the image display size designation data (vertical l × horizontal m) in size, outputs the sampled analog image signal to the A / D conversion circuit 13, converts it into a predetermined digital image signal, and performs color processing. It is output to the circuit 14.

The digital image signal is processed by the color processing circuit 14 and output as image data to the image compression / expansion circuit 15. In the image compression / expansion circuit 15, the digital image signal is compressed by a predetermined encoding method and is compressed image data to the CPU 20. While being output, the image data is written in the dual port memory 16 based on the image display size designation data (vertical l × horizontal m) from the CPU 20 and the coordinate data (y) indicating the display position. The image data written in the dual port memory 16 is read by the timing signal input from the counter 17, and the D / A conversion circuit 18 is read.
Is output to the monitor 19 and the I / O port 26. With an external monitor connected to the monitor 19 or the I / O port 26,
An image of itself is displayed at the designated display size and display position.

The operator's voice input from the handset 25 is input to the modem 22 via the NCU 23, converted into a digital voice signal, compressed by the voice compression / expansion circuit 21 by a predetermined encoding method, and compressed. The audio data is output to the CPU 20.

The compressed image data and compressed audio data input to the CPU 20 are generated into image / audio data by multiplexing processing, and the display size designation data (vertical l × horizontal m) is used as a parameter in the image / audio data. When the data is added as change data and output to the modem 22, the data is modulated by the modem 22 and then transmitted by the NCU 23 to the destination video telephone device via the telephone line.

Next, the receiving process when the image size / sound data to which the display size designation data (vertical l ′ × horizontal m ′) is added as the parameter change data is received from the destination video telephone device will be described.

When the NCU 23 receives the image / sound data to which the display size designation data (vertical l '× horizontal m') is added as parameter change data via the telephone line, it is transferred to the modem 22 and demodulated. After being done, CPU20
To the compressed image data and the compressed audio data, and the separated compressed image data and compressed audio data are output to the image compression / expansion circuit 15 and the audio compression / expansion circuit 21, respectively. The received display size designation data (vertical l ′ × horizontal m ′) is output to the image compression / expansion circuit 15 by the CPU 20. At this time, when the operator operates the key operation unit 4 to input the designation data of the display position of the received image from the other party, the CPU 20 also controls the display position designation data (y ') to the image compression / expansion circuit 15.
Is output to.

The compressed voice data is transferred to the voice compression / expansion circuit 21.
Is expanded by the modem 22 as digital voice data.
Is output to the handset 25 via the NCU 23 and the received voice is reproduced.

On the other hand, the compressed image data is expanded by the image compression / expansion circuit 15, and at the same time, the display size designation data (vertical l ′ × horizontal m ′) and the display position designation data (y ′).
Is written to the dual port memory 16 based on

The received image data written in the dual port memory 16 is read by the timing signal input from the counter 17, output to the D / A conversion circuit 18, converted into a predetermined analog image signal, and then monitored 19.
And to the I / O port 26. On the monitor 19 or an external monitor connected to the I / O port 26, the image of the other party is displayed at the designated display size and display position.

3 and 4 show examples of screens displayed on the monitor 19 by the above transmission / reception processing.

FIG. 3 shows a display screen (display size (vertical l × horizontal m), display position (y)) 1 on the monitor screen 19a.
9b and the receiving screen (display size (vertical l ′ × horizontal m ′), display position (y ′)) 19c of the other party are displayed side by side.

In FIG. 4, the display screen (display size (vertical l × horizontal m), display position (y)) 19b of the self and the receiving screen (display size (vertical l ' In the figure, x horizontal m ') and display position (y')) 19c are displayed in an overlapping manner.

These screen displays can also be displayed on an external monitor connected to the I / O port 26.

Therefore, in the videophone device 1, the sending / receiving
The display size and display position of the image to be received can be specified arbitrarily, and image data can be sent / received to / from videophone devices having different image display functions. Can be improved.

Further, by setting the read timing of the image data read from the dual port memory 16 early according to the timing of the counter 17, the screen is updated quickly and the screen size is reduced to see the movement, and the read timing is delayed. It is also possible to set and delay the screen update time and increase the screen size for viewing. Further, in the videophone device 1 of the above embodiment, if the image display function can be changed by the IC card 8, the IC card 8 is simply replaced according to the type of communication network to be connected and the type of the destination videophone device. Therefore, the communication standard set in the future can be easily supported.

[0058]

According to the present invention, according to the first aspect of the invention, storage means for storing image data, means for writing pixel data of an arbitrary pixel size in the storage means, and Means for reading out image data of a predetermined pixel size from the storage means, wherein the pixel size of the image data written in the storage means and the pixel size of the image data read out from the storage means are different, In this case, as in the invention described in claim 2, the reading means is
Since the reading cycle of the storage means is changed according to the pixel size of the image data to be read, the display size and the display position of the image to be sent / received can be arbitrarily designated, and the television having different image display functions. Since image data can be sent / received to / from the telephone device, the convenience of the videophone device can be improved.

According to the invention of claim 3, a setting means for arbitrarily setting the pixel size of the display image displayed on the screen or the image data transmitted to the other party is provided, and the invention of claim 4 is also provided. According to the present invention, the pixel size of the set image data is transmitted / received to / from the other party through the telephone line together with the image data and the audio data. Further, according to the invention of claim 5, the display of the display image displayed on the screen is performed. Since it is configured to have means for setting the position arbitrarily, it is possible to send / receive the voice data together with the other party via a telephone line.
The display size and display position of the image data to be received can be arbitrarily specified, and image data can be sent / received to / from videophone devices having different image display functions, which is convenient for the videophone device. Can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of an embodiment of a videophone device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram of the videophone device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a monitor by image data transmission / reception processing of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of the screen displayed on the monitor by the image data transmission / reception processing of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Videophone Device 2 Camera Part 3 Monitor 4 Key Operation Part 5 Connection Part 6 Card Insertion Port 7 Eject Switch 8 IC Card 8a ROM 8b RAM 11 Lens 12 CCD 13 A / D Conversion Circuit 14 Color Processing Circuit 15 Image Compression / Expansion Circuit 16 Dual port memory 17 Counter 18 D / A conversion circuit 19 Monitor 20 CPU 21 Voice compression / expansion circuit 22 Modem 23 NCU 24 Bus 25 Handset 26 I / O port

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. In a videophone device for transmitting and receiving image data and audio data via a telephone line and displaying the image data, a storage means for storing the image data, and the pixel data having an arbitrary pixel size are stored. Means for writing to the means, and means for reading image data of a predetermined pixel size from the storage means, the pixel size of the image data written to the storage means and the image data read from the storage means A video phone device having different pixel sizes. 2. The videophone device according to claim 1, wherein the reading means changes the reading cycle of the storage means according to the pixel size of the image data to be read. 3. A pixel size of a display image displayed on a screen or an image data transmitted to the other party in a videophone device that transmits and receives image data and audio data to and from the other party via a telephone line and displays the image data. A videophone device having a setting means for setting arbitrarily. 4. A videophone device for transmitting and receiving image data and audio data to and from a partner via a telephone line and displaying the image data, having means for setting a pixel size of the image data, A videophone device which transmits and receives the pixel size of the set image data together with voice data to and from the other party via a telephone line. 5. In a videophone device for transmitting and receiving image data and voice data to and from the other party via a telephone line and displaying the image data, means for arbitrarily setting the display position of the display image to be displayed on the screen is provided. A videophone device having.