JPH08111863A - Image information transmission system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enhance the operability of a television camera with simple configuration by revising an image pickup direction of the television camera depending on an operation input or a control command sent from a transmission opposite party. CONSTITUTION: A teleconference equipment 1A displays a video image picked up by a TV camera 3A to a display device 4B of an opposite party through a channel 7. Furthermore, an image pickup direction of the TV camera 3A is switched by operating its own camera controller on a controller 6A to display a video image of a person 11A or a video image on a paper material placing board 5A onto the display device 4B of the opposite party. Furthermore, the camera controller of the opposite party on the controller 6A is operated to switch the image pickup direction of the opposite party TV camera 3B and the video image of the opposite party person 11B, the video image on the paper material placing board 5B and a video image of other party 12 taking part in the conference are displayed on its own display device 4A. As a result, the image pickup direction of the TV camera is changed with simple configuration.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

[Table of Contents] The present invention will be described in the following order. Field of Industrial Application Conventional Technology Problems to be Solved by the Invention Means for Solving the Problems (FIG. 1) Action (FIG. 1) Example (FIGS. 1 to 9) Effect of the Invention

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image information transmission system, and is suitable for application to, for example, a television conference system in which a person or material is photographed by a television camera (hereinafter referred to as a television camera) and transmitted to each other. is there.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a television conference system, a television camera and a day play are arranged and images of a person photographed by the television camera are transmitted to each other through a line and displayed on the other party's display. There are things that hold a meeting while watching.

[0004]

By the way, in such a television conference system, it is sometimes desired to display not only the person in the conference but also the materials used in the conference on the display to proceed with the conference. However, when changing the shooting target in this way, it is necessary to manually change the mounting position of the TV camera, each time the conference is interrupted, and it is necessary to arrange a person nearby to change the mounting position of the TV camera. There was a problem that it wasted time and required extra labor costs. In addition, since the conventional TV camera rotation mechanism is of a pan head type and the device itself is large and heavy, it cannot be built in, for example, during display, and a large amount of labor is required to move it by hand.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points. The image information taken by the television camera is sent to the transmission partner side, and the image information supplied from the transmission partner side is displayed on the display. In this case, it is intended to propose an image information transmission system which can improve the usability by changing the shooting direction of the television camera with a simple structure.

[0006]

In order to solve these problems, the present invention provides a television camera (3).
A, 3B) and display (4A, 4B), and sends the image information taken by the television camera (3A, 3B) to the transmission partner side, and the image information supplied from the transmission partner side is displayed (4B). 4A) in the image information transmission system to be displayed on each of the television cameras (3A, 3B), and the photographing direction of the television cameras (3A, 3B) is operated or input according to a control command transmitted. Camera direction control means (2A, 2) to be changed
B) and an operation means (6A) for inputting a control command for controlling the shooting direction of the own television camera (3A, 3B) or a control command for controlling the shooting direction of the transmission destination television camera (3B, 3A). , 6B).

[0007]

By changing the shooting direction of the television cameras (3A, 3B) according to an operation input or a control command transmitted from the other party of transmission, one television camera is replaced and the shooting direction is changed. Compared to the case when
The operator's labor can be remarkably simplified, and the usability can be improved by inputting the shooting direction of the television camera (3B, 3A) on the transmission partner side.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a television (T) to which the image information transmission system according to the present invention is applied as a whole.
V) Shows a schematic configuration of the conference system. In the case of this television conference system 1, each television (TV)
Television cameras 3A and 3B having camera rotating mechanisms 2A and 2B as the conference devices 1A and 1B, and a display 4 for displaying images taken by the mutual television cameras 3B and 3A.
A and 4B, materials installation bases 5A and 5B for installing the materials necessary for the conference and photographing them with the TV cameras 3A and 3B, and controllers 6A and 6B, and at least one pair connected by the line 7. It is composed of equipment.

The displays 4A and 4B use monitor devices of small computers 8A and 8B in which hardware and software for realizing the television conference devices 1A and 1B, a line control device and the like are incorporated. Further, keyboards 9A, 9B and mice 10A, 10B are connected to the small-sized computers 8A, 8B for the operations unique to the computers, the startup of the television conference devices 1A, 1B, and the system connection operation.

In the case of this embodiment, the television cameras 3A, 3B
Is rotated by the camera rotation mechanisms 2A and 2B so that the photographing direction can be changed. As a result, for example, as shown by an arrow a, each person 11A, 11B sitting in front of the display 4A, 4B during the television conference is photographed, or as shown by an arrow b, the material installation bases 5A, 5B are taken.
It is designed so that the material placed on it can be photographed and, as shown by the arrow c, another person 12 participating in the television conference can be photographed.

In this case, each person 11A, 11B controls the camera rotation mechanism 2A, 2B only by the switch operation by the controller 6A, 6B at hand, and the television camera 3
The imaging directions of A and 3B can be changed.
Therefore, the persons 11A and 11B can take a desired image without moving from the place, and the images projected in this way are displayed on the displays 4B and 4A viewed by the opponent persons 11B and 11A, respectively. In addition, in the case of this television conference system 1, not only each person 11A, 11B transmits the image he / she wants to send to the other party, but also the television cameras 3B, 3A of the other party are controlled by the controllers 6A, 6B by the system setting. Therefore, it can be operated remotely. As a result, by switching the shooting directions of the other party's TV cameras 3B, 3A, the user can freely select and shoot the desired thing about the other party, and display it on his / her own display 4A,
It is designed so that it can be displayed on 4B.

As shown in FIG. 2, the television conference apparatus 1A, 1B of the television conference system 1 has a central processing unit (CPU) 20A and a camera process 21A for processing a camera signal photographed by a television camera 3A. When,
A lens driver 22A for controlling the TV camera 3A and the camera rotation mechanism 2A according to the control of the CPU 20A, and a communication interface 23A for outputting a video image captured by the TV camera 3A and inputting an image through the line 7 are provided. Configured. A self camera controller 24A and a partner camera controller 25A are arranged on the controller 6A. Furthermore, this television conference device 1A is provided with a small computer 8A and telephones 26A, F.
It is connected to the line 7 through AX27A or the like.

As a result, this television conference apparatus 1
In A, the video captured by the TV camera 3A is transmitted through the line 7 and the display 4 of the other party is transmitted.
Display on B. In addition to this, the controller 6A
By operating the self camera controller 24A above to switch the shooting direction of the television camera 3A, the person 1
The image of 1A and the image of the material on the material installation table 5A can be displayed on the display 4B of the other party. Further, in the case of this embodiment, by operating the partner camera controller 25A on the controller 6A, the shooting direction of the partner TV camera 3B can be switched, and the image of the partner person 11B or the material installation table 5B can be switched. The image of the material of the above, or the image of the other person who participates in the conference can be displayed on his / her display 4A.

In the case of this embodiment, the television camera 3
The camera rotation mechanism 2 (2A, 2B) of (3A, 3B) is
Reverse L-angle shaped inner frame 30 and outer frame 31
Has a TV camera 3 on the upper surface of each angle.
It is composed by stacking on top. A pitching motor 32, which is a thin motor, is attached to the side surface of the inner frame 30 to move the television camera 3 in the vertical direction (PD). A yawing motor 33, which is a thin motor, is attached between the upper surfaces of the inner frame 30 and the outer frame 31 and moves the television camera 3 together with the inner frame 30 in the left-right direction (YD).

When the position of the target object to be photographed is changed by this, the photographing direction of the television camera 3 is adjusted so that a new target object is projected in that direction by the controller 6 at the person's hand or the preset position data. change. The direction can be freely changed, for example, 0 to 90 ° or more. Further, by the lens control built in the television camera 3, the target object can be displayed on the display 4 by enlarging or reducing it by zooming or the like depending on the situation.

According to the above construction, the photographing direction of the television camera 3 is changed in accordance with the operation input or the control command transmitted from the transmission side, so that the photographing direction can be changed by changing one television camera. Compared with the case of changing, the labor of the operator can be remarkably simplified, and the usability can be improved by being able to input the shooting direction of the transmission side television camera.

Further, according to the above configuration, the object to be photographed can be changed by a simple operation, and the time required to photograph the object can be shortened. Further, even if the number of objects to be photographed is increased, it is not necessary to change the attachment as in the conventional case, so that extra labor can be reduced. Furthermore, a single person can display the necessary video without interrupting the explanation or making any special arrangement. Furthermore, it can be used not only as pantilta but as a scan. Also, in both directions, people can freely choose what they want to see and shoot.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the television camera 3 is moved by the camera rotation mechanism 2 to change the photographing direction has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and before the lens of the television camera 3, An optical path variable optical element such as a mirror or a prism may be arranged, and the optical path variable optical element may be moved by a yawing motor or a pitching motor to change the photographing direction.

Incidentally, FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show the case where the mirror 40, the prism 50 and the variable apex angle prism 60 are used as the optical path variable optical elements in front of the lens of the television camera 3, respectively. Variable optical elements 40, 50,
60 is moved by the yawing motors 41, 51, 61 and the pitching motors 42, 52, 62 to change the photographing direction.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the television camera 3 having the camera rotating mechanism 2 is arranged on the display 4 of the small-sized computer 8 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and is shown in FIG. As described above, the display may be incorporated in the small-sized computer 8 integrated with the display or the display 4. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7 (B), the television camera 70 may be moved only in one direction, that is, in the direction of the material installation table and a person, and the size may be reduced accordingly. The compact computer is not limited to the disposable type shown in FIG. 7, but may be a laptop type or a notebook type as shown in FIG.

In the above embodiment, the television camera is rotated in two directions so that the photographing direction can be freely changed within a predetermined range. However, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. It may be configured so that it can rotate only in one direction in consideration of miniaturization. In this case, if the television camera 3 and the rotation motors 81, 82, and 83 are arranged as shown in FIGS. 9A to 9C, the horizontal direction, the vertical direction, and the vertical direction, respectively.
It can be rotated diagonally.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the television conference system is described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the image information transmission system using the television telephone system or the multimedia personal computer. It is suitable for wide application.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, one television camera is changed by changing the shooting direction of the television camera in accordance with an operation input or a control command transmitted from the transmission partner. Compared with the case where the shooting direction is changed by changing the attachment, the operator's time and effort can be significantly simplified, and the shooting direction of the TV party camera on the other end of the transmission can be input to improve usability. obtain.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a television conference system to which an image information transmission system according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a television conference device in the television conference system of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a camera rotation mechanism of the television conference device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a camera rotating mechanism that changes a shooting direction by using a mirror as another embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a camera rotating mechanism that changes a shooting direction by using a prism as another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a camera rotation mechanism that changes a shooting direction by using a variable apex angle prism as another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a case where a television camera of a television conference system is incorporated in a compact computer type computer as another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a case where a television camera of a television conference system is incorporated in a small laptop computer as another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram for explaining a television camera that moves only in one direction as another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... TV conference system, 2, 2A, 2B ...
Camera rotation mechanism 3, 3A, 3B ... Television camera 4, 4, 4A, 4B ... Display 5, 5, 5A, 5B
…… Data installation base, 6, 6A, 6B …… Controller, 7
...... Line, 8, 8A, 8B …… Compact computer, 9,
9A, 9B ... Keyboard, 10, 10A, 10B ...
Mouse, 11A, 11B ... person, 12 ... other person.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Shuji Moro 6-735 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A television camera and a display, respectively, for transmitting image information photographed by the television camera to a transmission partner, and displaying the image information supplied from the transmission partner on the display. In the image information transmission system, the camera direction control means is provided for each of the television cameras, and changes the shooting direction of the television camera in accordance with an operation input or a transmitted control command. An image information transmission system comprising: an operation unit for inputting the control command for controlling the shooting direction or the control command for controlling the shooting direction of the television camera of the transmission partner. 2. The image information transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the camera direction control means holds the whole television camera and controls it in at least one axis direction. 3. The image information transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the camera direction control means is an optical path changing means arranged in a front portion of a lens of the television camera. 4. The photographing direction of the television camera is switched between a person watching the display and another direction according to an operation of the operation means. Image information transmission system. 5. The image information transmission system according to claim 2, wherein the other direction is a direction of a material placed on a material table. 6. The image information transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the television camera is built in the display.