KR19980037639A - Visitor Identification Videophone Using Communication Network - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a visitor identification videophone using a communication network that can send a video and audio message for a visitor via a communication line so as to check a home visitor from the outside even when the videophone user is absent.

To this end, the visitor identification videophone using the communication network is installed on the outside of the house and converts the impression of the visitor into a video signal; Voice input means installed at an exterior of the house and inputting a voice message of the visitor; Storage means for storing the video signal from the video camera and the audio message from the audio input means; And communication means for interfacing the storage means with a user via a communication network.

Description

Visitor Identification Videophone Using Communication Network

1 is a general block diagram of a conventional videophone.

2 is a block diagram of a videophone with a conventional recording function.

3 is a block diagram of a visitor identification videophone using a communication network according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of transmitting a visitor message by a videophone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

1: communication circuit unit 2: switch unit

3: Analog-to-digital converter 4: Memory

5: Digital / Analog Converter 6: Video Output

7: Audio output unit 8: Camera input unit

9: microphone input unit 11: communication circuit

12: Microcomputer

The present invention relates to a videophone, and more particularly, to a visitor identification videophone using a communication network that allows the visitor to check the video and audio of the visitor recorded in the videophone from the outside through a communication line.

Voice calls were made possible while confirming the impressions of visitors of ordinary video phones. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional video phone houses a video signal input from an image input apparatus 1 such as a camera installed outside the housing and an audio signal input through an audio input apparatus 2 such as a microphone. It was configured to display the internal monitor 3 and to sound-proof the audio signal input through the microphone to the speaker 4. However, the conventional video phone has a disadvantage that the user can not identify the visitor who visited in the absence of the user. Accordingly, the video phone has requested a function of storing the visitor's video and audio in the absence of the user and providing the user with information about the visitors when the user returns home. In response to this demand, a video phone having a recording function capable of recording a visitor's video and audio has been proposed. As shown in FIG. 2 of the video phone having the recording function, the switch unit 3 is operated under the control of the microcomputer 4 to control the video and audio signals input from the camera 1 and the microphone 2 outside the house. The analog / digital converter 5 is converted into a digital signal and stored as digital data. When the user operates the switch unit 3, the video phone having a recording function transmits the video and audio data of the visitor stored in the memory 6 through the digital / analog converter 7 through the video output unit 8 and It is sent out to the voice output unit 9 so that the user can identify and confirm the visitor in absence.

However, the videophone using the conventional technology could not identify the visitor until the visitor checked out after returning home. That is, in the conventional conventional video phone, when the visitor presses the bell, the camera operates to transmit an image and talk through the microphone and the speaker. In addition, the video phone with the conventional recording function can check the visitor by storing the video and audio in the absence of the video phone user, but the conventional video phone is visited by the visitor outside the house even when a long visit or important visit is expected Could not confirm.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a video phone that can be sent to the video and voice messages for the visitor via a communication line to check the visitor at home from the outside even when the video phone user is devised under the above background. Is in.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a visitor message transmission method of a video phone capable of transmitting a visitor message through a communication network.

In order to achieve the above object, the visitor identification videophone using the communication network according to the present invention is installed on the outside of the house and converts the impression of the visitor into a video signal; Voice input means installed at an exterior of the house and inputting a voice message of the visitor; Storage means for storing the video signal from the video camera and the audio message from the audio input means; Communication means for interfacing the storage means with the user via a communication network.

The visitor message transmission method of the videophone according to the present invention comprises the steps of checking whether there is a communication request in the communication line; Connecting a communication circuit and a communication line such as a telephone line when there is a communication request; Checking whether there is a video / audio stored in the storage device; If there is a stored video / audio, transmitting the content stored in the storage device through a communication line; Setting a visit frequency of the visitor; Checking the visit frequency of the visitor; If the number of visits of the visitor is zero, the step of releasing the communication line connection.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 attached to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

Referring to FIG. 3, a video camera 8 installed outside the house and converting the impression of the visitor into a video signal, and a microphone input unit 9 installed outside the house to input the voice message of the visitor, and video A visitor identification videophone using a communication network according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown having a switch section 2 for switching video signals from a camera 8 and voice messages from a microphone input 9. The switch unit 2 controls the video signal from the video camera 8 and the voice message from the microphone input unit 9 under the control of the microcomputer 12 to the analog-digital converter 3 or the image output unit 6 and the audio output. Transmit selectively to sub (7). In detail, the switch unit 2 transmits the video signal and the audio message to the analog-to-digital converter 3 when the user is absent, and the video and audio output unit when the user is at home. Transfer to (6, 7). The analog-digital converter 3 converts a video signal and an audio message into a digital form.

In addition, the visitor identification videophone using the communication network stores a digital video signal and a digital audio message from the analog-to-digital converter 3, and a digital video signal and a voice message from the storage device 4 are analog. It is further provided with a digital-to-analog converter 5 for converting to a form. The storage device 4 stores therein a digital video signal and a digital audio message from the analog-digital converter 3 in the absence of the user. The storage device 4 then transfers the stored digital video signal and the digital audio message to the digital-analog converter 5 or the microcomputer 12. In detail, the storage device 4 sends the digital video signal and the digital voice message to the microcomputer 12 when a visitor confirmation request is received from the communication network 13, and the digital video signal when the user requests a home visitor confirmation. And digital voice message to the digital-to-analog converter 5. On the other hand, the digital-to-analog converter 5 converts the digital production signal and the digital audio message from the storage device 4 into the form of an analog signal, and the converted video signal and audio message are output from the video output unit 6 and audio output. It supplies to the part 7. The video output section 6 then displays the video signal from the switch section 2 or the digital-analog converter 5 on the screen so that the user can identify and confirm the impression of the visitor. In addition, the voice output unit 7 also sound-insulates the voice message from the switch unit 2 or the digital-analog converter 5 so that the user can confirm the purpose of the visitor's visit.

In addition, the visitor confirmation videophone using the communication network has a communication circuit 11 connected between the communication network 13 and the microcomputer 12. The communication circuit 11 together with the microcomputer 12 constitutes the communication circuit unit 1. The communication circuit 11 transmits a user's control command from the communication network 13 to the microcomputer 12, as well as a control command from the microcomputer 12, a digital video signal, and a digital audio message to the communication network 13. It is in charge of transmitting function. To this end, the communication circuit 11 includes a modem for demodulating the analog signal from the communication network 13 into digital data and modulating the digital data to be transmitted to the communication network 13 into an analog signal, a ring detector for call processing, and the like. . On the other hand, the microcomputer 12 controls the switching operation of the switch unit 2 and the digital video signal and the digital video signal stored in the storage device 4 in accordance with a control command from the communication network 13 via the communication circuit 11. The voice message is transmitted to the communication network 13 via the communication circuit 11. As a result, the communication circuit unit 1 composed of the communication circuit 11 and the microcomputer 12 has a function of interfacing the communication network 13 and the storage device 4. In addition, the communication network 13 is connected to a computer or a video phone, etc., so that the user can check the presence or absence of the visitor, the impression of the visitor and the purpose of the visit from the outside.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a step-by-step method of transmitting a visitor message of a videophone according to an embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart of FIG. 4 will be described in detail step by step.

In step S1, it is checked whether there is a communication request to confirm the visitor's visit fact through a communication network from a computer (not shown) from the outside. If there is no communication request at step S1, the flow returns to the beginning. If there is a communication request in step S1, the communication circuit unit 1 is interfaced with an external computer connected to the communication network 13 under the control of the microcomputer 12 (step S2), and then the process proceeds to step S3 to the storage device 4; Check if there is a video / audio of the visitor. The number of visits at this time is represented by the number of flags. If there is a video / audio stored in the storage device 4 in step S3, the flow advances to step S4 and in step S4 the video and audio data stored in the storage device 4 are transmitted through a communication line such as a modem and step S6. Proceed to If there is no video / audio stored in step S3, the flow advances to step S5 to send a message that there is no video / audio signal stored therein and proceeds to step S8 to disconnect the communication line. In step S6, after transmitting the video / audio of the visitor, the flag is reset by decreasing by 1, and the video and audio message of the visitor is transmitted until the flag becomes 0, that is, the number of visits becomes 0 (step S7). Continue in order of visit. If Flag is not 0 in step S7, the process returns to step S5. If the flag is 0 in step S7, the communication line is disconnected and the transmission ends.

As described above, the videophone of the present invention can identify the visitor's purpose and identity through a computer communication network from the outside, which can not be identified in the absence of the videophone user in the prior art. It provides an effect that can be provided.

Claims (8)

A video camera installed outside the house and converting a visitor's impression into a video signal; Voice input means installed outside the house to input a voice message of a visitor; Storage means for storing a video signal from said video camera and a voice message from said audio input means; Video display means for displaying the video signal; Voice output means for transmitting the voice message; Switching means for selectively transmitting the video signal from the video camera and the voice message from the audio input means to the gear means, the video display means and the audio output means; And a communication means for interfacing said storage means with a user via a communication network. The method of claim 1, The communication means performs a communication protocol with a communication network, and also transmits a video signal and an audio message stored in the storage means to the communication network; And a signal matching unit connected between the communication control unit and the communication network to match signals between the communication network and the communication control unit. The method of claim 2, And the signal matching unit includes a modem for modulating data to be transmitted to the communication network into an analog signal and demodulating the analog signal into digital data from the communication network. The method of claim 3, wherein The storage means, A storage device connected between the switching means and the communication control unit to store the video signal and the audio message from the switching means; And an analog-to-digital converter for converting video signals and audio messages to be transmitted from said switching means to said storage device into digital data. The method of claim 4, wherein And a digital-to-analog converter connected between the storage device and the video display means and the audio output means for converting video signals and audio messages from the storage device into analog signals for transmission to the video display means and audio output means. Visitor confirmation videophone using a communication network, characterized in that one. In the visitor message transmission method of the video phone that can check the visit purpose and identity of visitors in the absence of the user through an external communication line, Checking whether there is a communication request in the communication line; Connecting a communication circuit and a communication line such as a telephone line when there is a communication request; Checking whether there is a video / audio stored in the storage device; If there is a stored video / audio, transmitting the contents stored in the storage device through a communication line; Setting a visit frequency of the visitor; The visitor message transmission method of the video phone comprising the step of checking the number of visits of the visitor. The method of claim 6, And transmitting a message indicating that there is no recorded video / audio when there is no stored video / audio in the step of checking whether the stored video / audio is present. The method of claim 6, And disconnecting the communication line when the visit number of the visitor becomes 0 in the visitor count checking step, and repeatedly transmitting the communication line through the communication line when the visitor count is not 0. How to send a message.