JPH0486161A - Picture transmission and reception equipment for visual telephone - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable both speakers to have a conversation with each other while watching monitor faces by using properties of the transmission face and the reflection face of a half mirror to physically align optical axes of a reception picture and a transmission picture. CONSTITUTION:The reflection face of a half mirror 11 is directed to a display device 12 and is set at 45 deg. to a main body set face 10 so that the image on the display device 12 is projected, thereby projecting the image on the display device 12 to the reflection face of the half mirror 11. A camera 13 set at the rear of the rear transmission face side of the half mirror 11 receives a scene in the direction of the reflection face of the half mirror 11, namely, the image of a speaker. The image on the display device 12 is inverted by electric signal processing and is inverted again by reflection on the half mirror 11 and is projected as the original image. Thus, both speakers have a conversation in the more natural state while turning their eyes upon each other.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to an image transmitting/receiving device for a videophone.

Conventional technology In recent years, as interest in videophones has increased,
There is a growing demand for devices that allow people to talk to each other without looking at each other face to face.

In a conventional image transmitting/receiving device for a videophone of this type, a monitor surface of a display and a television camera (hereinafter referred to as a camera) are arranged at different positions on a main body panel.

The image transmitting/receiving device for the videophone will be explained below.

FIG. 6 shows the structure of a conventional videophone transmitting/receiving device.

In the figure, 61 is a monitor surface, 62 is a camera that takes an image of the person speaking, and c63, which is placed above the monitor surface 61 and faces diagonally downward, is a display surface that takes an image of the person speaking.

First, an image of the interlocutor is projected on the monitor surface 61 of the display 63. The caller's eyes naturally turn toward the image of the interlocutor. Then, since the caller's line of sight is not directed to the camera 62 that captures the caller, the image taken by the camera 62 is displayed on the display 63 of the video call of the caller.
The line of sight is directed downward due to the positional relationship between the camera 62 and the display 63.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with the configuration of the conventional videophone transmitting and receiving device described above, when one caller looks at the monitor screen, he or she cannot direct his/her line of sight toward the camera, and when playing a mutual videophone call, the line of sight is directed downward. In the photograph, the interlocutors were shown facing toward each other, and the five callers were unable to make eye contact and were conversing in an unnatural situation.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to provide a videophone transmitting/receiving device that allows both parties to interact while looking at each other's monitors.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, 1. A specific means of the present invention is to install a half mirror at a specific angle with respect to a substantially horizontal main body installation surface, and to increase the transparency of the half mirror. A camera is installed to capture the image of the caller using a half-mirror.
Install a display so that the screen is reflected on the reflective surface of the half mirror, or use the transparency of the half mirror to allow the caller to see the image on the display. However, a camera is installed so that the image of the telephone person reflected on the reflective surface of the half mirror can be taken using the reflective surface of the half mirror.

According to the above-described configuration, the optical axes of the received image and the transmitted image can be physically aligned using the properties of the transmissive surface and the reflective surface of the half mirror, so that the lines of sight of the callers are almost aligned. Become.

Embodiment 1 A first embodiment of an image transmitting/receiving apparatus for a video telephone according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 1, 11 is 46° with respect to the main body installation surface 1o.
The half-mirror 112 installed at an angle of
13 is a camera installed behind the half mirror 11. In FIG. 2, 11 is a half mirror, and 512 is a display.

The operation of the videophone transmitting/receiving device configured as described above will be described below.

First, the half mirror 11 will be explained.

In FIG. 1, this half mirror 11 is placed so that the reflective surface of the half mirror 11 is placed on the display 12 side so that the image of the display 12, which is installed so that the right end is on the L side of the image and the left end is on the lower side of the image, is reflected. By installing the half mirror 11 at an angle of 46 degrees with respect to the main body installation surface 10, the image of the display 12 is reflected on the reflective surface of the half mirror 11. Also.

A camera 13 installed behind the transmissive surface side of the back side of the half mirror 11 receives an image of the scene in the direction of the reflective surface of the half mirror 11, that is, an image of the caller.

In addition, the image projected by the display 12 is the half mirror 11.
Because it is reflected by the reflective surface of the mirror, the two original images are left and right reversed. To do this, as shown in Figure 2, the signal is processed electrically so that it becomes the same as the original image reflected in a mirror.

By inverting the original image left and right, the image projected by the display 11 is reflected by the half mirror 11, and the left and right sides are reversed again to be displayed as the original image.

Next, the effects of the operation of the first embodiment described above will be described. In FIG. 1, when the caller directs his/her line of sight to the center of the image projected on the half mirror 11, the line of sight coincides with the optical axis taken by the camera 13. Since the camera 13 is installed in the center of the display 12 when viewed from the front of the videophone, the field of view that can be taken by the camera 13 is
It spreads out around the center of 2, and can capture the line of sight of the caller. Therefore, by directing one's line of sight to the interlocutor who can be fully displayed on the display of the videophone, it is possible to have a conversation in a more natural state while maintaining the line of sight of both parties.

3 and 4 regarding the second embodiment of the present invention.
This will be explained with reference to the figures. In fig.

As in the first embodiment, 31 is a half mirror, 32 is a display, 33 is a camera, and 34 is a half mirror.
The rotation axis 35 of the camera 33 depending on the rotation angle of the camera 131.
an arm that changes the angle with the half mirror 31 at a constant ratio with a as the center; 35 is a rotating shaft that rotates the half mirror 31 around the center of the half mirror 31;
6 is a support rod that supports the rotating shaft 36.

The vertical length of the image of the half mirror 31 is the length at which the upper and lower ends of the image are projected when the half mirror 31 is at the maximum angle θ (0<9o°) with respect to the screen of the display 32. Set.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the image reflected on the reflective surface of the half mirror 31 as seen from the caller, and 41 is the image reflected on the reflective surface of the half mirror when the angle θ is the maximum value. But image 41 was shown.

The upper and lower edges A of the image 41 are made equal.

The operation of the second embodiment configured as described above will be described below. First, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the caller rotates the rotation shaft 36 so that the angle of the half mirror 31 with respect to the display 32 is such that the image 41 is reflected in the center of the half mirror 31 from the caller's position. The half mirror 31 is tilted as shown in FIG. Then, the image of the person making the first call will look at the center of the half mirror 31, and the image of the person making the first call will be seen in the center of the half mirror 31.
The angle of incidence with respect to the half mirror 31 corresponds at a constant ratio to the angle θ with respect to the main body installation surface of the half mirror 31. now.

If the angle of the half mirror 31 with respect to the screen of the display 32 is θ, the angle at which the arm 34 is lowered from a plane parallel to the screen of the display 32 is (2θ−π/2).

Therefore, the arm 34 is set at an angle of (2θ-π/2) with respect to the angle θ of the half mirror 310, for example.

The rotating shafts 36 and 35a are interlocked using gears or the like.

By doing so, as long as the caller is looking at the center of the image projected on the half mirror 31 according to the angle at which the caller tilts the half mirror 31.

The camera 33 can always capture the line of sight of the caller.

As described above, by making the half mirror 31 rotatable and changing the camera angle at a constant rate accordingly, the caller can view the image projected on the half mirror 31 from a position where it is easy to see. At the same time, the image projected on the interlocutor's display 32 is such that the line of sight is always directed toward the interlocutor.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, 61 is installed at an angle of 46° with respect to the main body installation surface 60. A half mirror 162 is a display installed behind the half mirror 61. 63 is a vertical direction of the main body installation surface 6o and this axis. The camera is installed so that the screen is parallel to the surface of the display. The operation of the third embodiment of the image transmitting/receiving device configured as described above will be described below.

In this third embodiment, since the positions of the display 12 and camera 13 are reversed in the first embodiment, the image on the display 62 is transferred to the reflective surface of the half mirror 61 by utilizing the transparency of the half mirror 51. You can see the caller on the other side. On the other hand, the camera 63 can take an image of the person talking by utilizing the reflective properties of the half mirror 61. However, in this example, the line of sight of the caller is the main body installation surface 6, as in the first embodiment.
It must be parallel to ゜.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above explanation, (1) the blurry image transmitting/receiving device of the present invention uses a half mirror to align the line of sight of the monitor with the optical axis of the camera, so that the line of sight of the caller, which is the transmitted image, is aligned with the received image. The conversation is directed towards the interlocutor, which brings the former's line of sight closer and enables a more natural conversation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of an image transmitting and receiving device of a videophone according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part showing a state in which an image of the same image transmitting and receiving device is projected on a half mirror. , 3rd
The figure is a side view of the main parts of the image transmitting and receiving device of the videophone according to the second embodiment, FIG. The figure is a side view of the main part of the image transmitting/receiving device of the videophone according to the third embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a side view of the image transmitting/receiving device of the conventional videophone. 10.50... Main unit installation surface, 11.31.61
...Half mirror-112, 32, 52...
・Display, 13.33.53... Camera (
television camera). Name of agent: Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano and one other person lθ
-11 Main body 1 side N---Half mirror- 12-・-Chisgore f Figure 3 Figure 3/---, ＼-Fumiu 32-11 Tisma 1/I 33---Unoh 9 ＼-Fuller (Anti-Soldier Mask)

Claims (1)

[Claims] A half mirror installed at a specific angle to the main unit installation surface, a TV camera or display installed behind the half mirror, and a display or camera installed within the vertical projection of the half mirror to the main unit installation surface. A videophone transmitting and receiving device comprising: