JP2001045453A - Image transmitter - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain image information that can sufficiently support display of a large-sized image pattern or printing or the like by controlling picked-up image information to be transferable during call connection processing and controlling the image information to be displayable in the case of receiving the image information during the call connection processing. SOLUTION: A program, which is used to compress image information from an operating processing between its call transmission and its reply, to transmit the compressed image information and to expand received image information and to display it, is written in a ROM 15 or an EEPROM 16 and a control section 13 reads the program in the case of call transmission or call reception and uses it for its control. After conducting a call control, a caller side terminal (A) transmits its image transmission capability and a called party terminal (B) transmits its image transmission capability. An optimum image transmission capability is decided on the basis of both the image transmission capabilities and an acknowledgement message is transmitted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device capable of transmitting an image, in which image information is transmitted during a call (during a call connection process) until the called terminal responds to the call from the calling terminal. And a technology for exchanging transmission capabilities with each other.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, portable telephones that can be easily handled and used outdoors have become widespread. In particular, PHS (Pe
The rsonal Handy phone System is characterized by good call quality, low call charges, and long continuous operation time with battery drive power. Currently, image information having a huge amount of data is exchanged more than voice, and this PHS is the fastest information transfer rate among mobile phones at 32Kbps to 64Kbps. It is also used as a wireless interface terminal for receiving / transmitting image information.

In recent years, image transmission using a mobile phone has not been realized only by combining it with a personal computer or the like, but a so-called portable videophone capable of real-time image and voice transmission and reception using only the mobile phone. Spread is also spreading. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of a portable videophone as one of the image transmission apparatuses. FIG.
Reference numeral 1 indicates a transmission / reception antenna, 2 indicates a transmission / reception switch (S
W) 3 is a receiving unit, 4 is a demodulating unit, 5 is a transmitting unit, 6 is a modulating unit, 7 is a TDMA control unit, 8 is an audio processing unit, 9 is a microphone, 10 is a speaker, 11 is an image processing unit, 12 Is a camera, 13 is a control unit, and 14 is connected to the control unit 13.
Denotes a RAM, 15 denotes a ROM, 16 denotes an EEPROM, 17 denotes an MMI (Man Machine Interface) having a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting display (LED), and a keyboard.

Radio signals are transmitted and received via the receiving unit 3 and the demodulating unit 4 or the transmitting unit 5 and the modulating unit 6 while being controlled in timing by the TDMA control unit 7. The audio processing unit 8 encodes / decodes received or transmitted audio information, and the image processing unit 11 encodes / decodes received or transmitted image information. The control unit 13 also stores programs corresponding to various operation modes of the mobile phone in the ROM 15 or the EEPROM 1.
Take out from 6 and control.

Usually, when using this portable videophone, the calling side calls the called side on condition that the performance (image compression method and information transmission speed) of the calling side terminal and the called side terminal are the same. . When the called party answers this call, the voice and image information input from each other's microphone and camera are mixed via the communication channel, and the mixed signal is transmitted and received in real time.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional method, it is possible to confirm who the caller is by calling number display, but the image information of the caller is always transmitted from the caller. I couldn't see it without establishing a call path in response to the call. For this reason, the receiving side could not know in advance the atmosphere and expression of the calling party and even where they were.

Also, during a call, a signal in which voice information, image information, and data information (character information and application information) are mixed is transmitted and received through the call channel, so that voice information, image information, and data information are transmitted. In both cases, the transmission capacity is limited. For this reason, even the highest priority audio information is compressed and transmitted within half the transmission capacity of normal transmission, resulting in loss of quality, and the image information is compressed and transmitted within a transmission capacity that is more restricted than the audio information. As a result, the image is deteriorated, and the data information must be transmitted within the remaining capacity allocated to the audio information and the image information.

Accordingly, even if the image information transmitted from the communication partner is stored in the memory, the image quality is limited to the image quality that can be viewed in the terminal that has received the image information, and the image information can be sufficiently displayed or printed on a large screen. The image information could not be obtained. Further, as described above, image transmission cannot be performed unless the mutual performance is the same.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image transmission apparatus for transmitting a predetermined message signal during a call connection process from a call to a response. Call control means for transferring the image data, an image pickup means, a display means, and a control means for controlling the whole of the call control means. The control means transfers the image information picked up by the image pickup means during the call connection processing. And when the image information is received during the call connection processing, the image information is controlled to be displayed on the display means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image transmission apparatus for transmitting an image, a call control means for transferring a predetermined message signal during a call connection process from a call origination to a response is provided. Storage means for storing the transmission capacity that can be provided, and control means for controlling the entirety, wherein the control means controls the transfer of the transmission capacity that can be provided by the own terminal from the call control means during the call connection processing. It is characterized by the following.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image transmission apparatus for transmitting an image, wherein a call control means for transferring a predetermined message signal during a call connection process from a call origination to a response; Storage means for storing the transmission capacity that can be provided; receiving means for receiving a report of the transmission capacity from the partner terminal during the call connection processing; and comparing the transmission capacity of the partner terminal with the transmission capacity that the terminal can provide. Comparison means, and control means for controlling the whole, the control means determines an optimum transmission capability between the terminals based on an output signal of the comparison means during the call connection processing, and Is set to the optimum transmission capacity, and the optimum transmission capacity is notified to the partner terminal.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image transmission apparatus for transmitting an image, a call control means for transferring a predetermined message signal during a call connection process from a call origination to a response is provided. Storage means for storing the transmission capacity that can be provided; communication destination storage means for storing at least the caller information including the telephone number of the communication destination and the transmission capacity; and the telephone number and the transmission capacity from the partner terminal during the call connection processing. Receiving means for receiving caller information, determining means for determining whether or not caller information of the other party terminal obtained from the receiving means is registered in the communication destination storage means, and a telephone call received from the other party terminal If the number and transmission capacity match the registered contents, select the registered transmission capacity; otherwise, select the transmission capacity received from the partner terminal and the local terminal. Selecting means for selecting the optimum transmission capacity between the terminals by comparing with the transmission capacity that can be provided by the user, and control means for controlling the entirety, the control means including the selection means during the call connection processing Based on the selection result, the transmission capability of the terminal is set to the selected transmission capability, and the selected terminal is notified of the selected transmission capability.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the image transmission apparatus comprises a signal indicating that the type of the transmission capability is any one of voice, image and data. And

[0014]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an image transmission apparatus according to the present invention; In addition, the same code | symbol is used for the location which shows the same structure. A block diagram of a portable video phone according to an embodiment of the present invention is almost the same as the block diagram of the conventional portable video phone shown in FIG. 5, and a transmission / reception antenna 1, a transmission / reception switch (SW) 2, a receiving unit 3, a demodulation unit, and the like. Unit 4, transmission unit 5, modulation unit 6, TDMA control unit 7, audio processing unit 8, microphone 9,
Speaker 10, image processing unit 11, camera 12, control unit 1
3, a RAM 14, a ROM 15, an EEPROM 16, an MMI (Man Machine Interface) 17 having a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting display (LED), and a keyboard. A program for compressing and transmitting image information during an operation process from a response to a response and for expanding and displaying received image information is written in the ROM 15 or the EEPROM 16. Read and control.

FIG. 1 is an image transmission sequence of a portable videophone showing one embodiment of the present invention. First, the calling terminal PS (A) transmits the camera 12 before or simultaneously with the calling.
Capture the image with. Next, the calling terminal PS
When (A) makes a call (calls) to the called terminal PS (B),
A message (SETUP) for starting a call setup is transmitted from the calling terminal PS (A) to the base station (not shown) or from the base station to the called terminal PS (B). The called terminal PS to indicate that the requested call setup has been started
(B) from the base station or from the base station to the calling terminal PS
A call setup acceptance message (CALLPROC) is transferred to (A), indicating that no more call setup information is accepted. A call message (ALERTING) is transferred from the called terminal PS (B) to the base station to indicate that the called terminal PS (B) is calling. Also, a calling message is transferred from the base station to the calling terminal PS (A). After performing these normal call controls, the calling terminal PS (A) transmits the image transmission capability (message) of the calling terminal PS (A), and
S (B) transmits the image transmission capability of the called terminal PS (B). The optimum image transmission capability is determined based on the mutual image transmission capabilities, and an acknowledgment message (ACK) is transmitted (this terminal may determine the optimum image transmission capability). When the optimum image transmission capability is determined, the terminal that transfers the image information compresses and transmits the image according to the optimum image transmission capability. The terminal that receives the compressed image information receives the compressed image information, expands the compressed image information, displays the expanded image information on the liquid crystal display (LCD), and can display the other party's image during calling. When the called user answers the call from the calling terminal PS (A) while checking the image, a response message (CONNECT) is sent from the called terminal PS (B) to the base station and from the base station to the calling terminal. The call is transferred to PS (A) and the call is started. still,
The transmission of the image transmission capability may be performed from the transmission side or the reception side, and the exchange of the image transmission capability may be performed at any timing before the call is started.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an image transmission capability message according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the terminal transmitting the image transmission capability message includes three types of data transmission capabilities (rates), three types of image compression methods,
There are various types of speech coding schemes, and the contents are transmitted to the partner terminal. Then, they compare their transmission capacities and select the most appropriate method. (Even if one sends a message and the other decides the transmission capacity, each sends a message and confirms the mutually determined transmission capacity. But it is fine).
It should be noted that during the call, the data and the information of the voice coding system are also transferred, but since these capabilities may be exchanged during a call, they are collectively performed here.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of the image transmission capability ACK in one embodiment of the present invention. After selecting the most appropriate method based on the image transmission capability message shown in FIG. 2, the selected final data transmission capability, final image compression method, and final audio encoding method are transmitted in a confirmation message. Unify transmission capacity.

Next, an example in which the image transmission capability exchange is omitted will be described. FIG. 4 shows a flowchart for setting the transmission capability in one embodiment of the present invention. In the case of this flowchart, the terminal stores the telephone number of the other party and the transmission capability in a pair in advance.

First, when the telephone number and the transmission capability are received from the calling side (S101), the telephone number code book registered in the terminal is searched (S102). When the telephone number received from the search result matches the registered telephone number (S103), the received transmission capability is compared with the registered transmission capability (S104). As a result of the comparison, if the received transmission capability matches the registered transmission capability, information is transmitted with the coincident transmission capability (S107). If the information received in S103 and S104 does not match the registration information, the transmission capacity is exchanged between them (S105). When the optimum transmission capacity is determined, the registration and update to that effect are registered in the telephone number. This is performed correspondingly (S106). Then, both terminals are set to the determined optimum transmission capacity and information is transmitted (S107). It should be noted that the information is not necessarily limited to the telephone number and may be any information that can identify the calling terminal.

As described above, since the other party's telephone number and transmission capability are stored in a pair in advance, there is no need to transmit a transmission capability message between each other, and it is possible to omit the image transmission capability exchange. The transmission capability stored in pairs with the telephone number can be confirmed by displaying the transmission capability on a liquid crystal display (LCD).

[0021]

According to the above configuration, when the image transmitting apparatus of the present invention is used, the subscriber of the receiving terminal can see the image information transmitted from the transmitting side during the call, and thereby the atmosphere and expression of the transmitting party can be obtained. Also, there is an effect that information such as where the user is can be known before calling.

Further, since image information is transmitted using the idle time and idle information fields from call control to ringing, it is possible to allocate almost all of the image information transmission unlike transmission during a call. , High-quality image information can be transmitted.

Further, since the transmission capacity is exchanged and determined by using the idle time and idle information fields from the above-mentioned call control to the middle of the call, terminals having different performances can exchange information with each other. Information can be transmitted with the optimum (highest level) transmission capability (the transmission capability during a call can also be determined). In particular, in the case of a mobile phone (portable videophone), the model of the terminal changes drastically, and the performance (compression method, coding method, etc.) changes every time. Exchange is very effective.

Also, if the transmission capability of the calling terminal is stored in advance, the optimum transmission capability can be set immediately based on information that can identify the calling terminal, such as the calling number.
It is also possible to omit the transmission capability exchange between the above. Although the telephone number does not change at present, the performance of the terminal may change. In such a case, the transmission capacity is updated to the newly determined transmission capacity.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an image transmission sequence of a portable videophone showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an image transmission capability message according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an image transmission capability ACK according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Configuration diagram

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for setting a transmission capacity according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of a portable videophone.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: transmission / reception antenna 2: transmission / reception switch (SW) 3: reception unit 4: demodulation unit 5: transmission unit 6: modulation unit 7: TDMA control unit 8: audio processing unit 9: microphone 10: speaker 11: image processing unit 12 : Camera 13: Control unit 14: RAM 15: ROM 16: EEPROM 17: MMI

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image transmission apparatus for transmitting an image, comprising: a call control unit for transferring a predetermined message signal during a call connection process from a call origination to a response; an imaging unit; a display unit;
And control means for controlling the entirety, wherein the control means controls to transfer image information captured by the imaging means from the call control means during the call connection processing, and controls image information during the call connection processing. An image transmission apparatus characterized in that when an image is received, the display is controlled by the display means. 2. An image transmission apparatus for performing image transmission, comprising: a call control means for transferring a predetermined message signal during a call connection process from a call origination to a response; and a storage means for storing transmission capability that can be provided by the terminal itself. An image transmission apparatus, comprising: a control unit that controls the entire system, wherein the control unit performs control so as to transfer, from the call control unit, a transmission capability that can be provided by the own terminal during the call connection process. 3. An image transmission apparatus for performing image transmission, comprising: a call control means for transferring a predetermined message signal during a call connection process from a call origination to a response; and a storage means for storing a transmission capability that can be provided by the terminal itself. Receiving means for receiving a report of transmission capability from a partner terminal during the call connection process; comparison means for comparing the transmission capability of the partner terminal with the transmission capability that the terminal can provide; control means for controlling the whole The control means determines the optimum transmission capacity between the terminals based on the output signal of the comparison means during the call connection processing, and sets the transmission capacity of the own terminal to the optimum transmission capacity. An image transmission device for setting the transmission capability and notifying the partner terminal of an optimal transmission capability. 4. An image transmission apparatus for performing image transmission, comprising: a call control unit for transferring a predetermined message signal during a call connection process from a call origination to a response; and a storage unit for storing a transmission capability that can be provided by the own terminal. A communication destination storage means for storing at least a caller information including a telephone number and a transmission capability of a communication destination; a reception means for receiving caller information including a telephone number and a transmission capability from a partner terminal during the call connection processing; Determining means for determining whether or not the caller information of the other party terminal obtained from the receiving means is registered in the communication destination storage means, and contents in which the telephone number and transmission capability received from the other party terminal are registered If it matches, select the registered transmission capacity; otherwise, compare the transmission capacity received from the partner terminal with the transmission capacity that can be provided by the terminal itself. Selecting means for selecting an optimal transmission capacity between the terminals, and control means for controlling the entirety, the control means based on the selection result of the selecting means during the call connection processing, An image transmission device, wherein a transmission capability is set to the selected transmission capability, and the selected transmission capability is notified to the partner terminal. 5. An image transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said transmission capability comprises a signal indicating that the type of said transmission capability is one of voice, image and data.