JP3352122B2 - Image input device and image input method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image input device in an image communication device, and more particularly to a video telephone system or a video conference system on a workstation using a high sensitivity information communication service network such as ISDN or a dedicated line. Image input device used and image input
About the force method .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, there has been proposed a video conference system for holding a conference between remote locations using a highly sensitive information service network such as ISDN or a dedicated line. Also, in recent years, computers have become smaller and more sophisticated, and workstations in which real-time image processing is practically excellent have emerged, and are now being put to practical use as image communication terminals for video conference systems. . For example, a small camera or microphone may be installed on a workstation, an input image from a camera received from a remote location may be displayed on a part of the monitor, and a meeting may be performed simultaneously with other data. Have been.

[0003]

In such a conventional example,
When operating the television camera, it is necessary to turn on the television camera independently, and there is a first problem that the operation is troublesome.

In a conventional image input device, for example, if another process on a workstation is being performed while starting up a video conference system, the video conference window may be erroneously closed. At this time, when the window is opened again, the initial setting of the AE, AF, etc. of the television camera is redone, so that the camera position and the focus once set must be set again, which is a troublesome second problem. There was a point.

The present invention, first the above has been made in view of the second problem, each first, the image input device and can solve the second problem, respectively or to individual
It aims to provide an image input method .

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an image input apparatus comprising: a camera control means for controlling a camera for inputting an image; and the camera control means in response to an operation of a computer.
Performs predetermined initialization of the camera, and starts displaying a window on the monitor with image data from the camera.
And display control means for, earlier on the operation of the computer
When the window display is terminated, the camera
End control means for stopping the power supply of the
And the termination control means determines whether the window display is terminated.
During a predetermined set time, power is supplied to the camera control means.
A timer circuit for continuing the supply, and the timer circuit
Before the predetermined time elapses, the operation of the computer is performed.
When restarting the window display by operation,
Exit the window display without performing the specified initial settings.
The image display is restarted by setting the time .

According to an image input method of the present invention, image data from a camera for inputting an image is converted in accordance with an operation of a computer.
A predetermined initial setting of the camera by the camera control means.
The go monitor to start window displayed, to terminate the window display more operations of the computer
Power supply of the camera control means is stopped in response to the
At the end of the window display for a predetermined set time.
During this time, power is supplied to the camera control means by a timer circuit.
And the predetermined set time of the timer circuit elapses.
Before operating the window by operating the computer.
When restarting the display, perform the above-mentioned initial setting.
By the way, the image display with the setting at the end of the window display
It is intended to resume .

[0008]

In the image input device of the present invention, image data from the camera is displayed on a display screen of a computer as a window, and power is supplied to the camera by operating the computer.

[0009]

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In actuality, a portion (not shown) other than a camera input section is used for input images from a camera or other data. Has a block for transferring data to a remote location, receiving and processing data from a remote location, and a block for handling other data processing.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a camera using a CCD for inputting an image, and 2 denotes a signal processing unit for processing an input signal (image data) from the camera 1, which performs an analog-digital conversion process. 3 is a controller (camera control means) for controlling the operation of the camera 1; 4 is a camera platform for determining the imaging direction of the camera 1; 5 is an image memory for storing image data from the signal processing unit 2; , A display display memory for storing image data transmitted from the camera 1 via the signal processing unit 2 and the image memory 5, and a controller 8 for controlling the operation of the display memory 7. A controller 9 for processing a signal from the display memory 7 for display on a monitor;
Reference numeral 10 denotes a CPU serving as a system control unit, which outputs a control signal of the camera 1 to the controller 3.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a monitor having a display screen. The controller 8 reads out image data from the display memory 7 and displays the image in a window on a display area of the monitor 11 divided into a plurality of display areas. It constitutes control means. Reference numeral 12 denotes a power input circuit for supplying power to the camera 1, the controller 3, and the camera platform 4. The power is supplied from the outside, and the CPU 10 is operated by selecting a camera icon displayed on the display screen of the monitor 11. Power supply to the camera 1 and the controller 3 is started via the power input circuit 12.

Reference numeral 13 denotes an off-timer circuit for stopping power supply to the camera 1 and the controller 3 after a lapse of a set time at the end of image display on the monitor 11, and is constituted by a counter or the like. If a camera icon on the display screen of the monitor 11 is selected before the set time of the off-timer circuit 13 has elapsed, the off-timer circuit 13 is reset to resume image display.

Note that the CPU 10 is connected to a plurality of other terminals via communication lines to constitute a workstation video conference system. The external appearance of the communication image terminal is as shown in FIG. 2, and the CPU 10 and the monitor 11 are configured by the same computer 14 system.

Next, the operation of the image input apparatus configured as described above will be described. First, an image input from the camera 1 is converted into a digital signal that can be taken into the image memory 5 by the signal processing unit 2 and stored in the image memory 5. The image memory 5 is controlled by a signal from the controller 6 set by the CPU 10 and rewrites the memory data in accordance with a signal transmitted from the camera 1 in real time. Then, data necessary for screen display is read out of the data of the image memory 5 and sent to the monitor display memory 7.

Here, a so-called multi-window display in which a plurality of processing screens are opened and displayed on a monitor is generally performed in a workstation or a personal computer. The display memory 7 for the monitor displays the multi-window. For this purpose, individual input data such as the other party's video and data transmitted through the image memory 5 or a network connected to another terminal is stored. And
In order to generate each window display, the CPU 10 designates an address of data to be displayed on the controller 8, and the controller 8 switches and reads data stored in the display memory 7 according to the address.
The read data is used as a monitor display signal processing unit 9.
Is converted to a video signal that can be displayed on a monitor and output to the monitor 11.

On the other hand, some icons are displayed on the screen of the monitor 11 of the workstation. Normally, these icons are selected by clicking with a pointing device such as a mouse indicating the coordinates on the monitor screen, and the processing operation symbolized by the icon is started. Further, by clicking on an icon display for performing a series of processing for displaying an input image from the camera 1 on the workstation, the image display is executed.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the above-described image display processing. First, when the camera 1 on the workstation is not used, this control is in a waiting state until the camera icon is clicked (step S1).
10 detects this and sends a power-on signal to the power input circuit 12 of the camera 1 and its peripheral circuits through the off-timer circuit 13. Thereby, the power input circuit 12 turns on the power of the circuits of the camera 1, the controller 3 and the camera platform 4 (step S2). Further, the CPU 10 initializes the camera 1 from a state where the power supply around the camera is turned on (step S3). The initial setting of the camera 1 means movement of the camera 1 in the initial setting direction of the camera platform 4, adjustment of the white balance of the camera 1, and the like. Then, the signal processing unit 2 converts the input signal from the camera 1 into data to be stored in the image memory 5, and the image memory 5 stores the image data by the controller 6 controlled by the CPU 10 (step S4). . At this time, data control of the CPU 10 of the image memory 5 is performed by the controller 6.

Next, the CPU 10 opens a window on the monitor 11 (step S5) and fetches the data of the image memory 5 into a certain address of the display memory 7, and the controller 8 converts the data at that address into the above-mentioned window data. Is converted into a signal that can be displayed on the monitor by the signal processing unit 9 and displayed in a window on the monitor 11.

When the camera window is opened in this way, the power of the camera itself is turned on, and the input image from the camera 1 is displayed on the window as an initial screen. Thereafter, the user uses this window to adjust his / her camera such as the camera direction and zoom control, and establishes a video conference connection with another point.

This state is maintained until the window display is closed (step S6). When the communication with the other point is completed and the close is selected, the CPU 10 sends an off signal to the off timer circuit 13 of the camera 1. Send. As a result, the off timer circuit 13 starts the operation of the wait timer, and enters a process of closing the window (step S7). Then, the state is a wait state until the timer expires (step S8). When the timer expires, the off timer circuit 13 sends an off signal to the power input circuit 12, and the power input circuit 12
The power of the controller 3 and the camera platform 4 is turned off (step S10), and the state of step S1 is maintained until the system is restarted by clicking the camera icon again.

However, the CPU 10 monitors whether the camera icon is clicked again during the wait state of step S8 (step S8).
9) If the icon for the camera is clicked again before the time is up, the count of the timer is reset (step S11), and the process returns to the state of step S5 and returns to step S5.
The PU 10 opens a window on the monitor 11 and restarts the video conference system.

As described above, by providing a mechanism for turning off the system after a certain period of time after closing the window, even if the wrong window is closed, the window can be closed immediately. The video conference system can be restarted with the current settings. That is, since the actual camera power is turned off after a certain period from the video conference system ending operation, restarting from an erroneous ending operation can be performed smoothly.

In the above-described embodiment, a video conference camera connected to a workstation has been described as an example. However, even when a document camera used for inputting an image of a material or the like is connected, the same is easily applied. Control.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, the camera can be automatically turned on by selecting a predetermined icon, so that the operability is improved. According to another aspect of the present invention, the power supply to the camera is stopped after the set time of the timer circuit at the end of the image display, and when the camera icon is selected before the set time of the timer circuit elapses, Since the image display was restarted, the window was accidentally closed and the
If you have completed the
The effect of being able to resume smoothly and to smoothly restart from an erroneous end operation is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an outer shape of the image communication terminal.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of one embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 camera 3 controller (camera control means) 5 image memory 7 display memory 8 controller (display control means) 10 CPU (system control means) 11 monitor 12 power supply input circuit 13 off timer circuit 14 computer

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A camera control means for controlling a camera for image input; and a camera control means in response to an operation of a computer.
Ri performs predetermined initialization of the camera, and <br/> display control means for starting a window displaying the image data on the monitor from the camera, the window display more operations of the computer end
Termination control means for stopping the power supply of the camera control means in response to the termination.
And an end control means, at the end of the window display.
During a fixed set time, power supply to the camera control
A timer circuit for continuing the timer circuit,
Before the set time elapses,
When restarting the window display,
Without performing the initial settings,
An image input device characterized by restarting image display by setting . 2. Image data from a camera for image input is transmitted by a camera control means in accordance with an operation of a computer.
Make the initial settings of the camera and
Window Display to start, end the window display more operations of the computer
Power supply of the camera control means in response to the
It is stopped for a predetermined set time at the end of the window display before
Power supply to the camera control means is continued by the timer circuit
Before the predetermined set time of the timer circuit elapses.
And displaying the window by operating the computer.
When restarting, do not perform the predetermined initialization
The image display is restarted with the settings at the end of the window display
An image input method comprising: