JP3411399B2 - Image communication device - 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 communication apparatus for transmitting and receiving an image using a digital line, and more specifically, an image / sound input / output recording section and an image / sound recording / communication section can be separated from each other. When an image communication device equipped with a certain mechanism is used to automatically receive a moving image, by recording it as a still image in the recording unit when it is separated, it is possible to automatically receive the partner image even in the separated state. Image communication device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 15 is a block diagram of an image communication apparatus having an image input / output unit for transmitting and receiving images using a digital line. In the figure, 100 is an image communication apparatus, 101 is a camera, and 102 is Microphone 103, speaker 104, display 104, handset 105, dial button 106, ISDN (Integrated Services Dig)
Ital Network (service integrated digital network) circuit network.

A camera 101 for capturing a transmission image is provided above the display 104, and a microphone 102 for capturing a sound is provided around the display 104.
And a speaker 103 for outputting the transmitted voice. The display 104 is provided vertically behind the dial button 106 of the communication unit. Also, a handset 1 having the receiver on the side of the communication unit
05 is attached, and I is attached to the rear end of the communication unit.
The SDN line network 107 is connected. In this way, the image input / output unit and the communication unit are integrated.

The transmission image captured by the camera 101 is I, together with the sound captured by the microphone 102.
It is transmitted via the SDN line network 107. Also, the IS
The image sent through the DN line network 107 is displayed on the display 104 and the sound is output from the speaker 103. Power on / off and other functions are executed by operating the dial buttons 106. When used as a normal telephone, the handset 105 is used and the dial button 106 is used as a push button dial.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an image communication apparatus for communicating moving images. In the figure, 108 is a connection cable and 10 is a connection cable.
9 is an external VTR (Video Tape Recorder), 110
Is a video tape insertion slot, and the other parts having the same functions as those in FIG. 15 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Dial button 1
The communication unit including 06 is connected to the external VTR 109 via the connection cable 108, and the moving image of the video tape set in the video tape insertion port 110 is IS.
Transmission is possible via the DN line network 107. Further, when performing automatic reception, it is an automatic reception device that records the received moving image as it is on a tape medium using a video tape recorder or the like.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of an image communication device for communicating a still image. In the figure, 120 is a still image communication device, 121 is a camera, 122 is a camera arm, 123 is a hard disk device, 124 is a display, Reference numeral 125 is a handset, 126 is a document table, 127 is a dial button, and 128 is an ISDN network.

The communication section includes a document table 126, a hard disk 123, dial buttons 127, and a display 124.
And a camera 121 for capturing a transmission image is further provided at the tip of the camera arm 122. A handset 125 is provided on the side of the communication unit and is connected to the ISDN network 128. A still image placed on the document table 126 is photographed by the camera 121 and transmitted via the ISDN network 128.
The still image sent via the ISDN line network 128 is recorded in the hard disk device 123 and
It is displayed on the display 124.

When voice is transmitted, the dial button 127 can be used as a push button dial via the handset 125 provided in the communication section. That is, when a still image is automatically received, the encoded data is directly recorded on a disk medium such as a hard disk before decoding the still image, and when the still image is viewed, the encoded data is read from the hard disk and decoded. Turn into.

Known documents describing conventional image communication apparatuses include Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 1-132260, 1-137764, and 1-149466.
3, JP-A-1-149664, JP-A-1-168154, and the like.

The above-mentioned publication has a device main body having a line interface part, a video signal modulating part and a video signal demodulating part, and a video input part, and is capable of supplying a video signal to the device main body. Since the image unit is detachably attached to the main body of the apparatus, a distant subject can be freely transmitted. Further, the one disclosed in the above publication includes a video input unit, a device main body including a video display unit, a line interface unit, a video modulation unit, and a video demodulation unit, and the video input unit is detachable from the device main body. By doing so, a distant subject can be freely transmitted.

Further, the above-mentioned publication includes an image unit having an image input section and a finder, an apparatus main body having an image display section, a line interface section, an image modulation section and an image demodulation section. Since the unit can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body, a distant subject can be freely transmitted. Further, the above-mentioned publication has an image capable of supplying an image signal to the device body, which has an apparatus body having a line interface section, a video signal modulation section and a video signal demodulation section, a transmission button and an image input section. By including the unit, a distant subject can be freely transmitted.

Further, the device disclosed in the above publication enables the closing of the telephone line and the transmission / reception of the audio signal and the video signal by operating only the slave unit separated from the master unit. It was designed so that it was not necessary to bring it close. As described above,
In the image pickup device, only the image input / output unit is separated and the communication unit is connected by a cable or wireless to give a certain degree of freedom to the image collection.

[0013]

However, in the conventional image communication apparatus, the image input / output unit and the communication unit are integrated, and the communication unit is bound from the digital line network. The inconvenience arises in that only the image around the existing place can be transmitted. Further, even if only the image input / output unit has a certain degree of freedom by a cable or wirelessly, the degree of freedom is practically limited within the same room where the communication unit is installed. In addition, the conventional image input / output unit does not have a voice input unit or an image recording unit and cannot be taken out. Therefore, the voice and image recorded on a trip or outdoors can be taken over a telephone line. Could not be transmitted through.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an image / sound input / output recording unit in which an image / sound input / output unit and a recording unit are integrated, and an image / sound recording / communicating unit are freely provided. By making it possible to separate and combine the images with each other, it is possible to collect images for image communication without being restricted by the installation location of the image communication device. Focusing on the fact that it has a built-in image encoder / decoder and, in that case, a disk device for still image storage, the image / sound input / output recording unit is the image / sound recording communication unit. When the image / sound input / output recording unit is separated from the image / sound recording / communication unit, the received image is recorded as a moving image in the image / sound input / output recording unit. Recording provided in the voice recording communication unit By recording the received image as a still image in, even if the image / sound input / output recording unit is separated from the image / sound recording / communication unit, the image to be transmitted by the transmitting terminal is not completely lost, An object is to provide an image communication device capable of recording an image.

[0015]

The present invention SUMMARY OF], in order to solve the above problems, (1) and output means for performing image input and output of audio, and the first recording means for recording the dynamic image and sound An image / sound input / output recording unit with a function to record still images and sound
An image / sound recording / communicating unit having a second recording unit, a transmitting unit that transmits a moving image or a still image and sound, and a receiving unit that receives a moving image or a still image and sound .
The image and sound output recording portion freely coupled with said image and sound recording communication unit, the image communication apparatus having a removable means for separating the transmission means of the image and sound recording communication unit is inputted Still image encoding means for encoding the captured image as a still image, moving image encoding means for encoding as a moving image, and whether to transmit the still image or the moving image to the image communication device of the other party. The receiving means comprises a detection switch for detecting whether the image / sound input / output recording unit is coupled or separated, and from the state of the detection switch, to the inquiry of the transmission means, the transmission of moving to the transmitting means when the video and audio input and output recording unit is coupled, the transmission of the still image to said transmitting means when the video and audio input and output recording unit is separated requested Further comprising a means that, furthermore,
(2) image and an input-output means for inputting and outputting voice, moving image and the first image and sound output recording unit having a recording means, receiving means for receiving the dynamic image and sound recording audio When a transmission unit for transmitting image and audio, and image and sound recording communication unit and a second recording means for recording a still picture and audio, the video and audio recording and the image and sound output recording unit freely combine the communication unit, the image communication apparatus and a detachable means for separating the transmission section of the recording and audio recording communication unit includes a video encoding means for encoding a moving picture, the reception The means includes a detection switch for detecting whether the image / sound input / output recording unit is connected or separated, and the image / sound input / output recording unit detects the image / sound input / output recording unit from the state of the detection switch.
If the voice input / output recording unit is connected, the other party's image
When the moving image transmitted from the communication device is recorded in the first recording means and the image / sound input / output recording section is separated,
A means for re-encoding a moving image transmitted from the image communication device of the other party into a still image and recording the still image in the second recording means is further provided, and further, (3) in (1) or (2) above, The first recording means is a video tape recorder, and the second recording means is a hard disk device.

[0016]

The image communication apparatus of the present invention comprises an image / sound input / output recording section and an image / sound recording / communication section, and (1) the image / sound input / output recording section having the first recording section, Since the image / voice recording / communicating unit having the second recording unit can be freely separated and combined, the target images can be freely collected without being restricted by the installation location. At this time, it is desirable to record a moving image in the first recording unit because the type of the target image is not limited. In addition, the second recording unit provided in the image / sound recording / communicating unit is often used for communication by communicating with the operator of the partner terminal during communication, so that a still image is acquired. It is desirable to record

(2) Further, since the communication means for moving images and the communication means for still images are provided, in addition to moving image communication for use in everyday conversation, still images for use in detailed meetings and the like. Can also be the subject of communication images. (3) Further, when the image / sound input / output recording unit is connected to the image / sound recording / communication unit by the automatic receiving means for automatically receiving an incoming call, the received image is automatically recorded in the image / sound input / output recording unit. If the image / sound input / output recording unit is separated from the image / sound recording / communication unit, the received image is recorded in the image / sound recording / communication unit.

(4) The transmission side terminal outputs a still image permission signal output request signal to the reception side terminal at any time. On the other hand, the receiving terminal receives the still image permission signal output request signal and, at the same time, determines whether or not the image / sound input / output recording unit is connected, and if so, sends a signal indicating that still image transmission is impossible. When it is separated, the signal indicating the still image transmission permission is returned to the transmitting side terminal as a still image permission signal. The transmitting terminal encodes and transmits a moving image or a still image continuous image based on the transmitted still image signal. At the receiving terminal as well, based on the still image permission signal, in the case of a moving image, the encoded data is decoded and stored in the image / sound input / output recording unit, and in the case of a still image, the encoded data is directly processed as an image / sound. It is stored in the recording and communication unit.

(5) The transmitting terminal always encodes only the moving image and transmits it to the other terminal. The receiving terminal is
It is determined whether the audio input / output recording unit is connected or separated. If the audio input / output recording unit is connected, the moving image data is decoded and recorded in the image / audio input / output recording unit. If separated, the moving image data is decoded, the still image is encoded, and the still image encoded data is stored in the image / sound recording communication unit. (6) Since the image signal recording medium or the image data recording medium is used as the first recording means and the image data recording medium is used as the recording second recording means, various recording of moving images and still images is realized. it can.

(7) Since the video tape is used as the image signal recording medium and the hard disk is used as the image data recording medium, it is possible to cope with the current situation. (8) A still image permission signal for the transmitter of the image / sound recording / communicating unit to issue a still image permission signal output request signal to the receiver terminal or to decode the still image permission signal sent from the receiver terminal. Since it has a control unit and a selection unit for selecting whether to send a still image or a moving image to the receiving terminal according to the still image permission signal from the still image permission signal control unit Proper transmission of the image is possible.

(9) A reception data selection unit for determining whether or not the image reception unit of the image / sound recording / communication unit should record the reception data as it is in the second recording unit based on the value of the still image permission signal. Whether or not the image selection unit that determines whether the image data is a still image or a moving image based on the value of the still image permission signal and the first recording unit of the image / sound input / output recording unit are connected. Since it has the detection part which detects, a still image and a moving image can be received appropriately. (10) Storage in which the image receiving unit of the image / sound recording / communicating unit selects whether to reproduce the decoded image data as a moving image as it is based on a still image permission signal or to store the encoded image data after encoding the still image Since the system selection unit is included, still images and moving images can be received more appropriately.

[0022]

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a video tape recorder is used as an example of the first recording means provided in the image / audio input / output recording unit, and a hard disk device is used as an example of the second recording means provided in the image / audio recording / communicating unit. Although the first recording means is an image signal recording medium or an image data recording medium and the second recording means is an image data recording medium, it is limited to a magnetic recording medium such as a video tape or a hard disk. Not something. It is also possible to use a semiconductor recording medium (IC card) for recording moving images.

1 and 2 are block diagrams for explaining an embodiment of an image communication apparatus according to the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the voice input / output recording unit and the image / voice recording / communicating unit are separated, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the image / voice input / output recording unit and the image / voice recording / communicating unit are combined. In the figure, 11 is a camera, 12 is a microphone, 13 is a speaker, 1
4 is a video tape recorder (VTR)
der), 15 is a display, 16 is a connection section, 17 is an operation button, 18 is an answering machine set button, 19 is an operation key, 21 is a connection section, 22 is a handset, 23 is a dial button, 24 is a hard disk device, and 24a is Access lamp, 25 is ISDN (Integrated Services Di
gital Network; integrated service digital network).

The image communication apparatus of the present invention comprises an image / sound input / output recording section 10 and an image / sound recording / communication section 20.
The image / sound input / output recording unit 10 includes a camera 11 for capturing a transmission image and a microphone 1 for capturing a sound.
2, a speaker 13 for outputting a sound, a VTR 14 for recording a moving image, a display 15 for displaying an image, and a connection unit 16 for connecting to the image / sound recording / communication unit 20. The operation buttons 17 are for turning on / off the power of the camera 11, the display 15, the VTR 14, the speaker 13, and the microphone 12, operating the focus and zoom functions of the camera 11, adjusting the screen brightness of the display 15.
This button is used for operations such as volume adjustment of the speaker 13.

Further, the image / sound recording / communication unit 20 is
Connection unit 2 for connecting to the image / sound input / output recording unit 10
1, a handset 22 for a call, a dial button 23 for a call or image communication, a hard disk device 24 for recording the received data as it is, and an ISDN network 25 for image communication. . The access lamp 24a is a display lamp for notifying the read and write operation states of the hard disk device 24. Further, the answering machine set button 18 is a button used for recording a voice and an image during an absence. The operation key 19 is an operation key for driving the hard disk device 24.

With such a configuration, the image / sound input / output recording unit 10 including the VTR 14 which is the first recording unit of the image communication apparatus, and the image / sound including the hard disk device 24 which is the second recording unit. Since the recording and communication unit 20 can be freely separated and combined, the target images can be freely collected without being restricted by the installation location. The VTR 14 included in the image / sound input / output recording unit 10 records a moving image, and the hard disk device 24 included in the image / sound recording / communicating unit 20 records a still image.

As described above, since the moving image by the VTR 14 and the still image by the hard disk device 24 are communicated with each other through the image / sound recording / communicating unit 20 and the ISDN network 25, the moving image communication for use in daily conversation is carried out. In addition, a still image for use in a detailed meeting or the like can be the target of the communication image. Further, in the case of making an automatic incoming call, when the image / sound input / output recording unit 10 is combined with the image / sound recording / communication unit 20, the incoming image is automatically recorded in the VTR 14 of the image / sound input / output recording unit 10. To be done. When the image / sound input / output recording unit 10 is separated from the image / sound recording communication unit 20, the incoming image is recorded in the hard disk device 24 of the image / sound recording communication unit 20.

[0028] FIG. 3 is put to an image communication apparatus according to the present invention
2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a transmission unit of a transmission side terminal (hereinafter referred to as a transmission side terminal (A)). In the figure, 26 is an A / D conversion unit, 27 is a voice encoding unit, 28 Is a still image encoding unit, 29 is a moving image encoding unit, 30 is an image Bus selector, 31 is an image / audio multiplexer, and 32 is an ISD.
1 is an N line interface, 33 is a still image permission signal control unit, 34 is a CPU (central processing unit), and FIG.
The same reference numerals are attached to the parts having the same functions as.

In the transmission side terminal (A) of the image communication apparatus, the camera 11 captures the transmitted image and the microphone 12 captures the voice. The A / D converter 26 digitizes the captured image signal. The voice encoding unit 27 digitizes and captures the captured voice signal. The still image encoder 28 encodes the digitized image data as a still image. The moving image encoding unit 29 performs moving image encoding on the digitized image data. The image bus selector 30 selects either a still image or a moving image to be sent to the receiving side terminal (hereinafter referred to as the receiving side terminal (B)) shown in FIG. 6 in accordance with the still image permission signal.

The image / audio multiplexer 31 further multiplexes the audio encoded data with the selected image encoded data. The ISDN line interface 32 further converts the multiplexed data according to the ISDN protocol,
It outputs to the ISDN line network 25 or receives the value of the still image permission signal sent from the receiving side terminal (B). The still image permission signal control unit 33 issues a still image permission signal output request signal to the reception side terminal (B), or receives the reception side terminal (B).
The still image permission signal sent by the decoder is decoded. C
The PU unit 34 is a transmission block CPU unit of the transmission-side terminal (A) that controls each unit.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of the transmitting section of the transmitting side terminal (A) of the image communication apparatus shown in FIG. Hereinafter, each step (S) will be described in order.

When the connection of the ISDN line is started (S
1) Image input is performed (S2), and the captured analog image signal is converted into a digital signal (S3). The digitized image data is encoded as a moving image (S4) or still image (S5), and a still image permission signal output request signal is output to the receiving side terminal (B) (S6). When the receiving side terminal (B) returns the still image permission signal to the transmitting side terminal (A), the transmitting side terminal (A) receives the still image permission signal (S7, S8), and the value of the still image permission signal. (S9), and if the value is "Low", the image data Bus selector outputs moving image data (S1).
0), if the value of the still image permission signal is "High", the image data Bus selector outputs the still image data (S11).

The encoded audio data (S17) is multiplexed with the output image data (S12), and the multiplexed data is processed by the ISDN interface according to the ISDN line data (S13). It is output to the ISDN line (S14). Next, it is judged whether or not the ISDN line is in the connected state (S15), and if it is in the connected state, the process returns to the step S2, the following steps are processed, and the line disconnection (S16) is repeated.

[0034] Figure 6 is put to an image communication apparatus according to the present invention
3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a receiving unit of a receiving side terminal (B), in which 35 is an ISDN line interface, 36 is a received data Bus selector, and 37 is an image / audio demultiplexer. , 38 is an audio decoding unit, 39 is an image Bus selector, 40 is a still image decoding unit, 41 is a moving image decoding unit, 42 is a still image / moving image selector, 43 is a D / A conversion unit, and 44 is still. Image permission signal creation unit, 45 is a detection switch, 46 is a detection information processing unit, and 47 is a CPU
Reference numeral 48 denotes a hard disk device, and other parts having the same functions as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. The hard disk device 48 corresponds to the hard disk device 24 in FIG.

In the receiving side terminal (B) of the image communication apparatus, the ISDN line interface 35 decodes the ISDN protocol from the data received from the ISDN line network 25 and sends a still image permission signal to the transmitting side terminal (A). . Upon reception, the reception data Bus selector 36 determines whether to record the received data as it is from the value of the still image permission signal in the hard disk device 48 or to pass it as moving image data to the image / sound demultiplexer 37, and to record the hard disk recorded image. At the time of reproduction, the still image with audio read from the hard disk device 48 is passed to the image / audio demultiplexer 37.

The image / sound demultiplexer 37 separates the sound data and the image data from the received data or the still image data with sound recorded in the hard disk device 48. The audio decoding unit 38 decodes the separated audio data and performs D / A conversion. Image Bus Selector 3
9 determines from the value of the still image permission signal whether the separated image signal is a still image or a moving image, and when it is a still image, sends the image data to the still image decoding unit 40,
In the case of a moving image, the image data is sent to the moving image decoding unit 41. The still image decoding unit 40 uses the image Bus selector 39.
The still image decoding is performed on the image coded data received from.

The moving picture decoding unit 41 performs moving picture decoding on the coded image data received from the moving picture Bus selector 39. The still image / moving image selector 42 selects which of still image data and moving image data is to be sent to the D / A converter 43 from the value of the still image permission signal, and selects the selected image from the D / A converter. Send to 43. The D / A converter 43 D / A converts the image data. Still image permission signal creation unit 4
Reference numeral 4 determines from the state of the detection switch 45 whether or not moving image recording can be performed on the VTR 14, and creates a still image permission signal according to whether it is possible or not.

Detect switch 45 detects if VTR 14 is coupled. The speaker 13 outputs a voice. The hard disk device 48 records a still image.
The display 15 displays an image. The VTR 14 records a moving image. The detection information processing unit 46 uses the detection switch 45.
Process the detection information of. The CPU section 47 is a CPU section for the receiving side terminal (B) of the image communication apparatus, which controls the receiving section of the receiving side terminal (B) of the image communication apparatus.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of the receiving section of the receiving side terminal (B) of the image communication apparatus shown in FIG. Hereinafter, each step (S) will be described in order.

First, an ISDN line connection request is made (S1
8) Check if the answering machine set button is on (S19). If Yes, the connection of the ISDN line is started (S20), and the still image permission signal output request signal output from the transmission side terminal (A) is received (S21). At the same time, confirmation of the peripheral state is started (S22), and it is determined whether or not the VTR is connected (S23). VTR
If is connected, "Low" as a still image permission signal
Is set (S24), and if the VTR is not connected, the still image permission signal is set to the "High" value (S25), and the still image permission signal is returned to the transmission side terminal (A) (S26). ). Thereafter, the image data is received from the ISDN line (S27), the ISDN line data is decoded (S28), and the value of the still image permission signal is determined (S2).
9).

When the value of the still image permission signal is "High", the received data is output to the hard disk (S31),
The still image data is output / recorded on the hard disk drive (S38). When the value of the still image permission signal is "Low", the received data is output to the audio data / image data demultiplexer (S30) and separated into audio data and image data (S32). The voice is decoded as voice data (S3
3), as the image data, the moving image data is output to the image data Bus selector (S34).

Next, the moving image data is decoded (S3
5), D / A conversion of the moving image decoded data is performed (S3)
6). The converted video signal is output to the VTR and recorded (S37). It is determined whether the line is connected (S3
9) If it is in the connected state, return to step S20,
Repeat until the line is disconnected (S40).

[0043] Figure 9 is put to an image communication apparatus according to the present invention
That the transmitting terminal (hereinafter, the transmitting terminal (C) to be) a block diagram showing a configuration of another embodiment of the transmitter of the, in the figure, 50
Is an image / sound input / output recording unit, 51 is a camera, 52 is a microphone, 53 is a speaker, 54 is a VTR, 55 is a display, 56 is a connecting unit, 60 is an image / sound recording / communication unit, 61
Is a connection unit, 62 is an A / D conversion unit, 63 is a voice encoding unit,
64 is a moving picture coding unit, 65 is an image / audio multiplexer, 66 is an ISDN line interface, and 67 is a CPU.
Part 68 is an ISDN network.

In the transmission side terminal (C) of the image communication apparatus, the camera 51 captures the transmitted image and the microphone 52 captures the voice. The A / D converter 62 digitizes the captured image signal. The voice encoding unit 63 digitizes and encodes the captured voice signal. The moving image coding unit 64 performs moving image coding on the digitized image data. The image / audio multiplexer 65 further multiplexes the encoded audio data with the encoded image data. ISDN
The line interface 66 further converts the multiplexed data in accordance with the ISDN line data and outputs it to the ISDN line network. The CPU unit 67 is a transmission block CPU unit of the transmission-side terminal (C) that controls the above-mentioned units.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the transmission section of the transmission side terminal (C) of the image communication apparatus shown in FIG. Hereinafter, each step (S) will be described in order.

First, when the connection of the ISDN line is started (S41), the moving image data is input and A / D converted (S42). Next, moving image coding is performed (S4
3), output as image data. The encoded audio data (S45) is multiplexed with the output image data (S4).
4), processed according to the ISDN line data (S4
6) is output to the ISDN line (S47). The connection state of the line is judged (S48), and if it is the connection state, the process returns to the step S40 and is repeated until the line is disconnected (S49).

[0047] Figure 11 Contact the image communication apparatus according to the present invention
Kicking receiving terminal (hereinafter, reception-side terminal (D) to be) a block diagram showing the arrangement of another embodiment of the receiver of the figure, 6
9 is an ISDN line interface, 70 is an image / sound demultiplexer, 71 is a moving picture decoding unit, 72 is a sound decoding unit, 73 is a storage system selector, 74 is a still image coding unit, and 75 is a still image decoding unit. , 76 is a still image / audio data multiplexer, 77 is a still image / audio data demultiplexer, 78 is a still image / moving image selector, 79
Is a detection switch, 80 is a still image permission signal generating section, 81
Is a D / A conversion unit, 82 is a hard disk device, 83 is a detection information processing unit, 84 is a CPU unit, and other parts having the same operations as in FIG. 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In the receiving terminal (D) of the image communication apparatus, the ISDN line interface 69 decodes the ISDN line data from the data received from the ISDN line network 68. The image / audio demultiplexer 70 separates the encoded audio data and the encoded image data from the received data. The moving image decoding unit 71 performs moving image decoding on the encoded image data. The voice decoding unit 72 decodes the separated voice coded data and performs D / A conversion. The storage system selector 73 selects whether to reproduce the moving image as it is or to store the decoded image data after encoding the still image according to the still image permission signal.

The still image encoding unit 74 encodes the moving image decoded data as a still image. The still image decoding unit 75
Decode still image encoded data. The still image / audio data multiplexer 76 multiplexes the audio coded data with the still image coded data and sends it to the hard disk device 82. The still image / audio data demultiplexer 77 is
The still image coded data and the voice coded data are separated from the still image / voice multiplexed data read from the hard disk device 82. The still image / moving image selector 78 sends either the still image data or the moving image data to the D / A converter 81 according to the value of the still image permission signal.

The detection switch 79 detects whether or not the VTR 54 is connected. Still image permission signal creation unit 8
0 determines whether or not moving image recording is possible in the VTR 54 based on the value of the detection switch 79, and creates a still image permission signal according to the possibility. The D / A converter 81 D / A converts the image data. The speaker 53 outputs sound.
The hard disk device 82 records a still image. The display 55 displays an image. The VTR 54 records a moving image. The detection information processing unit 83 processes the detection information of the detection switch 79. The CPU section 84 is a CPU section for the receiving side terminal (D) that controls the receiving section of the receiving side terminal (D) of the image communication apparatus.

12 and 13 are flowcharts for explaining the operation of the receiving section of the receiving side terminal (D) of the image communication apparatus shown in FIG. Hereinafter, each step (S) will be described in order.

First, an ISDN line connection request is made (S5
0), it is checked whether or not the answering machine set button is on (S51). If Yes, the connection of the ISDN line is started (S52), and then the peripheral state confirmation is started (S53). It is determined whether or not the VTR is connected (S54), and if it is connected, the value of "Low" is set as the still image permission signal (S55). If it is not connected, the still image permission signal is set to "High". The value "" is set (S56). The image data is received from the ISDN line (S57) and the ISDN line data is decoded (S57).
58), it is separated into image data and audio data (S5).
9). As the audio data, the decoded audio is output as it is (S60), and the image data is also decoded (S61).

The value of the still image permission signal is judged (S6
2) If the value is "Low", the decoded video data is output as it is by the storage system selector (S63),
The video decoded data is D / A converted (S64),
The video signal output is recorded on the VTR (S65). When the value of the still image permission signal is "High", the moving image decoded data (S66) from the storage system selector is still image / encoded (S67), and the still image data and the audio data are multiplexed (S68). ), And is recorded in the hard disk device (S69). The connection state of the line is judged (S70), and if it is the connection state, the process returns to step S49 and the line disconnection (S71) is repeated.

The operation of the image communication apparatus of the present invention will be described in more detail below. First, one implementation of the image communication apparatus of the present invention
An example will be described. At the transmission side terminal (A), as shown in FIGS.
After the line connection is started (S
1) Input the image captured by the camera 11 (S
2), after A / D conversion by the A / D conversion unit 26 (S3),
The moving image coding unit 29 simultaneously performs moving image coding (S4), and the still image coding unit 28 simultaneously performs still image coding (S5). After that, the still image permission signal control unit 33 outputs a still image permission signal output request signal to the receiving side terminal (B) (S).
6).

On the other hand, the receiving side terminal (B) receives the still image permission signal output request signal output from the transmitting side terminal (A) after the line connection is started (S20), as shown in FIGS. Simultaneously with S21), it is judged from the value of the detection switch 45 (S22) whether or not recording on a video tape is possible (S23), and a still image permission signal is sent to the transmission side terminal (A) depending on the possibility. return. Here, when the video tape can be recorded (when it is not necessary to record the still image), the value of "Low" is set as the still image permission signal (S24), and the video tape cannot be recorded. In that case (when it is not necessary to record a still image), the value of "High" is set as the still image permission signal (S25), and the still image permission signal is returned to the transmission side terminal (A) (S26).

Upon receipt of this still image permission signal (S7), the transmitting side terminal (A) responds to the value of the still image permission signal (S9). If the value of the still image permission signal is "Low", the image The data Bus selector 30 displays moving image data (S1
0), and if it is “High”, the image data Bu
The s selector 30 outputs the still image data (S11) to the image / audio multiplexer 31 as image data for the image / audio multiplexer.

If the still image permission signal is not returned (S8), it is considered that the partner terminal is a terminal not equipped with the mechanism of the present invention, and the image data Bus selector 30 converts the moving image data into the image / sound multiplexer. Output as image data for use. The image / audio multiplexer 31 converts the image data for the image / audio multiplexer into the audio encoding unit 2.
The voice coded data coded in 7 is multiplexed (S1
2) The multiplexed data is processed by the ISDN line interface 32 according to the ISDN line data (S
13) is output to the ISDN line (S14). This is repeated until the line is disconnected (S16) (S15).

The receiving side terminal (B) outputs a still image permission signal to the transmitting side terminal (A) (S26), and then receives data from the ISDN line (S27). The received data is IS
After the ISDN line data is decoded by the DN line interface 35 (S28), it is sent to the received data Bus selector 36 (S29). Here, when the value of the still image permission signal is "High" (S31), the received data is supposed to be a still image, so that the audio data is recorded in the hard disk device 48 (S38).

When the value of the still image permission signal is "Low" (S30), since the received data should be a moving image, it is separated into image data and audio data by the image / audio demultiplexer 37 (S32). , Audio is sent to the audio data decoding unit 38 (S33), and image data is sent to the image Bus selector 39 (S34). In the image Bus selector 39, the moving image decoding unit 4 according to the value of the still image permission signal.
1 or outputs the encoded data to the still image decoding unit 40. Here, since the still image permission signal is “Low”, the received image is regarded as a moving image, and the moving image decoding unit 4
In step 1, the data is decoded as a moving image (S35), and the moving image decoded data is output to the still image / moving image selector 42.

According to the still image permission signal, in this case,
Since the moving image data is received, the still image / moving image selector 42 receives the moving image data, and the D / A
The data is output to the conversion unit 43 (S36). The D / A converter 43
Then, the received image is D / A converted and converted into a video signal, which is then output to the VTR 14 or the display 15. At this time, the detected information processing unit 46 puts the VTR 14 into a recording state, and the moving image is recorded on the video tape (S3).
7). This is repeated until the line is disconnected (S40).

When reproducing and displaying the received image,
If it is a still image, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 14, the recording data is read from the hard disk device 48 (S72), the audio data and the image data are separated (S73), and the audio data is directly decoded. It is output (S76). The image data is decoded as still image encoded data (S74), and the still image / moving image selector 4 is used.
It is D / A converted via S2 (S75) and converted (S77) and is reproduced and displayed by being output as a video. In the case of a moving image, it is reproduced and displayed by the reproduction operation of the VTR 14.

In this way, the transmission side terminal outputs the still image permission signal output request signal to the reception side terminal at any time. On the other hand, the receiving terminal receives the still image permission signal output request signal and at the same time determines whether or not the image / sound input / output recording unit is connected, and if so, sends a signal indicating that still image transmission is impossible. If not combined, a signal indicating permission to transmit still images is returned to the transmitting terminal as a still image permission signal. The transmission side terminal encodes and transmits the moving image or the still image continuous plane based on the transmitted still image signal. Even on the receiving side terminal, based on the still image permission signal, in the case of a moving image, the encoded data is decoded and stored in the image / sound input / output recording unit, and in the case of a still image, the encoded data is stored as it is. It is stored in the voice recording and communication unit.

Next, another embodiment of the image communication apparatus of the present invention will be described. At the transmitting terminal (C), after the line connection is started (S4
1) Input the image captured by the camera 51, A / D
After A / D conversion in the conversion unit 62 (S42), only moving image coding is performed in the moving image coding unit 64 (S43) and output as image / sound multiplexer image data.
In the image / audio multiplexer 65, the audio / coded data encoded by the audio encoder 63 (S45) is multiplexed with the image / audio multiplexer image data (S4).
4) The multiplexed data is processed by the ISDN line interface 66 according to the ISDN line data (S46) and output to the ISDN line (S47). This is repeated until the line is disconnected (S49) (S48).

On the other hand, at the receiving side terminal (D), as shown in FIG.
After the line connection is started (S
52) Based on the value of the detection switch 79 (S53), it is determined whether or not recording on a video tape is possible (S54), and a still image permission signal corresponding to the enable / disable is created. Here, when recording on a video tape is possible (when it is not necessary to record a still image), a value of "Low" is set as the still image permission signal (S55), and when recording on a video tape is impossible (S55). If you do not need to record still images),
The value of "High" is set as the still image permission signal (S56).

The received data received from the ISDN line (S57) is sent to the ISDN line interface 69 for IS.
After the DN line data is decoded (S58), it is separated into image data and audio data by the image / audio demultiplexer 70 (S59), and the image data is decoded by the moving image decoding unit 7
After being sent to 1, it is decrypted (S61). The audio data is sent to the audio decoding unit 72 and the still image / audio data multiplexer 76, and the audio decoding unit 72 outputs the decoded audio as it is (S60).

Here, when the still image permission signal is "Low" (S62), the moving image decoded data is directly passed to the still image / moving image selector 78 by the storage system selector 73 (S63), and D / After D / A conversion by the A conversion unit 81 (S64), the display 55 or the VTR 54
And is recorded on the VTR 54 (S65).

When the still image permission signal is "High" (S62), the moving image decoded data output from the storage system selector 73 to the still image encoding unit 74 is (S66),
Still image coding is performed by the still image coding unit 74 (S6
7) After being again multiplexed with the audio coded data by the still image / audio data multiplexer 76 (S68), it is recorded in the hard disk device 82 (S69). This is repeated until the line is disconnected (S71) (S70).

When reproducing and displaying the received image,
If the image is a still image, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 14, the recording data is read from the hard disk device (S72), the audio data and the image data are separated (S73), and the audio data is directly decoded and output. (S76). The image data is decoded as still image encoded data (S74), and the still image / moving image selector 7 is selected.
It is reproduced and displayed by being subjected to D / A conversion via S8 (S75), S / D conversion (S77), and video output (S78). In the case of a moving image, it is reproduced and displayed by a reproducing operation of the VTR 54.

In this way, the transmitting terminal always encodes only the moving image and transmits it to the other terminal. The receiving terminal is
It is determined whether the image / sound input / output recording unit is connected or separated, and if it is connected, the moving image data is decoded and recorded in the image / sound input / output recording unit. If separated, the moving image data is decoded, the still image is encoded, and the still image encoded data is stored in the image / sound recording communication unit.

The image / sound input / output recording section is separated from the image / sound recording / communication section, and the received image is recorded as a still image continuous image in the image / sound recording / communication section even in the separated state. Enables reception and recording of images. Further, the operator of the image communication device can freely collect the image to be transmitted without being limited to the periphery of the image communication device as in the past, and the image / sound input / output recording unit is separated. By looking at the still image recorded in the image / sound recording / communication unit even during use, the inconvenience of not being able to completely receive the image from the other party is eliminated.

[0071]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following effects. (1) the image and sound output recording unit having a first recording portion as a video tape recorder, separation of the image and sound recording communication unit having a second recording unit, such as a hard disk device, coupling Since it can be done freely, target images can be collected freely without being restricted by the installation location. At this time, it is desirable to record a moving image in the first recording unit because the type of the target image is not limited. In addition, the second recording unit provided in the image / sound recording / communicating unit is often used for communication by communicating with the operator of the partner terminal during communication, so that a still image is acquired. It is desirable to record (2) Also, since a communication means of the communication means and the still image of the moving image, in addition to the moving picture communication for use in everyday conversation, even still images for use such as the detailed arrangements communications It can be the target of an image. To (3) of al, the automatic reception means for performing automatic reception, when an image and sound output recording unit is combined with the image and sound recording communication unit received image in the image and sound output recording unit When the image / sound input / output recording unit is automatically recorded and is separated from the image / sound recording / communication unit, the received image is recorded in the image / sound recording / communication unit. (4) transmit side terminal from time to time outputs a still image permission signal output request signal to the receiving terminal. On the other hand, the receiving terminal receives the still image permission signal output request signal and
Determine whether the audio input / output recording unit is connected,
When they are combined, a signal indicating that still image transmission is impossible is returned to the transmitting side terminal, and when they are separated, a signal indicating still image transmission permission is returned to the transmitting side terminal as a still image permission signal. The transmitting terminal encodes and transmits a moving image or a still image continuous image based on the transmitted still image signal. At the receiving terminal as well, based on the still image permission signal, in the case of a moving image, the encoded data is decoded to
It is stored in the audio input / output recording unit, and in the case of a still image, the encoded data is stored in the image / audio recording communication unit as it is. (5) transmit terminal always sends only moving image by encoding the other party terminal. The receiving side terminal judges whether the image / sound input / output recording unit is connected or separated, and if it is connected, decodes the moving image data to obtain the image / sound.
Record in the voice input / output recording section. If separated,
After decoding the moving image data, the still image is encoded, and the still image encoded data is stored in the image / sound recording communication unit. (6) before SL using the image signal recording medium or the image data recording medium as a first recording means, because of the use of the image data recording medium as a recording second recording means, are various recording of the moving images and still images realizable. (7) using a video tape as images signal recording medium, since using a hard disk as image data recording medium,
It is possible to respond to the current situation. (8) transmitting portion of the front SL image and sound recording communication unit, and out the still image permission signal output request signal to the receiving terminal, still images allowed to decode the still image permission signal sent from the receiving terminal Since it has a signal control unit and a selection unit for selecting which of a still image and a moving image is to be sent to the receiving side terminal according to the still image permission signal from the still image permission signal control unit, Appropriate transmission of moving images is possible. (9) an image receiving portion before SL image and sound recording communication unit, a received data selecting unit for determining whether it should be recorded in the second recording means receiving data from the value of the still image permission signal, the still An image selection unit that determines whether the image data is a still image or a moving image from the value of the image permission signal,
Since the image / voice input / output recording unit has the first recording unit and the detection unit for detecting whether or not it is connected, the still image and the moving image can be properly received. (10) the image receiver before the SL image and sound recording communication unit, either directly reproduced moving image on the basis of the decoded image data to the still image enable signal, selects whether to accumulate after the still image coding Since the storage system selection unit is included, still images and moving images can be received more appropriately.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram (separated state) for explaining an embodiment of an image communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram (combined state) for explaining an embodiment of an image communication apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a transmission unit of the image communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart (No. 1) showing the operation of the transmission unit of the image communication apparatus in FIG.

5 is a flowchart (No. 2) showing the operation of the transmission unit of the image communication apparatus in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a receiving unit of the image communication device according to the present invention.

7 is a flowchart (No. 1) showing the operation of the receiving unit of the image communication apparatus in FIG.

8 is a flowchart (No. 2) showing the operation of the receiving unit of the image communication apparatus in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a transmission unit of the image communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation of a transmission unit of the image communication device in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a receiving unit of the image communication device according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart (part 1) showing the operation of the receiving unit of the image communication apparatus in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart (No. 2) showing the operation of the receiving unit of the image communication apparatus in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a still image display operation of the image communication apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional image communication device.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example in which a video tape recorder is connected as an image recording / reproducing apparatus for recording an image and transmitting a recorded image to a conventional image communication apparatus.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing another example of a conventional still image communication device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Image / sound input / output recording unit, 11 ... Camera, 12 ...
Microphone, 13 ... Speaker, 14 ... Video tape recorder, 15 ... Display, 16 ... Connection part, 17 ... Operation button, 18 ... Answering machine set button, 19 ... Operation key, 20 ... Image / sound recording communication part, 21 ... Connection Part, 22
... Handset, 23 ... Dial buttons, 24 ... Hard disk device, 24a ... Access lamp, 25 ... ISD
N circuit network, 26 ... A / D conversion unit, 27 ... Speech coding unit,
28 ... Still image coding unit, 29 ... Moving image coding unit, 30
... image Bus selector, 31 ... image / sound multiplexer, 32 ... ISDN line interface, 33 ... still image permission signal control section, 34 ... transmission block CPU section, 3
5 ... ISDN line interface, 36 ... Received data B
us selector, 37 ... Image / audio demultiplexer, 38
... audio decoding unit, 39 ... image Bus selector, 40 ... still image decoding unit, 41 ... moving image decoding unit, 42 ... still image / moving image selector, 43 ... D / A conversion unit, 44 ... still image permission Signal generation unit, 45 ... Detection switch, 46 ... Detection information processing unit, 47 ... Reception block CPU unit, 51 ... Camera, 52 ... Microphone, 53 ... Speaker, 54 ... Video tape recorder, 55 ... Display, 62 ... A / D conversion unit, 63 ... Audio coding unit, 64 ... Moving image coding unit, 65
... image / audio multiplexer, 66 ... ISDN line interface, 67 ... CPU block for transmission block, 68 ... I
SDN line network, 69 ... ISDN line interface, 7
0 ... Image / audio demultiplexer, 71 ... Moving image decoding unit, 72 ... Audio decoding unit, 73 ... Storage system selector, 74
... Still image coding unit, 75 ... Still image coding unit, 76 ...
Still image / audio data multiplexer, 77 ... Still image / audio data multiplexer, 78 ... Still image / moving image selector, 79 ... Detection switch, 80 ... Still image permission signal creating section, 81 ... D / A converting section, 82 ... Hard disk Device, 83 ... Detection information processing unit, 84 ... Reception block C
PU department.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image / sound input / output recording unit having an input / output unit for inputting / outputting an image and a sound, and a first recording unit for recording a moving image and a sound, and a first / sound recording unit for recording a still image and a sound. Two
Select recording means and transmission of moving image or still image and sound
And transmitting means for performing by a receiving means for receiving a moving image or a still image and audio, and image and sound recording communication unit having, with the image and sound output recording portion and the image and sound recording communication unit freely coupled, in an image communication apparatus and a detachable means for separating the transmission section of the image and sound recording communication unit includes a still picture encoding means for encoding a still image input image, moving image a moving image encoding means for encoding as the opponent of the image
A detection switch for detecting whether the image / sound input / output recording unit is coupled or separated is provided with a unit for inquiring a communication device whether to transmit a still image or a moving image. When the image / sound input / output recording unit is coupled to the inquiry of the transmitting unit from the state of the detection switch, the image / sound input / output recording unit transmits the moving image to the transmitting unit. image communication apparatus characterized by comprising means Ru principal Motomesu the transmission of the still image to the transmitting means when it is separated. Performing input and output means, and image and sound output recording unit having a first recording means for recording the dynamic image and voice, the received dynamic image and voice to input and output 2. An image and sound and receiving <br/> means, and transmitting means for transmitting a dynamic image and voice, and image and sound recording communication unit and a second recording means for recording the audio and still picture <br/> image, the image .Attachment / detachment means for freely connecting and disconnecting the audio input / output recording part and the image / audio recording / communication part
If, in the image communication apparatus having a transmission means of said recording and audio recording communication unit includes a video encoding means for encoding a moving image, the receiving means, the image and sound output recording portion a detection switch for detecting whether the isolated or coupled, from the state of the detection switch, when the video and audio input and recording unit is coupled was <br/> sent from the image communication apparatus of the other party The moving image is recorded in the first recording means, and when the image / sound input / output recording unit is separated , the image of the other party is transmitted.
An image communication device comprising means for re-encoding a moving image transmitted from a receiving device into a still image and recording the still image in the second recording means. 3. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first recording means is a video tape recorder, and the second recording means is a hard disk device.