JPH01228287A - Still picture television telephone communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To transmit picture data even when there is no ID code by transmitting ordinary picture data when the response of the ID code is present within a prescribed time after the ID code is transmitted and transmitting special data when it is not present. CONSTITUTION:When there is the response of the ID code from a remote telephone set within the prescribed time after the ID code including the information of the capability of a self telephone set is transmitted to a remote side from a CPU 11, the ordinary picture data is transmitted and when there is no response, the CPU 11 reads the picture data of a picture memory 16 and transmits. Consequently, even when the telephone set of the remote side is a telephone set having no capability to respond to the ID code, the specific type of the picture data can be transmitted. Therefore, the picture data through a message telephone, a transfer telephone can be transmitted and the picture data can be transmitted to a television telephone set having no capability to deliver the IC code.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to a still image videophone communication system for transmitting and receiving desired still images during a telephone call using a telephone line, and in particular, to a still image videophone communication system for transmitting and receiving desired still images during a call using a telephone line.
Concerning improvements to the connection system between sending and receiving during evening communications.

[Prior Art] There is a demand for a videophone that transmits audio and images simultaneously using a telephone communication line, but in reality, current telephone communication lines cannot continuously transmit dynamic images that require a huge amount of data. Since it is difficult to send and receive a still image to the other party during a call, still image videophones are being put into practical use.

This still image videophone allows you to
It is possible to temporarily interrupt this call and send a desired still image, such as the speaker's face, a photo screen or a picture depending on the content of the call, or the like.

Therefore, with such a still image videophone, it is possible to send and receive images over a telephone line, which was previously impossible, and the amount of data processing is limited because only one still image is sent each time. This had the advantage that it was easy to put videophones into practical use.

A videophone capable of transmitting such static IL images is shown, for example, in the October 1986 issue of Foreign Communication Technology. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the simple still image video telephone. In the figure, (1) is a handset, (2) is a microphone, (3) is an audio input/output circuit, (4) is an analog circuit, (5) is a matrix switch, (6) is a telephone interface circuit, and (7) is a is the telephone line connection terminal, (8) is the speaker, (9) is the keypad, (10) is the human output port, (11) is the CPU, (12) is the program memory,
(13) is a modulation/demodulation circuit, (14) is a television camera, (1
5) is an image controller, (16) is an image memory,
(17) is a display.

Next, the operation of audio and image signal transmission of this conventional video telephone will be explained based on FIGS. 3 and 4.

In Figure 3, a voice call is performed from a handset (1) or a microphone (2) to an audio input/output circuit (3), an analog circuit (4), a matrix switch (5), a telephone/r
The signal is sent to the telephone line connection DLi (7) via the interface circuit (6). Further, an audio signal from the other party is reproduced by the handset (1) or the speaker (8) via a path opposite to the above-mentioned signal path.

When transmitting an image signal, as shown in Figure 4, in order to confirm whether the communication partner is a videophone that has the ability to communicate image data in the same data format, the ID code containing data regarding the ability is sent. Performs sending. Then, after receiving the ID code returned from the other party and confirming that the other party has similar capabilities, the image data is transmitted.

That is, in FIG. 3, when the keypad (9) is used to instruct image transmission, the CPU (11) detects this via the input/output port (10), and the program memory (
12), the ID code is sent to the modulation/demodulation circuit (13) according to a program stored in advance. After modulating this ID code into an analog signal, it is sent out from the telephone line connection terminal (7) via the matrix switch (5).

The ID code from the communication partner passes through a path opposite to the above signal path, and the CPU (11) confirms the code.

Meanwhile, the images captured by the television camera (14) during this period are quantized by the image controller (15), stored in the image memory (16), and sequentially derived and displayed on the display (17), and then processed by the CPU (11). According to the command, the image is output from the image memory (16) to the telephone line connection terminal (7).

Also, if there is an ID code or image data from the other party, the matrix switch (5) uses the carrier signal received to send the destination to the telephone interface circuit (6).
The received signal from the analog circuit (4) is transferred from the modulation/demodulation circuit (
Switch to 13).

After the received signal is demodulated by the modulation/demodulation circuit (13), the CPU (11) returns the ID code or stores the data in the image memory (16), and the image controller (15) converts the self-image data and the other party's image data. It is derived one by one and displayed on the display (17).

Note that when the transmission and reception of images is completed and the carrier signal from the modulation/demodulation circuit (13) disappears, the matrix switch (5
) is the telephone interface circuit (6) and the analog circuit (4).
) to restore voice calls.

As described above, in the conventional still image videophone communication system, since the data formats that can be communicated by the videophones used at the re-call end for sending and receiving do not necessarily match, the ID code between the videophones at both the transmitting and receiving end is changed each time transmission and reception are performed. It was necessary to check the capabilities of both phones through transmission and reception, and to select the appropriate type of image. The capabilities of the sending and receiving phones included in the above ID code indicate, for example, the pixel size of the sending and receiving screen, and these pixels are 48 x 4 g, 64
It is divided into several types such as x64.96x96.128x128 pixels.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] In such a conventional system, communication can be performed between videophones of the same type that are capable of exchanging ID codes, but image data cannot be transmitted to other telephones. could not be sent. Therefore, there is a problem that image signals cannot be sent when the other party is a message telephone or transfer telephone that does not have the ability to communicate image data, or a videophone that does not have the ability to exchange ID codes.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to provide an improved still image videophone communication system that can transmit still image data even to telephones that do not have the ability to exchange ID codes. It is about providing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a still image videophone communication system for transmitting and receiving desired still images during a call using a telephone communication line.
The ID code transmission station is characterized in that if there is a response with an ID code within a predetermined time, normal image data is transmitted, and if there is no response, specific type of image data is transmitted.

[Operation] Therefore, according to the present invention, even if the F-th child side telephone is a telephone that does not have an ID code response capability, image data of a specific type can be transmitted. Therefore, it is possible to transmit image data via a message telephone or a transfer telephone, and it is also possible to transmit image data to a video telephone that does not have the ability to exchange ID codes.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

Still image videophone to which this invention is applied $7. The percentage composition is essentially the same as that of the conventional example shown in FIG. 3, but the CPU (11) according to the present invention has a timer function. Furthermore, the procedure up to image data transmission is different. Therefore, the procedure for transmitting image data in this embodiment will be explained based on FIGS. 1 and 2.

First, when transmitting image data while a telephone line is connected between the video telephone according to the present invention and another telephone, the transmit button on the keypad (9) is pressed (transmission ON). This command is executed by the CPU (11)
The CPU (11) is alerted by the TV camera (
The image data from the display (14) is taken into the image memory (16).Then, this image data is transferred to the display (17).
) is displayed.

Along with this, the CPU (11) also creates an ID containing information about its own videophone (7) capabilities, as in the conventional example.
A code transmission command is issued, and the ID code is transmitted to the other party via the telephone line. Here, in this invention, CP
U (11) The built-in timer starts counting. Then, if the other party's telephone is the same type of videophone and there is a reply with an ID code, and this is received, normal image data is transmitted.

In contrast, if the other party's phone is a message phone, an answering machine,
If it is a normal telephone such as a transfer telephone or a telephone without an ID code reply function, no ID code will be returned. In such a case, a conventional video telephone would determine that it is impossible to transmit image data, stop transmitting image data, and disconnect the line.

However, in the video telephone of the present invention, the ID is
If no code is received, that is, if there is a timeout, the CPU (11) reads the image data in the image memory (16) and converts it to a specific type, for example, 96 pixels.
It instructs to transmit it as X96 pixel data via the variable one week circuit (13). Therefore, the image data is transmitted to the other party's telephone as modulated number 13.

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the other party's telephone does not have an ID code response function, it is possible to transmit image data for a specific telephone number. Therefore, if the format of the data to be transmitted matches the data format that can be received by the other party's telephone, image data can be transmitted in the same way as in the normal case. Also, if the other party's phone is a message phone,
When a video telephone of the same kind extracts the signal for the image data previously stored here, the video telephone can display the image data on that video telephone. U W
21.

Images can be displayed. Furthermore, if the other party's telephone is a transfer telephone, when the signal for the modulated image data is transferred to the same type of video telephone, the image can be reproduced there.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the stationary videophone communication system of the present invention, image data can be transmitted even if the other party's telephone does not have an ID code response function. This allows expansion of various functions.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing a transmission procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of a video telephone according to the same embodiment, FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional video telephone, and FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing an image transmission procedure of a conventional video telephone. In the figure, (7) is the telephone line terminal, (11) is the CPU
(13) is variable: A circuit, (17) is display,
(I3) is carrier detection circuit, (19) is line 1; 7J
The changeover switch (20) is a telephone connection terminal. In addition, in the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or F target portions. Agent: Patent attorney Masuo Oiwa (and 2 others) Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a still image videophone communication system that transmits and receives desired still images during a call using a telephone communication line, an ID code transmission step that transmits an ID code containing data about the capabilities of the videophone; ID from the other party
An ID code reception step for receiving a code response; an image data normal transmission step for transmitting the type of image data according to the content of the ID code from the communication partner; and a communication within a predetermined time after the above ID code sending step. 1. A still image videophone communication system comprising: an image data forced transmission step of transmitting image data of a predetermined specific type when an ID code is not received from the other party.