JPH0286382A - Video telephone set - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To utilize a video telephone set from any position by receiving an output of a transmitter fitted to a handset or a remote controller or the like with a driven directivity receiver with a directivity so as to drive a camera section in a direction to obtain a maximum reception quantity. CONSTITUTION:A transmitter 10 is fitted to a handset or a remote controller. A reception detection means 25 detects an output of a receiver 15 to detect the quantity of received infrared ray depending on the detected output level and gives the result to a transmitter direction discrimination means 36. A turning angle detection means 30 uses a receiver drive means 20 to detect a turning angle of the receiver 15 from the initial position and gives the result to the transmitter direction discrimination means 35. Then the transmitter direction discrimination means 35 discriminates the maximum photodetection quantity while the receiver is turns by a predetermined angle from the initial position to decide the direction of the receiver 10 and gives the result to a camera drive means 40. The camera drive means 40 drives a camera 45 according to a difference between the present drive angle and the sent transmitter direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video telephone device that controls the rotation of a camera in the direction of a handset.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years, video telephone devices have been attracting attention as a new means of communication, and it has been considered that they could be built into large television receivers.

Generally, a videophone device has a fixed camera unit and a small display unit, and while checking the camera's image on the display unit, you can change the position of the person or object to which you want to send the image.
Alternatively, it was necessary to manually change the direction of the camera section.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, when the above configuration is built into a large-sized television receiver, the distance between the person's position and the large-sized television receiver is usually far, and videophone calls can only be made at a fixed position at a further distance. The problem was that the equipment could not be used.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a video telephone device that constantly controls the rotation of the camera section in the direction of the handset or remote control.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the video telephone device of the present invention includes:
a transmitter that outputs radio waves, light, or sound waves; a directional receiver that receives the output of the transmitter; a first rotational drive means that rotationally drives the receiver; and a rotation angle of the rotational drive means. rotation angle detection means for detecting the rotation angle, and reception amount detection means for detecting the reception amount from the output of the receiver;
transmitter direction determining means for determining the direction of the transmitter based on the rotation angle of the receiver when the output of the received amount detecting means is at a maximum; This configuration includes a rotational drive means and a camera section rotated by the second rotational drive means.

According to the above-described configuration, the present invention receives the output of a transmitter attached to a handset or a remote control by a directional receiver that rotates within a preset range,
By rotating the camera unit in the direction that provides the maximum amount of reception, the camera unit can always be rotated in the direction of the handset or remote control.

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a video telephone device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, numeral 10 is an infrared transmitter attached to a handset or remote control, and numeral 5 is a directional infrared receiver. 20 is a receiver rotation drive means attached to the receiver 15, which rotates within a predetermined distance. The received amount detecting means 25 detects the output of the receiver 15, detects the amount of infrared light received based on the level, and transmits the detected amount to the transmitter direction determining means 35. The rotation angle detection means 30 detects the rotation angle of the receiver 15 from the initial position by the receiver rotation drive means 20, and the rotation angle is also transmitted to the transmitter direction determination means 35. The transmitter direction determining means 35 determines the maximum amount of light received while the receiver 15 rotates through a predetermined angle from the initial position, determines the direction of the transmitter 10 from the rotation angle at that time, and rotates the camera rotation driving means 40. tell to. Camera rotation drive means 4
At 0, the camera 45 is rotated according to the difference between the current rotation angle and the transmitted direction of the transmitter.

Its operation will be explained using FIG. The reception amount detection means 25 in FIG. 1 is composed of a detection circuit 26, an A/D converter 27, and a microcomputer, and the receiver rotation drive means 20 is composed of a pulse motor 21 and a pulse motor drive circuit 22. be done. The rotation angle detection means 30 is composed of an initial position detection switch 31 and a microcomputer 1, and is composed of a camera rotation drive means 40, a pulse motor 41, a pulse motor-sa circuit 42, and an initial position switch 43. The transmitter direction determining means 35 is also realized by the microcomputer-1. Pulse motor-21 and 41
The receiver 15 and the camera 45 are configured to rotate by the same angle in one pulse, and the receiver 15 and the camera 45 are configured to point in the same direction at the initial position. The microcomputer 1 shown here is a so-called one-chip microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, and input/output. As shown in FIG. 3, when the power is turned on, a pulse is first output to the pulse motor drive circuit 42 to rotate the camera 45 to a position where the initial position switch 43 is pressed. And R.A.
A variable wc indicating the rotation angle of the camera on M is reset.

Similarly, the receiver 15 outputs pulses to the pulse motor drive circuit 22 until the initial position switch 31 is pressed.
and a variable W indicating the rotation angle of the receiver on the RAM.
Reset r. At this time, the variable Lmax indicating the maximum amount of received light on the RAM is also reset. Next, a certain number of pulses W
is output, the receiver 15 is rotated, wr is set to wr10w, and received light amount data is read from the receiver 15 via the detection circuit 26 and A/D converter 27. When the read received light amount data is larger than Lmax, Lmax
The data is written in , and the current wr is written in the maximum light receiving rotation angle variable W. This is repeated until wr becomes larger than the final rotation angle. Now, W is set to the angle at which the maximum amount of light received from the initial position to the final position is obtained, and by giving pulses equivalent to W-wc to the pulse motor 41, the camera 45 moves in the direction of the maximum amount of light received, i.e. It becomes oriented in the direction of the transmitter 10. Next, by returning the receiver 15 to its initial position and repeating this process, the camera 45 will always point in the direction of the transmitter 10.

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to always control the rotation of the camera unit in the direction of the handset or remote control. Note that the transmitter 10 may be one that transmits radio waves or sound waves.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention includes a transmitter attached to a handset or a remote controller that outputs radio waves, light, or sound waves, a directional receiver that receives the output of the transmitter, and a receiver that is connected to the receiver. a first rotational drive means for rotationally driving; a rotation angle detection means for detecting a rotation angle of the rotational drive means; a reception amount detection means for detecting a reception amount from an output of the receiver; a transmitter direction determining means that determines the direction of the transmitter from the rotation angle of the receiver when the output is maximum; a second rotation driving means that rotates in response to a control signal of the transmitter direction determining means; By providing a camera unit that rotates by the second rotation drive means, the camera can always be rotated in the direction of the handset or remote control, providing excellent operability that allows the videophone device to be used from any position. It is something.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video telephone device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a specific block diagram of the same embodiment, and FIG.
The figure is a flowchart showing an example of a program for camera rotation control. 10... Transmitter, 15... Receiver, 2
0... Receiver rotation drive means, 25...
Received amount detection means, 30...Rotation angle detection means, 3
5... Transmitter direction determination means, 40...
Camera rotation drive means, 45...camera. Name of agent: Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano (1 person) Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] a transmitter that outputs radio waves, light, or sound waves; a directional receiver that receives the output of the transmitter; a first rotational drive means that rotationally drives the receiver; and a rotation angle of the rotational drive means. rotation angle detection means for detecting the rotation angle, and reception amount detection means for detecting the reception amount from the output of the receiver;
transmitter direction determining means for determining the direction of the transmitter based on the rotation angle of the receiver when the output of the received amount detecting means is at a maximum; What is claimed is: 1. A video telephone device comprising: a rotation drive means; and a camera section rotated by the second rotation drive means, the camera section being rotationally controlled in the direction of the transmitter.