JPH04150686A - Video telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To transmit own picture while transmitting a necessary information picture, and to explain the information while showing own expression to an opposite party by optionally assigning the pictures from an internal and an external cameras as a master screen and a subordinate screen, and transmitting both of the picture from the internal camera and the picture from the external camera to the opposite party simultaneously. CONSTITUTION:An input picture signal from an incorporated camera 9 and the input picture signal from an external input terminal 13 to which a VTR 11 and an external camera are connected are fetched in an input picture storage part 14 temporarily through a picture input part 10, and assigned to the respective picture signals of the master screen and the subordinate screen by the control of a system control part 2 in the picture input part 10. And the own picture and the external input picture are transmitted to the opposite side simultaneously, or the pictures of the master screen and the subordinate screen are switched by an input from an operation part 15 by the intention of an operator. Thus, it is possible to transmit the own picture while transmitting the necessary information picture, and to explain the information while showing the own expression to the opposite party.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a video telephone device used by being connected to a digital line having a plurality of information channels and a signal channel for control, and particularly relates to a video telephone device used by being connected to a digital line having a plurality of information channels and a signal channel for control. By arbitrarily assigning images from as the main screen and child screen,
It is designed to be able to transmit and display internal camera images and externally input images, respectively.

[Prior Art] Some conventional videophone devices are capable of switching between an internal camera image and an externally input image so that either image can be transmitted to the other party.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In such a videophone device, when transmitting an externally input image, a self-portrait is not sent, and when transmitting a self-portrait, the externally input image is not sent. Therefore, it was not possible to send an image of one's own images while also sending images of the necessary materials, or to explain the materials while showing one's own facial expressions to the recipient.

Therefore, this invention takes these points into consideration, and by arbitrarily assigning images from the internal camera and the external camera as the main screen and child screen, both the internal camera image and the external image can be shared with the other party. This paper proposes a video telephone device that is capable of C transmission.

[! Means for Solving III] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, in a video telephone device used connected to a digital line having a plurality of information channels and a control signal channel, from a built-in camera. an image input section which receives an internal image signal of the image signal and an external image signal supplied to an external input terminal, and converts these image signals into image signals for a main screen and a sub screen; It has a system control unit to control and a display unit to which an image signal is supplied, and by allocating and processing image signals for a main screen and a child screen, it is possible to simultaneously send a self-portrait and a second image input from an external input. It is characterized by being able to do the following.

[Function] By assigning images from the internal camera 9 and the outside (images from the VTRII or another camera 12) to the 811 screen and sub-screen in the image input section 10, the self-portrait and the externally input image can be sent to the other party at the same time. . Further, the images of the main screen and the child screen can be freely switched according to the operator's will by inputting from the operation unit 5.

This allows you to send your own image while sending images of the necessary materials, or explain the materials while showing your own facial expressions to the other party.

[Embodiment] Next, an example of a video telephone device superior to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a line interface section, which is connected to a digital line M23 and performs multiplexing and demultiplexing of information channels and control channels. That is, when the information is output to the digital line 23, it is multiplexed, and when it is input from the digital line 23, it is separated.

The information received from the line interface section 1 is sent to the system control section 2, where it is separated into audio information and image information. The system control unit 2 controls all functional units,
Depending on what kind of information is captured, it is analyzed and each part is controlled.

First, image information is sent to the decoding section 4. Since the sent image information has been compressed and encoded, decoding and decompression processing is performed here.

Decoding The decompressed and restored image signal passes through the image processing unit 5 and is outputted to an image storage unit (RAM, etc.) by the image output unit 6.
It is stored in 7. When the image signals for one screen have been collected, the image output section 6 sends the image signals to the display section 8 for display.The display section 8 uses a CRT or a liquid crystal display element.

On the other hand, the audio signal separated by the system control unit 2 is decoded and decompressed by the audio decoding unit 20, and then the audio signal is decoded and decompressed by the audio decoding unit 20.
After receiving the message, it is converted into an analog signal and processed by the audio processing section 18, and then outputted from the handset 17.

The audio signal input to the handset 17 is digitized by the audio processing section 18, compressed and encoded by the audio encoding section 21, and sent to the system control section 2.

An input image signal (first image signal) from the built-in camera 9 and an input image signal (second image signal) from the external input terminal 13 to which a device such as a VTRII or external camera 12 is connected.
is once taken into the input image storage unit 14 via the image input unit 10, and then stored in the image input unit l under the control of the system control unit 2.
O is assigned to each image signal for the main screen and child screen,
For example, mixing is performed as shown in FIG.

After that, the image processing unit 5 passes through the image output unit 6 to the display unit 8.
It is displayed on the screen and is also sent to the encoding section 3. The encoding unit 3 compresses and encodes the image information and sends it to the system control unit 2.

When the operator presses the switch button between the main screen and the child screen on the operation section 15, this information is notified to the system control section 2 via the operation interface section 16, and the third screen is displayed on the image input section 10.
As shown in Figures A and B, the process of exchanging the image of the parent screen and the image of the child screen is performed. Of course, it is also possible to transmit only internal images or only external images, as in the conventional case.

The image and audio information that has been captured or processed in this way is supplied from the system control section 2 to the line interface section 1, multiplexed, and then sent out to the digital line side.

The system control unit 2 also outputs call information to the call control unit 22, and inputs information from the operation unit 15 (input of telephone number, etc.) to the system control unit 2 through the operation interface unit 16. , each processing unit is controlled based on the input information.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, by assigning the internal camera and images from the outside to the main screen and the sub screen, it is possible to simultaneously send a self-portrait and an externally input image to the other party, Images on the screen and sub-screen can be freely switched according to the operator's will. Therefore, it is very convenient because it is possible to send images of the necessary materials while also sending images of oneself, or to explain the materials while showing one's facial expressions to the other party.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a practical example of a video telephone device according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between a parent screen and a child screen, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a process of exchanging the parent screen and child screen. Line interface section System control section Image encoding section Image decoding section Image processing section Image output section Output image storage section Display section 16 ・ ・ 17 ・ Internal camera image input section Video external camera external input terminal Input image storage section Operation section Operation interface section Handset/receiver audio processing unit audio storage unit audio decoding unit audio encoding unit call control unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) In a videophone device that is connected to a digital line that has multiple information channels and control signal channels, the internal image signal from the built-in camera and the external image signal supplied to the external input terminal are an image input unit that converts the input image signals into image signals for a main screen and a child screen; a system control unit that controls this image input unit; and a display unit to which the image signals are supplied. By allocating and processing the above image signals for the main screen and child screen,
A videophone device characterized in that a self-portrait and a second image input from an external device can be sent simultaneously.