JPH0417125Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention relates to a device for performing pathological diagnosis at a remote location by transmitting still images from television.

The conventional method will be explained using the example shown in FIG. In Figure 1, 1 is a television camera attached to a microscope, 2 is a still image transmitter, 3 is a still image receiver,
4 is a television monitor, 5 is a telephone line, and 6 is a telephone set.

As shown in the figure, separate telephone lines are used for image transmission and telephone transmission for meetings, so there are two telephone lines.
It requires a line, which is an operational and economic disadvantage.

It is also conceivable to use one line by manually switching it, but it would be inconvenient to do so since it would have to be done at the same time on both the transmitting and receiving terminals.

In order to solve these drawbacks, the present invention uses only one transmission line, and when one image is sent, both terminals automatically switch to a telephone call at the same time.

Furthermore, the present invention makes it possible to forcibly switch both terminals to call simultaneously at any time by a simple operation even while transmitting and receiving images, thereby further improving diagnostic efficiency.

Frequency division multiplexing and time division multiplexing are generally considered methods for simultaneously transmitting image signals and audio signals over one line.

However, in terms of the amount of information transmitted over telephone lines, these multiplexing methods are practically impossible, so in the present invention, image signals and audio signals are used by switching between them. In this case, automatic switching is required to efficiently switch both terminals at the same time. As this switching signal, for example, the transmitting side may use image memory read completion information, and the receiving side may use receiving memory write completion information.

Further, forced switching can be performed, for example, by cutting off the image signal from the transmitting side and by transmitting a specific signal that is not interfered with by the image signal from the receiving side.

2 and 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a television camera attached to a microscope, 2 is a still image transmitter, 3 is a still image receiver, 4 is a television monitor,
5 is a telephone line, 6 is a telephone set, 7 is a switch operated by a control signal, 8 is a transmission end signal, 9 is a reception end signal, and 10 is a calling signal device.

FIG. 2 shows a case where switching is performed after one image has been sent, and FIG. 3 shows a case in which switching is performed at an arbitrary time in addition to the above.

The operation will be explained with reference to FIG. First, a mutual discussion is held using the telephone 6, and then the switch 7 is switched to the image side, and the still image transmitter 2 sends out an image signal.

When the transmission of the image signal for one image is completed, the transmitter 2
For example, when reading from the transmission memory is completed, a transmission end signal 8 is sent to the switch 7 to switch to the telephone side. Further, the receiver outputs a reception end signal 9 to 7, for example, upon completion of writing to the reception memory, and switches to the telephone side. Since the received image is written in the image memory of the receiver 3, it is possible to have a consultation regarding diagnosis over the telephone while viewing this image on the television monitor 4.

When the diagnosis is completed, the next image is sent and received and the above operation is repeated.

In FIG. 3, a function for forced switching during image transmission/reception is added, and a calling signal device 10 is added. By operating this calling signal device 10, the switching devices 7 of the own station and the other station are forcibly switched to the telephone 6 side.As a means for this, for example, the transmitting side may cut off the image signal. Also, from the receiving side, switching is performed by, for example, transmitting a specific signal that is not interfered with the image signal.

As described above, it is possible to reduce the number of telephone lines used to one line with almost no inconvenience compared to the conventional method.

In this example, we have explained the case where a telephone line is used as the transmission line, but the transmission line is 9.6kb/s,
When using a data transmission line such as 48 kb/s, the present invention can be applied as is by inserting an appropriate AD or DA converter into the telephone set.

As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently switch between television still images and audio using one transmission line, so the device has good operability and can be operated economically. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional remote diagnostic device.
2 and 3 are one embodiment of the device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the device that performs automatic switching;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of an apparatus in which a forced switching function is added to the apparatus of FIG. 2. 7... Switching device, 10... Calling signal device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a device that performs pathological diagnosis at a remote location by transmitting television still images such as microscopic images using a telephone line or data line, after the transmission of the image signal is completed, the transmitting side receives the readout completion information from the transmitting memory, and the receiving side receives the A still image pathological diagnosis apparatus characterized in that each of the lines is automatically switched to a communication circuit based on information on completion of writing in the memory.