JPH0937224A - Video conference equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To synthesize and display immediately images in an optional direction and in a range desired by a user from a video image picked up with a fixed television camera by using an image synthesizer conducting see-through conversion. SOLUTION: A video signal outputted from a television camera 1 is inputted to a coder 2, in which the signal is compression-coded. The coded signal is sent to a line 4 by a communication controller 3. The video signal to be sent is obtained by picking up an entire scene of a conference room. When only a specific pattern in the video image is desired to be displayed, a direction commander 8 is used to designate a range and a direction of the required video image. Then an image synthesizer 9 applies see-trough conversion to video data written in a video memory 7 to generate a video image of a size and in a sight direction outputted from a command amount calculation section and synthesizes cursor image data based on position data from a cursor display section and the result is displayed by a display device 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video conference apparatus for transmitting and receiving video and audio between distant points, and an apparatus for displaying a video required by a user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a means for displaying an image in an arbitrary direction in displaying an image in a video conference system, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Application No. 3-55148, the shooting direction of a television camera is controlled by some means. Is being done.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a portion relating to shooting and display in a conventional video conference apparatus. Reference numeral 21 is a television camera, 22 is a television camera control device, 23 is an encoding device, 24 is a communication control device, and 25 is A line, 26 is a communication control device, 27 is a decoding device, and 28 is a display device.

[0006] The conference participants successively perform panning, tilting, zooming, and the like on the television camera 21 for photographing the venue, using the television camera control device 22, to obtain the image in the desired direction and range. The captured video data is encoded into an appropriate code by the encoding device 23 and sent to the line 25 by the communication control device 24. The transmitted data is received by the communication control device 26, restored to the original video data by the decoding device 27, and finally displayed as a video by the display device 28.

With such a configuration, when the user wants to see the image in that direction when the speaker changes, the user must control the complicated camera, and the operation of the camera takes time. It takes a lot of time and does not mean that you can get the video you want to see immediately. You can also take pictures of the venue with multiple cameras in advance and manually switch the direction of the speaker when the speaker changes, or you can use voice recognition to identify the direction of the speaker and identify the direction. There is also a method of automatically switching to the image, but in any case, if you try to bring the speaker to the center of the screen, you need to control the posture of the camera and finally obtain the desired image. It takes time.

[0006]

With the above-mentioned structure, even if the participant wants to watch the image in any direction, he / she needs to control the camera, so that the required image cannot be immediately obtained. Had the problem.

Further, in the above-mentioned structure, only one kind of image is sent through the line, and since that image is displayed as it is, all the participants in the venue must always see the same image. However, there is a problem that the free viewing of individual is restricted.

In view of the above problems, it is a first object of the present invention to immediately acquire an image in an arbitrary direction without controlling the attitude of the television camera.

A second object is that each participant in the conference can view the image in the direction according to his or her preference.

[0010]

The first means for achieving the first object of the present invention is a television camera for photographing the entire venue, and a direction indicating device for specifying the direction and range of the image to be displayed. An image synthesizing device for synthesizing a video signal in a direction and a range designated by the direction indicating device by geometrically transforming a part of the video signal, and a display device for displaying a video synthesized by the image image synthesizing device. It is equipped with.

A second means for achieving the first object of the present invention is to arrange a plurality of video cameras so that a part of the video images overlap each other, and a plurality of television cameras for photographing the entire venue as a whole, and a video image to be displayed. A direction indicator that specifies the direction and range of
An image selection device that selects an appropriate image signal from a plurality of image signals based on the direction specified by the direction indicating device, and a geometric conversion of a part of the image signal selected by the image selection device. An image synthesizing device for synthesizing video signals in a direction and a range designated by the direction indicating device, and a display device for displaying a video image synthesized by the image synthesizing device.

A third means for achieving the first object of the present invention is a television camera for photographing the entire venue,
A speaker position measuring device for specifying the direction of the speaker, an image synthesizing device for synthesizing an image in which the speaker is placed at the center of the screen based on the result, and a display device for displaying the image synthesized by the image synthesizing device are provided. To do.

A fourth means for achieving the second object of the present invention is a television camera for photographing the entire venue,
A plurality of direction indicating devices that specify the direction and range of the image to be displayed, and a plurality of direction combining devices that combine the video signals of the directions and ranges specified by the plurality of direction indicating devices by geometrically transforming a part of the video signals. An image synthesizing device and a plurality of display devices for displaying images synthesized by the plurality of image image synthesizing devices are provided.

[0014]

According to the present invention, according to the structure of the above-mentioned first means, the user designates an arbitrary direction and range which he / she wants to view by using the direction indicating device for the video signal photographed by the television camera, and the image is displayed. The combining device performs geometric transformation to combine the images in the specified direction and range, and the display device displays the combined image.

Further, according to the structure of the second means, the image selection device is suitable based on the direction and range designated by the direction indicating device from the plurality of image signals taken so as to overlap the venue. A signal is selected, an arbitrary image is combined from the signal by an image combining device by geometric transformation, and a display device displays the combined image.

According to the structure of the third means, the speaker position measuring device specifies the direction in which the speaker is present, and the image synthesizing device geometrically transforms the video signal taken by the television camera. Causes the image to be placed with the speaker at the center of the screen to be combined, and the display device to display the combined image.

Further, according to the structure of the fourth means, a plurality of image synthesizing devices simultaneously synthesize images of different directions and ranges designated by a plurality of direction indicating devices with respect to the video signals picked up by the television camera. Then, the image is displayed on each display device.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a television camera for photographing the entire conference hall, 2 is an encoding device for compressing and encoding a video signal output from the television camera 1, and 3 is a signal transmitted by the encoding device 2. Communication control device,
4 is a communication line through which signals are transmitted, 5 is a communication control device that receives sent signals, 6 is a decoding device that restores the received signals into video signals, and 7 is an image memory in which the restored video signals are written , 8 is a direction indicating device for designating the direction and range of a required image, and 9 is an image synthesizing device for synthesizing the image of the direction and range designated by the direction indicating device 8 from the video signal written in the image memory 7. Reference numeral 10 is an image memory in which the synthesized video signal is written, and 11 is a display device for displaying the video signal written in the image memory 10 as a video.

The TV camera 1 is installed in front of the conference hall,
Adjust the zoom etc. and fix it so that the entire conference hall fits in the frame. The video signal output from the television camera 1 is input to the encoding device 2 and compression-encoded. Any type of encoding method may be used, for example, ITU-TH. 261 and the like are conceivable.

FIG. This is a general flow of encoding processing when H.261 is adopted. The input video signal is subjected to predictive coding such as DCT quantization and motion vector detection in S21, variable length coding by signal multiplexing in S22, code generation amount control in S23, and transmission by adding an error correction code. Encode each. The encoded signal is sent to the line 4 by the communication control device 3. Any type of line may be used, but INS64 is conceivable, for example. On the receiving side, the communication control device 5 receives the signal,
The decoding device 6 performs the reverse processing of the encoding to restore the original video signal. The restored video signal is sequentially written in the image memory 7 in frame units.

The image sent is an image of the entire venue, but in reality, there is a case where it is desired to show only a specific part of the image, for example, the speaker at that time.
In such a case, the direction and range of the required image are designated by using the direction indicating device 8.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of the direction indicator 8. The pointing device 41 specifies a specific position on the screen by the user moving the pointing device 41, and gives various instructions by pressing a button. The operation amount detection unit 42 detects the movement of the pointing device 41 and the button operation. The instruction amount calculation unit 43 obtains the line-of-sight direction and the size of the image displayed on the screen after a unit time based on the output of the operation amount detection unit 42, and sends it to the image synthesizing device 9. When the user gives an instruction with the pointing device 41, the instruction amount calculation unit 43 sends the line-of-sight direction of the image currently displayed and the size of the entire screen. Cursor display part 4
4 sends the display position for displaying the cursor on the image display screen to the image synthesizing device 9. The image synthesizing device 9 synthesizes the video created based on the output of the instruction amount calculation unit 43 and the image of the cursor created based on the output of the cursor display unit 44.

On the display screen, a coordinate system is set in which the upper left corner of the screen is the origin, the horizontal right direction is the X axis, and the vertical downward direction is the Y axis, and the size of the pixels forming the screen is the unit of coordinates. The display position of the cursor on the screen is on this coordinate system
Set an appropriate initial value.

The user moves the pointing device 41 while looking at the position of the cursor on the screen, and the operation amount detection unit 42 sequentially detects the movement amount. The operation amount detection unit 42 further associates the movement amount with the number of pixels on the display screen,
Find the new coordinates of the cursor on the screen. For example, the movement of the pointing device 42 by 1 mm corresponds to the movement of the cursor for one pixel. The cursor display section 44 is
Change the cursor display position to the required coordinates.

A button is attached to the pointing device 41, and the user designates an appropriate area on the screen by moving the button while pressing the button. The operation amount detection unit 42 obtains the coordinates of the cursor at the time when the button is pressed and started to move and when the button is released. The designated amount calculation unit 43 obtains a rectangular region whose sides are parallel to the coordinate axes with the straight line connecting these two points as a diagonal line, and further obtains the coordinates of the center point of this region. A straight line passing through the center point and the origin is the line-of-sight direction of the image desired by the user. Further, the size of the area whose aspect ratio is equal to the aspect ratio of the display screen is obtained so as to completely include the entire area and to minimize it. The obtained coordinates of the center point and the size of the area are sent to the image synthesizing device 9.

FIG. 5 shows the relationship among the area of the received image, the area being displayed on the screen, the area specified by the pointing device 41, and the area obtained by the instruction amount calculation unit 43. This is a diagram when a part of the received video is displayed on the screen, and the user further enlarges and displays the part.

The user also uses the pointing device 4
By moving 1 to move the cursor to an appropriate position on the screen and pressing the button of the pointing device 41 there, only the line-of-sight direction is specified. In this case, the line-of-sight direction sent by the instruction amount calculation unit 43 to the image synthesizing device 9 is the coordinates of the pixel where the cursor is placed on the screen, and the size of the display area is equal to the size of the area currently displayed on the screen. I shall.

The user can also specify the line-of-sight direction and size relative to the currently displayed image. A picture of the buttons "Right,""Left,""Up,""Down,""Enlarge," and "Reduce" is displayed on the screen, and the user holds the cursor over the picture and presses the button. When the manipulated variable detector 42 detects the operation amount, the instruction amount calculator 4
3 outputs by adding a predetermined unit change amount to the line-of-sight direction and size of the currently displayed image. As a relative direction designation method, the pointing device 41 can be used even after the cursor is moved to the edge of the screen.
It may be possible to determine that the user wants to display an image in that direction by detecting that he is moving in the same direction.

The image synthesizing device 9 performs perspective transformation on the video data written in the image memory 7,
An image of the line-of-sight direction and size output from the pointing amount calculation unit 43 is created, and further, the image is combined with the cursor image data based on the position data from the cursor display unit 44.

FIG. 6 shows a geometrical relationship between a photographed image plane of a received image and a virtual photographed image plane of a newly synthesized image in a three-dimensional photographing space centered on a television camera. It is a thing.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the space for shooting with a TV camera, the lens center of the TV camera, that is, the viewpoint of the image actually shot, is the origin, the shooting direction is the Z axis, the horizontal right direction is the X axis, and the vertical direction. Set the coordinate system with the Y-axis pointing upward. Then, the image plane photographed by the camera can be considered to be on a plane separated from the origin by F in the Z-axis direction. Here, F is equal to the focal length of the television camera. Specifying a specific point and area size in this image and combining the images in that direction means changing the line-of-sight direction of the camera and changing the focal length. Is to synthesize. This image can be created by mapping the data of the portion of the captured image whose viewing angle matches the viewing angle of the composite image onto a virtual image plane. Here, the image to be combined will be referred to as a virtual captured image.

FIG. 7 shows the flow of processing in the image synthesizing device 9. Further, FIG. 8 shows the image plane taken by the television camera, the image plane displayed by the display device 11 at a certain point, and the virtual image plane being synthesized by the image synthesizing device 9 in the positive direction of the Y axis. It is the top view seen from.

The image synthesizing method will be specifically described below with reference to the flow of FIG. (S701) Focal length f0, angle of view in the X-axis direction θh0, angle of view in the Y-axis direction θ of an image captured by a TV camera
Find v0. However, f0 is a value converted into the number of pixels. First of all, before starting the processing, the size of the image pickup surface and the number of pixels in the vertical and horizontal directions are checked from the specifications of the TV camera, and the value of the focal length is read when the TV camera is installed and the zoom is adjusted appropriately. . The vertical and horizontal lengths of the image pickup surface of the television camera and the number of pixels are W, H, nx, ny, and
When the read focal length is F, f0, θh0, θv
Each 0 is represented by the following equation.

[0035]

[Equation 1]

[0036]

[Equation 2]

[0037]

(Equation 3)

(S702) From the direction indicating device 8, the coordinates (Iu, Iv) of the pixel which overlaps the line-of-sight direction of the image to be displayed after the next unit time and the image ranges nx 'and ny' are input. This is a value based on the image displayed on the screen at this time, the line-of-sight direction is specified by coordinates on the screen with the origin at the upper left of the screen, and the range is specified by the number of pixels on the screen. Here, the coordinates (Iu, Iv) are converted into values (Iu ′, Iv ′) in the coordinate system having the center of the display image as the origin by the following equation.

[0039]

(Equation 4)

[0040]

(Equation 5)

Here, it is assumed that the size of the display screen is equal to the size nx * ny of the photographed image surface.

(S703) Focal length f'of the virtual image plane and line-of-sight direction θ in the image space of the television camera
Find x'and θy '. The line-of-sight direction is represented by how much the line-of-sight vector rotates from the Z axis in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction with the origin as the rotation reference. Rotation in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction with respect to the Z-axis direction is the positive direction.

First, the focal length of the image displayed at this time is f, and the line-of-sight directions are θx and θy. If the transmitted image is displayed as it is at the start of displaying the image, these initial values are f = f0, θx = 0, θy.
= 0. The angle of view in the horizontal direction of the virtual image plane is θv '
And put

[0044]

(Equation 6)

Then, the focal length f ′ of the virtual image plane to be obtained is calculated by using this θv ′.

[0046]

(Equation 7)

It becomes Here, f ′ is obtained using the horizontal angle of view, but it may be similarly obtained using the vertical angle of view.

The line-of-sight directions θx ′ and θy ′ are obtained by adding an angle corresponding to the difference to the line-of-sight directions θx and θy of the currently displayed screen.

[0049]

(Equation 8)

[0050]

[Equation 9]

It becomes (S704) Rotation for converting the coordinates of the pixel P (u, v) on the virtual captured image with the origin at the upper left apex of the image into the three-dimensional coordinates P ′ (x, y, z) in the space with the viewpoint as the origin. Matrix R
Ask for. The pixel P can be represented as P (u ′, v ′, f ′) in a coordinate system in which the viewpoint of the virtual captured image is the origin, the line-of-sight direction is the Z axis, the horizontal direction is the X axis, and the vertical direction is the Y axis. However,

[0052]

(Equation 10)

[0053]

[Equation 11]

Is as follows. This coordinate system is equivalent to a coordinate system in which the shooting direction of the camera is the Z axis rotated by θx ′ around the Y axis by θy ′ around the X axis. Therefore,
P '(x, y, z) is the rotation matrix R

[0055]

(Equation 12)

Where R is

[0057]

(Equation 13)

It becomes (S705) Pixel data in the image captured by the television camera is mapped onto the pixels on the virtual captured image surface. When the image surface is set at an arbitrary position in space, the color density of the pixel on the image surface is equal to the color density of the corresponding pixel when the pixel is projected on the captured image by the perspective transformation. here,
The captured image plane can be considered as a plane of Z = f0, and the point (x, y, z) in the space is converted to the point (f0 * x / z, f0 * y / z, f0 on this plane by perspective transformation. ) Is projected. Therefore, for all the pixels on the virtual photographing screen, the three-dimensional coordinates in the space are obtained by using the rotation matrix R obtained in (S704), and further, the three-dimensional coordinates are projected on the photographed image surface by the perspective transformation. The desired image is synthesized, and the color density of the pixel is set as the color density of the pixel on the virtual photographing screen to synthesize the desired image. However, the captured image is discrete data, and the coordinates of the projection point do not always match the coordinates of the pixel. In that case, the data of the pixels in the vicinity of the projection point is used, and the color density at the projection point is obtained by approximating them, and this is used as the value of the pixel on the virtual photographing screen.

(S706) Based on the output of the cursor display section 44, the image of the cursor is superimposed on the image combined in (S705). Since the shape data of the cursor itself does not change, the data created in advance is retained. Since the cursor display position is designated from the cursor display unit 44, the pixel data at the corresponding position on the composite image is replaced with the cursor data.

(S707) The combined image data is written in the image memory 10. The image synthesizing device 9 repeats the processing of the procedure described above every unit time.

The display device 11 sequentially reads out the image data written in the image memory 10 one after another and displays it on the screen.

As described above, according to the video conference apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, by using the perspective transformation, the image of the arbitrary direction and range desired by the user can be obtained from the video image of the entire venue with the video camera fixed. Can be freely combined and displayed.

FIG. 9 shows the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 9, reference numerals 1-1 to n denote a plurality of television cameras for photographing a conference venue, and reference numerals 2-1 to n denote a plurality of encoding devices for compressing and encoding video signals output by the television cameras 1-1 to n. , 93 is a communication control device that collectively transmits a plurality of signals encoded by the encoding devices 2-1 to n, 94 is a communication line through which the signals are transmitted, and 95 is a plurality of signals that receive the transmitted signals. Communication control device to divide into signals,
Reference numerals 6-1 to n denote a plurality of decoding devices that restore the received signals into video signals, 7-1 to n denote a plurality of image memories in which the restored video signals are written, and 97 denotes an image memory 7-1 to n.
, A video selection device for selecting appropriate data, 98 is a direction designating device for designating the direction and range of the required video, 9
Is an image synthesizing device for synthesizing the image in the direction and range designated by the direction indicating device 98 from the image data selected by the image selecting device 97, 10 is an image memory in which the synthesized image signal is written, 11 is the image memory 10 It is a display device for displaying the video signal written in the image as a video.

The television cameras 1-1 to n are arranged in a radial pattern and share images of the venue. The output n video signals are individually compression-coded by the coding devices 2-1 to n, and are collectively sent to the line 94 by the communication control device 93. The communication control device 95 receives the transmitted signal and returns it to a plurality of signals. Each signal is decoded by the decoding device 6-1.
~ N to restore the video signal, and the image memory 7
Write to -1 to n.

The user not only specifies the direction and area of the image to be displayed after the next unit time to the direction indicating device 98, but also specifies which video signal is used as the original data. For example, a plurality of video images reduced in size are displayed on the screen, and a video image to be viewed is designated by a pointing device or the like. The designated video is once displayed on the entire display screen, and the user again designates the line-of-sight direction and range for the video.

The image selecting device 97 selects an appropriate signal from a plurality of image signals based on the output of the direction indicating device 98 and sends it to the image synthesizing device 9.

The image synthesizing device 9 synthesizes the image in the direction and range designated by the direction indicating device 98 by perspective transformation based on the video signal selected by the video selecting device 97, and writes it in the image memory 10. The display device 11 displays the written image on the screen.

As described above, according to the video conference apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, an image in any direction and range desired by a user can be freely and freely obtained based on the images taken by a plurality of TV cameras. It is possible to synthesize and display in high definition.

FIG. 10 shows the configuration of the third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 10, 1 is a television camera for photographing the whole meeting place, 2 is a coding device for compressing and coding a video signal, 3 is a communication control device for transmitting a signal coded by the coding device 2, and 4 is a communication control device. A communication line through which a signal is transmitted, 5 is a communication control device that receives the transmitted signal,
6 is a decoding device for restoring the received signal to a video signal, 7
Is an image memory into which the restored video signal is written, 11
Is a display device for displaying the video signal written in the image memory 7 as a video, 107 is an image memory for writing the output signal from the television camera, and 108 is a talk for specifying the direction and range of the speaker from the taken image. Person position measuring device, 10
An image synthesizing device 9 synthesizes a video image in the direction and range specified by the speaker position measuring device 108 from the video signal written in the image memory 107 by perspective transformation.

The TV camera 1 is installed in front of the conference hall,
Shoot so that the entire conference hall fits in the frame. The output signal of the television camera 1 is once written in the image memory 107.

The speaker position measuring device 108 detects the direction of the speaker by voice recognition. The voice input signals to a plurality of microphones are analyzed, the direction of the voice source is detected, and this is taken as the direction of the speaker. The detected direction is X based on the Z axis in the coordinate system with the shooting direction of the TV camera as the Z axis.
Represented by rotation angles θx ′ and θy ′ in the axis and Y-axis directions,
It is sent to the image synthesizer 109. This is the line-of-sight direction of the composite image.

The image synthesizing device 109 synthesizes the image in the designated line-of-sight direction by performing perspective transformation on the image data written in the image memory 107. Regarding the size of the conversion target area, the number of pixels n in the area obtained by dividing the captured image into n in consideration of the number of participants in advance.
By setting x'and ny 'in advance, a region of this size is projected in the direction of the line of sight to synthesize a virtual photographed image plane.

The data of the combined image is sequentially compressed and encoded by the encoder 2 and sent to the line 4 by the communication controller 3. On the receiving side, the communication control device 5 receives the signal,
The decoding device 6 performs the reverse processing of the encoding to restore the original video signal. The restored video signal is sequentially written in the image memory 7 in frame units. The display device 11 reads out the image data written in the image memory 7 and displays it on the screen.

As described above, according to the video conference apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, the region in which the speaker is shown is specified in the video image of the entire hall, and the image in that direction is synthesized by perspective transformation. As a result, when the speaker is changed, an image centering on the speaker can be immediately displayed on the screen.

FIG. 11 shows the configuration of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 11, reference numeral 1 is a television camera for photographing the entire conference hall, 2 is an encoding device for compressing and encoding the video signal output by the television camera 1, and 3 is a signal transmitted by the encoding device 2. A communication control device, 4 is a communication line through which a signal is transmitted, 5 is a communication control device that receives a sent signal, 6 is a decoding device that restores the received signal to a video signal, and 117 is a restored video signal. The image memory to be written, 8-1 to n are a plurality of direction indicating devices for designating the direction and range of the required video, 9-1 to 9-
n is a plurality of image synthesizing devices for synthesizing the image in the direction and range designated by the direction indicating devices 8-1 to 8-n from the video signals written in the image memory 117, and 10-1 to n are the synthesized video signals. Multiple image memories into which 1 is written
Reference numerals 1-1 to n are a plurality of display devices for displaying the video signals written in the image memories 10-1 to 10-n as video images.

The TV camera 1 is installed in front of the conference hall,
Make sure that the entire conference room fits in the frame. The video signal output from the television camera 1 is input to the encoding device 2,
Appropriate compression encoding is performed. The encoded signal is sent to the line 4 by the communication control device 3. The transmitted signal is received by the communication control device 5, and the decoding device 6 restores the original video signal by performing the processing opposite to the encoding. The restored video signal is sequentially written in the image memory 117 in frame units.

While watching the images displayed on the screens of the individually prepared display devices 11-1 to 11-n, the plurality of users respectively use the direction indicating devices 8-1 to 8-n to determine the line-of-sight directions of the images to be viewed. Specify the range.

The image synthesizing devices 9-1 to 9-n independently synthesize the images in the designated direction and range. First, a virtual photographed image plane is set on the basis of the designated direction and range, and for each pixel constituting this image plane, the corresponding pixel on the photographed image plane is obtained by perspective transformation. Further, the obtained color density of the pixel or the color density of the pixel in the vicinity thereof is read from the data written in the image memory 117, and the color density of the pixel on the virtual photographed image plane is determined to synthesize the image. .

The synthesized images are respectively stored in the image memory 10-
1 to n, and the display devices 11-1 to 11-n read them and display them on a display screen installed in front of each user.

As described above, according to the video conference apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of image synthesizing apparatuses and direction indicating apparatuses,
By using the display device, it is possible to synthesize and display images in arbitrary directions and ranges independently for a plurality of participants at the reception site.

FIG. 12 shows the configuration of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 12, 1-1 to n are a plurality of television cameras for photographing the meeting place, 2-1 to n are a plurality of encoding devices for compressing and encoding the video signals output by the television cameras 1-1 to n. , 93 are encoding devices 2-1 to n
A communication control device for collectively transmitting a plurality of signals encoded by the above, a communication line 94 for transmitting the signals, a communication control device 95 for receiving the transmitted signals and dividing them into a plurality of signals, 6-1 to 6-1 n is a plurality of decoding devices that restore the received signal to a video signal, 117-1 to n are a plurality of image memories in which the restored video signals are written, and 97-1 to n are image memories 117-1 to n. A plurality of image selection devices for selecting appropriate data, 98-1 to n are a plurality of direction indicating devices for specifying the direction and range of a required image, and 9-1 to n are direction indicating devices 98-1 to 98n. A plurality of image synthesizing devices for synthesizing the image in the designated direction and range from the image data selected by the image selecting devices 97-1 to 97-n are a plurality of image memories in which the synthesized image signals are written. ,
Reference numerals 11-1 to 11-n denote a plurality of display devices for displaying the video signals written in the image memory 10 as video.

The television cameras 1-1 to n are arranged in a radial pattern so as to share the space for photographing. The output n video signals are individually compression-coded by the coding devices 2-1 to n, and are collectively sent to the line 94 by the communication control device 93. The communication control device 95 receives the transmitted signal and returns it to a plurality of signals. Each signal is decoded by the decoding device 6-1.
~ N to restore the video signal, each image memory 1
Write to 17-1 to n.

The plurality of users use the direction indicating devices 98-1 to 98-n while watching the images displayed on the screens of the individually prepared display devices 11-1 to 11-n, respectively. And specify the range. At the same time, which of the plurality of video signals has been sent is designated as the original data.

The image selecting devices 97-1 to 97-n select an appropriate signal from a plurality of image signals based on the outputs of the direction indicating devices 98-1 to 98-n, and the image synthesizing devices 9-1 to 9-1.
send to n.

The image synthesizing devices 9-1 to 9-n independently synthesize images in a specified direction and range by perspective transformation. First, a virtual photographed image plane is set on the basis of the designated direction and range, and for each pixel constituting this image plane, the corresponding pixel on the photographed image plane is obtained by perspective transformation. Further, by reading the obtained color density of the pixel or the color density of the pixel in the vicinity thereof from the data sent from the image selection devices 97-1 to 97-n, and determining the color density of the pixel on the virtual photographed image surface, Combine images.

The synthesized images are stored in the image memory 10-
Write to 1-n. The display devices 11-1 to 11-n display the written image on the screen. As described above, according to the video conference apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, the video images taken by a plurality of TV cameras are used as the basis, and By using multiple image synthesizers, direction indicators, and display devices, it is possible to independently synthesize and display high-definition images in any direction and range to multiple participants at the reception site. You can

[0087]

As described above, according to the present invention, an image in an arbitrary direction and range desired by a user can be obtained from an image taken with a television camera fixed by using an image synthesizing device for performing perspective transformation. Can be combined and displayed instantly.

Further, by using a plurality of image synthesizing devices, a direction indicating device, and a display device, images of arbitrary directions and ranges are independently synthesized and displayed to a plurality of participants at the reception site. can do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a video conference apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a video conference device in a conventional example.

FIG. Diagram showing the general flow of the encoding process by H.261.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a direction indicating device of the video conference device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of area designation of the video conference apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a geometrical relationship of image planes of the video conference apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flow of processing of the image synthesizing device of the video conference device in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a geometrical relationship diagram of the image plane of the video conference apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a video conference device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a video conference device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a video conference device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of a video conference device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 TV camera 2 Encoding device 3 Communication control device 4 Communication line 5 Communication control device 6 Decoding device 7 Image memory 8 Direction indicator 9 Image synthesizing device 10 Image memory 11 Display device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A television camera for photographing the entire venue, a transmitting device for transmitting a video signal output by the television camera, a line for transmitting the transmitted signal, and a signal received through the line. A receiving device, a direction indicating device that specifies the direction and range of an image to be displayed, and a video signal in the direction and range specified by the direction indicating device by geometrically transforming a part of the video signal received by the receiving device. A video conference apparatus comprising: an image synthesizing device for synthesizing; and a display device for displaying a video synthesized by the image synthesizing device. 2. A plurality of television cameras arranged so that a part of the images are overlapped with each other and photographing the entire venue as a whole, and a transmission device for collectively transmitting the video signals individually output by the plurality of television cameras, A line for transmitting the transmitted signal, a receiving device for receiving the signal transmitted through the line, a direction indicating device for specifying the direction and range of the received plurality of signals to be displayed, and the direction indicating device. A video selection device that selects an appropriate video signal from a plurality of video signals received by the reception device based on a designated direction, and geometrically transforms a part of the video signal selected by the video selection device. A video conference apparatus comprising: an image synthesizing device for synthesizing video signals in a direction and range designated by the direction indicating device; and a display device for displaying a video image synthesized by the image synthesizing device. 3. A television camera for photographing the entire hall, an image memory for writing a signal output by the television camera, a speaker position measuring device for specifying a direction of a speaker, and a speaker position measuring device for specifying. An image synthesizing device for synthesizing a video centered on the direction of the speaker by geometrically transforming the image data held in the image memory; a transmitting device for transmitting the video signal synthesized by the image synthesizing device; A video conferencing apparatus comprising: a line for transmitting the received signal, a receiving device for receiving the signal transmitted through the line, and a display device for displaying the video signal received by the receiving device. 4. The video conference apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of at least one of a direction indicating device, an image synthesizing device, and a display device. 5. The video conference apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of at least one of a direction indicating device, a video selecting device, an image synthesizing device, and a display device.