JPH10200870A - Video telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide long-term preservability, portability, to display the list of images and to take out individual images as needed by providing a flash memory port for storing still images and relating and preserving compression data and reduced data after expansion in a flash memory card in the case of preserving the still images for a long term. SOLUTION: Still image compression data from an opposite party are separated as still image data in a multiplex/demultiplex means 10, sent through a temporary RAM 15 to a still image control means 7, expanded and displayed. A storage request key is inputted from a key operation part 4 and the compression data are written in the flash memory card mounted to the flash memory port 13 by an image storage control means 12. Simultaneously, the expanded images are thinned and reduced to be about 20×20 dots for instance and written in the flash memory card 14 as index data. They are displayed in the list and individually displayed further.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a video telephone device capable of storing a still image in a flash memory card.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union)
In, the video coding method for audiovisual, still image coding method, multiplexing method, communication procedure and the like are formally recommended, and accordingly, the image communication terminal device such as a video conference based on the ITU-T recommendation from each company has been proposed. Has been released. In addition, from this year to next year, recommendations for ultra-low bit-rate videophone devices are being promoted, and companies are planning to launch products with that in mind.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional video telephone apparatus. A video telephone apparatus body 20 has a built-in handset 1 having a microphone for inputting audio and a speaker for outputting audio, a camera 2 for photographing, A monitor or liquid crystal display element 3 for displaying an image sent from the other party or an image taken by the camera 2 and a key operation unit 4 for inputting a telephone number and selecting a function are integrated.

[0004] The video telephone unit 20 has an audio control means 5 for compressing and encoding (or decompressing and decoding) audio data, and a moving image for compressing and encoding (or decompressing and decoding) moving image data. An image control means 6, a still image control means 7 for compressing and encoding (or decompressing and decoding) still image data, a communication control means 8 for controlling a communication procedure with a partner terminal, and an outgoing / incoming call, disconnection, etc. Call control processing means 9 for managing calls, multiplexing of moving images, still images, and audio data in a prescribed frame format, and multiplexing for separating moving images, still images, and audio data from frames sent from the other party. And a line interface section 11 for connecting a terminal to a public analog line network 21.

[0005] This video telephone device operates as follows. When the operator picks up the handset 1 and inputs the telephone number of the partner terminal from the key operation unit 4 as if making a normal call, the call control processing unit 9 sets the line interface unit 11
Is connected to the partner terminal via the public analog line 21 via the terminal.
When the connection has been completed and the moving image data is to be transmitted to the partner terminal, the moving image data captured from the photographing camera 2 is A / D
The image data is converted into a digital signal by a converter, and the moving image control means 6 converts the digital signal into a specified frame format and compresses it. The processed moving image data is output from the moving image control unit 6 to the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 10 when the transmission request key is pressed by the key operation unit 4.

The audio data input from the handset 1 is similarly converted into a digital signal by an A / D converter, and the audio control means 5 converts the digital data into a prescribed format in the same manner as a moving image and compresses it. And multiplexing / demultiplexing means 1
Output to 0. The multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 10 multiplexes the compressed moving image and audio data and transmits the multiplexed moving image and audio data from the line interface unit 11 to the partner terminal via the public analog line 21. In the case of reception, reproduction is performed through a route reverse to that of transmission and bidirectional transmission is performed.

[0007]

However, in the conventional video telephone apparatus, when storing images, a moving image becomes too large as a system, so that a storage memory is provided to store still images. In addition, the stored still images are displayed in a list by fitting them into screen-divided areas, and necessary items are displayed on the entire screen. In this case, however, it is inconvenient for long-term storage or carrying.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional video telephone, and an object of the present invention is to provide a video telephone capable of realizing long-term storage of still images and portability.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a video telephone apparatus using a public analog line, which is provided with a flash memory port for storing a still image and compresses the flash image into a flash memory card when storing the still image for a long time. The data and the reduced data after decompression are stored in association with each other, and a list of the stored still images can be displayed on a reduced screen, and an image extracting means for extracting an individual image when necessary is provided.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention having the above configuration uses a flash memory card, so that long-term storage and portability are improved. Further, the compressed data and the reduced data for the index are written in the flash memory, so that the memory size can be reduced.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a videophone device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Similar to a conventional video telephone, a handset 1 having a microphone for inputting audio to a video telephone 20 and a speaker for outputting audio, a camera 2 for shooting, and A monitor / display for displaying an image taken by the camera 2 is a liquid crystal display device 3,
A key operation unit 4 for inputting a telephone number and selecting a function is integrated.

The videophone unit 20 has an audio control means 5 for compressing and encoding (or decompressing and decoding) audio data, and a moving picture for compressing and encoding (or decompressing and decoding) moving image data. An image control means 6, a still image control means 7 for compressing and encoding (or decompressing and decoding) still image data, a communication control means 8 for controlling a communication procedure with a partner terminal, an outgoing / incoming call, disconnection, etc. Call control processing means 9 for managing calls, multiplexing of moving images, still images, and audio data in a prescribed frame format, and multiplexing for separating moving images, still images, and audio data from frames sent from the other party. / Separation means 10, a line interface unit 11 for connecting a terminal to a public analog network 21, an image storage control means 12 for storing still images, a flash memory port 13, A shoe memory card 14, and a temporary RAM15 for storing the compressed data time.

This video telephone device operates as follows. When the operator picks up the handset 1 and inputs the telephone number of the partner terminal from the key operation unit 4 as if making a normal telephone call, the call control processing unit 9 sets the line interface unit 11
Is connected to the partner terminal via the public analog line 21 via the.

The operation of the moving image communication is the same as that described in the conventional method, and therefore will not be described. However, in the still image mode, a display indicating the still image communication mode is displayed on the monitor / liquid crystal display element 3 and the still image communication mode is displayed. The image compression data is separated as still image data by the multiplexing / separation
It is sent to the still image control means 7 through the AM 15 and is expanded and displayed by the still image control means 7.

Here, when a predetermined storage request key is input from the key operation unit 4, the compressed data of the still image in the temporary RAM 15 is written by the image storage control means 12 into the flash memory card mounted on the flash memory port 13. . At this time, the image expanded by the still image control means 7 is thinned and reduced to, for example, about 20 dots × 20 dots, and written in the flash memory card 14 in the same manner as index data. At this time, a list of still images can be displayed by associating the number of the compressed data with the index data, and if necessary, the compressed data can be called and individually displayed again through the still image control means 7. .

[0017]

According to the video telephone of the present invention, the video telephone is provided with a flash memory port and a flash memory card for storing a still image in a conventional video telephone, thereby improving the long-term storage and portability of the still image. The memory size can be reduced by writing the compressed data and the reduced data.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a videophone device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a conventional videophone device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Handset 2 Camera for photography 3 Monitor / liquid crystal display element 4 Key operation part 5 Voice control means 6 Moving image control means 7 Still image control means 8 Communication control means 9 Call control processing means 10 Multiplex / separation means 11 Line interface part 12 Image Storage control means 13 flash memory port 14 flash memory card 15 temporary RAM 20 videophone main body 21 public analog line

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A video telephone device using a public analog line, comprising a flash memory port for storing a still image, and storing a compressed image and a reduced data after expansion in a flash memory card when storing the still image for a long time. A videophone device, wherein a list of still images stored and stored as thumbnail images can be displayed on a reduced screen, and image extracting means for extracting individual images when necessary is provided.