JPH11275275A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera with which an image can be transmitted by a voice by providing the main body of camera with a function for converting an image signal to a communication signal transmissible to a facsimile. SOLUTION: This digital camera is provided with a voice converting circuit 4 for converting a signal digitally recording an electronic video to a binary audio signal for facsimile communication, memory 5 for recording the audio signal, speaker 6 for outputting the audio signal from the memory and microphone 7 for receiving a response signal for facsimile communication transmitted through a telephone line and when the microphone 7 receives the response signal, the electronic video can be transmitted by outputting the audio signal through the speaker to the telephone line.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital camera in consideration of transmission of a video signal, and more particularly to a digital camera capable of transmitting an image to a facsimile using a portable communication terminal without requiring special hardware and software. Related to digital cameras.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to transfer an image captured by a digital camera, data is transferred using a recording medium or a communication cable, or data is transferred using a communication network.

[0003]

In these prior arts, high-resolution images can be transferred at high speed using dedicated hardware and software, and processing can be performed. On the other hand, dedicated hardware such as personal computers and communication software can be used. It was necessary to prepare tools, which would put a large financial burden on users, so it could not be said that anyone could easily prepare and use them.

[0004] On the other hand, with the increasing use of facsimile machines, which have rapidly spread in recent years as means for exchanging character and graphic information, there has been a demand for transmitting and receiving not only texts and graphics but also images with a greater amount of information. Increased.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, and to provide an audio conversion circuit for converting a digitally recorded signal of an electronic image into a binary audio signal for facsimile communication. A memory for recording the audio signal, a speaker for outputting the audio signal from the memory,
A microphone for receiving a response signal for facsimile communication transmitted through a telephone line, wherein when the response signal is received by the microphone, the audio signal is output to the telephone line through the speaker, and the electronic image is output. Is provided so as to be able to transmit the digital camera.

According to the configuration of the present invention, a digital camera that can easily transmit an image without preparing a new device can be realized.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the present invention, and FIG.
1 is a schematic diagram of a control circuit according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, A
Denotes a digital camera according to the present invention, in which an image pickup unit 1 is disposed on the front of the digital camera A, and has a lens and an image pickup device described later. A speaker 6 and a microphone 7, which are features of the present invention, are arranged diagonally below the imaging unit 1. B is a telephone used as a mobile terminal, and includes a speaker 70 and a microphone 60. In order to facsimile-transmit an audio signal from digital camera A of the present invention via telephone B, when telephone F is called from telephone B, a response signal for facsimile communication is transmitted from speaker 70. . This signal is received by the digital camera A, and audio information is transmitted from the digital camera A to the telephone B.

Next, the control circuit of FIG. 2 will be described. Reference numeral 1 denotes an image pickup unit having an image pickup element such as a lens, a CMOS, a CCD, or the like. A medium that digitally records electronic images.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a voice conversion circuit for converting a binary voice signal for facsimile communication according to the present invention, 5 a memory for temporarily storing the converted voice signal, 6 a speaker for outputting a voice signal, and 7 a telephone line. A microphone for receiving a response signal for facsimile communication coming from the apparatus; 8 is a recording signal processing circuit 2, a recording medium 3, an audio conversion circuit 4, a memory 5, and a monitor 1
1 is a processing control circuit for controlling the whole, 9 is a communication control circuit, 10 is an operation unit, and 11 is a monitor.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be described. By the mode switching from the operation unit 10, the mode can be switched to the facsimile communication mode in addition to the recording mode and the reproduction mode. Operation unit 10 during recording mode
Is input to the processing control circuit 8 to perform control for photographing. That is, the image signal obtained by the photoelectric conversion by the imaging unit 1 is converted into a digital recording signal by the recording signal processing circuit 2 and the recording medium 3
Is stored in In the facsimile communication mode, control for transmitting a recorded image by facsimile is performed. A desired transmission image can be selected on the monitor 11 from a plurality of images stored in the recording medium 3. The image determined to be transmitted by the operation unit 10 is converted from a recording signal into a binary communication signal by the data conversion circuit 4 and stored in the memory 5 for a short time until data transmission. Then, telephone B
Performs voice communication using. After the telephone line is connected to the receiving facsimile, communication is performed according to normal facsimile communication control. At that time, the microphone 7 and the speaker 6
And a communication control circuit 9. When the status of the receiving facsimile is confirmed and a response signal for facsimile communication transmitted through the telephone line is received by the microphone 7, the communication control circuit 9 transmits the voice signal of the memory 5 to the speaker 6.
, And an audio signal is output through the speaker 6.
Since this voice signal is received by the microphone 60 of the telephone B and transmitted through the telephone line, it becomes an image signal by facsimile of the receiver.

[0011]

As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, a digital camera which can easily transmit an image using a general-purpose facsimile can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a control circuit of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: CCD 2: recording signal processing circuit 3: recording medium 4: data conversion circuit 5: memory 6: speaker 7: microphone 8: processing control circuit 9: communication control circuit 10: operation unit 11: monitor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An audio conversion circuit for converting a signal obtained by digitally recording an electronic video into a binary audio signal for facsimile communication, a memory for recording the audio signal, and a speaker for outputting the audio signal from the memory. A microphone for receiving a response signal for facsimile communication transmitted through a telephone line, and wherein the response signal is received by the microphone,
A digital camera, wherein the audio signal is output to the telephone line through the speaker to transmit an electronic image.