JPH11355744A - Multimedia communication system, multimedia communication device and display method for control image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain an easy-to-see designated image by easily discriminating which camera can be operated so as to prevent mis-operation and displaying a magnified video image of a camera operation object. SOLUTION: The multimedia communication system has a camera 7 that photographs an object and outputs a video signal, a communication line 104 to receive a video image externally, a display device 6 that displays pluralities of video images and a pointer 3 that points out any of video images displayed on the display device 6. The display device displays a camera control panel 9 to control the camera photographing the video image pointed out by the pointer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multimedia communication system capable of arbitrarily operating a multimedia imaging device on a display screen, a multimedia device, and a control image display method for controlling the imaging device. ,
In particular, the present invention relates to a multimedia communication apparatus and a control image display method for improving the operation efficiency of a multimedia communication system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an image pickup apparatus used in a multimedia communication system such as a video conference system or a video telephone, which can be controlled using operation buttons displayed on a display device. As an example of a multimedia communication device including such an imaging device, a display screen of a video conference device is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 3 denotes a mouse pointer;
Denotes a screen of the display device, and 7 denotes a video camera. Reference numeral 13 denotes a remote screen for displaying an image of a communication destination (partner side) having a video conference taken by a video camera, and is displayed on a display device of a communication source (own side). Reference numeral 14 denotes a local screen for displaying an image captured by the video camera 7, and is used to confirm how the image of the communication source is displayed on the display device of the communication destination.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a camera operation panel for operating the exposure, wide-angle operation and telephoto operation of the video camera of the communication destination and the communication source, and operation of the camera platform for adjusting the angle of view. Arbitrarily can also be displayed.

The camera operation panel 15 on the display device has a switch 16 for selecting whether to operate the camera at the communication destination or the camera at the communication source. You had to choose.

[0006]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems.

[0007] 1. When a camera operation panel 15 is displayed on the screen to operate a camera that captures images of the remote screen 13 and the local screen 14, the remote screen 1
3 and the local screen 14 are small and complicated, making it difficult to view the image.
Display becomes difficult to recognize.

[0008] 2. A camera is selected by a switch 16 on the camera operation panel 15 to operate the camera. However, it is not possible to determine which camera is operable, and there is a high possibility that a wrong operation is performed. However, there are problems such as giving an unpleasant feeling to the camera and taking a long time to operate the camera to obtain a desired image.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a multimedia communication system and a multimedia communication apparatus according to the present invention are provided with a photographing means for photographing a subject and outputting a video signal. Receiving means for receiving an image from outside, display means capable of displaying a plurality of images, and instruction means for designating any of the images displayed on the display means, wherein the display means And displaying a control image for controlling the photographing means for photographing the video specified by the means.

Further, according to the control image display method of the present invention, a first display step of displaying at least one image, and a specified image is photographed among the images displayed in the first display step. A second display step of displaying a control image for controlling the imaging means.

According to the above configuration, the control panel for operating the camera that has picked up the designated image is displayed, so that it is possible to easily determine which camera can be operated, thereby preventing erroneous operation. . Accordingly, the operability is improved, and the camera operation for obtaining a desired image can be performed in a short time.

[0012] The multimedia communication system and the multimedia communication apparatus of the present invention preferably further comprise a transmitting means for transmitting a control command instructed by the control image displayed on the display means to a corresponding photographing means. .

[0013] The control image display method according to the present invention preferably further comprises a transmitting step of transmitting a control command instructed by the control image displayed in the second display step to a corresponding image pickup means. Have.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to perform an operation by transmitting a control command to a desired camera using the control image displayed on the display means.

[0015] The multimedia communication system and the multimedia communication apparatus of the present invention preferably enlarge and display a video designated by the instruction means.

Further, the control image display method of the present invention preferably further includes a step of enlarging and displaying an image corresponding to the control image displayed in the second display step.

According to the above arrangement, the image to be operated by the camera is enlarged and displayed, so that the specified image can be easily recognized.

In the multimedia communication system and the multimedia communication apparatus according to the present invention, preferably, when an image is designated by the instruction means, the undesignated image is reduced and displayed.

The control image display method according to the present invention preferably further includes a step of reducing and displaying an unspecified image among the images displayed in the first display step.

According to the above configuration, an unspecified image is displayed in a reduced size, so that even when a plurality of images are displayed, the display screen is easy to see.

In the multimedia communication system and the multimedia communication apparatus according to the present invention, preferably, the display means displays a designation release button together with the control image, and the display means displays the control image after the designation of the image is released. Is deleted and the image is displayed again in a predetermined size.

Preferably, in the method for displaying a control image according to the present invention, the step of releasing the display of the control image and the step of deleting the control image after the display of the control image is released are performed, and And displaying the video again.

According to the above configuration, the unnecessary control image is deleted after the operation of the camera is completed, and the image is displayed again in a predetermined size, so that the image can be easily viewed.

[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the following embodiments, a video conference apparatus will be described as an example of the multimedia communication system of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other multimedia communication systems for communication.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an example of a schematic configuration and a display screen of a video conference apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a local screen for displaying an image for confirming how a communication source is displayed on a display device of a communication destination; Remote screen for shooting with a camera and displaying the image on the display device of the communication source, 3 is a mouse pointer, 4 is a screen selection switch of the local screen 1, 5 is a selection switch of the remote screen 2, and 6 is a screen of the display device It is.

Further, 100 is a CPU, 101 is a RAM,
102 is a ROM, 103 is an external storage device such as a floppy disk or optical disk, and 104 is a communication line. The remote screen 2 is transmitted from a communication destination via ISDN, a LAN, the Internet, or the like.

In FIG. 2, 8 is an enlarged local screen, 9 is a camera control panel, 10 is a reduced remote screen, 11 is a deselection switch, and 12 is a reduced remote screen 10 selection switch. It is.

Next, the operation of the video conference apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.

In FIG. 1, when it is desired to operate the camera on the local screen 1 or to check an image,
Move the mouse pointer 3 to the selection switch 4 on the local screen 1
(S301), and presses a selection switch or places a pointer on the selection switch to select a screen (S302).

When the selection is made, the local screen 1 is enlarged as in the local screen 8 shown in FIG. 2 (S30).
3) At the same time, the camera control panel 9 is displayed (S304). In the present embodiment, the selection release switch 11 is displayed in the camera control panel 9 (S30).
5).

The enlargement ratio of the enlargement process and the display position of the local screen 7 can be arbitrarily set, and the size can be arbitrarily changed even after the enlargement process.

By operating the displayed camera control panel 9, the camera taking the enlarged screen can be controlled.

Then, the remote screen 2 not selected is reduced and displayed so as not to interfere with the selected screen, as shown in the remote screen 10 shown in FIG. 2 (S3).
06).

The reduction rate and position of the reduction processing can be set arbitrarily, and the size can be arbitrarily changed even after the reduction processing. In this embodiment, the reduction processing is performed. However, it is not always necessary to perform the reduction processing, and control may be performed so as to be displayed so as not to disturb the enlarged screen.

In order to confirm the reduced image of the remote screen 2 on the screen of FIG.
The user presses the screen selection switch 12 with the mouse pointer 3 or puts the mouse pointer 3 on the selection switch to make a selection (S307). When this selection processing occurs, the reduced remote screen 2 becomes the selected screen, and is displayed after being enlarged (S303). Conversely, the local screen 1 that has been enlarged until now is
The screen is not selected, and is reduced.

To return to the previous screen, the selection is released by pressing the selection release switch 11 with the mouse pointer 3 or by placing the mouse pointer on the selection switch (S308). This operation returns to the screen shown in FIG.

When the remote screen 2 is selected on the screen shown in FIG. 1, the remote screen 2 is enlarged and the local screen 1 is reduced in the same procedure as described above.

[0040]

[Other Embodiments] The present invention relates to a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, an imaging device,
Display device, etc.)
These may be applied to a single device integrally configured.

Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (or CPU) of the system or the apparatus.
And MPU) read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also an OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU provided in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

When the present invention is applied to the storage medium, the storage medium stores program codes corresponding to the above-described flowcharts. Each module shown will be stored in a storage medium.

That is, the program codes of at least the video display module, the control image display module, the control command transmission module, the specified video enlargement display module, and the non-designated video reduction display module may be stored in the storage medium.

[0048]

According to the above arrangement, a control panel for operating a camera that has taken a designated image is displayed, so that it is possible to easily determine which camera can be operated, thereby preventing erroneous operation. And operability is improved. In addition, since the image to be operated by the camera is enlarged and displayed, an unspecified image is reduced and displayed, so that the screen is easy to see.

[0049]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration and a display screen of a video conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a video conference device and an example of a display screen according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a display system in a conventional video conference system.

FIG. 5 is a memory map for realizing the operation of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Local screen 2 Remote screen 3 Mouse pointer 4 Local screen selection switch 5 Remote screen selection switch 6 Display device 7 Camera 8 Enlarged screen 9 Camera control panel 10 Reduced screen 11 Selection release switch 12 Reduction processing Switch 13 for selected screen 13 remote screen 14 local screen 15 camera operation panel 16 switch 100 CPU 101 RAM 102 ROM 103 external storage device 104 communication line

Claims (20)

[Claims] A photographing means for photographing a subject and outputting a video signal; a receiving means for receiving an image from outside; a display means capable of displaying a plurality of images; and one of the images displayed on the display means Instruction means for designating an image, and wherein the display means displays a control image for controlling a photographing means which has photographed the image designated by the instruction means. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission unit configured to transmit a control command specified by the control image displayed on the display unit to a corresponding imaging unit.
A multimedia communication system according to claim 1. 3. The multimedia communication system according to claim 1, wherein an image specified by said instruction means is displayed in an enlarged manner. 4. The multimedia communication system according to claim 1, wherein when an image is designated by said instruction means, the undesignated image is reduced and displayed. 5. The display means displays a designation release button together with the control image, and the display means deletes the control image after the designation of the video is released, and displays the video in a predetermined size. The multimedia communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the communication is performed again. 6. A photographing means for photographing a subject and outputting a video signal, a receiving means for receiving a video from outside, a display means capable of displaying a plurality of videos, and one of the video images displayed on the display means And a display unit that displays a control image for controlling a photographing unit that has photographed the image specified by the instruction unit. 7. A transmitting means for transmitting a control command specified by a control image displayed on said display means to a corresponding photographing means.
A multimedia communication device according to claim 1. 8. The multimedia communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the video specified by the instruction unit is displayed in an enlarged manner. 9. The multimedia communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, when an image is designated by said instruction means, an undesignated image is reduced and displayed. 10. The display means displays a designation release button together with the control image, and the display means erases the control image after the designation of the video is released, and displays the video in a predetermined size. The multimedia communication device according to claim 6, wherein the multimedia communication device performs the processing again. 11. A first device for displaying at least one image.
And a second display step of displaying a control image for controlling an imaging unit that has captured a specified video among the video images displayed in the first display step. The control image display method to be performed. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a transmission step of transmitting a control command specified by the control image displayed in the second display step to a corresponding imaging unit. Control image display method. 13. The control image display method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of enlarging and displaying an image corresponding to the control image displayed in the second display step. 14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of reducing and displaying an unspecified image among the images displayed in the first display step. Control image display method. 15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of canceling the display of the control image, and a step of erasing the control image after the display of the control image is canceled and redisplaying the image in a predetermined size. The method for displaying a control image according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein: 16. A computer readable memory storing a program code for a control image display process, comprising: a code for a first display step of displaying at least one image; and an image displayed in the first display step. A code for a second display step of displaying a control image for controlling an imaging unit that has taken a designated video. 17. The apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a code of a transmission step of transmitting a control command specified by the control image displayed in said second display step to a corresponding image pickup means. Computer readable memory as described. 18. The computer-readable memory according to claim 16, further comprising a code for a step of enlarging and displaying an image corresponding to the control image displayed in the second display step. 19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising a code for a step of reducing and displaying an unspecified image among the images displayed in the first display step.
A computer-readable memory according to any one of claims 8 to 13. 20. A code for a step of canceling the display of a control image, and a code of a step of erasing the control image after the display of the control image is canceled and redisplaying an image in a predetermined size. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
10. The computer readable memory according to any one of claims 9 to 10.