KR20070044878A - Mobile phone having a pc cam function and an image communication method through the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal having a PC cam function and a video communication method through the same, including a camera unit 200, a mobile phone unit 400, an interface device 600, and a display device 800. In the mobile communication terminal equipped with a PC cam function to sense the image captured by the lens unit 230 of the camera unit 200, stored in the memory 290 and displayed on the display device 800, the camera unit The apparatus 200 may further include first and second sensors 240 and 250 configured to selectively sense and output an image of the subject from the lens unit 230 at different resolutions according to a user's selection.

According to the present invention, by selectively performing an image through the lens unit 230 through another sensing device, it is possible to effectively perform video communication by selecting a capacity of data used in video communication.

Video communications, pc cam, resolution

Description

Mobile communication terminal equipped with PC cam function and video communication method through it {MOBILE PHONE HAVING A PC CAM FUNCTION AND AN IMAGE COMMUNICATION METHOD THROUGH THE SAME}

1 is an overall block diagram of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is an external perspective view of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is an operation flowchart according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawings *

200: camera unit 220: camera control unit

230: lens unit 240: first sensor

250: second sensor 290: memory

400: mobile unit 600: interface device

800: display device

The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal equipped with a PC cam function and a video communication method through the same, and more specifically, it is possible to effectively reduce the image data capacity by distinguishing the recording time and the video communication time in a mobile phone with a camera. The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal equipped with a PC cam function that enables video communication, and a video communication method through the same.

In accordance with the multimedia era, portable multi-communication terminals equipped with functions such as video transmission and reception and voice transmission / reception are becoming popular. In such multi-communication terminals, a digital camera function is implemented in a portable communication terminal (eg, a mobile phone) that a user usually carries. There is a so-called camera phone, and the technology for such a camera phone has been previously filed (domestic patent application number 99-60177).

In addition, recently, a communication terminal (aka TV phone) capable of receiving and outputting a TV broadcast program or a communication terminal capable of displaying Internet information and a communication terminal capable of downloading Internet information has been developed.

However, a mobile phone capable of storing and displaying images such as a camera phone built-in mobile communication terminal has only a function of simply storing, reproducing, and editing a screen using a PC. In order to require a separate USB (Universal Serial Bus) PC camera in addition to the PC there was a problem that requires a separate purchase cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile communication terminal equipped with a PC cam function capable of performing video communication and a general photographing function selectively, and a video communication method through the same.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a mobile communication terminal equipped with a PC cam function according to the present invention includes a camera unit, a mobile phone unit, an interface device, and a display device, and images captured by the lens unit of the camera unit. In the mobile communication terminal equipped with a PC cam function to sense and store in the memory and to display through the display device, the camera unit to selectively sense the image of the subject in the different resolution from the lens unit according to the user's selection Characterized in that it further comprises a first and second sensors,

Preferably, the resolution of the image sensed by the second sensor has a much lower resolution than the resolution of the image sensed by the first sensor.

PC camera function including a camera unit, a mobile phone unit, an interface device, and a display device according to another aspect of the present invention to sense an image taken through the lens unit of the camera unit, to store in the memory and to display through the display device In the video communication method through the provided mobile communication terminal, if the user selects the video communication, the second sensor senses the image from the lens unit of the camera unit, and if the user chooses to take a general shooting the first Characterized by sensing the image from the lens unit of the camera unit through a sensor,

The first and second sensors are each provided with a video communication method through a mobile communication terminal equipped with a PC cam function, characterized in that for sensing and outputting the image of the subject in different resolution.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an overall block diagram of a mobile communication terminal (hereinafter referred to as a "mobile phone") equipped with a PC cam function according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a mobile phone includes a camera unit 200 for capturing an image of a subject, a mobile phone unit 400 for voice call or image transmission and reception, and a display device for displaying images and texts ( 800, and an interface unit 600 for displaying images and texts on the display device 800 under the control of the mobile phone unit 400. The camera unit 200 may be implemented based on a digital still video camera.

The image of the subject is provided to the first or second sensors 240 and 250 through the lens unit 230. The lens unit 230 may include a zoom lens, a focus lens, an iris, and the like, which are typically provided in a digital still video camera.

In the above, the resolution of the image sensed through the second sensor 250 has a much lower resolution than the resolution of the image sensed through the first sensor 240. This is to prevent a decrease in communication speed when the resolution is high during video communication. In general, you will be able to process at a resolution similar to the resolution level of the image on the PC.

The first and second sensors 240 and 250 convert and output the optical signal of the subject that has passed through the lens unit 230 into an electrical signal (imaging image signal). The exposure, gamma, gain adjustment, white balance, Functions as a color matrix. The ADC 260 converts a captured image signal of one field adjusted by the first or second sensors 240 and 250 into a digital signal and outputs it to a digital signal processor (DSP) 270. The DSP 270 processes the digital-converted photographed image signal as NTSC (National Television System Committee) or PAL (Phase Alternation by Line) image signal (Y, C), and the mobile phone controller 450 Under control, the image signals Y and C are sent to a JPEG (Joint Picture Expert Group) compression unit (not shown) or displayed on a color graphics LCD (hereinafter abbreviated as "color LCD") (not shown) on the screen. To the display device 800.

In the mobile phone camera mode, when the user presses the camera shutter key, the subject starts shooting. At this time, the captured image signals Y and C output from the DSP 270 are stored in the memory 290 via the JPEG compression unit. On the other hand, in a situation in which the shutter key is not applied in the camera use mode, the image signals Y and C output from the DSP 270 are temporarily stored in the memory 290 through the camera controller 220 and then the camera controller ( 220, the DSP 270, and the interface unit 600 are displayed on the color LCD of the display device 800. The user may check a subject coming into the camera lens through the color LCD.

The camera controller 220 is implemented as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and performs the overall operation of the camera unit 200. In addition, under the control of the mobile phone control unit 450 provided in the mobile phone unit 400, signals corresponding to various keys input from the key input unit 420 of the mobile phone unit 400 are transmitted based on the control of the mobile phone control unit 450. If so, various operations are performed accordingly. The memory 290 connected to the camera controller 220 is a memory for storing programs for performing various operations of the camera controller 220 and is typically implemented as a static random access memory (SRAM). The memory 290 is a buffer for temporarily storing an image received through a camera lens, and may include a portion embodied as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM).

On the other hand, reference numeral 280 denotes a USB terminal for transmitting image data to the USB terminal (port), and includes a USB port, converts the image data in accordance with the USB standard, high speed (12Mbps) or low speed (1.5Mbps) Sends and receives data. In addition, it is also possible to send and receive data with the external mass storage device through this.

2 is an external perspective view of a mobile phone to which the present invention is applied and a folding mobile phone is illustrated, but is not limited thereto. 2, in the mobile phone, the inner surface of the main body 500 is provided with a microphone 520, which is a transmitter, and a plurality of key buttons 540 are installed, and letters and numbers on the inner surface of the folder 601. A liquid crystal display 640 and a speaker 620 serving as a sign language unit are installed, and a hinge portion 560 for coupling one end of the folder 601 and the main body 500 is formed. A lens insertion hole is formed in which an upper center of the folder 601 is opened, and a camera lens 660 is installed in the lens insertion hole so as to rotate forward and backward about an axis, thereby functioning as an image mobile phone and a camera phone. Depending on the implementation, the direction of the camera lens can be reversed. In FIG. 2, the USB port 550 is formed on one side of the main body 500 in accordance with a feature of the present invention.

The operation of the mobile communication terminal equipped with the PC cam function according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

First, when the user selects the video communication through the key input unit 420 of the mobile phone unit 400 to perform video communication (ST-2), the second sensor 250 is operated under the control of the camera controller 220 (ST-4) Perform image sensing operation for video communication (including image chat), and at the same time or separately, the mobile phone controller 450 performs video communication through a wireless Internet access program stored in the memory unit 430. An environment may be created for accessing an operator server (not shown) capable of performing video communication, and thus, the user may perform video communication (ST-6). Thereafter, if the video communication connection release is selected from the user (ST-8), the connection is released and the video communication process is terminated.

On the other hand, when the user selects the shooting through the key input unit 420 of the mobile phone unit 400 to capture the image of the subject through the camera unit 200 (ST-10), under the control of the camera control unit 220 The first sensor 240 is operated (ST-12) to perform an image sensing operation for storing an image of a subject. If the user chooses to save the captured image (ST-14), the captured image is stored in the memory (ST-16).

Meanwhile, in the above description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be defined by the described embodiments, but by the claims and equivalents of the claims.

As described above, according to the present invention, the image through the lens unit 230 is divided into photographing and video communication, and selectively performed through other sensors 240 and 250 to increase the capacity of data used in video communication. In short, it is possible to effectively perform video communication.

Claims (4)

Including the camera unit 200, the mobile phone unit 400, the interface device 600 and the display device 800, the image captured by the lens unit 230 of the camera unit 200 senses the memory In the mobile communication terminal equipped with a PC cam function to store in the display device 600, The camera unit 200 further includes first and second sensors 240 and 250 for selectively sensing and outputting an image of a subject from the lens unit 230 at different resolutions according to a user's selection. A mobile communication terminal equipped with a PC cam function. The PC cam function of claim 1, wherein the resolution of the image sensed by the second sensor 250 has a much lower resolution than the resolution of the image sensed by the first sensor 240. Mobile communication terminal. Including the camera unit 200, the mobile phone unit 400, the interface device 600 and the display device 800, the image captured by the lens unit 230 of the camera unit 200 senses the memory In the video communication method via a mobile communication terminal equipped with a PC cam function to be stored in the display device 600 and displayed on, When the user selects video communication, the second sensor 250 senses an image from the lens unit 230 of the camera unit 200. When the user selects to take a general shooting, it is characterized in that for sensing the image from the lens unit 230 of the camera unit 200 through the first sensor 240, And the first and second sensors 240 and 250 respectively sense and output an image of a subject at a different resolution. 4. The PC cam function of claim 3, wherein the resolution of the image sensed by the second sensor 250 has a much lower resolution than the resolution of the image sensed by the first sensor 240. Communication method via a mobile communication terminal.

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