AN ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR MULTIPLE PICTURES AND ITS TRANSMISSION METHOD THROUGH INTERNET
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electrical transmission system for multiple pictures and its transmission method through internet. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrical transmission system for multiple pictures and its transmission method through internet, that a digital camera assembly is equipped with the plurality of lenses and CCDs(Charge Coupled Devices), so that pictures captured from many directions are transmitted to a client computer through internet and the captured pictures are transmitted to a screen of the client computer in a real time according to a required condition selected by a client.
In general, picture communication means that a user's computer and the other party's computer, which are geographically separated but connected with each other through a network, simultaneously transmit image and/or sound data applied from each computer to an application program of the user's computer and to an application program of the other party's computer, so that the computer program of the other party can interchange information with the user's computer program according to the received image and/or sound data to do video conference or video phone call with each other even in a remote place.
To do video communication with the separated other party through the network using a video communication system, a digital camera to transfer image and sound information is used. However, because a conventional camera is fixed in one position, it cannot capture the image of the other party properly, thereby the user cannot easily receive the picture of the other party.
Furthermore, because the conventional video communication system transfers picture captured only at a fixed angle through the digital camera, to transfer pictures captured at other angles, the user(client) must change the angle of the digital camera.
Meanwhile, another example that a lens portion capable of rotating in every direction is mounted on a monitor of the computer has been made to solve the above problems. However, there is a problem that the camera cannot quickly capture a mobile image following it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an electrical transmission system for multiple pictures and its transmission method through internet, that a digital camera assembly is equipped with a number of lenses and CCDs(Charge Coupled Devices), so that pictures captured from many directions are transmitted to a client computer through internet and the captured pictures are transmitted onto a screen of the client computer in a real time according to a required condition selected by a client.
To accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an electrical transmission system for multiple pictures through internet, the transmission system comprising: a digital camera assembly having a number of lenses and a number of CCDs for transforming image signal of the image entered through each lens into electrical signal; a link server that a number of client computers are connected through internet network; and a computer system compressing image signal of the subject captured by the CCDs according to the required condition selected by the client and transmitting the compressed image data, which is converted into data format for video
communication, to the link server through communication network.
To accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a method for electricalally transmitting multiple pictures through internet, the method comprising the steps of: determining picture transmission mode meeting the required condition selected by the client; processing the pictures to be transmitted according to the determined transmission mode; and transmitting the processed picture to the link server.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of an electrical transmission system for multiple pictures through internet according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an external appearance of a digital camera assembly of the transmission system according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a flow diagram showing a method for transmitting multiple pictures through internet according to the present invention; and
Figures 4a to 4c are views showing a state that full motion images are shown on a monitor of a client computer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram of an electrical transmission system for multiple pictures through internet according to the present invention, and Figure 2
illustrates a perspective view of an external appearance of a digital camera assembly of the transmission system.
As shown in the drawings, the electrical transmission system for multiple picture of the present invention comprises: a digital camera assembly 10 having a number of lenses 12 and a number of CCDs(Charge Coupled Devices) 14 for transforming image signal entered through each lens 12 into electrical signal; a link server 20 connecting a number of client computers 40 through an internet network 30; and a computer system 50 compressing image signal of the subject captured by the CCDs 14 according to a required condition selected by a client and transmitting the compressed image data, which is converted into data format for video communication, to the link server 20 through communication network.
Referring to Figure 2, the digital camera assembly 10 includes a body 11 in the form of beehive, in which a number of lenses 12 and CCDs 14 are installed to capture an image in many directions and a supporter 13 for supporting the body 11. The computer system 50 includes: a CDS/AGS(Correlated Double
Sampling/ Automatic Gain Control) 51 for removing noise of the electrical signal received from the CCDs 14 of the digital camera assembly 10 and for automatically amplifying and controlling gain to uniformly output despite the level change of the image signal; an A/D converter 52 for converting analog signal input from the CDS/AGS 51 into digital signal; a compression unit 53 for compressing the captured image signal to get a large number of images; a control unit 54 for controlling the compression unit 53 according to a picture transmission mode selected by the client; a compression and storage memory 55 for individually storing the compressed images output from the compression unit 53; an image processing unit 56 for composing or
separating each of the images; and a data transmission unit 57 for transmitting the images, which are composed or separated by the image processing unit 56, to the link server 20 to the transmit the images to the client computer.
Referring to Figures 3 to 4c, the operation of the present invention will be described in detail.
Figure 3 illustrates a flow diagram showing a method for transmitting multiple pictures through internet according to the present invention, and Figures 4a to 4c illustrate views showing a state that full motion pictures are shown on a monitor of the client computer. As shown in Figure 2, a captured image projected through lenses
12(1,2,3,4,5 N) is converted into electrical signal in the CCDs 14
(1,2,3,4,5 N).
Meanwhile, the CDS/AGS 51 removes noise of the electrical signal input from the CCDs 14 and automatically amplifies and controls gain, so that the electrical signal can be always output uniformly despite the level change of the input image signal.
The A/D converter 52 converts analog signal input from the CDS/AGS 51 into digital signal.
The compression processing unit 53 compresses the captured image signal to get a large number of images. The image signal output from the A D converter 52 is compressed in a form of JPEG( Joint Photographic coding Experts Group).
At this time, the compression rate of the image signal input from the compression processing unit 53 is generally about 10:1.
The compression and storage memory 55 individually stores the compressed images output from the compression unit 53.
Furthermore, the compression and storage memory 55 makes high-speed record and revival possible, and generally uses a flash memory, which is a fixed memory.
The image processing unit 56, which is to individually separate or generally or partially compose the images stored in the compression and storage memory 55, makes the images to be shown on the screen of the client computer individually, to be shown on the screen of the client computer in a partially composed state, or to be shown on the screen of the client computer in a generally composed state.
The data transmission unit 57 transmits the images, which are composed or separated by the image processing unit 56, to the link server 20 to transmit the images to the client.
The control unit 54 basically controls the compression processing unit 53, and also controls the general operation of the CCDs 14, the CDS/AGS 51, A/D converter 52, the compression and storage memory 55, the image processing unit 56 and the data transmission unit 57.
Meanwhile, the composed or separated images, which are transmitted to the link server 30 through a network 21 by the operation of the data transmission unit 57, are transmitted to the client computer connected to the link server 20 through an internet network 30. The transmitted images are shown on at least one or more monitors 41 of client computers in a real time.
Here, the client can choose the images, transmitted through the plural lenses 12 and CCDs 14 of the digital camera assembly, in various types.
That is, the client can choose image selection modes of several types, which
are provided in the link server 20 to see all images of separated state, transmitted from each of the CCDs (1,2,3,4,5, N) 14 on the monitor 41.
The control unit 54 of the computer system 50 determines the image selection mode meeting the required condition selected by the client 40. After that, the computer system 50 determines the transmission mode and performs the step of processing the picture to be transmitted.
After performing the above step, the computer system 50 performs the step of transmitting the processed picture to the link server 20.
Meanwhile, as the result of determination of the above step, when the required condition selected by the client 40 is determined as that the image processing unit 56 separates the pictures individually(SlO), the computer system 50 separates the pictures individually (S20) and transmits them to the link server 20.
Thereby, as shown in Figure 4a, all the pictures, i.e., images of the other party, are shown in the separated state on the monitor 41 as many in the number as the CCDs 14 mounted on the digital camera assembly 10, so that the client can see all directions of the photographing place in one spot.
As the result of determination of the step(S10), when the required condition selected by the client 40 is determines as that the image processing unit 56 partially composes the pictures, i.e., the image of the other party(S30), the computer system 50 composes the pictures partially and transmits them to the link server 20.
Thereby, as shown in Figure 4b, the pictures, i.e., the pictures of the other party, are shown on the monitor 41 in the partially composed state, so that the client can see all directions of the photographing place in one spot.
As the result of determination of the step(S30), when the required condition
selected by the client 40 is determines as that the image processing unit 56 composes the pictures, i.e., the images of the other party, generally, the control unit 54 composes the pictures generally and transmits them to the link server 20.
Thereby, as shown in Figure 4c, the pictures, i.e., the image of the other party, are shown on the monitor 41 in the generally composed state, so that the client can see all directions of the photographing place in one spot.
As described set forth, the picture transmission system of the present invention includes the digital camera assembly, which is equipped with the plurality of lenses and CCDs, so that the pictures captured from many directions are transmitted to the client computer through internet and the captured pictures are transmitted to the screen of the client computer in the real time according to a required condition selected by the client
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in an electrical transmission system for multiple pictures and its transmission method through internet of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.