JP2002199358A - Image information transmitting apparatus and method, pixel information receiving apparatus and method, and image transmitting / receiving system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a viewer to correctly grasp the size of an object which is photographed as a merchandise in TV shopping, for example. SOLUTION: At the side of transmission, actual size information X on a picked-up image is measured when the picked-up image of the object being the merchandise is transmitted and the actual size information X on the picked-up image is transmitted together with the image pickup output of the object being the merchandise. At the side of reception, an additional information extracting circuit 25 extracts actual size information X. Then a scaling rate R for the actual size is calculated from display size information Y and actual size information X on the transmitted pickup image. A magnifying and reducing circuit 24 magnifies or reduces a reproduction image based on the scaling rate R and displays it. Thus the object to be the merchandise is displayed by the size being the same as the actual size.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image information transmitting apparatus and method suitable for transmitting a screen of an object which is a product in television shopping, for example, and a method of reproducing the screen of a transmitted object. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image information receiving apparatus and method suitable for use in a computer, and to such an image transmitting / receiving system, and more particularly to an apparatus capable of accurately grasping the size of an object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A television that introduces a product in a television program and, when a viewer desires to purchase the product by telephone or facsimile, the product is delivered to the home of the viewer who requested the purchase at a later date. John shopping is popular. In particular, digital satellite broadcasting and CATV (Cabl
With the spread of e-Television, the number of channels has grown enormously, and shopping-only channels have emerged. On such dedicated channels, shopping programs introducing various products are played all day.

In the next generation of digital satellite broadcasting,
It is expected that interactive services will be possible, and television shopping using such interactive services will be actively performed.

[0004]

However, in television shopping, since the purchaser cannot see the actual product when purchasing the product, the image of the ordered product and the product actually sent are Different from the image, it often confuses buyers and complains and returns to sellers. In particular, in many cases, the size of the item actually sent when the item is purchased by television shopping is different from the item size considered by the purchaser.

That is, in television broadcasting, the product is displayed on a limited two-dimensional screen, and the size of the product depends on the size of the screen of the television receiver that the viewer is watching. Will change. Even if a product of the same size is introduced in a television program, the size of the product looks large when viewed on a television receiver with a large screen, and when viewed on a television receiver with a small screen,
The size of the product looks small. On the side watching television broadcasting, the size of the product is judged based on the image projected on the screen, so if the size of the product changes with the size of the television receiver, the product is purchased The size of the product will not be accurately communicated to the person trying to do so, causing confusion.

Therefore, in order to accurately determine the size of a product, for example, a cigarette box is placed near the product so that the size of the product can be compared with that of the cigarette box. ing. However, it is difficult to accurately convey the actual size of the product only by such comparison.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image information transmitting apparatus and method, an image information receiving apparatus and method, and an image information transmitting and receiving system and method capable of accurately grasping the size of an object photographed as a product. Is to provide.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image pickup means for an object and video information based on an output of the image pickup means are added with actual size information on an image pickup surface of a screen picked up by the image pickup means. An image information transmitting apparatus including a transmitting unit for transmitting.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a receiving means for receiving information in which actual size information on an imaging surface is added to video information based on an output of an imaging means, and an image of an object from the received video information. Reproducing means for reproducing, enlarging / reducing means for enlarging or reducing an image of the object reproduced by the reproducing means, display means for displaying a reproduced image of the object, size information of the display means, and an imaging surface received by the receiving means From the actual size information, calculates an enlargement or reduction ratio that becomes the actual size, and sets the calculated enlargement or reduction ratio in the enlargement / reduction unit. is there.

The invention according to claim 11 is an image information transmitting method in which an object is imaged by an image pickup means, and actual size information on an image pickup surface of a picked-up screen is added to an image pickup output and transmitted.

[0011] According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the image information based on the output of the image pickup means receives information in which actual size information on an image pickup surface is added, and an image of an object is reproduced from the received image information. From the size information of the display means and the received actual size information on the imaging surface, an enlargement or reduction ratio that becomes the actual size is calculated, and the reproduced image of the object is enlarged based on the calculated enlargement or reduction ratio. Alternatively, this is an image information receiving method that is displayed in a reduced size.

[0012] According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image pickup means for an object,
An image information transmitting apparatus comprising: transmitting means for adding the actual size information on the imaging surface of the screen imaged by the imaging means to the video information based on the output of the imaging means, and transmitting the video information based on the output of the imaging means Receiving means for receiving information to which actual size information is added on an imaging surface, reproducing means for reproducing an image of an object from received video information, and enlarging or reducing the image of the object reproduced by the reproducing means. Calculating the enlargement or reduction ratio to be the actual size from the size information of the display means, the size information of the display means, and the actual size information on the imaging surface received by the receiving means. An image transmission / reception system comprising an enlargement / reduction ratio calculation unit that sets the calculated enlargement / reduction ratio to the enlargement / reduction unit and an image information receiving apparatus provided with the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation unit.

On the transmitting side, when sending an image of the object to be a product, the actual size information on the imaging surface is measured, and the actual size information on the imaging surface is added together with the output of the image of the object to be product. Sent.

On the receiving side, the video information based on the imaging output and the actual size information on the imaging surface are received. Further, the receiving side stores the size information of the display, and the enlargement or reduction ratio that becomes the actual size is calculated from the size information of the display and the actual size information on the imaging surface. By displaying the reproduction screen in an enlarged or reduced manner based on the enlargement or reduction ratio, it is possible to display an object that is a product in the same size as the actual size.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a transmission side of a system to which the present invention is applied.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a television camera used to introduce a product in a shopping program, for example, and 2 denotes an object serving as a product introduced in a shopping program, for example.

An object 2 is photographed by the camera 1. The output of the camera 1 is supplied to the encoder 3. The encoder 3 forms, for example, an NTSC composite video signal from the output of the camera 1.

The output of the encoder 3 is supplied to an information adding circuit 4. The information adding circuit 4 adds, for example, additional information to a signal in a vertical blanking period of a video signal.

The output of the real size information memory 5 is supplied to the information adding circuit 4. The actual size information memory 5 holds a value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface. The information adding circuit 4 adds a value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface to, for example, a signal in a vertical blanking period.

The output of the information adding circuit 4 is supplied to the modulation circuit 6. The modulation circuit 6 modulates the broadcast video signal with a carrier having a predetermined frequency. The output of the modulation circuit 6 is power-amplified by the power amplification circuit 7 and output from the antenna 8.

As described above, on the transmitting side of the system to which the present invention is applied, the value X of the actual size of the imaging surface in the vertical direction is stored in the actual size information memory 5, and the actual size X of the imaging surface in the vertical direction is stored. The size value X is added to the video signal and sent.

The value X of the actual size of the imaging surface in the vertical direction is measured, for example, as follows.

In order to measure the value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface, a ruler 11 for measuring the length of the object is placed near the object 2 as shown in FIG. When the ruler 11 is placed near the object 2 and the image of the object 2 is taken by the camera 1, the object 2 and the ruler 11 are projected on the finder of the camera 1 as shown in FIG.

The ruler 11 projected on the finder
The vertical length L1 of the screen is read from the scale. This length L1 corresponds to the value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface.

The value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the image pickup surface
May be determined by optical measurement in addition to the method of physically measuring using a ruler as described above. In addition, since the size of the object on the imaging surface is determined by the distance of the object from the camera and the type of the lens of the camera, the information is generated based on information on the positions of two points on the imaging surface and the distances of the two points on the real object. You may do it.

When the value X of the actual size of the imaging surface in the vertical direction is measured in this way, the measured value X of the actual size of the imaging surface in the vertical direction is stored in the actual size information memory 4.

FIG. 4 shows a configuration of a receiving side of a system to which the present invention is applied. In FIG. 4, a reception signal of an antenna 21 is supplied to a reception circuit 22. In the receiving circuit 22, a signal of a frequency of a desired channel is selected, and, for example, a composite video signal of the NTSC system is demodulated.

The output of the receiving circuit 22 is supplied to a decoder 23. The decoder 23 decodes, for example, an NTSC composite video signal to form a component video signal. The output of the decoder 23 is supplied to a scaling circuit 24.

The output of the receiving circuit 22 is supplied to an additional information extracting circuit 25. The additional information extraction circuit 25 extracts the additional information added during the vertical blanking period of the video signal.

As described above, the value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface is transmitted from the transmission system as additional information during the vertical blanking period of the video signal. The additional information extraction circuit 25 extracts the value X of the actual size of the imaging surface in the vertical direction. The value X of the actual size of the imaging surface in the vertical direction is supplied to the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation circuit 26. Note that the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation circuit 26 includes a CPU (Central Process
ng Unit).

The output of the display size information memory 27 is supplied to the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation circuit 26. The display size information memory 27 stores the display 2
8 holds information on the value Y of the vertical size.

The enlargement / reduction ratio calculating circuit 26 sends the information of the value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface sent from the transmitting side as additional information and the vertical size of the display 28 held in the display size information memory 27. From the information on the size value Y in the direction, the enlargement / reduction ratio R is obtained as R = X / Y. This scaling ratio R is determined by the scaling circuit 2
4 is supplied.

The enlargement / reduction circuit 24 performs a process of enlarging / reducing the screen based on the enlargement / reduction ratio R from the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation circuit 26. The output of the scaling circuit 24 is supplied to the display 28. On the display 28, a screen enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction circuit 24 is displayed.

As described above, in the system to which the present invention is applied, on the transmitting side, information on the value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface is sent, and the transmitted effective size value X in the vertical direction of the imaging surface is transmitted. And the information on the value Y of the vertical size of the display that displays the screen, the enlargement / reduction ratio R is obtained, and the screen is enlarged or reduced based on the enlargement / reduction ratio R. Thereby, the display 28
The size of the object projected on the screen becomes equal to the size of the actual object.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the object 2 is photographed by the camera 1, the value of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging plane is X1. This screen is displayed on a display 28 having a different size as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C.
A, 28B.

FIG. 5B shows a case where the screen of the display 28A is larger than the actual size of the imaging surface in the vertical direction. In this case, the scaling ratio R1 is R1 = X1 / Y1. Than the value X1 of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface,
Since the value Y1 of the size in the vertical direction of the display 28B is larger, the screen is reduced and projected by (X1 / Y1). As described above, as a result of the screen being reduced by (X1 / Y1) and being projected, the size of the projected object 2A becomes equal to the actual size of the object 2 as shown in FIG. 5B.

FIG. 5C shows a case where the display screen is smaller than the actual size of the imaging surface in the vertical direction.
In this case, the enlargement / reduction ratio R2 becomes R1 = X1 / Y2, and is larger than the value X1 of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface.
Since the value Y2 of the vertical size of the display is smaller, the screen is enlarged and projected by (X1 / Y2). As described above, the screen is enlarged and projected by (X1 / Y2), and as a result, the size of the projected object 2B becomes equal to the actual size of the object 2 as shown in FIG. 5C.

The scaling circuit 24 can be realized by, for example, a configuration in which a resampling point is obtained between sampling points according to a scaling ratio as shown in FIG.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the resampling point Q1 is connected to the sampling points D1, D
2, D3 and D4 are multiplied by coefficients H1 to H4 and added. Q1 = H1 × D1 + H2 × D2 + H3 × D3 + H4 × D4

As shown in FIG. 7, such a configuration includes registers R1, R2, R3 and multipliers H1, H2, H3,
H4 and an adder A1.

Here, the ideal coefficient is obtained as h (x) = sinc (x) = sin (x) / x.

In the above example, the enlargement / reduction ratio is obtained from the value of the actual size of the image pickup surface in the vertical direction and the value of the size of the display in the vertical direction. The enlargement / reduction ratio may be obtained from the value and the value of the horizontal size of the display.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an image enlarged or reduced to an actual size and a transmitted image as it is can be displayed on a multi-screen using a window.

In FIG. 8, a reception signal of an antenna 51 is supplied to a reception circuit 52. In the receiving circuit 52, a signal of a frequency of a desired channel is selected, and for example, a composite video signal of the NTSC system is demodulated.

The output of the receiving circuit 52 is supplied to a decoder 53. The decoder 53 decodes, for example, an NTSC composite video signal to form a component video signal. The output of the decoder 53 is supplied to the enlargement / reduction circuit 54 and to the synthesis circuit 59.

The output of the receiving circuit 52 is supplied to an additional information extracting circuit 55. The additional information extraction circuit 55 extracts the additional information added during the vertical blanking period of the video signal.

The additional information extracting circuit 55 extracts the value X of the actual size of the imaging plane in the vertical direction. The value X of the actual size of the imaging surface in the vertical direction is supplied to the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation circuit 56.

The output of the display size information memory 57 is supplied to the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation circuit 56. The display size information memory 57 stores the display 5
8 holds information on the value Y of the vertical size.

In the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation circuit 56, the information of the value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface sent from the transmission side as additional information and the vertical size of the display 58 stored in the display size information memory 57 are stored. From the information on the size value Y in the direction, the enlargement / reduction ratio R is obtained as (R = X / Y). The scaling ratio R is supplied to the scaling circuit 54.

The enlargement / reduction circuit 54 performs the process of enlarging or reducing the screen based on the enlargement / reduction ratio R from the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation circuit 56. The output of the scaling circuit 54 is supplied to the frame memory 60. The frame memory 60 is used for frame synchronization between the scaled image and the transmitted image as it is.

The output of the frame memory 60 is used as the synthesizing circuit 59
Supplied to When the window is cut off in the raster-scanned transmission image, the synthesis circuit 59 selects an enlarged or reduced full-size image instead of the transmitted image when displaying the designated display position. Includes a selector to

When a part of an image to be displayed is cut out or displayed at an arbitrary magnification according to the viewer's intention or a window is cut on the screen and displayed there, an interface with the viewer is required. In consideration of the information provided from this interface, the scaling ratio of the image is determined.

In the synthesizing circuit 59, the transmitted image as it is and the image enlarged or reduced to the same size as the actual object by the scaling circuit 60 are synthesized. The output of the synthesis circuit 59 is supplied to the display 58. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 9, the transmitted image P1 as it is and the image P2 enlarged or reduced to the same size as the actual object are displayed on the display 58 on a multi-screen.

In the above example, the video signal is transmitted by modulating a NTSC composite video signal in accordance with the current analog terrestrial broadcasting.
Then, information of the value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface is
The signal is added as additional information to the signal in the vertical blanking period.

Of course, the present invention can be similarly applied to digital satellite broadcasting and digital terrestrial broadcasting. In digital satellite broadcasting, a video signal is transmitted after being compressed by the MPEG2 system. In this case, it is conceivable to add information of the value X of the actual size in the vertical direction of the imaging surface to, for example, SI (Specific Information) in the MPEG2 stream.

The present invention can be similarly applied to a case where a product screen is transmitted using a network.

[0057]

According to the present invention, when transmitting an imaging screen of an object to be a product, the transmitting side measures the actual size information on the imaging surface, and outputs the imaging surface of the object to be a product together with the imaging output. The actual size information at is sent.

On the receiving side, the video information based on the imaging output is received, and the actual size information on the imaging surface is received. Further, the receiving side stores the size information of the display, and the enlargement or reduction ratio that becomes the actual size is calculated from the size information of the display and the actual size information on the imaging surface. By displaying the reproduction screen in an enlarged or reduced manner based on the enlargement or reduction ratio, it is possible to display an object that is a product in the same size as the actual size.

As described above, since the image of the object can be displayed in the actual size, the size of the product can be displayed in the actual size when displaying the image of the object as a product on a television receiver in television shopping or the like. , The size of the product can be accurately determined.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a transmission side in an image transmission / reception system to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram used to explain measurement of an actual size on a transmission side in an image transmission / reception system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram used for explaining measurement of an actual size on a transmission side in an image transmission / reception system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a receiving side in an image transmitting / receiving system to which the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram used for describing a configuration of a receiving side in an image transmitting / receiving system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram used to explain enlargement / reduction of a screen on a receiving side in an image transmission / reception system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram used for describing an enlargement / reduction circuit on the reception side in the image transmission / reception system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of another example of the configuration of the receiving side in the image transmitting / receiving system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram used for explaining another example of the configuration of the receiving side in the image transmitting / receiving system to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Camera, 2 ... Object, 4 ... Information addition circuit, 5 ... Actual size information memory, 24 ... Enlargement / reduction circuit, 25 ... Additional information extraction circuit, 26 ... Scale calculation circuit

Claims (21)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for imaging an object, and a transmission means for transmitting video information based on an output of the image pickup means by adding actual size information on an image pickup surface of a screen imaged by the image pickup means. Image information transmitting device. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actual size information is measured by arranging a measuring means for measuring a length of an object at a position on an imaging surface, and reading a measurement value of said measuring means by said imaging means. The image transmission device according to any one of the preceding claims. 3. The image transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement of the actual size information is performed based on a distance of the object from the imaging unit and a type of a lens of the imaging unit. 4. The image transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actual size information on the imaging surface is inserted as additional information during a blanking period of video information based on an output of the imaging means. 5. The image transmitting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actual size information on the imaging surface is inserted as additional information in a packet stream. 6. A receiving means for receiving information in which actual size information on an imaging surface is added to video information based on an output of an imaging means, and a reproducing means for reproducing an image of an object from the received video information. An enlarging / reducing means for enlarging or reducing an image of the object reproduced by the reproducing means; a display means for displaying a reproduced image of the object; size information of the display means; and the imaging received by the receiving means Image information receiving means for calculating an enlargement or reduction ratio that becomes the actual size from the actual size information on the plane and setting the calculated enlargement or reduction ratio in the enlargement / reduction unit. apparatus. 7. The image receiving apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the actual size information on the imaging surface is obtained from additional information of a blanking period of video information based on an output of the imaging means. 8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the actual size information on the imaging surface is obtained from additional information in a packet stream.
An image receiving device according to claim 1. 9. The image receiving apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the enlargement / reduction means obtains a resampling point at the sampling point according to an enlargement or reduction ratio by an interpolation operation. 10. The image according to claim 6, wherein the image of the object reproduced by the reproduction means and the image of the object enlarged or reduced by the enlargement / reduction means are simultaneously displayed on the display means. Receiver. 11. An image information transmitting method, wherein an image of an object is captured by an image capturing means, and actual size information on an image capturing surface of the captured image is transmitted to the image capturing output. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the measurement of the actual size information is performed by arranging a measurement unit for measuring the length of the object at a position of an imaging surface, and reading the measurement value of the measurement unit by the imaging unit. The described image transmission method. 13. The image transmission method according to claim 11, wherein the measurement of the actual size information is performed based on a distance of the object from the imaging unit and a type of a lens of the imaging unit. 14. The image transmission method according to claim 11, wherein the actual size information on the imaging surface is inserted as additional information during a blanking period of video information based on an output of the imaging means. 15. The image receiving method according to claim 11, wherein the actual size information on the imaging surface is obtained from additional information in a packet stream. 16. The video information based on the output of the imaging means,
Receiving information to which the actual size information on the imaging surface is added; reproducing the image of the object from the received video information; and displaying the size information of the display means and the received actual size information on the imaging surface. And calculating an enlargement or reduction ratio that becomes an actual size, and displaying the reproduced image of the object by enlarging or reducing the image based on the calculated enlargement or reduction ratio. 17. The image receiving method according to claim 16, wherein the actual size information on the imaging surface is obtained from additional information of a blanking period of video information based on an output of the imaging means. 18. The image receiving method according to claim 16, wherein the actual size information on the imaging surface is obtained from additional information in a packet stream. 19. Enlargement or reduction is performed at sampling points,
17. The image receiving method according to claim 16, wherein a resampling point is obtained by an interpolation operation according to an enlargement or reduction ratio. 20. The image receiving method according to claim 16, wherein the image of the object reproduced by the reproducing means and the image of the enlarged or reduced object are simultaneously displayed. 21. Image information comprising: an image pickup unit for an object; and a transmission unit for adding video size information based on an output of the image pickup unit with actual size information on an image pickup surface of a screen imaged by the image pickup unit and transmitting the image information. A transmitting device, receiving means for receiving information in which actual size information on an imaging surface is added to video information based on output of the imaging means, and reproducing means for reproducing an image of an object from the received video information. Scaling means for enlarging or reducing the image of the object reproduced by the reproducing means, display means for displaying a reproduced image of the object, size information of the display means, and the imaging surface received by the receiving means An image information receiving apparatus comprising: an enlargement / reduction ratio calculating unit that calculates an enlargement or reduction ratio that becomes an actual size from the actual size information in step (a), and sets the calculated enlargement or reduction ratio in the enlargement / reduction unit. Image transmission and reception system comprising a.