JPH04180476A - Video telephone system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a mechanical technology and a signal processing circuit of a video input means in a video telephone device.

[Prior art] Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional video telephone circuit;
The figure is a perspective view of a conventional videophone device, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional videophone device and a document.
) is the videophone body, (2) is the display, (3) is the camera, (4) is the lens hole of the camera (3), (5) is the document, (6) is the arm that supports the camera (3), (7) ) is the rotation axis of the arm (6), (8) is the rotation mechanism between the camera (3) and the arm, (9) is the speaker, (20) is the central controller, (
21) is an A/D converter, (22) is a scanning speed converter on the transmission side, (23) is a scanning speed converter (22)
The frame memory (24) is the frame memory (2
3) is an input address counter (25) that generates an address for inputting data to the frame memory (23), an output address counter that generates an address for outputting data from the frame memory (23), (26) is a transmitting device, and (27) is a line control device. , (28) is the public telephone network, (29) is the receiving device!
, (30) is a scanning speed converter on the receiving side, (31)
is a frame memory in the scanning speed converter (30),
(32) is an input address counter that generates an address for inputting data to the frame memory (31); (33)
is an output address counter that generates an address to output data from the frame memory (3]), and (34) is D
/A converter.

Next, the operation will be explained.

In FIG. 4, an analog video signal captured by a camera (3) is converted into a digital video signal by an A/D converter (21), and an input address counter (24) in a scanning speed converter (22) is connected to a camera (3). Video information is sequentially stored in the frame memory (23) according to addresses that are generated while counting up according to the scanning speed of the frame memory (23). Then, the video information stored in the frame memory (23) is transferred to the transmitting device (26) according to the address generated while the output address counter (25) counts up in synchronization with the scanning speed of the transmitting device (26). 1 line controller (
27) to the public telephone line network (28), and the video is transmitted to the other party's videophone.

Also, from the public telephone line network (28) to the line control device (27)
) The image of the other party's video call received by the receiving device (29) is converted to an input address in the scanning speed converter (30) according to the address that is generated while counting up according to the scanning speed of the receiving device (29). A counter (32) sequentially stores video information in a frame memory (31). Then, the output address counter (33) is displayed on the display (
According to the address generated while counting up in synchronization with the scanning speed of 2), the video stored in the frame memory (3I) is output as a digital video signal to the D/A converter (34) as a digital video signal. D/A
The video converted into an analog signal by the converter (34) is displayed on the display.

The central control device (20) includes an A/D converter (2]), an input address counter (24), an output address counter (25), a transmitter (26), a transmitter (
29), the input address counter (32), the output address counter (33), and the D/A humbverter (34).

In Figure 5, a camera (
When taking an image in step 3), the arm (6) is folded around the rotation axis (7), and the lens hole (4) is directed toward the speaker (9).

On the other hand, in Fig. 6, the videophone main body (1)
The speaker (
When the camera (3) takes an image of the original (5) which becomes an erect image when viewed by the person 9), the speaker 9 extends the armrest (6) around the axis of rotation (7) and points the lens hole (4) at the original ( 5), and rotate the camera (3) 180 degrees around the rotation mechanism (8) so that the camera (3) can image the original (5) as an erect image.
Rotates 0.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since the conventional videophone device is configured as described above, when the camera takes an image of a document placed on a desk facing the videophone user, it is difficult to support the camera. In addition to the action of raising the arm, the action of rotating the camera around the optical axis of the camera must be performed;
There was a problem in that a mechanism for rotating the camera relative to the arm was required, making the mechanism complicated.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is necessary for the videophone user to rotate the camera in order to obtain an erect image of a document placed upside down relative to the camera. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a device which has no armrest and has a simplified mechanism.

Means for Solving Problem U] The videophone device according to the present invention detects that the camera is away from the main body, detects that the camera is facing downward, and automatically displays the inverted image captured by the camera. is electrically rescanned and rotated by 180°.

Function] The simplification and automation of the mechanism in the present invention is achieved by electrically rotating the image, detecting the attachment and detachment of the camera, and detecting the imaging direction of the camera.

[Embodiment of the Invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1st
2 is a block diagram showing a video telephone circuit of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a video telephone device of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a video telephone device of the present invention and a manuscript.
1) is the videophone itself.

(2) is the display, (3) is the camera, (4) is the lens hole of the camera (3), (5) is the document, (6) is the camera (
(3) is the arm that supports the arm, (7) is the rotation axis of the arm (6), (9
) is the speaker, (21) is the A/D converter, (22) is the scanning speed converter on the transmitting side, and (23) is the scanning speed converter! Frame memo 1 (25) in (22) is an output address counter that generates an address for outputting data from the frame memory (23), (26) is a transmitter,
(27) is a line control device, (28) is a public telephone line network, (29) is a receiving device, (30) is a scanning speed converter on the receiving side, and (31) is a frame memory in the scanning speed converter (30). , (32) is an input address counter that generates an address for inputting data to the frame memory (31), (33) is an output address counter that generates an address for outputting data from the frame memory (31), and (34) is a D /A converter, (101) is a gravity detection device installed on the camera (3) that is activated when the lens hole (4) of the camera (3) faces in the downward direction;
(102) is a contact detection device installed on the videophone main body side (1) at the connection part between the camera (3) and the videophone main body (1), and (103) is the address for inputting data to the frame memory (23). an input address counter that generates
(104) is a central control unit.

The operation of this embodiment will be explained below.

As shown in Figure 2, when the camera (3) images the speaker (9) and transmits the image, the first gravity detection device (101) has the lens hole (4) of the camera (3) facing in the downward direction. The contact detection device (102) detects that the camera (
3) and the videophone main body (1), the central control unit (104) determines that the camera is capturing an erect image of the subject.

At that time, in FIG. 1, the analog video signal captured by the camera (3) is converted into a digital video signal by the A/D converter (2I), and the input address counter (103) in the scanning speed converter (22) is Video information is sequentially stored in the frame memory (23) according to addresses that are generated while counting up according to the scanning speed of the camera (3). Then, the video information stored in the frame memory (23) is transferred to the transmitter (26) according to the address generated while the output address counter (25) counts up in synchronization with the scanning speed of the transmitter (26). The video is output to the public telephone network (28) via the single-line control device (27), and transmitted to the other party's videophone.

As shown in Figure 3, when the arm (6) is extended and the camera (3) takes an image of the original (5) and transmits the image, 1. The gravity detection device (101) is connected to the lens hole (4) of the camera (3). detects that the contact detection bag fi
(102) detects that the camera (3) and the videophone main body (1) are separated, and the central control unit (104) determines that the camera is capturing an inverted image of the subject.

At that time, in FIG. 1, the analog video signal captured by the camera (3) is converted into a digital video signal by the A/D converter (21), and the input address counter (103) in the scanning speed converter (22) is (3) Frame memo 1 stores image information in accordance with addresses generated while counting down in accordance with the scanning speed. Then, the output address counter (2
5) according to the address generated while counting up in synchronization with the scanning speed of the transmitting device (26).

The video information stored in the frame memory (23) is transferred to the transmitting device (26) as an erect image of the subject.
Public telephone line (28) via line control device (27)
and the video is sent to the other party's videophone call.

In addition, when receiving one image, the image of the other party's video call received from the public telephone line (28) via the line control device (27) to the receiving device (29) is processed according to the scanning speed of the receiving device (29). The input address counter (32) in the scanning speed converter (3D) sequentially stores video information in the frame memory (31) according to the addresses generated while counting up. The video stored in the frame memory (31) is stored in accordance with the address generated by the output address counter (33) while counting up in synchronization with the scanning speed of the display (2).

The D/A converter (34) outputs the digital video signal as a digital video signal, and the D/A converter (34) outputs the digital video signal as a digital video signal.
The video converted into an analog signal in step 4) is displayed on the display.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the lens hole (4) of the camera (3)
Although the gravity detection device (101) is shown to detect the direction of It has the same effect as the example.

Further, in the above embodiment, the contact detection device (102) is shown to detect the position of the videophone main body (1) and the camera (3), but it may also be a device that detects the bending/extending angle of the arm. By appropriately setting , the same effects as in the above embodiment can be achieved.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a device for detecting the position of the camera with respect to the videophone and a device for detecting the direction in which the camera takes an image are used to electrically rotate the image. This has the advantage that an erect image of the original can be quickly obtained, the mechanism is simplified, the device is inexpensive, and automation is easy.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a videophone circuit of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the video telephone device of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the video telephone device of the present invention and a manuscript, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional video telephone circuit, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional video telephone device. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional video telephone device and a document. (1) is the videophone body, (2) is the display, (3
) is the camera, (5) is the original, (6) is the arm, (9) is the speaker, (21) is the A/D converter, (23) is the frame memory, (25) is the output address counter, (
26) is a transmitting device, (27) is a line control device, (2
g) is the public telephone line network, (29) is the receiving device, (1
01) is gravity detection device, (102) is contact detection device 0
03) is an input address counter, and (JO4) is a central control unit. In addition, in FIG. 9, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a camera; a arm that holds the camera and has a plurality of joints and an extendable mechanism; an angle detection device that detects the direction in which the camera is facing; and a distance detection device that detects the distance between the videophone main body and the camera. The image rotation device electrically rotates and rescans the output image of the camera, and when the camera is stationary at a predetermined position and a predetermined angle, the output image of the camera is electrically rotated. Features of videophone equipment.