JP2000188742A - Picture communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the visibility of composite display of a transmitted picture and a received picture in a picture communication device that makes picture communication with an opposite picture communication device. SOLUTION: This picture communication device has a 1st video information input means 11, a 2nd video information input means 16 and a video information decoding means 5. The communication device transmits either one of the input video information from the 1st or 2nd video information input means 11 or 16 or a composite signal of the 1st and 2nd video information input means 11, 16 to an opposite party, and composites the signal with video decoding information from the video information decoding means 5 and outputs the resultant.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image transmission apparatus for communicating video information such as an image, an image communication apparatus such as a videophone and a video conference system, and more particularly to an improved input / output image processing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 shows an example of combining a received image and a transmitted image in an image communication-related device. Conventionally, an image communication-related device combines and displays a received image and a transmitted image. As shown in FIG.
There has been a method of combining images of each other as a parent screen and a child screen in large and small sizes, and a method of (b) displaying the same size left and right or (c) vertically. Further, as shown in (d), there has been a method in which a cursor composed of pictograms or the like is combined with the transmitted / received image to indicate a portion of the image.

[0003]

However, the above prior art has the following disadvantages. (1) In the method of synthesizing images as shown in FIG. 5 (a), although the respective contents can be confirmed, the screen size is changed / switched in order to compare the transmission / reception contents in a meeting using materials or the like.・ Operations such as the position of the material are cumbersome, and it is difficult to quickly understand the contents of the meeting.

(2) In the method of synthesizing images as shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C, it is not possible to clearly specify detailed explanations such as the positional relationship of screens. (3) As shown in (d) of FIG. 5, pointing a part of the screen with a cursor using a cross button, a trackball, a mouse, or the like requires some familiarity with the operation. Also, new information cannot be added. SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide an image communication apparatus that solves the above problems.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an image communication apparatus comprising communication means for performing image communication with an image communication apparatus on the other side via the communication means. First video information input means for inputting video information to be transmitted to the side, and second video information input means, and video information decoding means for decoding video information transmitted from the other party, Either the input video information of the first or second video information input means, or a signal obtained by synthesizing the input video information of the first and second video information input means, is transmitted to the other party by the communication means. The signal and the video decoding information from the video information decoding means are combined and output.

In the above-mentioned image communication apparatus, the ratio of synthesizing any one of the first and second input video information and the video decoding information from the video information decoding means is appropriately varied. Any one of the first and second input video information or the video decoding information from the video information decoding means is subjected to a binarization process and synthesized. Further, in the above image communication apparatus, the input video information or the video decoding information is arbitrarily colored and synthesized.

According to the above image communication apparatus, by synthesizing the transmission image and the reception image, the user and the other party can confirm each other on the same screen, and by changing the image synthesis ratio, The visibility of the attention information can be improved. Further, the binarization of the video can make the presence of the image stand out, and the visibility can be improved by appropriately coloring the video.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image communication apparatus according to the present invention in a block diagram.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the contents of data stored in the memory of the memory in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configurations of the level varying unit (a) and the binarizing unit (b) in the configuration of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a color converter (coloring means) in the image communication device of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a communication processing unit for performing interface processing with a communication line and protocol processing, and performs transmission and reception of video and audio. The audio received by the communication processing unit 1 is converted back to an audio signal by the audio encoding / decoding processing unit 2 and the speaker 3 is driven. 4
Is a microphone, and audio information input from the microphone 4 is encoded by an audio encoding / decoding processing unit 2 and transmitted to a communication line by a communication processing unit 1 according to a communication procedure.

For video information, the communication processing unit 1
Is received by the video decoding processing unit 5, is decoded into a video signal, then passes through the level variable unit 6 and the binarization unit 7, and is synthesized with the input video signal by the video synthesis unit 8. The output is converted into a predetermined interface condition by the video output unit 9 and then supplied to the display unit 10. In the above description, the display by the display means has been described as an example, but it is also possible to record by connecting to a video recorder or the like.

In a general videophone, after a video image captured by a camera 11 as input video information is converted into a predetermined format by a video signal processing unit 12, a switch S
After passing through the terminals b and c of W2, further passing through the level varying unit 13 and the binarizing unit 141, and being encoded by the video encoding processing unit 15 into a videophone predetermined format, the communication processing unit 1 communicates. It is sent out to the line according to the procedure.

In this embodiment, as another image input means, handwriting data obtained by writing the surface of the tablet 16 with a pen 17 is input to the CPU 18 and the data is stored in the memory 19. Here, an instruction to color-code the handwriting data can be given by an instruction from the operation unit 20.

In order to convert the data stored in the memory 19 into a television signal format, a synchronizing signal conforming to the television signal is generated from the television signal generator 21 and is applied to the address signal generator 22. As a result, a memory read address signal synchronized with the television signal is generated. With this signal, data in the memory 19 is read out in synchronization with the television signal as a result.

FIG. 2 shows an example of data stored in the memory 19, and the data in each memory is stored on the same address as shown in FIG. Here, data [2] is a color signal R, data [3] is a color signal G, and data [4] is a color signal B. Data [1] indicates a case where a signal indicating that any one of RGB signals is present is stored. Thus, when combining with a received signal, if there is a signal from this memory, it can serve as a signal for switching to output a signal from the memory 19.

In the present invention, the switch SW
The signal M1 of the data [1] of the data stored in the memory is supplied to one terminal c. This input is the switch S
When selected by W1, it is applied to the video compositing unit 8 through the terminal d of the switch SW1, and the data [1] in the memory 19
Switch SW that has passed through the respective level variable units 13 and 6 and the binarization units 14 and 7 according to the presence or absence of the signal M1 based on
2 or the signal from the video decoding unit 5 is selected and output from the video synthesizing unit 8 to the video output unit 9.

Here, the switch SW2 is a switch for selecting a signal from the camera 11 or the tablet 16, and in accordance with an instruction of the operation unit 20, specifically, the CPU 18
Is switched according to an instruction signal from.

On the other hand, the switch SW1 determines the contents of the video output. For example, when the terminal a is selected, the signal from the binarization unit 14 is selected, and when the terminal b is selected, the binarization unit 7 is selected. Is selected. When the terminal c is selected, if there is a signal M1 of data [1] in the memory 19, the signal from the binarization unit 14 is selected, and if not, the signal from the binarization unit 7 is selected. You. Thus, for example, the video information from the binarization unit 14 is super-displayed on the video of the binarization unit 7.

The switch SW3 closes the terminals ac of the switch SW3 when the image of the binarizing section 7 and the image of the binarizing section 14 are mixed and displayed. In this case, the operation of the switch SW1 is ignored.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the level variable section (a) and the binarization section (b) in the configuration of FIG. 1. The level variable sections 6, 13 and the binarization sections 7, 14 are shown. Has the configuration shown in FIG.

The structure of the level variable units 6 and 13 is shown in FIG.
(A) of FIG. In the present invention, the level variable units 6, 13
Is realized by the amplification factor adjustment type amplifier 23. The signal C1 or C3 for adjusting the gain controls the gain of the gain-adjustable amplifier 23 according to the operation of the operation unit 20 from the CPU 18. This is similar to the operation of a general electronic volume.

FIG. 3B shows the structure of the binarizing units 7 and 14. In the present invention, the binarizing units 7 and 14 are realized by the comparator 24, the color converter 25, and the switch SW4. In the binarization units 7 and 14, a reference voltage + V is applied to one of the inputs of the comparator 24, and a video signal to be binarized is input to the other input.

As a result, the input video signal level is compared with the reference voltage + V, and the result of the comparison is output from the comparator 24 as a binary signal. The binary signal is appropriately changed by the color converter 25 as needed, and then applied to a switch SW-4 for switching between performing and not performing binarization and color conversion.

When performing binarization and color conversion, the CPU 1
The signal is output between the terminals a and c by the control signal C2 or C4 from the terminal 8. If the binarization and the color conversion are not performed, the input signal of this block is output as it is between the terminals b and c by the control signal C2 or C4 from the CPU 19.

FIG. 4 shows a specific configuration example of the color converter 25. To the color converter 25, R, G, and B types of color signals are added as binarized input video information of this block.
G, 24B, and after being binarized, a switch SW5R, SW5R,
SW5G and SW5B are appropriately switched to provide a signal for coloring in a predetermined color.

For example, when the switch SW5R is connected to the terminals ac,
When the switch SW5G is set to the terminal bc and the switch SW5B is set to the terminal bc, a portion having the binary signal becomes R (red), the switch SW5R is the terminal bc, and the switch SW5G is the terminal ac. When the switch SW5B is set to the terminal bc, R, G, and B binary signals are output so that a certain portion of the binary signal becomes G (green).

Although the above embodiment has been described with reference to a configuration using an analog circuit, the present invention is also applicable to a configuration using a digital circuit.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a meeting is held by both parties, by synthesizing the pictures of each other, it is possible to mutually confirm the point of the talk with the pictures other than the words. This also has the effect of significantly improving the meeting efficiency. In addition, the fact that the composition ratio of both images can be changed can make it easier to see the point at each point, and a meeting with less errors is possible.

Further, when the respective images are combined, by appropriately binarizing, the necessary portions of the combined image can be distinguished, and the visibility can be remarkably improved.

In addition, depending on the color of the binarized image and the image of the image to be synthesized with the binarized image, the visibility may be significantly reduced in the case of similar colors, and in such a case, the color can be appropriately changed to an easily viewable color.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image communication apparatus according to the present invention in a block diagram.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing data stored in a memory in the memory shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a level variable section (a) and 2 in the configuration of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a value conversion unit (b).

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a color converter (coloring means) in the image communication device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional synthesis of a received image and a transmitted image in an image communication related device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 communication processing unit 2 audio encoding / decoding processing unit 3 speaker 4 microphone 5 video decoding processing unit 6, 13 level variable unit 7, 14 binarization unit 8 video synthesizing unit 9 video output unit 10 display unit 11 camera 12 video signal processing Unit 15 Video encoding processing unit 16 Tablet 17 Pen 18 CPU 19 Memory 20 Operation unit 21 TV signal generation unit 22 Address signal generation unit 23 Amplification rate adjustable amplifier 24 Comparator 25 Color converter

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image communication apparatus comprising communication means for performing image communication with an image communication apparatus on the other side via the communication means, wherein first image information input means for inputting image information to be transmitted to the other side, and 2 video information input means, and video information decoding means for decoding video information transmitted from the other party, the input video information of the first or second video information input means,
Alternatively, any one of the signals obtained by synthesizing the input video information of the first and second video information input means is transmitted to the other party by the communication means, and these signals are synthesized with the video decoding information from the video information decoding means. An image communication device characterized in that the image communication device outputs the image data. 2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of combining any one of the first and second input video information and the video decoding information from the video information decoding means can be appropriately changed. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein any one of the first and second input video information or the video decoding information from the video information decoding means is
The image communication device according to claim 1, wherein the image communication device performs a value conversion process and synthesizes the image data. 4. The image communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said input video information or video decoding information is arbitrarily colored and synthesized.