Television – Camera – system and detail – Remote control
Reexamination Certificate
1997-04-18
2003-06-03
Vu, Ngoc-Yen (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Remote control
C348S211500, C348S211900
Reexamination Certificate
active
06573931
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information transmission method and apparatus for multiplexing data indicating information other than video information on a video signal, and transmitting the multiplexed data.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional system, which transmits a signal obtained by multiplexing data such as character data on a video signal, and receives and demultiplexes such signal into the video signal and data like in teletext broadcasting, is known.
However, the conventional system multiplexes modulated data on a specific interval (a portion of the vertical blanking interval) of a video signal, and the receiving side demodulates the specific interval alone to obtain data. More specifically, the modulation speed, the interval to be multiplexed, and the like of data are predetermined, and cannot be changed depending on the data volume, quality of line, and the like.
The arrangement of a video input apparatus shown in
FIG. 1
will be described below as an example of a conventional information transmission system. A single-focus camera unit
100
serving as a video input unit is connected to an image processing unit
200
serving as a video processing unit. The image processing unit
200
is connected to a host unit
400
via a bus interface
208
. The host unit
400
controls the image processing unit
200
and the single-focus camera unit
100
via the bus interface
208
.
The arrangement of the single-focus camera unit
100
will be explained below. A system control unit
106
comprises a one-chip microcomputer having functions of a CPU, ROM, RAM, control port, communication port, and the like. The system control unit
106
controls the individual devices in the single-focus camera unit to make two-way communications with the image processing unit
200
, and interprets commands as control data from the host unit
400
to execute operations requested by the host unit
400
.
A lens unit
101
comprises a phototaking lens, focusing lens, and a focusing ring for manually moving the focusing lens. An iris unit
102
adjusts the amount of incident light that passes through the lens unit
101
, and comprises an iris and an iris ring for manually moving the iris. An image sensing element
103
such as a CCD photoelectrically converts an image obtained via the lens unit
101
and the iris unit
102
into an electrical signal. An image sensing element driving circuit
105
such as a TG controls accumulation, reading, and resetting of the image sensing element
103
in correspondence with the number of pixels of the element
103
. When the driving circuit
105
is controlled by the system control unit
106
via a control signal
110
, the shutter speed can be changed. A synchronization signal generation circuit
108
such as an SSG generates video synchronization signals
112
such as a horizontal synchronization signal (HD), vertical synchronization signal (VD), video clocks, and the like on the basis of the clocks generated by the image sensing element driving circuit (TG)
105
. An S/H·AGC circuit
104
performs sampling and holding to reduce noise in charges accumulated in the image sensing element
103
, and adjusts the gain of a video signal
114
. The S/H·AGC circuit
104
outputs the video signal
114
. When the S/H·AGC circuit
104
is controlled by the system control unit
106
via a control signal
111
, it adjusts the gain of the video signal
114
. A data multiplexing and demultiplexing unit
115
multiplexes the video signal
114
and control data from the system control unit
106
, and transmits multiplexed data to the image processing unit
200
. Also, the data multiplexing and demultiplexing unit
115
demultiplexes data from the image processing unit
200
and supplies the demultiplexed data to the system control unit
106
. A data line & data control line
113
are used for two-way data communications between the single-focus camera unit
100
and the image processing unit
200
, and are connected between the serial communication port of the system control unit
106
, and the data multiplexing and demultiplexing unit
115
. A connector
107
can be detached from the cable
109
.
The video processing unit
200
will be described below. A system control unit
250
comprises a one-chip microcomputer having functions of a CPU, ROM, RAM, control port, communication port, and the like. The system control unit
250
performs control of the individual devices in the image processing unit
200
, auto white balance control, communications with the single-focus camera unit
100
, and communications with the host unit
400
via the bus interface
208
. Also, the system control unit
250
interprets commands as control data from the host unit
400
and executes operations requested by the host unit
400
.
A data multiplexing and demultiplexing unit
231
demultiplexes a video/data multiplexed signal
232
which multiplexes a video signal and data signal into a video signal
217
and a control data signal
222
. Also, the data multiplexing and demultiplexing unit
231
multiplexes data from the system control unit
250
into a signal within the vertical synchronization interval, and transmits the signal to the single-focus camera unit
100
.
An A/D conversion circuit
201
converts the video signal
217
transmitted from the single-focus camera unit
100
via the cable
109
into a digital signal
218
. A signal processing circuit
202
performs processing for converting the converted digital video signal
218
into a standardized digital video signal
219
. The signal processing circuit
202
generates an interrupt signal for informing the system control unit
250
of white balance data for white balance control. Upon recognizing the interrupt, the system control unit
250
reads out such information (white balance data, and the like) via a serial data line
223
, and writes them in its RAM area.
An encoder circuit
204
converts the standardized digital video signal
219
into a multiplexed composite signal
221
, and outputs the composite signal to a video output connector
210
. An image memory
206
stores digital video signals
216
and
213
from the signal processing circuit
202
and an SRC (scan rate converter circuit)
207
. A memory controller circuit
205
controls reads/writes in/from the image memory
206
. The SRC
207
converts and absorbs the difference between the aspect ratios of the digital video signal
213
of the image processing unit
200
and a digital video signal
214
of the host unit
400
. A switch circuit
203
selects an output signal
225
to the encoder
204
from a digital video signal
219
of the signal processing circuit
202
and the digital video signal
216
of the image memory
206
, and is controlled by the system control unit
250
via a control line
224
. The bus interface
208
is connected to the bus of a computer as the host unit
400
. The bus interface
208
performs data communications of the digital video signal
214
and control data
226
between the host unit
400
and the image processing unit
200
, and allows the host unit
400
to control the memory controller
205
and the SRC
207
.
Video synchronization signals
215
of the image processing unit
200
correspond to the video synchronization signals
112
of the single-focus camera unit
100
, and provide video synchronization signals to the signal processing circuit
202
, the memory controller
205
, and the encoder
204
.
A serial data line & serial data control unit
222
are used for performing two-way data communications between the single-focus camera unit
100
and the image processing unit
200
, and are connected to the serial data port of the system control unit
250
.
A parallel data line & control unit
226
are used for performing two-way data communications between the host unit
400
and the image processing unit
200
, and are connected to the control port of the system control unit
250
.
FIG. 2
shows the transmission sequence of data
10
during the vertical blanking interval
Haba Yoshito
Horii Hiroyuki
Morgan & Finnegan L.L.P.
Vu Ngoc-Yen
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