Television – Two-way video and voice communication – Display arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-27
2001-09-04
Chan, Wing F. (Department: 2743)
Television
Two-way video and voice communication
Display arrangement
C379S202010, C379S093210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285391
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a teleconference system which makes it possible to hold an audio and video meeting between distant places connected by a communications network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior-art equipment for a teleconference system is constructed by combining independent devices such as a display unit, a codec, a camera, a microphone and a console. In some cases, a document camera, an electronic blackboard and a small-sized computer are further combined in accordance with functions required for conferences.
Moreover, since such a prior-art teleconference equipment constructed by combining the independent devices is large in scale, a teleconference room for exclusive use is usually required for the teleconference. On the other hand, there is also an equipment for a teleconference system wherein fundamental devices are housed in a single rack so as to be movable, thereby dispensing with the need for a conference room for exclusive use.
In the teleconference system thus constructed, ordinarily still pictures and video can be exchanged between the terminals of the system.
Techniques relevant to the teleconference equipments are disclosed in the official gazettes of Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. 39790/1990 and No. 22989/1990.
In addition, Japanese Patent Applications concerning teleconference systems filed by the assignee of the present application are Patent Applications Laid-open Nos. 120889/1992 and 166884/1991, and Patent Application Nos. 406984/1990, 25987/1991, 25991/1991, 174025/1991, 174046/1991, 174031/1991, 34009/1991 and 27086/1991.
Meanwhile, in the prior-art equipment for the teleconference system, the codec includes an A/D (analog-to-digital) converter and a D/A (digital-to-analog) converter for each of a still picture and video, and the still picture display and video display of a display unit are changed-over by switching a still picture signal and a motion picture signal which are delivered from the two D/A converters.
Alternatively, the simultaneously display of the still pictures and video is realized by delivering the still picture and motion picture signals to two separate display units, respectively.
With the method wherein the still picture display and the video display are changed-over, the conversation of the pertinent communicating terminal with the opposite terminal is not conveyed smoothly on account of a complicated switching operation, etc.
On the other hand, with the method wherein the still picture signal and the motion picture signal are respectively displayed on the separate display units, these two display units are necessitated to render the terminal equipment large in size. Besides, while the user of the equipment is watching the still picture, his/her eyes shift widely and are inevitably averted from the opposite communicating person.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a teleconference equipment in which a still picture and video can be simultaneously displayed on a single display screen.
In the prior-art teleconference system, the teleconference room for exclusive use needs to be prepared as stated before, so that the introduction of the teleconference system involves a heavy financial burden. Moreover, when holding the teleconference, conferees must move to the teleconference room which is inconvenient.
In this regard, even the portable teleconference equipment needs to be moved by several people on account of the size and weight thereof and cannot be used with ease.
Because of such circumstances, there has been a great demand in recent years for the ability to hold a teleconference more conveniently and more readily.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide a desktop type teleconference equipment which is small in size and which is easily portable.
In order to accomplish the objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a picture codec to which an analog picture signal, coded still picture data for playback and coded motion picture data for playback are input, and from which coded picture data obtained by coding the input analog picture signal and an analog picture signal obtained by decoding either of the input coded still picture data for playback and coded motion picture data for playback are output. The picture code comprises an analog-to-digital converter which converts the input analog picture signal into digital picture data, a still picture coder which codes the digital picture data produced by the analog-to-digital converter, so as to deliver coded still picture data, a video coder which codes the digital picture data produced by the analog-to-digital converter, so as to deliver coded motion picture data, a selector which selects either of the coded motion picture data delivered from the video coder and the coded still picture data delivered from the still picture coder, and which delivers the selected picture data as the output coded picture data, a still picture decoder which decodes the input coded still picture data for playback, into decoded still picture data, a video decoder which decodes the input coded motion picture data for playback, into decoded motion picture data, a picture-in-picture processor which generates picture-in-picture frame data on the basis of the decoded still picture data delivered from the still picture decoder, the decoded motion picture data delivered from the video decoder and the digital picture data delivered from the analog-to-digital converter, the picture-in-picture frame data forming a picture-in-picture frame which concerns at least two of the decoded still picture data, the decoded motion picture data and the digital picture data and a digital-to-analog converter which converts the picture-in-picture frame data generated by the picture-to-picture processor, into the output analog picture signal, and which delivers the output analog picture signal.
Further, there is provided a teleconference terminal equipment which comprises the picture codec as defined in the above paragraph, a communication control unit which transmits either of the coded still picture data and the coded motion picture data delivered from the picture codec, through a digital communication channel, and which receives either of the coded still picture data for playback and the coded motion picture data for playback through the digital communication channel and then delivers the received picture data to the picture codec, a camera which delivers the analog picture signal to the picture codec and a display unit which displays a picture indicated by the output analog picture signal of the picture codec.
Owing to the construction of the picture codec, a still picture and video can be simultaneously displayed on a single screen.
Moreover, the teleconference terminals equipment is small in size and is easily portable.
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pat
Ebihara Toru
Furuya Jun
Maruyama Yukinobu
Matsushima Hitoshi
Shibata Yoji
Antonelli Terry Stout & Kraus LLP
Chan Wing F.
Hitachi , Ltd.
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