Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer protocol implementing – Computer-to-computer data transfer regulating
Reexamination Certificate
1995-10-17
2003-04-15
Peikari, B. James (Department: 2186)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer protocol implementing
Computer-to-computer data transfer regulating
C709S234000, C709S236000, C709S232000, C709S200000, C710S034000, C710S030000, C710S036000, C710S029000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06549948
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a system therefor, for processing information containing at least image information.
2. Related Background Art
FIG. 10
shows an example of display in a conventional information processing apparatus.
There are illustrated image display frames
111
to
114
of the information processing apparatus; a control panel
101
including various buttons for operating the information processing apparatus; an image fast forward button
102
; an image reproduction start button
103
; an image reproduction reverse button
104
; and an image reproduction stop button
105
.
FIG. 8
is a block diagram of an information processing apparatus, constituting a terminal in the conventional system.
There are illustrated a ROM (Read Only Memory)
801
for storing programs for loading the operating system or the like into the information processing apparatus; a RAM (Random Access Memory)
802
serving as a work area in the execution of the operating system, programs or various data from an external memory device
808
; a memory bus
803
for data exchange between the CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the ROM or RAM; a CPU
804
; a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)
809
serving as a display for displaying characters and images; an I/O bus
805
for data exchange between I/O devices such as keyboard, mouse and hard disk and the CPU; a keyboard
806
constituting an input device; a mouse
907
constituting a coordinate input device; an external memory device
808
such as a hard disk, for storage of the operating system, programs and data and for use as a swap device; and a VRAM
810
on which a bit map image of characters and images to be displayed on the CRT
809
is developed.
An image input unit
811
is connected to a video camera
902
to be explained later and an image analog signal entered from a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) in the video camera
902
is converted into a digital signal and developed on a RAM in the image input unit
811
.
The CPU
804
can read thus developed data through the I/O bus.
A voice input unit
812
is connected, like the image input unit
811
, to the video camera
902
, whereby an analog voice signal, entered from a microphone connected to the video camera
902
, is converted into a digital signal and developed in the RAM in the voice input unit
812
.
The CPU
804
can also read the above-mentioned data through the I/O bus.
A voice output unit (loudspeaker)
903
converts the digital voice data, stored in the RAM of the unit, into an analog signal for external release in the form of acoustic signal.
There are also provided an image compression/extension unit
813
for compressing and extending image and voice data; a network transmission/reception unit
814
for controlling a network; and a network channel
815
.
FIG. 9
shows an example of the configuration of a conventional image processing system. An information processing apparatus
5
is basically same, in configuration, as apparatus
1
to
4
, except for omission of units
902
and
903
.
A main body
901
of the information processing apparatus incorporates the ROM
801
, the RAM
802
, the memory bus
803
, the CPU
804
, the VRAM
810
, the I/O bus
805
, the external memory device
808
and the network transmission/reception unit
814
. There are also provided, as explained in the foregoing, the CRT
809
constituting the display for displaying the characters and images of the information processing apparatus; the keyboard
806
for entering characters or instructing operations; the mouse
807
constituting the coordinate input means; the video camera
902
for entering image and voice; the microphone/loudspeaker
903
for voice input/output; and the bus-structured network
815
such as Ethernet.
Windows
111
to
114
in
FIG. 10
shows an example of display of the information processing apparatus
5
and display the images from the video cameras
902
connected to the information processing apparatus
1
to
4
.
The voice entered from the microphones attached to the video camera
902
are released from the loudspeakers
903
associated with the information processing apparatus.
The information processing apparatus
1
to
4
broadcast the images from the video cameras to the network
815
, but the efficiency of transmission will be deteriorated because of mutual collisions in case of simultaneous transmissions by the information processing apparatus
1
to
4
, as the data amount becomes excessively large in comparison with the line capacity of the network
815
.
For this reason, transmission control is conducted by the information processing apparatus
5
, in the manner to be explained in the following with reference to FIG.
11
.
It is registered in advance, in the information processing apparatus
5
, that the system is constituted by the information processing apparatus
1
to
4
.
When the transmission control is initiated according to a program of the ROM
801
and under the control of the CPU
804
in the information processing apparatus
5
(step
1101
), the apparatus
5
sets a variable Count, for setting the information processing apparatus for which the data transmission is permitted, to “1” (step
1102
). Then the information processing apparatus
5
transmits a transmission permission packet, for permitting the transmission of image and sound data of a frame, to an information processing apparatus corresponding to the value of the Count (step
1103
). Then there is awaited the completion of transmission by the information processing apparatus corresponding to the value of the Count, to which the permission for transmission has been given (step
1104
). The completion of transmission is identified by the reception of a transmission end packet, transmitted from the information processing apparatus corresponding to the value of the Count, to which the permission for transmission has been given. Then the Count is increased by a step to give the permission for transmission to a next information processing apparatus (step
1105
). Then the value of the Count is compared with 4, and, if it is larger than 4, (step
1106
), it is set at “1” as such value exceeds the maximum number of the information processing apparatus constituting the system of the present example (step
1101
). If the value of the Count does not exceed 4 (step
1106
), a transmission permission packet is transmitted (step
1103
) to an information processing apparatus corresponding to the value of the Count.
Now there will be explained the transmission of the image and voice data, with reference to
FIGS. 3 and 8
. The image data obtained from the camera are read from the RAM in the image input unit
811
, and the voice data are read from the RAM in the voice input unit (step
302
). The image data are compressed in the image compression unit
813
(step
303
), then the compressed image data and the voice data are connected and are formed into packets (step
304
). Then, in response to the permission for transmission from the information processing apparatus
5
(step
305
), all the generated packets are transmitted in succession to the network
815
(step
307
). Subsequently a transmission end packet, indicating the completion of transmission, is transmitted to the information processing apparatus
5
which effects the transmission control (step
308
), and the sequence returns to the step
302
.
In the following explained is the reception of the image and voice data, with reference to
FIGS. 4 and 8
.
At first there is awaited the reception of the image and voice packet (step
402
). When an image packet is received, the source of transmission of the packet is discriminated (step
404
), and data are taken out from the packet (step
405
). Then there is discriminated whether the image and voice data of an image frame have been collected (step
406
), and, if not, there is awaited the reception of another image and voice packet (step
402
). When the image and voice data of an image frame have been collected, th
Kawai Tomoaki
Namikata Takeshi
Okazaki Hiroshi
Sasaki Akitomo
Sato Hiroaki
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Peikari B. James
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