JPH0446483A - Image transmitting device, image receiving device, and image transmitting device using these - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily perform transmission to a distant place with the use of a telephone line, etc., by performing low-speed transmission with the use of the rotation of a transmission rate slower than the video signal of a motion picture while using a recording/reproducing means and a temporary storage means for picture together. CONSTITUTION:The video signal is intermittently reproduced by a VTR 1 in a picture transmitter side, and the group of reproduced video signals are written in memories 9 and 10. The group of video siganls stored in the memories 9 and 10 are read out at slower speed than that of writing time, and transmitted at transmission speed according to the transmission rate of a communication circuit lower than that of reproducing time by a transmission control part 11. On the other hand, the group of video signals transmitted at transmission speed slower than that of reproducing time are received from the communication circuit by a reception control part 14, and the group of received video signals in the picture receiver side are stored in memories 15 and 17. The video signals stored in the memories 15 and 17 are read out by group at original reproduction speed faster than that of writing time, and intermittently recorded by the VTR.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention uses a telephone line with a slow transmission rate to
The present invention relates to an image transmitting device and an image receiving device suitable for transmitting pan-package media such as a VTR (video tape recorder) and an optical disk, and an image transmitting device using these devices.

[Traditional techniques]

Transmission of moving images requires a transmission rate of several + Mbps, and in the past, videophone calls using telephone lines and video conferences using dedicated lines were made practical by making full use of image compression and encoding technology. has been made into

However, video calls can only send still images,
Video conferencing requires expensive dedicated lines.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Under these circumstances, it is impossible to transmit video played back from a VTR over a telephone line in a general household due to operating costs and technical aspects, and also due to the transmission rate of the telephone line. Furthermore, even if a dedicated line is used, the image cannot be transmitted without significant image compression.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image transmitting device and an image receiving device that can transmit video signals of moving images by simply performing image compression using a line with a low transmission rate, and an image transmitting device using the same. It is to be.

[Means for resolving espionage]

In order to solve this problem, the present invention uses a recording and reproducing means such as a VTR or an optical disk together with a temporary image storage means to perform low-speed transmission using a line with a transmission rate slower than the video signal of the moving image. This allows moving images to be transmitted by simply performing simple image compression.

The image transmitting apparatus according to claim 11 comprises: a reproduction means for intermittently reproducing a video signal; a transmission temporary storage means for storing a group of video signals reproduced by the reproduction means; and a transmission temporary storage means for storing a group of video signals reproduced by the reproduction means. sending means for reading out a group of video signals stored in the storage device at a lower speed than when writing and sending the group at a lower transmission speed than when playing back; and the temporary storage for sending before the next group of video signals is played back from the playing means. The transmission control means sequentially controls the reproduction operation of the reproduction means and the write/read operation of the transmission temporary storage means so as to read out a group of video signals from the transmission means.

The image receiving device according to claim (2) includes a receiving means for receiving a group of video signals transmitted at a transmission rate lower than that at the time of reproduction, and a reception buffer for storing the group of video signals received by the receiving means. a storage means, a recording means for reading and intermittently recording the video signals stored in the reception temporary storage means group by group at a higher original playback speed than at the time of writing; reception control means for sequentially controlling write/read operations of the reception temporary storage means and recording operations of the recording means so as to cause the recording means to record one group of video signals before the arrival of the next group of video signals; We are prepared.

The image transmitting device according to claim (3) connects the image transmitting device according to claim fl+ and the image receiving device according to claim (2) by a communication means, and transmits the image from the image transmitting device to the image receiving device. Video signals are transmitted through communication means.

The image transmission device according to claim (4) has the configuration according to claim (3), and transmits a transmission start signal from the image transmission device to the image reception device through a communication means, and also transmits a transmission start signal from the image reception device to the image transmission device. transmitting a reception end signal to the receiver through the communication means, causing the reception control means to start a write operation in the reception temporary storage means in response to the reception of the transmission start signal, and transmitting the data in response to the reception of the reception completion signal. The trust control means causes the reproduction means to start a reproduction operation and the transmission temporary storage means to start a write operation.

[For production]

According to the configuration described in claim (1), the video signal is intermittently reproduced by the reproduction means, and a group of reproduced video signals is written into the transmission temporary storage means.

The group of video signals stored in the transmission temporary storage means is read out at a lower speed than during writing, and is sent out by the sending means at a transmission speed corresponding to the transmission rate of the communication line, which is lower than during reproduction.

At this time, the transmission control means sequentially controls the reproduction operation of the reproduction means and the write/read operation of the transmission temporary storage means, so that the transmission temporary storage is processed before the next group of video signals is reproduced from the reproduction means. A group of video signals is read out from the means.

According to the structure recited in claim (2), a group of video signals transmitted at a transmission speed lower than that at the time of reproduction is received from the communication line by the receiving means, and the received group of video signals is stored in the receiving temporary storage means. is memorized. The video signals stored in the reception temporary storage means are read out group by group at an original reproduction speed higher than that at the time of writing, and are intermittently recorded by the recording means.

At this time, the reception control means sequentially controls the writing/reading operations of the reception temporary storage means and the recording operations of the recording means, so that one group of video signals stored in the reception temporary storage means becomes the next group of video signals. is recorded in the recording means before the arrival of .

According to the configuration described in claim (3), the video signal sent out at a low speed from the image transmitting device is transmitted to the image receiving means through the communication means.

According to the configuration described in claim 43, the transmission start signal is transmitted from the image transmitting device to the image receiving device through the communication means, and the reception end signal is transmitted from the image receiving device to the image transmitting device through the communication means.

Then, in response to the reception of the transmission start signal, the write operation of the reception temporary storage means is started, and in response to the reception of the reception completion signal, the reproduction operation of the reproduction means and the write operation of the transmission temporary storage means are started.

In this way, by transmitting the transmission start signal and the reception end signal between the image transmission device and the image reception device, the operations of the image transmission device and the image reception device can be adjusted by 1g, and the image transmission device It becomes possible to store the same video signal as the video signal reproduced by the reproduction means in the recording means of the image receiving device in the shortest possible time without any omissions.

As a result, it becomes possible, for example, to capture a reproduced image from a VTR into an image memory and send the tape contents of the VTR to a remote location using a communication line with a slow transmission rate such as a telephone line. Currently, in the United States, telephone lines for certain hours at night and on holidays are charged at a low monthly flat rate, and Japan is moving in the same direction. If automatic transmission and reception is carried out using such time slots, a very inexpensive moving picture communication network can be constructed, and if it is incorporated into audio/visual equipment such as VTRs and personal computer optical discs, a new range of uses will be expanded.

Furthermore, when using a high-speed communication line such as 15DN, conventionally images were compressed to the transmission rate of the communication means, but according to the present invention, it becomes possible to transmit pancage media with simpler compression.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image transmission device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This image transmission device has a configuration in which an image transmission device and an image reception device are interconnected through a communication line.

In FIG. 1, a VTR 1, a converter 2, and a modem 3 constitute an image transmitting apparatus, and a modem 4, a converter 5, and a VTR 6 constitute an image receiving apparatus. The N image transmitting device and the image receiving device are connected by a communication line such as a telephone line. VT
Rl corresponds to the reproducing means in the claims, and intermittently reproduces the video signal recorded on the magnetic tape. V
TR6 corresponds to the recording means in the claims,
The communication line for intermittently recording the video signal sent from the conversion unit 5 corresponds to communication means in the claims,
Connect between modems 3 and 4.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the specific configuration of the converter 2.
The converter 2 includes an analog/digital converter (
(hereinafter abbreviated as A/D converter) 7 and A/D for audio signals
A memory 9 for temporarily storing the video and audio signals output from the converter 8 and the A/D converter 7.8. (1), a transmission H1r1 unit 11, and a control unit 12 for sequential m use.
and a CPU 13 that starts the control section 12.

Memory 9 above. (1) corresponds to the transmission temporary storage means in the claims, and stores a group of video signals and audio signals within a range of several seconds from the l field. The transmission control section 11 corresponds to the sending means in the claims, and includes the memory 9. The control section 12 reads out the video and audio signals stored in the IO at a lower speed than when writing and sends them out at a lower transmission speed than when playing back. The playback operation of the VTR 1 and the memory 9, (
1) Write and read operations are sequentially controlled.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of the converting section 5. As shown in FIG.

The conversion section 5 includes a reception control section 13 and a memory 15. which temporarily stores the received video signal and audio signal. IT and digital/analog converters for video and audio signals (
Hereinafter, abbreviated as D/A converter>16.18 and control unit 19
It is made up of.

The above-mentioned reception control section 13 corresponds to a receiving means in the claims, and receives a group of video signals and audio signals sent from the image transmitting device at a lower transmission speed than during reproduction. The memories 15 and 17 correspond to reception temporary storage means in the claims, and have larger storage capacities than the memories 9 and (1), respectively. Store audio signals.

The control unit 19 corresponds to the reception control means in the claims, and causes the VTR 6 to record one group of video signals and audio signals stored in the memory 15.17 before the arrival of the next group of video signals and audio signals. It controls the write/read operations of the memory 15 and 17 and the recording operation of the VTR 6. Note that the VTR 6 reads out the video signals and audio signals stored in the memory 15.17 group by group at the original playback speed higher than that at the time of writing and records them intermittently.

Then, between the image transmitting device and the image receiving device,
In addition to transmitting a video signal from the image transmitting device to the image receiving device through the communication line vAK, a transmission start signal is transmitted from the image transmitting device to the image receiving device through the communication line K, and the communication line is also transmitted from the image receiving device to the image transmitting device. &iK
In response to the reception of the transmission start signal, the control unit 19 starts the writing operation of the memory 15.17, and in response to the reception of the reception completion signal, the control unit 12 starts the VTRI playback operation and Transmission memory 9
．． The write operation (1) is started.

In the image transmission device as described above, the video signal is intermittently reproduced by the VTRI on the image transmission device side, and a group of reproduced video signals is written into the memory 9° (1). Then, the group of video signals stored in the memories 9 and 1o are read out at a lower speed than when they were written, and sent out by the transmission control unit 11 at a transmission rate corresponding to the transmission rate of the communication line that is lower than that when re-outgoing. . At this time, the transmission control section 1.1 controls the playback operation of the VTR 1 and the memory 9.1. By sequentially controlling the writing and reading operations (1), one group of video signals is read out from the memory 9 (1) before the next group of video signals is reproduced from the VTR 1.

On the other hand, on the image receiving device side, a group of video signals transmitted at a lower transmission speed than during reproduction is received from the communication line K by the reception control unit 14, and the received group of video signals is stored in the memory 15.17. be done. The video signals stored in the memories 15 and 17 are read out group by group at an original playback speed higher than that at the time of writing, and are intermittently recorded by the VTR 6. At this time, the tllJi1 unit 19 performs the write/read operations of the memory 15.17 and the VT
By sequentially controlling the recording operation of R6,
A group of video signals stored in the memory 15, 17 is recorded in the recording means before the arrival of the next group of video signals.

Overall, in addition to a video signal being transmitted from the image transmitting device to the image receiving device via the communication line K, a transmission start signal is transmitted from the image transmitting device to the image receiving device via the communication line K.
At the same time, a reception end signal is transmitted from the image receiving device to the image transmitting device through the communication line K.

Then, in response to receiving the transmission start signal, the memory 15
．． The write operation of 17 starts, and in response to the reception of the reception completion signal, the playback operation of the VTR 1 and the memory 9. The write operation of IO begins.

In this way, by transmitting the transmission start signal and the reception end signal between the image transmitting device and the image receiving device, the operations of the image transmitting device and the image receiving device can be coordinated, and the reproduction of the image transmitting device can be performed. The same video signal as the video signal reproduced by the means can be stored in the recording means of the image receiving device in the shortest possible time without any omissions.

Next, the operation of this image transmission device will be explained in detail.

First, the operation on the image transmitting device side will be explained.

The video signal A and the audio signal B reproduced by the VTR 1 are mixed in the converter 2 and output as transmission data C. On the image receiving device side, this transmission data C is transmitted from the modem 3 to the communication line. Received data D received by modem 4
The tape contents of the VTR 1 are transferred to the VTR 6 by means of zero or more configurations in which the video signal E and the audio signal F are divided (decoded) by the conversion unit 5 and recorded on the VTR 6 .

On the image transmitting device side, when starting transmission, the CPU 13 sends a transmission start signal T to the control unit 12, and the VTR start signal G becomes a start command. V with VTR start signal G
TR1 enters playback mode, and video signal A and audio signal B are output to A/D converter 7 and A/D converter 8, respectively.
/D converted. At the same time, the control unit 12 sends read/write control signals R and S to the memory 9°(1). As a result, the A/D converted signals are respectively stored in the memory 9(1), which has a storage capacity of about 1 frame to several seconds. Memory 9. When lO is full, read/write end signals N and O are sent to the control unit 12, and the VTR
The start signal G becomes a stop command and stops the VTR1.

At this time, the VTR 1 stores the tape stop position as an editing point, pre-rolls the tape a predetermined period of time, and enters Bose mode.

When the VTR start signal G becomes a start command again, V
The TRI enters the playback mode and outputs an edit point signal H when it reaches a pre-stored edit point. The control unit 12 has a memory 9
．． Send read/write signals R and S to perform write/read control for (1). This allows the memory 9.
In (1), writing is started and writing is performed until the memory capacity is full. When writing is completed, read/write completion signals N and O are output.

As described above, the control unit 12, when reproducing intermittently,
VTR1 is repeatedly controlled so that the editing points are continuous.

On the other hand, the read/write end signals N and O are sent to the control unit 12.
When inputted manually, a transmission start signal P is output, and the memory 9. Data L and M are sent from IO to the transmission control section 11. In the transmission f#J control section 11, three signals (data L, M,
A transmission start signal P) is superimposed to become transmission data C.

The transmission data C is transmitted to the communication line by the modem 3 as described above.

Memory 9. When all the contents of (1) are transmitted and the reception end signal b (see Figure 3) is received from the receiving side, a transmission end signal Q is output from the transmission control section 11, and this transmission end signal Q is controlled. When the unit 12 receives the signal, the series of sequences ends, and the next series of sequences starts from the reproduction operation of the VTR 1.

The above operations are repeated as one transmission sequence until all tape contents of the VTRI have been transmitted.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart summarizing the operations of the VTR 1 during the above transmission. VTR start signal G
When it becomes a start command, it enters the playback mode, and when it reaches the edit point, it outputs the edit point signal H. Then, the reproduction continues until the VTR start signal becomes a stop command, and when the stop command is received, preroll is performed for a certain period of time and the mode is set to Bose mode.

In this way, the reproduced video signal A and audio signal B are temporarily stored in the memory 9. (1) and stores it in the memory 9. at a speed corresponding to the transmission rate of the communication line. (1), image transmission is possible even in the communication diagram wAK whose transmission rate is slower than that of the video signal A and the audio signal B.

Next, the operation on the image receiving device side will be explained.

The reception data D received by the modem 4 is sent to the reception control unit 14.
The signal is converted into a video signal U and an audio signal V. on the other hand,
The control unit 19 generates read/write signals W, Y for controlling writing and reading based on the received transmission start signal a.
is output and given to memory 15.17, so memory 15
．． 17 starts writing the video signal U and the audio signal ■. When reception is completed, read/write end signal
and Z are output from the memory 15.17, and at the same time, the control section 19 transmits a reception end signal S to the image transmitting apparatus.

Furthermore, the VTR start signal I becomes a start command,
Start playing the VTR6. When the VTR 6 passes an editing point to be described later, the editing point signal (transfer request signal) J
After outputting , the mode changes from playback mode to record mode. As a result, reading data from the memory 1517 starts,
The signals are D/A converted by D/A converters 16 and 18, respectively, and recorded on the VTR 6 as a video signal E and an audio signal F.

When reading from memory 15.17 is completed, read/write completion signals x and Z are output, and VTR start signal I is output.
becomes a stop command and stops the VTR 6. At this time, the VTR 6 stores the recording end position of the tape as an editing point, pre-rolls the tape before a certain period of time, and enters the Bose mode.

The above operations are repeated as one reception sequence until all tape contents of the VTRI are transferred to the VTR 6.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart summarizing the operations of the VTR 6 during the above reception. VTR start signal I
When it becomes a start command, it enters the playback mode, and when it reaches the edit point, it outputs the edit point signal J. Then, the reproduction continues until the VTR start signal becomes a stop command, and when the stop command is given, the video rolls for a certain period of time and enters the Bose mode.

In this way, the received data is stored in the memory 15.17, and the data is read out from the memory 15.17 at high speed.
By recording on the TR 6, the video signal E and audio signal F transmitted through a communication line with a transmission rate slower than the video signal E can be recorded in the same manner as the original recording state of the tape of the VTR 1.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to this invention, on the image transmitting device side, the reproduction means is operated intermittently, the video signal and the audio signal are temporarily stored in the transmission temporary storage means, and the contents stored in the memory are adjusted to the transmission rate of the communication line. The image receiving device temporarily stores the transmitted data from the image transmitting device in a receiving temporary storage means and then intermittently transmits it to a recording device such as a VTR at the same speed as when playing back. By recording, the contents of package media such as VTRs and optical discs can be easily transferred to remote locations using low transmission rate telephone lines, etc., without using expensive image compression equipment or dedicated lines.

In addition, since the transmission start signal and reception end signal are transmitted between the image transmission device and the image reception device, and the operations of the image transmission device and the image reception device are coordinated, the video transmitted from the image transmission device The signal can be received by the image receiving device and recorded without any omissions in the shortest possible time.

Therefore, if it is installed in, for example, a home VTR, it can be easily used as a means of lending and borrowing tapes, opening up new fields of use that have never existed before.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image transmitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of a converting section on the image transmitting device side, and FIG. 3 is a specific block diagram of a converting section on the image receiving device side. The block diagram showing the configuration, Figure 4 is an image sending bag! VTR on the side
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the VTR on the image receiving apparatus side. 1... VTR (playback means), 2.5... Conversion section, 3
゜4...modem, 6...VTR (recording means), 7.
8... A/D converter, 9... Memory (transmission side temporary storage means) lO... Memory, 11... Transmission control section (sending means), 12... Control section (transmission side control means), 13
...CPU, 14...Reception control unit (receiving means), 1
5...Memory (receiving side temporary storage means), 16.18.
...D/A converter, 17...memory, 19...control unit (reception side control means), K...communication line (communication means)
Leap／／ノ

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A reproduction means for intermittently reproducing a video signal, a temporary transmission storage means for storing a group of video signals reproduced by the reproduction means, and a group of video signals stored in the temporary transmission storage means. a transmission means for reading the video signals at a lower speed than when writing and transmitting the video signals at a lower transmission speed than when reproducing the video signals, and reading out the group of video signals from the temporary storage means for transmission before the next group of video signals is reproduced from the reproduction means. An image transmitting apparatus comprising: a transmission control means for sequentially controlling a reproduction operation of the reproduction means and a write/read operation of the transmission temporary storage means. (2) Receiving means for receiving a group of video signals transmitted at a transmission speed lower than that during playback, temporary storage for reception for storing the group of video signals received by the reception means, and temporary storage for reception. recording means for reading and intermittently recording the video signals stored in the means in each group at an original playback speed higher than that at the time of writing; An image receiving apparatus comprising: a reception control means for sequentially controlling a write/read operation of the reception temporary storage means and a recording operation of the recording means so as to cause the recording means to record before the arrival of a video signal. (3) Image transmitting device according to claim (1) and claim (2)
An image transmitting device, which is connected to the image receiving device described above through a communication means, and transmits a video signal from the image transmitting device to the image receiving device through the communication means. (4) transmitting a transmission start signal from the image transmitting device to the image receiving device through the communication means, and transmitting a reception end signal from the image receiving device to the image transmitting device through the communication means; In response, the reception control means starts a write operation in the reception temporary storage means, and in response to reception of the reception completion signal, the transmission control means starts a reproduction operation in the reproduction means and a write operation in the transmission temporary storage means. The image transmission device according to claim 3, wherein the image transmission device starts the image transmission.