JPH0575996A - Image communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To allow the receiving side to easily recognize the actual size of the material image. [Structure] The material camera 12A photographs the material 16A.
The camera control circuit 18A controls the zooming of the document camera 12A in response to a zooming instruction from the operation device 34A. The image control circuit 18A creates scaling information according to the zooming of the material camera 12A,
It is added to the material image information by A and output to the communication control circuit 30A. The communication control circuit 30A transmits to the terminal device in the conference room B via the communication line. In the conference room B, the image control circuit 18B creates a scale figure according to the received scaling information, and the monitor 20B together with the received material image.
To display.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication device,
More specifically, it relates to an image communication device in a video conference system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a video conference, it is necessary to send conference materials to participants. Therefore, a camera for inputting conference material (still image) (hereinafter referred to as a material camera) is provided in the terminal device for the video conference system, and the received material image and the image of the other party are combined into one monitor device on the receiving side. Alternatively, it is designed to be displayed on a separate monitor device.

The size of drawings and the like written in conference materials varies, and it is often necessary to enlarge or reduce the display. In order to respond to such a request, in the conventional example, the transmitting side can be enlarged or reduced to an appropriate size for transmission, or the receiving side can remotely control the magnification of the document camera on the transmitting side.

[0004]

Since it is only necessary for the receiving side to be able to read the graphs and tables accurately, it does not matter how many times they are enlarged or reduced. However, for example, in three-dimensional objects such as design drawings and mockups, there is a strong demand for knowing the actual size, and the conventional example cannot satisfy this requirement.

It is an object of the present invention to present an image communication device that meets such demands.

[0006]

An image communication apparatus according to the present invention transmits a material camera for photographing a material, material image information and scaling information by the material camera,
It is characterized by comprising communication means for receiving material image information and scaling information from a communication partner, and image display means for displaying the received material image information as an image.

[0007]

The scaling information allows the receiving side to know the scale of the received material image. By displaying the scale together with the material image, the actual size of the material image can be easily recognized.

[0008]

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

FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is a camera for photographing a conference participant, 12 is a material for photographing a material 16 on a material stand 14. A camera, 18 is a camera control circuit for controlling zooming of the document camera 12, 20 is a monitor device for displaying images, 22 is a monitor device for transmitting and receiving images taken by the cameras 10 and 12, and for displaying received images. An image control circuit for controlling display by 20.

The image control circuit 22 stores the maximum and minimum values in the horizontal and vertical directions of the imageable area by zooming the material camera 12.

Reference numeral 24 is a microphone for voice input, 26 is a speaker for voice output, 28 is a speaker for transmitting input voice by the microphone 24 and for input voice and received voice signals.
Is a voice control circuit for controlling the output by the.

Reference numeral 30 is a communication control circuit which is connected to a communication line and controls image and voice communication, 32 is a system control circuit which controls the whole, and 34 is a keyboard or mouse which inputs a predetermined instruction to the system control circuit 32. It is an operating device consisting of.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing a state in which the terminal devices shown in FIG. 1 are installed in conference rooms A and B, respectively, and are connected by a communication line. In the terminal device installed in the conference room A, each circuit block is distinguished by a code in which “A” is added after the code of the corresponding circuit block in FIG. 1, and in the terminal device installed in the conference room B, each circuit block is identified. Are distinguished by a code in which "B" is added after the code of the corresponding circuit block in FIG.

For example, from the terminal device in the conference room A to the conference room B
The case of transmitting the material graphic to the terminal device will be described. The material 16A is placed on the material stand 14A and the material 16A is photographed by the material camera 12A. At this time, when an instruction to zoom the document camera 12A is issued by the operation device 34A, the system control circuit 32A transmits a zooming control signal to the camera control circuit 18A and the image control circuit 22A. The camera control circuit 18A zooms the document camera 12A to the designated magnification. The image control circuit 22A has a zooming value,
Based on the size of the recordable area to be stored, the material camera 12
The actual size in the horizontal and vertical directions of the material image by A is calculated, scaling information is added to the material image information by the material camera 12A, and output to the communication control circuit 30A.

Further, the image control circuit 22A is a camera 10A.
The photographed image information by the microphone is supplied to the communication control circuit 30A, and the voice control circuit 28A supplies the input voice information by the microphone 24A to the communication control circuit 30A. The communication control circuit 30A transmits these pieces of information to (the communication control circuit 30B of) the terminal device in the conference room B in accordance with a predetermined communication procedure.

In the conference room B, the communication control circuit 30 supplies the material image data and its scaling information from the conference room A and the image information of the conference participants to the image control circuit 22B, and the voice information to the voice control circuit 28B. Supply. The image control circuit 22 creates horizontal and vertical scale figure data from the received scaling information, and displays them on the monitor 20B together with the material image data. An example of monitor display is shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, 40 is a material image, 42 is a vertical scale, and 44 is a horizontal scale.

The voice control circuit 28B processes the voice information from the conference room A and outputs it to the speaker 26B.

On the monitor 20B, a plurality of independent display areas can be set, a utilization image is displayed in one display area as shown in FIG. 3, and an image of a conference participant in the conference room A is displayed in another display area. Is displayed.

In the above embodiment, the scale figure is formed from the received scaling information. Of course, a predetermined plurality of scale figures are prepared in the image control circuit 22 in advance, and the image control circuit 22 matches the appropriate scale figure. As described above, the received material image may be enlarged or reduced and displayed on the monitor 20B. At this time, it is convenient to input the display magnification from the operation device 34B. Particularly, the display at the same size is effective because the user can grasp the actual sense of appearance.

[0020]

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, since the actual size of the material image can be known on the receiving side, even if the material whose size needs to be known is used, the video conference can be performed. Can be performed smoothly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a video conference system using the terminal device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a monitor display example of a material image of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 10A, 10B: Camera 12, 12A, 12
B: Document camera 14, 14A, 14B: Document stand 1
6, 16A, 16B: Material 18, 18A, 18B: Camera control circuit 20, 20A, 20B: Monitor device 2
2, 22A, 22B: image control circuit 24, 24A, 2
4B: Microphone 26, 26A, 26B: Speaker 2
8, 28A, 28B: Voice control circuit 30, 30A, 3
0B: Communication control circuit 32, 32A, 32B: System control circuit 34, 34A, 34B: Operating device 40: Material image 42: Vertical scale 44: Horizontal scale

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A material camera for photographing a material, a communication means for transmitting material image information and scaling information by the material camera, and receiving material image information and scaling information from a communication partner, and received material image information. And an image display means for displaying an image of the image. 2. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image display means displays a scale according to the received scaling information. 3. The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image display means displays the received material image information in a predetermined size according to the received scaling information.