Method for transmitting image data and communication terminal

• US 20010012051A1
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Published: 08/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Hara, Yoshihiro, Maekawa, Yukio
• Granted Patent: US 6,538,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A communication terminal comprises a memory for storing a table in which data for identifying a destination of communication and a resolution of a display device of the destination are associated with each other, an image processor for generating image data with a resolution of the display device of the destination based on the table, and a transmission section for transmitting the image data generated by the image processor. By transmitting the image data with a resolution corresponding to the resolution of the display device of the destination, data volume to be communicated is reduced and wasteful power consumption of battery is suppressed in portable devices.

Claims

1. A communication terminal comprising:

a memory for storing a table in which data for identifying a destination of communication and a resolution of a display device of the destination are associated with each other;

an image processor for generating image data with a resolution of the display device of the destination based on the table; and

a transmission section for transmitting the image data generated by the image processor.

2. The communication terminal according to

claim 1

further comprising a sensor for taking an image and for providing the image processor with the image data.

3. The communication terminal according to

claim 1

further comprising:

a receiving section for receiving image data from the destination of communication; and

a display section for displaying the image data received by the receiving section.

4. The communication terminal according to

claim 3

further comprising an estimation section for estimating a resolution of the display device of the destination based on the received image data.

5. The communication terminal according to

claim 4

further comprising a controller for registering data for identifying a destination of communication and the resolution estimated by the estimation section on the table when the data for identifying the destination is not stored in the table.

6. The communication terminal according to

claim 1

further comprising:

an input section for inputting the resolution of the display device of the destination of communication; and

a controller for registering the input resolution of the display device and the data for identifying the destination of communication in association with each other on the table.

7. A communication terminal comprising:

a receiving section for receiving data from the destination of communication;

an estimation section for estimating the resolution of the display device of the destination based on the data received by the receiving section;

an image processor for generating image data with a resolution of the display device of the destination estimated by the estimation section;

a transmission section for transmitting the image data generated by the image processor.

8. The communication terminal according to

claim 7

, wherein:

the receiving section receives image data from the destination of communication; and

the estimation section estimates the resolution of the display device of the destination based on the resolution of the image data.

9. The communication terminal according to

claim 7

, wherein:

the receiving section receives data about the type of the communication device from the destination of communication; and

the estimation section estimates the resolution of the display device of the destination based on the type of the communication device.

10. A method for transmitting image data, comprising the steps of:

generating image data with a resolution of a display device of a destination of communication based on a table in which data for identifying the destination and the resolution of the display device of the destination are associated with each other; and

transmitting the generated image data to the destination.

11. A method for transmitting image data, comprising the steps of:

receiving data from the destination of communication;

estimating a resolution of the display device of the destination based on the received data;

generating image data with the estimated resolution of the display device of the destination; and

transmitting the generated image data to the destination.

12. A method for relaying image data in a communication management center with which a plurality of communication terminals are connected, the method comprising the steps of:

temporarily storing image data transmitted from communication terminals at the communication management center;

converting the image data into low resolution image data corresponding to the resolution of the display device of the communication terminal of the destination to which the image data is to be transmitted at the transmission of the stored image data to the communication terminals; and

transmitting the converted low resolution image data to the destination.

13. A communication management center with which a plurality of communication terminals are connected and transmitting and receiving image data to/from each communication terminal, the communication management center comprising:

a display resolution detection section for obtaining information about a resolution of a display device of the communication terminal;

a resolution conversion section for converting the image data transmitted from the communication terminal into low resolution image data based on the information about the resolution obtained by the display resolution detection section; and

a transmission section for transmitting the low resolution image data obtained by converting the data at the resolution conversion section to the destination.

14. The communication management center according to

claim 13

further comprising:

a display resolution table for storing an address and a resolution of a display device of each communication terminal, associated with each other,

and wherein the display resolution detection section obtains information about the resolution by referring to the display resolution table.

15. The communication management center according to

claim 13

, wherein the display resolution detection section obtains information about the resolution of the display device of the communication terminal based on attribute information of the image data received from the communication terminal.

16. The communication management center according to

claim 13

, wherein the display resolution detection section obtains information about the resolution of the display device of the communication terminal based on the resolution of the image data received from the communication terminal.

17. The communication management center according to

claim 13

, wherein the display resolution detection section obtains information about the resolution of the display device of the communication terminal based on type information received from the communication terminal.

18. A communication management center with which a plurality of communication terminals are connected and for transmitting and receiving image data to/from each communication terminal, the communication management center comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of image data transmitted from the communication terminal;

a display resolution detection section for obtaining information about the resolution of the display device of the communication terminal;

a resolution conversion section for converting the image data specified among the stored image data into low resolution image data based on the information about the resolution obtained by the display resolution detection section; and

a transmission section for transmitting the low resolution image data obtained by converting the data at the resolution conversion section to the communication terminal which made the designation.