Wireless video camera

• US 20030052994A1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gvbb Holdings SARL (Vislink Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Auffret, Eric, Morel, Philippe, Plessix, Jean-Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/376
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/20 using signal quality detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

The invention is a video camera system comprising a mobile video camera 1 and a base station 2. The camera 1 comprises means of acquiring images and means of radio transmission of the filmed images. The base station 2 comprises means of radio reception for receiving the filmed images. The system comprises evaluation means AGC, MER, BER and 500 for evaluating the quality of the transmission between the camera 1 and the base station 2, and display means 506 to 509 for displaying information QR relating to the quality of transmission.

Claims

1. A video camera system comprising at least one mobile video camera and at least one base station, the camera comprising:

means of acquiring images,

means of radio transmission of the filmed images;

the base station comprising;

means of radio reception for receiving the filmed images,

wherein the system comprises evaluation means for continuously evaluating the quality of the image transmission between the camera and the base station, and display means for displaying information relating to the quality of transmission.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaluation means measure the gain required for correct reception of the images.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, the camera comprising image coding means introducing redundant information with a view to an error correction, and the base station comprising means of decoding the images which use the redundant information to correct errors, wherein the evaluation means measure the number of errors corrected by the decoding means.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, in which the image transmission is achieved by using a constellation modulation, wherein the evaluation means measure a modulation error ratio corresponding to an average of the discrepancies between the symbols received and the transmission symbols.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaluation means are placed in the base station and wherein the evaluation of the quality of transmission is achieved on receipt of the images.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the display means are placed in the base station.

7. The system as claimed in claim 5, in which the base station comprises a return path transmitter, the camera comprising means of reception of this return path, wherein the information relating to the quality of reception of the images is sent by the return path, and wherein the camera comprises the display means.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the display means display the transmission ratio with the aid of a first colour when this ratio corresponds to correct transmission and with the aid of a second colour when this ratio is wrong.

9. A video camera comprising:

image acquisition means,

means of radio transmission for transmitting the filmed images,

display means for displaying the quality of transmission of the images.

10. The camera as claimed in claim 9, wherein the camera comprises means of reception for receiving an information related to the quality of transmission of the image, from a base station.

11. The camera as claimed in claim 9, wherein the display means display the quality of transmission with a first colour when the quality is correct and with a second colour when the quality is wrong.

12. The camera as claimed in claim 9, wherein display means continuously display the quality of transmission to a cameraman.

13. A base station for at least one video camera comprising means of radio reception for receiving images filmed by said camera, wherein the station comprises means for continuously evaluating the quality of reception of the images originating from the camera.

14. The base station as claimed in claim 13, wherein the evaluation means measure the gain required for correct reception of the images.

15. The base station as claimed in claim 13, the camera comprising image coding means introducing redundant information with a view to an error correction, and the base station comprising means of decoding the images which use the redundant information to correct errors, wherein the evaluation means measure the number of errors corrected by the decoding means.

16. The base station as claimed in claim 13, in which the image transmission is achieved by using a constellation modulation, wherein the evaluation means measure a modulation error ratio corresponding to an average of the discrepancies between the symbols received and the transmission symbols.

17. The base station as claimed in claim 13, wherein the base station comprises display means for displaying the quality of reception.

18. The base station as claimed in claim 13, wherein the base station comprises a return path transmitter for sending commands to the camera, and wherein an information related to the quality of reception is sent to the camera via the return path transmitter.