Web camera and method for sending moving image
First Claim
1. A web camera for sending a moving image of a subject to a plurality of terminals through the Internet, said web camera comprising:
- a photographing device for photographing said subject to output moving image data;
an animation generating circuit for processing said moving image data to generate an animation file;
a terminal distinction circuit for distinguishing a terminal type; and
a controller for sending said moving image data to said terminal when said terminal is the type that can reproduce said moving image data, and for sending said animation file to said terminal when said terminal is the type that cannot reproduce said moving image data.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A terminal distinction circuit distinguishes the terminal type. When the terminal is a PC, moving image data is sent directly from a moving image buffer memory to a transmission image memory. The transmission image memory sends moving image data together with a synchronization signal to the terminal via a broadband modem. When the terminal is a cellular phone or a PDA, an animation generating circuit reads images of every three picture frames from moving image data having thirty picture frames per second. The animation generating circuit scales down an image of each picture frame according to the display capability of the terminal, and then subtracts the number of color. Image data of ten picture frames is converted into one animation GIF file. The animation GIF file is sent to viewer'"'"'s terminal via the broadband modem.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A web camera for sending a moving image of a subject to a plurality of terminals through the Internet, said web camera comprising:
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a photographing device for photographing said subject to output moving image data;
an animation generating circuit for processing said moving image data to generate an animation file;
a terminal distinction circuit for distinguishing a terminal type; and
a controller for sending said moving image data to said terminal when said terminal is the type that can reproduce said moving image data, and for sending said animation file to said terminal when said terminal is the type that cannot reproduce said moving image data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for sending a moving image of a subject to a plurality of terminals through the Internet, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) photographing said subject by a photographing device to output moving image data;
(b) distinguishing a terminal type by a terminal distinction circuit;
(c) sending said moving image data to said terminal when said terminal is a type that can reproduce said moving image data; and
(d) processing said moving image data to generate an animation file and sending said animation file to said terminal when said terminal is a type that cannot reproduce said moving image data. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification