Conversational video phone
First Claim
1. A conversational freeze-frame video phone for transmitting a single frame of a video gray scale source image over an ordinary telephone line, comprising:
- camera means for capturing said video source image;
a memory coupled to said camera means for storing said single frame of said video source image;
means for mapping said video source image onto a video source image field of from 2000 to 5,000 pixels;
video source image display means for displaying said video source image field on a first display screen area having an area of approximately one square inch as a real time mirror image of said video source image;
means, coupled to said telephone line, for asynchronously transmitting a modulated signal representing said source image field in a burst having an approximate duration of three seconds or less;
means, coupled to said telephone line, for asynchronously receiving a modulated signal representing a remote video image field;
means for demodulating said received signal;
remote video image display means for displaying said remote image field on a second display screen area immediately adjacent said first display screen and having an area of approximately one square inch and adapted to display said remote video image field line by line as each line is received by said receiving means; and
means, coupled to said telephone line, for transmitting and receiving an audio signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a conversational freeze-frame video phone which transmits a source image over a standard telephone line in conjunction with audio voice signals. A camera is used to capture an image to be transmitted and the image is mapped onto an image field of 2,000 to 5,000 pixels. The image field is displayed on a display area of approximately one square inch on a display screen. Digitized data representing the pixels is asynchronously transmitted on a modulated signal in a single burst of less than three seconds duration. Corresponding remote images are asynchronously received, demodulated, and displayed. The transmission of the audio signal is interrupted upon the detection of a video image being transmitted.
125 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A conversational freeze-frame video phone for transmitting a single frame of a video gray scale source image over an ordinary telephone line, comprising:
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camera means for capturing said video source image; a memory coupled to said camera means for storing said single frame of said video source image; means for mapping said video source image onto a video source image field of from 2000 to 5,000 pixels; video source image display means for displaying said video source image field on a first display screen area having an area of approximately one square inch as a real time mirror image of said video source image; means, coupled to said telephone line, for asynchronously transmitting a modulated signal representing said source image field in a burst having an approximate duration of three seconds or less; means, coupled to said telephone line, for asynchronously receiving a modulated signal representing a remote video image field; means for demodulating said received signal; remote video image display means for displaying said remote image field on a second display screen area immediately adjacent said first display screen and having an area of approximately one square inch and adapted to display said remote video image field line by line as each line is received by said receiving means; and means, coupled to said telephone line, for transmitting and receiving an audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A conversational freeze-frame video phone for transmitting a voice signal and a single frame of a video gray scale source image over an ordinary telephone line, and receiving a remote voice signal and a remote video image from said telephone line, comprising:
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camera means for capturing said video source image; digitizing means for representing said captured video source image as a group of digital values; display memory means for storing said group of digital values; digital to analog converter means for converting digital values to analog values corresponding to from 2000 to 5,000 pixels representing one of said video source image and said remote video image; a modulator/demodulator operative to modulate a carrier signal with said digital values and demodulate such a modulated carrier signal such that transmission of said single frame of said video source image occurs in less than three seconds; a transmitter and receiver circuit coupled to said telephone line; a matrix of switches coupling said modulator/demodulator to said transmitter and receiver circuit; a microphone; a speaker; analog circuit means coupling said microphone and speaker to said matrix of switches for amplifying said voice signal; input keyboard means for inputting alphanumeric data; microprocessor means coupled to said input keyboard means for controlling the operation of said video phone; and display means for displaying images and data having a video source image display of approximately one square inch for displaying said pixels representing a real time mirror image of said video source image, a remote video image display of approximately one square inch for displaying from 2000 to 5,000 pixels representing said remote video image and an alphanumeric display area for displaying alphanumeric data from said microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method for transmitting a single frame of video gray scale source and remote images and audio signals over an ordinary telephone line using a video phone, comprising the steps of:
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capturing said video source image; storing a frame of said video source image in a memory; mapping the video source image onto a video source image field of from 2000 to 5,000 pixels; displaying said video source image field on a first display screen area having an area of approximately one square inch as a real time mirror image of said video source image; asynchronously transmitting over said telephone line a modulated signal representing said video source image field in a burst having an approximate duration of three seconds or less; asynchronously receiving from said telephone line a modulated signal representing a remote video image field; demodulating said receiving signal; displaying said remote video image field line-by-line as each line is received on a second display screen area immediately adjacent said first display screen area and having an area of approximately one square inch; transmitting a source audio signal over said telephone line; and receiving a remote audio signal from said telephone line. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification