Video telephone

• US 5,194,955 A
• Filed: 05/17/1991
• Issued: 03/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ogino, Yasushi, Yoneta, Hajime, Suzuki, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Razavi, Michael T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan V.
• Application Number:
  US07/701,847
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 358/85, 358/229, 358/209, 358/83, 379/53, 379/158, 379/202, 354/293
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/56 by projecting aerial or floating images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact

Abstract

In a video telephone in which images of telephoners as well as writings or drawings are alternately formed and transmitted, a single video camera is fixed and the optical axis extending from the video camera is optionally changed to select one of two directions, so that it is possible to form the images alternately of the telephoners and of the writings or drawings.

Claims

1. A video system for use with a telephone comprising, a hollow cabinet, a transparent glass plate mounted in the front vertical side of said cabinet, a beam splitter such as a half mirror mounted in said cabinet behind said transparent glass plate, a video camera mounted in said cabinet so as to receive light rays on a straight path from scenes outside said cabinet through said transparent glass plate and said beam splitter, a liquid crystal display mounted in said cabinet so that it can be viewed through said transparent glass plate and said beam splitter by reflecting images from the display, an opening formed in the bottom of said cabinet below said beam splitter, said cabinet supported on a stand, a document holder formed on said stand below said opening formed in the bottom of said cabinet, and a mirror pivotally connected to said cabinet and manually or automatically moveable to a first position so that it forms a cover for said opening and manually or automatically moveable to a second position such that it uncovers said opening and reflects an image of a document on said document holder to said video camera so only the document or the face is detected.

2. A video system for use with a telephone according to claim 1 wherein said mirror can be manually moved from first to said second position.

3. A video system for use with a telephone according to claim 1 including a motor means attached to said mirror to move it from said first to said second position.