Image pickup system and communication system for use in video conference system or the like

• US 5,742,329 A
• Filed: 07/14/1997
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Masunaga, Makoto, Inagaki, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): BELLA, MATTHEW C
• Application Number:
  US08/892,464
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 348/12, 348/1, 348/22, 348/24, 348/211, 348/374, 348/115, 348/239, 348/564, 348/588, 379/202
• US Class Current: 348/14.07
• 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 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Disclosed is a video conference system including a video camera for imaging participants in a conference, a registration unit capable of registering a plurality of pieces of position information indicating directions of the positions of the participants in the conference, a changing unit for changing the imaging direction of the video camera on the basis of the position information, a memory unit capable of storing a plurality of image data corresponding to the individual imaging directions set by the changing unit, and a synthesization unit for synthesizing the image data stored in the memory unit into image data currently being obtained by the video camera in correspondence with the position information registered in the registration unit.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a) single image pickup means, of which a picking-up direction is changeable, for picking up objects to be imaged;

b) storing means for storing a plurality of picking-up directions of said single image pickup means in advance;

c) memory means for storing a plurality of images corresponding to the respective picking-up directions stored by said storing means while said picking-up direction of said image pick means is changed; and

d) synthesizing means for synthesizing the read-out images read out from said memory means on an image currently being picked up by said single image pickup means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising controlling means for controlling the picking-up direction of said image pickup means in accordance with the picking-up directions stored in said storing means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display means for displaying the image data synthesized by said synthesizing means.

4. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a) single image pickup means, of which a picking-up direction is changeable, for picking up objects to be imaged;

b) registering means for registering picking-up directions of said single image pickup means in advance;

c) memory means for storing a plurality of images corresponding to the respective picking-up directions registered by said registering means while said picking-up direction of said single image pickup means is changed; and

d) synthesizing means for synthesizing read-out images read out from said memory means on an image currently being picked up by said single image pickup means,

wherein said synthesizing means includes processing means for performing a visual process on the read-out images so that the read-out image corresponding to the single image currently being picked up by said image pickup means, can be recognized.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said processing means converts the luminance level of an image.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising transmitting means for coding and transmitting image data obtained by said image pickup means.

7. A video conference system comprising:

a) a single video camera of which a picking-up direction is changeable, for picking up participants to be imaged in a conference;

b) storing means for storing a plurality of position information indicating directions of positions of the participants in the conference;

c) memory means for storing a plurality of image data corresponding respectively to said plurality of position information registered by said registering means, while said picking-up direction of said single video camera is changed; and

d) synthesizing means for synthesizing the read-out image data read out from said memory means on image data currently being picked up by said single video camera.

8. A system according to claim 7, further comprising controlling means for controlling picking-up direction of said video camera in accordance with the position information stored in said storing means.

9. A system according to claim 7, further comprising display means for displaying the image data synthesized by said synthesizing means.

10. A system according to claim 7, further comprising converting means for converting the state of a stored image, which is one of a plurality of images stored in said memory means and synthesized by said synthesizing means, and which corresponds to an image currently being obtained by said video camera, into a state different from the states of other stored images.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said converting means converts the luminance level of an image.

12. A system according to claim 7, further comprising transmitting means for coding and transmitting image data obtained by said video camera.

13. A system according to claim 8, further comprising discriminating means for discriminating between a speaker and other participants in the conference,

wherein said controlling means controls the picking-up direction in accordance with the output from said discriminating means.

17. A system according to claim 7, further comprising transmitting means for coding and transmitting image data obtained by said single video camera.

18. A system according to claim 7, further comprising display means for displaying the image data synthesized by said synthesizing means.

19. A system according to claim 7, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting the image data synthesized by said synthesizing means.

14. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a) single input means for inputting image data provided by picking up plural areas, each of said plural areas being different positions; and

b) display controlling means for controlling simultaneous display of the plurality of image data inputted by said single input means so that position relationship corresponding to the relationship among said plural areas are preserved, said display controlling means includes synthesizing meads for synthesizing the plurality of image data read-out from an image memory.

20. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising transmitting means for coding and transmitting image data obtained by said single input means.

21. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising display means for displaying the image data synthesized by said synthesizing means.

22. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting the image data synthesized by said synthesizing means.

15. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a) single input means for inputting image data provided by picking up plural areas, each of said plural areas being different positions;

b) memory means for storing a plurality of image data corresponding to the respective predetermined positions; and

c) synthesizing means for synthesizing the plurality of image data read out from said memory means on image data currently being inputted by said single input means, wherein relationship between positions at which the plurality of image data synthesized is preserved.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said synthesizing means includes processing means for performing a visual process on the image data read out from said memory means, which correspond to the image data currently being inputted.

23. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising transmitting means for coding and transmitting image data obtained by said single input means.

24. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising display means for displaying the image data synthesized by said synthesizing means.

25. An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising transmitting means for transmitting the image data synthesized by said synthesizing means.