Picture codec and teleconference terminal equipment

• US 5,777,663 A
• Filed: 01/10/1997
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsushima, Hitoshi, Yoshikawa, Hiroshi, Takizawa, Masaaki, Maruyama, Yukinobu, Yamada, Takehiko, Shibata, Yoji, Ebihara, Toru, Furuya, Jun, Yoshida, Atsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/782,495
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14-17, 379/93.17, 379/93.21, 379/93.26, 379/93.28, 379/93.37, 379/93.01
• US Class Current: 348/14.07
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 9/00 Image coding bandwidth or redundancy reduction for static pictures H04N1/41; coding or decoding of static colour picture signals H04N1/64; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1004 using two-dimensional electrical scanning, e.g. cathode-ray tubes using two-dimensional arrays H04N1/195
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/42 Systems for two-way working , e.g. conference systems H04N1/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• 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 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0457 Connection protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0471 Terminal access circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13179 Fax, still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 : ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1332 : Logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13337 : Picturephone, videotelephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/204 : ISDN protocol; ISO 7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/337 : Picturephone

Abstract

In a teleconference terminal equipment; a picture codec for simultaneously displaying a still picture and video on a single screen, comprising an analog-to-digital converter which converts a picture signal into digital picture data, a picture-in-picture processor which is supplied with the digital picture data as self-picture data of the terminal equipment, a video decoder or a still picture decoder which decodes input picture data and delivers the decoded data to the P-in-P processor, and a digital-to-analog converter which is supplied with picture data for forming a P-in-P frame, having been produced from the self-picture data and the decoded data by the P-in-P processor, and which converts the supplied picture data into an analog signal and delivers the analog signal as an output.

Claims

1. An equipment for a teleconference comprising:

an image input apparatus;

an image display apparatus coupled at least to the image input apparatus;

a communication control apparatus coupled at least to the image display apparatus;

a key console apparatus coupled to the communication control apparatus;

a telephone control apparatus coupled to the communication control apparatus; and

an image codec coupled to the image input apparatus, the image display apparatus and the communication control apparatus;

wherein the display apparatus enables simultaneous display of a received image at one portion of the display apparatus and an input image at another portion of the display apparatus and enables reversal of the portion of the received image and the input image so that the input image is displayed at the one portion of the display apparatus and the received image is simultaneously displayed at the other portion of the display apparatus.

2. An equipment for a teleconference according to claim 1, wherein input image is displayed in one of a normal image, mirror image, and a point symmetry image rotated by 180°

.

3. An equipment for a teleconference according to claim 1, wherein the display apparatus is responsive to key operation of the key console apparatus for enabling reverse of the portion of the received image and input image.