Motion and still video picture transmission and display

• US 6,038,257 A
• Filed: 03/12/1997
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Roth, Goran, Burman, Bo, Brusewitz, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US08/815,805
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 348/384, 348/390, 348/397, 348/399, 348/424, 348/425, 348/7, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 348/15, 348/17, 348/18, 348/19, 386/68, 386/69, 386/70, 386/81, 386/82, 375/240
• US Class Current: 375/240.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• 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 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An imaging system and method for alleviating perceptional problems of a viewer during the transmission and display of high resolution still images on a video system is disclosed. Through modifications to an encoder and decoder within the imaging system, the viewer may select a still image or portion thereof from a video image sequence for viewing. The imaging system and method ameliorate perceptional delays in displaying the lengthy high resolution still image by immediately displaying a lower-resolution, shorter-length video image frame corresponding to the still image. The lower resolution video image being displayed is then updated and refined with the image data from the high resolution still image as it is received.

Claims

1. An imaging system for displaying images pursuant to a multiplicity of display modes, said display modes including at least a video mode and a still mode, said imaging system comprising:

an image processing means for processing a plurality of received images pursuant to a plurality of operational parameters, said received images in video mode comprising a multiplicity of low resolution images and said received images in still mode comprising a high resolution image, said image processing means including a high resolution code with said high resolution still mode image; and

a display means, connected to said image processing means, for displaying said images, said display means, upon receiving said high resolution code, capturing a video mode image corresponding to said high resolution image and displaying said video mode image during the transmission of said high resolution image from said image processing means to said display means.

2. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said image processing means comprises:

a first processing means, attached to a camera means, for receiving said plurality of received images therefrom; and

a second processing means, attached to said first processing means, for forwarding said plurality of received images to said display means.

3. The imaging system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a backchannel, connecting said second processing means to said first processing means, for forwarding a plurality of viewer controls from a viewer at said second processing means to said first processing means.

4. The imaging system according to claim 2, wherein said first processing means comprises:

a subsampler attached to said camera means;

an encoder attached to said subsampler; and

a controller, attached to said subsampler and said encoder, said encoder encoding said plurality of received images pursuant to said operational parameters.

5. The imaging system according to claim 4, wherein said camera means forwards an analog signal to said first processing means, said subsampler performing an analog-to-digital conversion of said analog signal to a digital signal, said digital signal comprising said plurality of received images.

6. The imaging system according to claim 4, wherein said second processing means comprises:

a decoder, attached to said encoder, for decoding said plurality of received images pursuant to a plurality of viewer controls from a viewer.

7. The imaging system according to claim 6, further comprising:

a first buffer, attached to said encoder and said controller in said first processing means, for buffering said plurality of received images from said encoder; and

a second buffer, attached to said first buffer and said decoder in said second processing means, for buffering said plurality of received images from said first buffer prior to decoding by said decoder.

8. The imaging system according to claim 6, wherein said image processing means further comprises:

a human interface device, attached to said display means, for receiving said plurality of viewers controls; and

a translator, attached to said human interface and said decoder, for translating said plurality of viewer controls into an image decoding signal.

9. The imaging system according to claim 8, wherein said translator is connected to said controller via a backchannel, whereby said viewer controls modify the encoder, via said controller, to encode said plurality of received images pursuant to another operational parameter.

10. The imaging system according to claim 8, wherein said human interface device is selected from the group consisting of a button, slide, keyboard and remote device.

12. The imaging system according to claim 2, wherein said image processing means comprises:

a first processing means, attached to a camera means, for receiving said plurality of received images therefrom; and

a second processing means, attached to said first processing means, for forwarding said plurality of received images to said display means.

13. The imaging system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a backchannel, connecting said second processing means to said first processing means, for forwarding a plurality of viewer controls from a viewer at said second processing means to said first processing means.

14. The imaging system according to claim 12, wherein said first processing means comprises:

a subsampler attached to said camera means;

an encoder attached to said subsampler; and

a controller, attached to said subsampler and said encoder, said encoder encoding said plurality of received images pursuant to said operational parameters.

15. The imaging system according to claim 14, wherein said camera means forwards an analog signal to said first processing means, said subsampler performing an analog-to-digital conversion of said analog signal to a digital signal, said digital signal comprising said plurality of received images.

16. The imaging system according to claim 14, wherein said second processing means comprises:

a decoder, attached to said encoder, for decoding said plurality of received images pursuant to a plurality of viewer controls from a viewer.

17. The imaging system according to claim 16, further comprising:

a first buffer, attached to said encoder and said controller in said first processing means, for buffering said plurality of received images from said encoder; and

a second buffer, attached to said first buffer and said decoder in said second processing means, for buffering said plurality of received images from said first buffer prior to decoding by said decoder.

18. The imaging system according to claim 16, wherein said image processing means further comprises:

a human interface device, attached to said display means, for receiving said plurality of viewers controls; and

a translator, attached to said human interface and said decoder, for translating said plurality of viewer controls into an image decoding signal.

19. The imaging system according to claim 18, wherein said translator is connected to said controller via a backchannel, whereby said viewer controls modify the encoder, via said controller, to encode said plurality of received images pursuant to another operational parameter.

20. The imaging system according to claim 18, wherein said human interface device is selected from the group consisting of a button, slide, keyboard and remote device.

11. An imaging system for displaying images pursuant to a multiplicity of display modes, said display modes including at least a video mode and a still mode, said imaging system comprising:

an image processing means for processing a plurality of received images pursuant to a plurality of operational parameters, said received images in video mode comprising a multiplicity of low resolution images and said received images in still mode comprising a high resolution image, said image processing means upon receiving a still image request capturing a high resolution still mode image and creating a low resolution version therefrom; and

a display means, connected to said image processing means, for displaying said images, said display means, upon receiving said low resolution version, displaying said low resolution version during the transmission of said high resolution image from said image processing means to said display means.

21. In an imaging system, a method for displaying images on a display device, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of low resolution images on said display device;

upon receipt of a high resolution command, capturing a high resolution image for display on said display device;

converting said high resolution image into a low resolution version thereof;

displaying said low resolution version on said display device; and

downloading and displaying said high resolution image on said display device, said high resolution image overlaying said low resolution version on said display device during said download.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein, during said step of downloading said high resolution image, said high resolution image is divided into a multiplicity of segments, said segments sequentially overlaying said low resolution version.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said low resolution images are video images.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein said high resolution image is a still image.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said low resolution version of said high resolution image is a video image.