Image transmission method and apparatus, and image transmission system including the apparatus

• US 6,137,485 A
• Filed: 03/15/1996
• Issued: 10/24/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Namikata, Takeshi, Oya, Takashi, Kawai, Tomoaki, Urisaka, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): FLYNN, NATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US08/616,704
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 348/15, 348/16, 348/14, 348/211, 348/13, 348/143, 348/212, 348/213, 348/214, 370/260, 395/200.34, 345/377
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Image transmission method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving images among a plurality of terminals connected to a network, and an image transmission system including the apparatus. A video camera (30) is connected to each of a plurality of video communication terminals connected to a network (12), and an image picked up by the camera (30) of each terminal is exchanged with another communication terminal via the network (12). In this case, in a certain terminal, a plurality of images received from other terminals are displayed on a display (26), and the names of terminals which are receiving the image picked up by the video camera (30) of the terminal, and the name of a terminal (or the name of an operator) which is operating the video camera (30) of the terminal are also displayed on the display (26). Each terminal displays, on the display (26), an icon which allows an operator to recognize at a glance whether or not an image picked up by the camera of its own terminal is being monitored by another terminal, or generates a warning tone in correspondence with the monitor or operation state of the video camera (30) of its own terminal, thereby calling for an attention of the operator of its own terminal.

Claims

1. An image transmission apparatus which is connected to a network and transmits/receives an image, comprising:

a display unit;

image input means for inputting an image, the movements of said image input means are controlled by a communication terminal connected to the network;

transmission means for transmitting the image input by said image input means onto the network; and

display means for displaying information indicating the communication terminal which is controlling the movements of said image input means via the network, on said display unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising multi-point image display means for displaying images received from a plurality of communication terminals via the network on said display unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for specifying a communication terminal connected to the network and requesting a control of the movements of an image input means of the communication terminal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said image input means comprises a camera, and the operation control includes at least one control processing of pan processing, tilt processing, zoom processing, and focusing processing of said camera.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying, on said display unit, figure indicating whether or not the movements of said image input means is being controlled by a communication terminal connected to the network.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for identifiably displaying, on said display unit, the communication terminal which is permitted to control the movements of said image input means.

7. An image transmission apparatus which is connected to a network and transmits/receives an image, comprising:

a display unit;

image input means for inputting an image;

transmission means for transmitting the image input by said image input means onto the network; and

notification means for notifying that the movements of said image input means are controlled by a communication terminal via the network, to the communication terminal which controls said image input means via the network,

wherein said notification means notifies by using a tone.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising terminal display means for identifiably displaying the communication terminal, which is controlling the movements of said image input means via the network, on said display unit.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said notification means change the state of notification by changing a frequency or tone volume of the tone.

14. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising observer display means for displaying information indicating a communication terminal, which is receiving the image transmitted by said transmission means, on said display unit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising display means for displaying an image received via the network on said display unit.

9. An image transmission apparatus which is connected to a network and transmits/receives an image, comprising:

a display unit;

image input means for inputting an image;

transmission means for transmitting the image input by said image input means onto the network;

notification means for notifying that said transmission means is transmitting the image, and

means for specifying a communication terminal connected to the network and requesting a control of the movements of an image input means of the communication terminal,

wherein said notification means change a state of notification based on whether said transmission means is transmitting the image or the movements of said image input means are controlled.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said image input means comprises a camera, and the operation control includes at least one control processing of pan processing, tilt processing, zoom processing, and focusing processing of said camera.

12. An image transmission apparatus which is connected to a network and transmits/receives an image, comprising:

a display unit;

image input means for inputting an image;

transmission means for transmitting the image input by said image input means onto the network; and

notification means for notifying that the movements of said image input means are controlled by a communication terminal via the network, to the communication terminal via the network,

wherein said notification means notifies by using light.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said notification means notifies by changing time intervals of turning on and off of the light and the intensity of the light.

16. An image transmission method for an image transmission apparatus, which is connected to a network and transmits/receives an image, comprising the steps of:

inputting an image from a video camera, the movements of the video camera are able to be controlled via the network, by a communication terminal connected to the network;

transmitting the input image via the network; and

displaying information indicating the communication terminal which is controlling the movements of the video camera via the network.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of simultaneously displaying images received from a plurality of communication terminals via the network.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of specifying a communication terminal connected to the network and requesting a control of the movements of a video camera of the communication terminal.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the operation control includes at least one control of pan processing, tilt processing, zoom processing, and focusing processing of the video camera.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of displaying a figure indicating whether or not the movements of the video camera is being controlled by a communication terminal connected to the network.

21. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of identifiably displaying a communication terminal which is permitted to control the movements of the video camera.

22. An image transmission method for an image transmission apparatus, which is connected to a network and transmits/receives an image, comprising the steps of:

inputting an image from a video camera;

transmitting the input image via the network; and

notifying that the movements of the video camera are controlling by a communication terminal via the network, to the communication terminal via the network, wherein the notifying step notifies by using a tone.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of identifiably displaying, on the display unit, the communication terminal which is controlling the movements of the video camera via the network.

29. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of displaying, on a display unit, information indicating a communication terminal which is receiving the transmitted image.

30. The method according to claim 22, further comprising displaying an image received via the network on the display unit.

24. An image transmission method for an image transmission apparatus, which is connected to a network and transmits/receives an image, comprising the steps of:

inputting an image from a video camera;

transmitting the input image via the network;

notifying that image transmission is being executed, and

specifying a communication terminal connected to the network and requesting a control of the movements of a video camera of the communication terminal,

wherein in said notifying step, a notifying state is changed based on whether the input image is being transmitting or the movements of the video camera are controlled.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the operation control includes at least one control of pan processing, tilt processing, zoom processing, and focusing processing of the video camera.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the notification step notifies by changing a frequency or tone volume of the tone.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the informing step informs by changing time intervals of turning on and off of the light and the intensity of the light.

27. An image transmission method for an image transmission apparatus, which is connected to a network and transmits/receives an image, comprising the steps of:

inputting an image from a video-camera;

transmitting the input image via the network;

notifying that image transmission is being executed, and

specifying a communication terminal connected to the network and requesting a control of the movements of a video camera of the communication terminal,

wherein the notification step further notifies that the movements of the video camera are controlled by a communication terminal via the network, by using light.

31. An image transmission system which transmits images picked up by video cameras connected to a plurality of terminal connected to a network among the terminals via the network, comprising:

storage means for storing information of a terminal which can receive an image transmitted from a first terminal;

transmission means for transmitting the image from the first terminal to a second terminal which can receive the image from the first terminal in accordance with the information stored in said storage means;

receiver display means for identifiably displaying the second terminal to which the image is being transmitted by said transmission means on a display unit of the first terminal;

display means for identifiably displaying a terminal, which is controlling the movements of the video camera connected to the first terminal, on said display unit of the first terminal;

informing means for informing whether or not the image from the first terminal is being displayed on another terminal, or whether or not the movements of the video camera of the first terminal are being controlled by another terminal.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein each of the plurality of terminals comprises request issuing means for requesting another terminal to operate the video camera connected to the terminal.

33. The system according to claim 31, wherein each of the plurality of terminals comprises multi-point video display means for simultaneously displaying images from the plurality of terminals.

34. The system according to claim 31, wherein each of the plurality of terminals displays, on a display, an icon which allows to identify whether or not the image from the terminal is being displayed on another terminal or whether or not the video camera of the terminal is being operated by another terminal.

35. The system according to claim 31, wherein said informing means generates information by means of a tone, and changes the tone in correspondence with an operation state of the video camera.

36. An image transmission apparatus which is connected to a network and transmits/receives an image, comprising:

image input means for inputting an image signal, movements of said image input means are able to be controlled via the network by first communication terminal connected to the network; and

notification means being capable of notifying a user on the side of second communication terminal which is connected to the image input means, that the movements of said image input means are controlled by said first communication terminal connected to the network.

37. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said notification means notifies by using a tone.

38. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said notification means notifies by using light.

39. An image transmission method, comprising the steps of:

inputting an image signal from a camera, movements of the camera are able to be controlled via a network by first communication terminal which is connected to the network; and

notifying a user on the side of second communication terminal which is connected to the camera, that the movements of the camera are controlled by said first communication terminal connected to the network.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein said notifying step notifies by using a tone.

41. The method according to claim 39, wherein said notification step notifies by using light.