Picture codec and teleconference terminal equipment

• US 6,249,309 B1
• Filed: 12/24/1997
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamada, Takehiko, Shibata, Yoji, Ebihara, Toru, Yoshida, Atsuo, Matsushima, Hitoshi, Yoshikawa, Hiroshi, Takizawa, Masaaki, Maruyama, Yukinobu, Furuya, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/997,810
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 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: 725/105
• 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. A communication terminal which transmits and receives an image signal through a digital communication line by use of an image input means which inputs an image signal, and an image output means which outputs the image signal, said communication terminal comprising:

first coding means which executes a first coding process with respect to the input image signal from said image input means to output first coded image data;

second coding means which executes a second coding process with respect to said input image signal to output second coded image data;

communication control means which transmits and receives said first and/or second coded image data via said digital communication line;

first decoding means which decodes the first coded image data received by said communication control means via said digital communication line to generate first decoded image data;

second decoding means which decodes the second coded image data received by said communication control means via said digital communication line to generate second decoded image data;

screen display processing means which selects two image signals among said first decoded image data, said second decoded image data, and said input image signal, and controls a display in a manner such that a first image signal of said two image signals thus selected is displayed in a first region of said image output means, and a second image signal of said two image signals is displayed in a second region of said image output means; and

an operation unit for operating said communication terminal,

wherein said display processing means, in accordance with information input through said operation unit, a executes display process to display said first image signal which had been displayed in said first region in said second region, and to display said second image signal which had been displayed in said second region in said first region.

2. A communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein said first coding process is coding of a still image and said second coding process is coding of a moving image.

3. A communication terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

first storage means for storing said first decoded image data;

second storage means for storing said second decoded image data; and

third storage means for storing and input image signal,

wherein said screen display processing means executes display control by controlling reading from and writing into said first, second and third storage means.

4. A communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein said first decoding means and said second decoding means comprises:

a frame memory used for decoding; and

said frame memory is used as said first, second and third storage means.

5. A method of displaying a screen in a communication terminal that transmits and receives an image signal through a digital communication line, said method comprising the steps of:

executing a first coding process with respect to an input image signal to generate first coded image data;

executing a second coding process with respect to the input image signal to generate second coded image data;

transmitting and receiving said first and/or second coded image data via said digital communication line;

decoding the first coded image data received via said digital communication line to generate first decoded image data;

decoding the second coded image data received via said digital communication line to generate second decoded image data;

selecting two image signals among said first decoded image data, said second decoded image data and said input image signal, and controlling screen display in a manner such that a first image signal of said two image signals thus selected is displayed in a first region of a display screen, and a second image signal is displayed in a second region of said display screen; and

upon receipt of an input of information from an operation section, and in accordance with said input information, displaying said first image signal which had been displayed in said first region in said second region, and displaying said second image signal which had been displayed in said second region in said first region.