Apparatus and method for displaying both an image and control information related to the image

• US 6,433,796 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Taguchi, Tomishige
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US09/130,480
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 345/327, 345/474, 345/330, 345/340, 345/341, 345/348, 345/349, 345/328, 345/329, 348/214, 348/211, 348/169, 348/159, 709/204
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

An electronic apparatus includes a display and a data processor for processing data. First output circuitry outputs the data processed by the data processor to the display in order to display the data. An image pickup device picks up an object image and outputs motion-image data. Second output circuitry outputs to the display (i) the motion-image data output by the image pickup device, and (ii) control-window data for controlling the image pickup device. Preferably, camera pan and zoom icons are displayed on a computer display and may be used to pan and zoom a camera to place the camera moving image within an image display area on the same computer display.

Claims

1. An image communication apparatus for performing image communication with a terminal of a communication partner having an image pickup device via a communication circuit, said apparatus comprising:

reception means for receiving an image picked up by said image pickup device from said terminal of the communication partner;

display means for displaying the image received by said receiving means in a window within a screen;

indication means for indicating a position inside the window so as to operate an image pickup range of the image pickup device of said terminal of the communication partner, or alternatively for indicating a position outside the window; and

transmission means for calculating a control amount to change the image pickup range from the position indicated by said indication means and transmitting a control signal including the control amount to said terminal of the communication partner,

wherein, when said indication means indicates a position outside the window, said transmission means calculates the control amount to change the image pickup range based on the position outside the window indicated by said indication means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup device comprises a camera, and wherein the image comprises one of a motion-image and still-image.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises one of a workstation and a personal computer.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indication means includes a mouse for performing a click-and-click drag operation.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control signal includes information regarding controlling a zoom of the pickup device.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the terminal of the communication partner starts controlling the pickup device in response to an operation of a icon displayed on the display.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein operation of said indication means for indicating a position outside of the window by is different from operation of said indication means for indicating a position within the window.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein operation of said indication means for indicating a position outside the window requires a predetermined operation simultaneously with operation of said indication means for indicating a position within the window.

9. A method for controlling an image communication with a terminal of a communication partner having an image pickup device via a communication circuit, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an image picked up by said image pickup device from said terminal of the communication partner;

displaying the image received in said receiving step in a window within a screen of a display device;

indicating a position inside the window so as to operate an image pickup range of the image pickup device of said terminal of the communication partner, or alternatively indicating a position outside the window; and

calculating a control amount to change the image pickup range from the position indicated in said indicating step and transmitting a control signal including the control amount to said terminal of the communication partner,

wherein when said indicating step includes indicating a position outside the window, said calculating and transmitting step includes calculating the control amount to change the image pickup range based on the position outside the window indicated in said indicating step.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the image pickup device comprises a camera, and wherein the image comprises one of a motion-image and a still-image.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said apparatus comprises one of a workstation and a personal computer.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the indicating step includes a mouse click-and-drag operation.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the control signal includes information regarding controlling a zoom of the pickup device.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein the terminal of the communication partner starts controlling the pickup device in response to an operation of an icon displayed on the display.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein the step of indicating a position outside the window is different from the step of indicating a position within the window.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the step of indicating a position outside the window requires a predetermined operation simultaneously with the step of indication a position within the window.