Imaging apparatus and network system using the same

• US 6,438,587 B2
• Filed: 12/07/1998
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitamura, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/207,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20020013857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/250, 709/310, 709/313, 348/207, 348/211, 348/222
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

A networked camera includes an I/F circuit 17 so that it can be directly be connected to a communication line L of the network. A computer connected to the network can control the imaging operation of the camera independent of any other computer. A desired network address can be attached to image data to send to the communication line L, and image data can be transferred to any other computer or device connected to the communication line L.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus which can directly connect to a network, comprising:

an imaging device, which generates and accumulates information charges depending on a subject image;

a drive circuit, which drives said imaging device in response to a predetermined timing signal to produce an image signal indicating the subject image screen by screen;

a signal processing circuit, which performs predetermined signal processing on the image signal to generate a processed image signal;

a control circuit, which controls operation timing of said drive circuit and said signal processing circuit in response to a control command; and

an interface circuit, which is connected to a communication line through which a first information packet including address information and control information is transmitted, captures the control command from the communication line to supply directly to said control circuit, and sends a second information packet including image data packaged in a constant number of bytes to the communication line;

wherein said network connects a plurality of computer devices.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said interface circuit has a first address and detects a match between the first address and a second address the control command.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said signal processing circuit converts the image signal into a predetermined data format designated by the control command to supply the predetermined data format to the interface circuit.

4. A network system, comprising:

a communication line for transmitting an information packet;

an imaging apparatus connected to said communication line, which captures a first information packet including address information and control information from the communication line, picks up a subject image in response to contents of the first information packet, and sends a second information packet image data packaged in a constant number of bytes to said communication line, wherein said control information is directly utilized for control of operation of said imaging apparatus; and

a terminal device connected to said communication line, which sends out the first information packet to said communication line and captures the second information packet from said communication line to display or store the second information packet;

wherein said network connects a plurality of computer devices.

5. The network system according to claim 4, wherein one or more of said imaging apparatus and said terminal device which include unique addresses are connected in parallel with said communication line to transmit the first and second information packets to and from one of said imaging apparatuses and at least one of said terminal devices based on the addresses.

6. The network system according to claim 4, further comprising a display device, which is connected to said communication line and captures the second information packet in order to display the second information packet.

7. The network system according to claim 6, wherein one or more among said imaging apparatuses, said terminal devices, and said display devices having the unique addresses are connected in parallel with said communication line;

the first and second information packet are transmitted between on of said imaging apparatuses and at least one of said terminal devices based on the addresses; and

the second information packet is transmitted from one of said imaging apparatuses to one of said display devices.