Video system for use with video telephone and video conferencing

• US 6,665,006 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1997
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1993
• 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): MOE, AUNG SOE
• Application Number:
  US08/801,367
• Time in Patent Office: 2,491 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.714, H04/N.715, 348/13-24, 348/142, 348/143, 348/149, 348/185, 348/211, 348/212, 348/213, 348/214, 348/584, 348/589, 348/590, 348/153, 348/159, 348/385, 348/14.01, 348/14.03, 348/14.05, 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/211--21, 348/211-1-2, 348/211.13, 348/211.14, 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 358/404, 358/408, 358/450, 358/451, 358/452, 358/453, 364/188, 364/189, 364/190
• US Class Current: 348/211.1
• 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: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

This invention provides a video system including an image pickup device for converting an optical image into a video signal, an image pickup direction changing device for changing the image pickup direction of the image pickup device, an image display device for displaying the video signal output from the image pickup device, and a function display device for displaying function information of the image pickup device.

Claims

1. A video system for controlling a plurality of image pickup devices each of which receives an optical image, said system comprising:

a receiving device arranged to receive specification information peculiar to an image pickup device which is selected out of said plurality of image pickup devices;

a function display device arranged to detect a function of said image pickup device, from the specification information peculiar to said image pickup device and to display an image of a controller corresponding to the detected function for controlling said image pickup device corresponding to a selection of said image pickup device;

an image pickup control device arranged to control said image pickup device by using the image of the controller displayed by said function display device; and

a calculation device arranged to calculate a control value for controlling said image pickup device on the basis of the specification information, in accordance with operating the image of the controller of said image pickup device displayed by said function display device,

wherein said image pickup control device outputs a control command for controlling said image pickup device on the basis of the control value calculated by said calculating device.

2. A video system according to claim 1, wherein said image pickup control device changes the image pickup direction in a pan or tilt direction.

3. A video system according to claim 1, wherein an image displayed by said image display device and the image of the controller displayed by said function display device are displayed on the same image display device.

4. A video system according to claim 3, wherein the information comprises information regarding a movable range of said image pickup control device.

5. A video system according to claim 4, further comprising a memory for storing said specification information.

6. A video system according to claim 5, wherein said memory stores specification information in the form of a table.

7. A video system according to claim 3, wherein said image pickup device comprises a zooming device, and the information comprises information regarding a movable range of said zooming device.

8. A video system according to claim 7, further comprising a memory for storing said information.

9. A video system according to claim 8, wherein said memory stores specification information in the form of a table.

10. A video system according to claim 3, wherein said image pickup device comprises an image pickup element, and wherein the specification information comprises a size of an image on said image pickup element.

11. A video system according to claim 10, further comprising a memory for storing said information.

12. A video system according to claim 11, wherein the memory stores said specification information in the form of a table.

13. A video system according to claim 3, wherein said image pickup device comprises an iris, and wherein the information comprises information regarding said iris.

14. A video system according to claim 3, wherein said function display device displays said controller with an icon.

15. A video system according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises information regarding a movable range of said image pickup control device.

16. A video system according to claim 1, wherein said image pickup device comprises a zooming device, and the information comprises information regarding a movable range of said zooming devices.

17. A video system according to claim 1, wherein said image pickup device comprises an image pickup element, and wherein the information comprises information associated with said image pickup element.

18. A video system according to claim 17, wherein the specification information associated with said image pickup element comprises a size of an image on said image pickup element.

19. A video system according to claim 1, wherein said image pickup device comprises an iris, and wherein the information comprises information regarding said iris.

20. A video system according to claim 1, wherein the information comprises information regarding the signal format of the image signal output by said image pickup device.

21. A video system according to claim 1, wherein said image pickup device includes a plurality of different types of video cameras.

22. A video system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a function display changing device arranged to change display of the controller according to the function information.

23. A video system for controlling an image pickup device which receives an optical image and outputs an image signal and control information different from the image signal, said system comprising:

a storage device arranged to extract a still image from the image signal picked up at a first angle zoom position by said image pickup device, and for storing a control information, said control information being received from said image pickup device and corresponding to the first angle zoom position;

an image display device arranged to display the still image stored in said storage device and to display a moving image corresponding to the image signal picked up at a second angle zoom position by said image pickup device, the first angle being wider than the second angle; and

a control device arranged to control said image pickup device to pick up the moving image at the second angle zoom position, in accordance with a position on the extracted still image designated by a user and the stored control information corresponding to the first angle zoom position.

24. A video system according to claim 23, wherein said storage device stores, when the still image is photographed, a position on the still image displayed by said image display device.

25. A video system according to claim 24, wherein said storage device comprises nonvolatile memories.

26. A video system according to claim 23, wherein the still image displayed by said image display device and the moving image displayed by said moving image display device are displayed on the same image display device.

27. A video system according to claim 26, wherein said image pickup control device changes an image pickup direction of said image pickup device in a pan or tilt direction.

28. A video system according to claim 26, wherein said image pickup device comprises a zooming device, and said control device controls said zooming device.

29. A video system according to claim 23, wherein said image pickup control device changes an image pickup direction of said image pickup device in a pan or tilt direction.

30. A video system according to claim 23, wherein said image pickup device comprises a zooming device, and said control device controls said zooming device.

31. A video system according to claim 23, further comprising:

a compression device arranged to compress the image signal output from said image pickup device; and

an expansion device arranged to expand the image signal compressed by said compression device.

32. A video system having an image pickup control device arranged to control an image pickup direction of an image pickup device, to store image signals output from said image pickup device in a memory, and to control said image pickup device to scan a controllable range of the image pickup direction, said video system comprising:

a control device arranged to display a photographable picture image indicating a controllable range of the image pickup direction on a screen, on the basis of the image signals stored in said memory; and

a prohibition range setting device arranged to designate a desired image portion on the photographable picture image on said screen, which indicates the controllable range of the image pickup direction, and thereby sets a displaying prohibition range.

33. A video system according to claim 32, wherein an image signal corresponding to a still image is stored in said memory.

34. A video according to claim 32, wherein said control device displays the desired images designated by said prohibition range setting device among the displayed images which indicate the whole controllable range of image pickup direction, in a display manner which is different from that of the displayed images other than the designated images.

35. A method used in a video system, of controlling a plurality of image pick up devices each of which receives an optical image and outputs an image signal and specification information, said method comprising:

a receiving step of receiving specification information peculiar to an image pickup device which is selected out of said plurality of image pickup devices;

a function display step of detecting a function of said image pickup device from the specification information peculiar to said image pickup device, and displaying an image of a controller corresponding to the detected function for controlling said image pickup device and changing a display of the detected function corresponding to a selection of said image pickup device;

a control step of controlling said image pickup device by using the image of the controller displayed in said function display step; and

a calculation step of calculating a control value for controlling said image pickup device on the basis of the specification information, in accordance with operating the image of the controller of said image pickup device displayed in said function display step,

wherein said control step outputs a control command for controlling said image pickup device on the basis of the control value calculated in said calculating step.

36. A method used in a video system, of controlling an image pickup device which receives an optical image and outputs an image signal and control information different from the image signal, said method comprising the steps of:

a storing step of extracting a still image from the image signal picked up at a first angle zoom position by said image pickup device, and of storing a control information, said control information being received from said image pickup device and corresponding to the first angle zoom position;

an image display step of displaying the still image stored in said storing step and displaying a moving image corresponding to the image signal picked up at a second angle zoom position by said image pickup device, the first angle being wider than the second angle; and

a control step of controlling said image pickup device to pick up the moving image at the second angle zoom position in accordance with the position on the extracted still image designated by a user and the stored control information corresponding to the first angle zoom position.

37. A method used in a video system having an image pickup control device arranged to control an image pickup direction of the image pickup device, to store image signals output from said image pick up device in a memory, and to control said image pickup device to scan a controllable range of the image pickup direction, said method comprising the steps of:

a display step of displaying a photographable picture image indicating a controllable range of the image pickup direction on a screen, on the basis of the image signals stored in said memory; and

a prohibition range setting step of designating a desired image portion on the photographable picture image on said screen, which indicates the controllable range of image pickup direction, and thereby setting a displaying prohibition range.

38. A video system for controlling a plurality of image pickup devices each of which receives an optical image, said system comprising:

a receiving device arranged to receive specification information peculiar to an image pickup device which is selected out of said plurality of image pickup devices;

a function display device arranged to display an image of a controller corresponding to a function of said image pickup device;

a calculation device arranged to calculate a control value for controlling said image pickup device on the basis of the specification information received by said receiving device, in accordance with operating the image of the controller of said image pickup device displayed by said function display device; and

an output device arranged to output a control command for controlling said image pickup device on the basis of the control value calculated by said calculating device.

39. A system according to claim 38, wherein the specification information is information of a movable range of an image pickup direction of said image pickup device.

40. A system according to claim 38, wherein the specification information is information of a movable range of a zooming device of said image pickup device.

41. A system according to claim 38, wherein the specification information is information of a size of an image pickup element of said image pickup device.

42. A system according to claim 38, wherein the image of the controller of said image pickup device is displayed as a cursor on a screen, and wherein said calculation device calculates the control value based on the specification information according to a position at which the cursor is operated.

43. A method used in a video system, of controlling a plurality of image pickup devices each of which receives an optical image, said method comprising the steps of:

a receiving step of receiving specification information peculiar to an image pickup device which is selected out of said plurality of image pickup devices;

a function display step of displaying an image of a controller corresponding to a function of said image pickup device;

a calculating step of calculating a control value for controlling said image pickup device on the basis of the specification information received in said receiving step, in accordance with operating the image of the controller of said image pickup device displayed in said function display step; and

an output step of outputting a control command for controlling said image pickup device on the basis of the control value calculated in said calculating step.

44. A method according to claim 43, wherein the specification information is information of a movable range of an image pickup direction of said image pickup device.

45. A method according to claim 43, wherein the specification information is information of a movable range of a zooming device of said image pickup device.

46. A method according to claim 43, wherein the specification information is information of a size of an image pickup element of said image pickup device.

47. A method according to claim 43, wherein the image of the controller of said image pickup device is displayed as a cursor on a screen, and wherein said calculation step indicates a step of calculating the control value based on the specification information according to a position at which the cursor is operated.

48. A video system having an image pickup control device arranged to control an image pickup direction of an image pickup device, and to control said image pickup device to scan a viewable range of said image pickup device and store a photographable image indicating a controllable range of the image pickup direction in a memory, said video system comprising:

a control device arranged to display on a screen the photographable image indicating the controllable range of the image pickup direction stored in said memory and;

a restriction range setting device arranged to designate a desired image portion on the photographable image which indicates the controllable range, to set a display restriction range.

49. The video system according to claim 48, wherein output of an image from the image pickup device is restricted in a case where the image pickup direction of the image pickup device is in the designated portion.

50. A control method for an image pickup control device arranged to control an image pickup direction of an image pickup device and to control said image pickup device to scan a viewable range of said image pickup device and store a photographable image indicating a controllable range of the image pickup direction in a memory, said method comprising the steps of;

displaying on a screen the photographable image indicating the controllable range of the image pickup direction stored in said memory; and

designating a desired image portion on the photographable image which indicates the controllable range, to set a display restriction range.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein output of an image from the image pickup device is restricted in a case where the image pickup direction of the image pickup device is in the designated portion.