Wireless video camera

• US 7,107,070 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gvbb Holdings SARL (Vislink Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Plessix, Jean-Paul, Auffret, Eric, Morel, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Application Number:
  US10/245,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20030052994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/5.57, 455/566, 455/66.1, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/67.7, 455/226.1, 455/344, 348/376, 348/192, 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/211.2, 348/211.1, 348/330.01, 348/330.04, 358/405, 358/435, 358/438, 358/443, 375/221, 375/259
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/20 using signal quality detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

The invention relates to a video camera system comprising a mobile video camera 1 and a base station 2. The camera 1 comprises means of acquiring images and means of radio transmission of the acquired images. The base station 2 comprises means of radio reception for receiving the acquired images. The system comprises evaluation means AGC, MER, BER and 500 for evaluating the quality of the transmission between the camera 1 and the base station 2, and display means 506 to 509 for displaying information QR relating to the quality of transmission.

Claims

1. A video camera system comprising:

a mobile video camera, comprising;

means of acquiring images, and

means of radio transmission of the acquired images;

a base station comprising;

means of radio reception for receiving the acquired images; and

decoding means for decoding the images and for using redundant image information to correct errors;

evaluation means for evaluating the quality of image transmission between the camera and the base station, wherein the evaluation means measures a gain required for correct reception of the images a number of errors corrected by the decoding means and a modulation error ratio corresponding to an average of discrepancies between symbols received and transmission symbols, to determine a quality of transmission; and

display means for displaying information relating to the quality of transmission.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, the camera comprising image coding means introducing redundant information for error correction.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image transmission is achieved by using a constellation modulation.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the evaluation means are placed in the base station and wherein the evaluation of the quality of transmission is achieved on receipt of the images.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the display means are placed in the base station.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4, in which the base station comprises a return path transmitter, the camera comprising means of reception for information communicated via a return path, wherein information relating to the quality of transmission of the images is sent by the return path, and wherein the camera comprises the display means.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the display means display a transmission ratio with a first colour when the ratio corresponds to correct transmission and with a second colour when the ratio corresponds to fatal transmission.

8. The video camera system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the quality of transmission is defined by a reception quality ratio (QR).

9. A video camera comprising:

image acquisition means,

means of radio transmission for transmitting the acquired images using a constellation modulation,

image coding means for introducing redundant information in the acquired images for enabling error correction, and

display means for displaying a quality of transmission of the images, wherein said quality of transmission is determined by measuring a gain required for correct reception of the images, a number of errors corrected by a decoding means, and a modulation error ratio corresponding to an average of discrepancies between symbols received and transmission symbols.

10. The camera as claimed in claim 9, wherein the camera comprises means of reception for receiving an information related to the quality of transmission of the image, from a base station.

11. The camera as claimed In claim 9, wherein the display means display the quality of transmission with a first colour when the quality is correct and with a second colour when the quality is below a desired value.

12. The camera as claimed in claim 9, wherein the display means continuously display the quality of transmission to a cameraman.

13. A base station for at least one video camera comprising:

means of radio reception for receiving images acquired by said at least one video camera,

gain means for providing gain to the received images,

decoding means for decoding the images and for using redundant image information to correct errors, and

evaluation means for evaluating a quality of reception of the images originating from said at least one camera, wherein the evaluation means measures a gain required for correct reception of the images, a number of errors corrected by the decoding means, and a modulation error ratio corresponding to an average of discrepancies between symbols received and transmission symbols, to determine the quality of image reception.

14. The base station as claimed in claim 13, said at least one video camera comprising image coding means introducing redundant information for error correction.

15. The base station as claimed in claim 13, wherein image transmission is achieved by using a constellation modulation.

16. The base station as claimed in claim 13, wherein the base station comprises display means for displaying the quality of reception.

17. The base station as claimed in claim 13, wherein the base station comprises a return path transmitter for sending commands to the camera, and wherein an information related to the quality of reception is sent to the camera via the return path transmitter.

18. The base station as claimed in claim 13, wherein the display means display a quality of reception with a first colour when the quality is correct and with a second colour when the quality is below a desired value.