Network compatible image capturing apparatus and method

• US 7,256,821 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hata, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): Villecco; John M.
• Application Number:
  US09/792,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20010017653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,363 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.9, 348/211.3, 348/211.4, 348/211.7, 348/211.8, 348/211.2, 348/207.1, 348/552, 725/96, 725/87, 725/80, 725/82, 725/105, 709/203
• US Class Current: 348/211.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

In order that a digital video (DV) camera function as a WWW server in a network, an image capturing section captures an image of a subject. A DV encoder encodes an image signal input from the image capturing section. A recording and playback section plays back DV data recorded in a DV cassette tape. An IP packet assembling/disassembling section assembles a DV signal input from the DV encoder, a DV signal input from the recording and playback section, or an HTML file input from a WWW server processing section into IP packets, and outputs them to an IEEE 1394 interface. The IEEE 1394 interface transmits, via the network, the IP packets input from the IP packet assembling/disassembling section to a personal computer which accessed the DV camera.

Claims

1. An image capturing apparatus, comprising:

image capturing means for capturing an image;

storage means for storing said image captured by said image capturing means;

playback means for playing back said image stored by said storage means;

maintaining means for maintaining an HTML file which forms a home page with command buttons and a display area for displaying said image within the home page;

receiving means for receiving a command output by an electronic device connected to said image capturing apparatus via a network;

detecting means for detecting whether said command requests a real-time image which is being captured by said capturing means or a pre-recorded image which is stored in said storage means;

transmission means for transmitting said HTML file maintained by said maintaining means to said electronic device in such a manner as to correspond to said command received by said receiving means, whereby said home page is displayed on said electronic device;

coding means for coding said image captured by said image capturing means for generating coded image data when said command is a request for a real-time image;

readout means for reading out said stored image from said storage means when said command is a request for a pre-recorded image;

readout speed control means for controlling a readout speed of said readout means;

supply means for supplying said coded image data generated by said coding means or said stored image readout by said readout means to said electronic device in such a manner as to correspond to said command received by said receiving means;

whereby the image is displayed in said display area of said home page displayed on said electronic device;

line checking means for checking a communication capacity and a degree of congestion on said network; and

coding-rate control means for controlling a coding rate of said coding means in such a manner as to correspond to the communication capacity and degree of congestion on said network.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

playback speed control means for controlling a playback speed of said playback means.

3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said network conforms with an IEEE 1394 standard.

4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image capturing apparatus is a digital video camera.

5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device is a personal computer.

6. An image capturing method, comprising:

capturing an image;

storing said image captured in said image capturing step;

playing back said image stored in said storage step;

maintaining an HTML file which forms a home page with command buttons and a display area for displaying said image within the home page;

receiving a command output by an electronic device connected via a network;

transmitting said HTML file maintained in said maintaining step to said electronic device in such a manner as to correspond to said command received by said receiving step, whereby said home page is displayed on said electronic device;

detecting whether said command requests a real-time image which is currently being captured or a pre-recorded image which was stored in said storage step;

coding said image captured in said image capturing step for generating coded image data when said command is a request for a real-time image;

reading out said stored image stored in said storage step when said command is a request for a pre-recorded image;

controlling a readout speed of said stored image data in said reading out step;

supplying said coded image data generated by said coding step or said stored image readout in said reading out step to said electronic device in such a manner as to correspond to said command received in said receiving step;

whereby the image is displayed in said display area of said home page displayed on said electronic device;

checking a communication capacity and a degree of congestion on said network; and

controlling a coding rate of said coding step in such a manner as to correspond to the communication capacity and degree of congestion on said network.

7. An image capturing apparatus, comprising:

image capturing means for capturing an image;

recording means for recording said image captured by said image capturing means;

receiving means for receiving a request command output by an electronic device connected to said image capturing apparatus via a network;

detecting means for detecting whether said request command requests a real-time image which is being captured by said capturing means or a pre-recorded image which was recorded by said recording means;

coding means for coding said image captured by said image capturing means for generating coded image data when said request command is a request for a real-time image;

readout means for reading out said recorded image recorded by said recording means when said request command is a request for a pre-recorded image;

readout speed control means for controlling a readout speed of said readout means;

assembling means for assembling said coded image data or said read out image into packets; and

transmitting means for transmitting said packets to said electronic device via said network to correspond to said request command received by said receiving means.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

line checking means for checking a communication capacity and a degree of congestion on said network; and

coding-rate control means for controlling a coding rate of said coding means in such a manner as to correspond to the communication capacity and degree of congestion on said network.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said network conforms with an IEEE 1394 standard.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said image capturing apparatus is a digital video camera.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said electronic device is a personal computer.

12. An image capturing method, comprising:

capturing an image;

recording said image captured in said image capturing step;

receiving a request command output by an electronic device connected via a network;

detecting whether said request command requests a real-time image which is being captured in said capturing step or a pre-recorded image which was recorded in said recording step;

coding said image captured in said image capturing step for generating coded image data when said request command is a request for a real-time image;

reading out said recorded image recorded in said recording step when said request command is a request for a pre-recorded image;

controlling a readout speed of said recorded image data in said reading out step;

assembling said coded image data or said readout image into packets; and

transmitting said packets to said electronic device via said network to correspond to said request command received in said receiving step.