Video system for use with video telephone and video conferencing

• US 20040150725A1
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Taguchi, Tomishige
• Granted Patent: US 7,298,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.99
• 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 comprising:

(A) image pickup means for converting an optical image into a video signal;

(B) image pickup direction changing means for changing an image pickup direction of said image pickup means;

(C) image display means for displaying the video signal output from said image pickup means; and

(D) function display means for displaying function information of said image pickup means.

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

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein an image displayed by said image display means and the function information displayed by said function display means are displayed on the same image display means.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the function information is information of a movable range of said image pickup direction changing means.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein said image pickup means comprises zooming means, and the function information is information of a movable range of said zooming means.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein the information associated with the image pickup element is a size of an image on the image pickup element.

7. A system according to claim 3, wherein the function information is information of an iris of said image pickup means.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the function information is information of a movable range of said image pickup direction changing means.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said image pickup means comprises zooming means, and the function information is information of a movable range of said zooming means.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the function information is information associated with an image pickup element of said image pickup means.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the information associated with the image pickup element is a size of an image on the image pickup element.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the function information is information of an iris of said image pickup means.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein the function information is form information of a video signal of said image pickup means.

14. A video system comprising:

(A) image pickup means for converting an optical image into a video signal;

(B) image pickup direction changing means for changing an image pickup direction of said image pickup means;

(C) first storage means for storing the video signal output from said image pickup means as a still image;

(D) still image display means for displaying the still image stored in said first storage means;

(E) moving image display means for displaying a moving image output from said image pickup means;

(F) designation means for designating a position on the still image displayed by said still image display means; and

(G) control means for controlling said image pickup direction changing means so that the position designated by said designation means becomes a predetermined position of an image.

15. A system according to claim 14, further comprising second storage means for storing position of an optical image on the still image displayed by said still image display means when the still image is photographed.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein the still image displayed by said still image display means and the moving image displayed by said moving image display means are displayed on the same image display means.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said image pickup direction changing means changes the image pickup direction in a pan or tilt direction.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein said image pickup means comprises a zooming means, and said control means controls said zooming means.

19. A system according to claim 14, wherein said image pickup direction changing means changes the image pickup direction in a pan or tilt direction.

20. A system according to claim 14, wherein said image pickup means comprises a zooming means and said control means controls said zooming means.

21. A system according to claim 14, further comprising:

compression means for compressing the video signal output from said image pickup means; and

expansion means for expanding the video signal compressed by said compression means.

22. A system according to claim 14, wherein said first and second storage means comprise nonvolatile memories.

23. A video system comprising:

(A) image pickup means for converting an optical image into a video signal;

(B) image pickup direction changing means for changing an image pickup direction of said image pickup means;

(C) storage means for storing a video signal within an imageable region of said image pickup means changeable the image pickup direction by said image pickup direction changing means; and

(D) display means for displaying the video signal stored in said storage means.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein said storage means stores a still image.

25. A system according to claim 23, further comprising:

synthesization means for synthesizing a plurality of video signals stored in said storage means into a single image.

26. A system according to claim 23, further comprising:

photographing prohibition range setting means for designating a photographing prohibition range of an image displayed on said display means.

27. A system according to claim 23, wherein said storage means comprises a nonvolatile memory.