Portable electronic device and video conference system integrated with the same

• US 20060055770A1
• Filed: 05/04/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Liu, Wan-Hsieh
• Granted Patent: US 7,508,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.20
• 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 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A portable electronic device and a video conference system integrated with the portable electronic device are described. The video conference system has a portable electronic device, a computer, and a display. The portable electronic device generates first video data. The computer receives second video data and second voice data from a remote electronic device. The computer receives the first video data through a transmission interface. The computer has an audio-receiving device for receiving an audio signal and generating first audio data. The display receives and displays the second video data. The computer displays the second audio data and sends the first video data and the first audio data to the remote electronic device through a network transmission medium, so that a video conference is conducted.

Claims

1. A video conference system, comprising:

a portable electronic device having an image-capturing module and a display module, wherein the portable electronic device captures a scene and generates first video data;

a computer receiving second video data and second audio data through a network transmission medium, wherein the second video data and the second audio data are generated by a remote electronic device, the computer receives the first video data through a transmission interface, and the computer has an audio-receiving device for receiving a audio signal and generating first audio data; and

a display connected to the computer, wherein the display receives and displays the second video data;

wherein when the display displays the second video data, the computer plays the second audio data and sends the first video data and the first audio data to the remote electronic device through the network transmission medium, so as to hold a video conference; and

wherein when the portable electronic device is not connected to the computer, the portable electronic device is capable of displaying the first video data on the display module.

2. The video conference system of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a cell phone or a PDA.

3. The video conference system of claim 1, wherein the computer displays the first video data on the display.

4. The video conference system of claim 1, wherein the transmission interface is a USB interface, an IEEE 1394 interface, a UART interface, or an IEEE 802.11b/a/g interface.

5. The video conference system of claim 1, wherein the network transmission medium is ADSL, WLAN, ISDN, or EtherNet.

6. The video conference system of claim 1, wherein the audio-receiving device is a microphone.

7. A portable electronic device having a function of video conference, the portable electronic device comprising:

an image-capturing module, wherein the portable electronic device uses the image-capturing module to capture a scene and to generate first video data; and

a display module;

wherein when the portable electronic device is connected to a computer through a transmission interface, the computer receives second video data and second audio data, the second video data and the second audio data are generated by a remote electronic device, and the computer receives the first video data through the transmission interface;

wherein when the computer displays the second video data and plays the second audio data, the computer sends the first video data and the first audio data to the remote electronic device via the network transmission medium, so as to hold a video conference; and

wherein when the portable electronic device is not connected to the computer, the portable electronic device is capable of displaying the first video data on the display module.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the portable electronic device is a cell phone or a PDA.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the computer displays the first video data on the display.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the computer further comprises an audio-receiving device for receiving an audio signal and generating first audio data, and the computer sends the first audio data to the remote electronic device through the network transmission medium.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 7, further comprising an audio-receiving device for receiving first audio data, wherein the portable electronic device sends the first audio data to the computer, the computer sends the first audio data to the remote electronic device through the network transmission medium.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the transmission interface is a USB interface, an IEEE 1394 interface, a UART interface, or an IEEE 802.11b/a/g interface.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the network transmission medium is ADSL, WLAN, ISDN, or EtherNet.

14. A portable electronic device having a function of video conference, the portable electronic device comprising:

an image-capturing module, wherein the portable electronic device uses the image-capturing module to capture a scene and generate first video data;

a display module; and

a wireless signal transceiver module;

wherein when the portable electronic device is connected to a computer through a transmission interface, and when the portable electronic device receives second video data and second audio data through the wireless signal transceiver module, the portable electronic device sends the second video data to the computer through the transmission interface, the second video data is displayed on a display of the computer, and the second video data and the second audio data come from a remote electronic device;

wherein the portable electronic device sends the first video data to the remote electronic device through the wireless signal transceiver module, so as to hold a video conference; and

wherein when the portable electronic device is not connected to the computer, the portable electronic device is capable of displaying the first video data on the display module.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the portable electronic device is a cell phone or a PDA.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the portable electronic device sends the first video data to the computer, and the computer displays the first video data on the display of the computer.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the computer further comprises an audio-receiving device for receiving an audio signal and generating first audio data, the computer sends the first audio data to the portable electronic device through the transmission interface, and the portable electronic device sends the first audio data to the remote electronic device through the wireless signal transceiver module.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 14, further comprising an audio-receiving device for receiving an audio signal and generating first audio data, wherein the portable electronic device sends the first audio data to the remote electronic device through the wireless signal transceiver module.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the transmission interface is a USB interface, an IEEE 1394 interface, or a UART interface.