System, apparatus and method for communication, display and output of images

• US 6,408,095 B1
• Filed: 08/15/1997
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Maeda, Masamine, Arai, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): COUSO, YON JUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/911,749
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 382/232, 382/239, 382/234, 358/425, 358/426, 358/1.13
• US Class Current: 382/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

A reception apparatus includes a display unit for displaying image information and a first communication unit for transmitting information on a display performance of the display unit. A transmission apparatus includes a compressing unit for compression-coding image information, a second communication unit for modulating and transmitting image information output from the compressing unit, a controlling unit for controlling at least one of the compression-coding by the compressing unit and the modulation by the second communication unit in accordance with information on the display performance, wherein the reception apparatus displays image information transmitted from the transmission apparatus. Accordingly, a process can be realized which properly satisfies both the image quality and transmission rate of image information to be transmitted, in accordance with the display performance of the display unit.

Claims

1. An image communication apparatus, comprising:

compressing means for compressing image data;

converting means for converting the compressed image data into a plurality of data trains;

modulating means for modulating the plurality of data trains by using a plurality of spreading codes;

multiplexing means for multiplexing the plurality of data trains modulated by said modulating means;

transmitting means for transmitting the plurality of data trains multiplexed by said multiplexing means to an external display device; and

controlling means for controlling at least one of a compressing process of said compressing means and a converting process of said converting means in accordance with display information on a performance of the external display device.

2. An image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in case of controlling the compressing process, said controlling means controls an amount of the image data, and in case of controlling the converting process, said controlling means controls a number of the data trains.

3. An image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display information is transmitted by wireless from the external display device.

4. An image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display information includes at least one of a frame size, a resolution, a number of pixels, a frame rate and a type.

5. An image communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in case a high quality mode is selected, said controlling means controls the compressing process so as to increase an amount of the image data and controls the converting process so as to increase a number of the data trains, and in case a low quality mode is selected, said controlling means controls the compressing process so as to decrease an amount of the image data and controls the converting process so as to decrease a number of data trains.

6. An image communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image pickup unit for generating the image data.

7. An image communication apparatus, comprising:

regulating means for regulating an amount of image data;

converting means for converting the regulated image data into a plurality of data trains;

modulating means for modulating the plurality of data trains using a plurality of spreading codes;

multiplexing means for multiplexing the plurality of data trains modulated by said modulating means;

transmitting means for transmitting the plurality of data trains multiplexed by said multiplexing means to an external display device; and

controlling means for controlling at least one of a regulating process of said regulating means and a converting process of said converting means in accordance with display information on a performance of the external display device.

15. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display information includes at least one of a frame size, a resolution, a number of pixels, a frame rate and a type.

16. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein in case of controlling the regulating process, said controlling means controls an amount of the image data, and in case of controlling the converting process, said controlling means controls a number of the data trains.

19. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display information is transmitted by wireless from the display device.

20. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein in case a high quality mode is selected, said controlling means controls the regulating process so as to increase an amount of the image data and controls the converting process so as to increase a number of the data trains, and in case a low quality mode is selected, said controlling means controls the regulating process so as to decrease an amount of the image data and controls the converting process so as to decrease a number of the data trains.

21. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an image pickup unit for generating the image data.

8. An image communication method, comprising the steps of:

compressing image data;

converting the compressed image data into a plurality of data trains;

modulating the plurality of data trains by using a plurality of spreading codes;

multiplexing the plurality of data trains modulated in said modulating step;

transmitting the plurality of data trains multiplexed in said multiplexing step to an external display device; and

controlling at least one of a compressing process of the compressing step and a converting process of the converting step in accordance with display information on a performance of the external display device.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein in case of controlling the compressing process, said controlling step controls an amount of the image data, and in case of controlling the converting process, said controlling step controls a number of the data trains.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein the display information is transmitted by wireless from the external display device.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein the display information includes at least one of a frame size, a resolution, a number of pixels, a frame rate and a type.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein in case a high quality mode is selected, said controlling step controls the compressing process so as to increase an amount of the image data and controls the converting process so as to increase a number of the data trains, and in case a low quality mode is selected, said controlling step controls the compressing process so as to decrease an amount of the image data and controls the converting process so as to decrease a number of the data trains.

14. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of generating the image data using an image pickup unit.

9. An image communication method, comprising the steps of:

regulating an amount of image data;

converting the regulated image data into a plurality of data trains;

modulating the plurality of data trains using a plurality of spreading codes;

multiplexing the plurality of data trains modulated in said modulating step;

transmitting the plurality of data trains multiplexed in said multiplexing step to an external display device; and

controlling at least one of a regulating process of said regulating step and a converting process of said converting step in accordance with display information on a performance of the external display device.

17. A method according to claim 9, wherein the display information includes at least one of a frame size, a resolution, a number of pixels, a frame rate and a type.

18. A method according to claim 9, wherein in case of controlling the regulating process, said controlling step controls an amount of the image data, and in case of controlling the converting process, and said controlling step controls a number of the data trains.

22. A method according to claim 9, wherein the display information is transmitted by wireless from the display device.

23. A method according to claim 18, wherein in case a high quality mode is selected, said controlling step controls the regulating process so as to increase an amount of the image data and controls the converting process so as to increase a number of the data trains, and in case a low quality mode is selected, said controlling step controls the regulating process so as to decrease an amount of the image data and controls the converting process so as to decrease a number of the data trains.

24. A method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of generating the image data using an image pickup unit.