Imaging apparatus and network system using the same

• US 6,988,131 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kitamura, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US10/177,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20020156847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227, 709/229, 709/238, 709/245, 709/250, 709/313
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

A networked camera includes an I/F circuit so that it can be directly connected to a communication line L of the network. A computer connected to the network can control the imaging operation of the camera independent of any other computer. A desired network address can be attached to image data to send to the communication line L, and image data can be transferred to any other computer or device connected to the communication line L.

Claims

1. A display device, which can directly connect to a network comprising:

an interface circuit, which is connected to a communication line through which an information packet including image information and control information is transmitted, and which fetches said information packet from said communication line;

an image signal processing circuit for producing image signals based on the image information contained in said information packet and being operable based solely on the control information contained in said information packet from said interface circuit;

a control circuit connecting to said interface circuit for controlling operation of said image signal processing circuit according to the control information contained in said information packet provided from said interface circuit; and

a display panel for displaying image based on said image signals produced by said image signal processing circuit.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein said interface circuit, to which is assigned an inherent address unique within the network, detects a match between the inherent address and an address indicated by address information attached to the information packet transmitted over the communication line to permit capturing of the information packet.

3. The display device according to claim 2, further comprising a frame memory, which is connected to said interface circuit and stores at least one frame of said image information contained in said information packet which is provided form said interface circuit.

4. A network system comprising:

a communication line for transmitting an information packet including image information and control information;

at least one terminal device, connected to said communication line, which generates said information packet in which a receiver address is attached to said image information, and sends out the generated information packet to said communication line; and

a display device, directly connected to said communication line, which fetches and displays said information packet sent through said communication line according to the address information attached to said image information;

wherein said display device includes an interface circuit which fetches said information packet from said communication line, to which is assigned an inherent address unique within the network, which detects a match between the inherent address and the address indicated by address information attached to the information packet transmitted through said communication line to permit capturing of the information packet, wherein said display device further includes a control circuit connecting to said interface circuit for controlling operation of said display device according to said control information provided from said interface circuit, and said display device being openable based on the control information contained in the information packet provided from the interface circuit.

5. The network system according to claim 4, wherein one or more of said terminal devices each having a unique address and one or more of said display devices each having a unique address are connected in parallel to said communication line and said information packet is transmitted between one of the terminal devices and one of the display device biased on said address.

6. A network system comprising:

a communication line for transmitting an information packet including image information and control information;

at least one terminal device, connected to said communication line, which generates said information packet in which a receiver address is attached to said image information, and sends out the generated information packet to said communication line; and

a display device, connected to said communication line, which fetches and displays said information packet sent through said communication line according to the address information attached to said image information;

wherein said display device includes an interface circuit, which is connected to a communication line through which an information packet including image information and control information is transmitted, and which fetches said information packet from said communication line, and an image signal processing circuit for producing image signals based on the image information contained in said information packet and being operable based solely on the control information contained in said information packet from said interface circuit.

7. The network system according to claim 6, further comprising a control circuit connecting to said interface circuit for controlling operation of said image signal processing circuit according to the control information contained in said information packet provided from said interface circuit.

8. The network system according to claim 6, wherein one or more of said terminal devices each having a unique address and one or more of said display devices each having a unique address are connected in parallel to said communication line and said information packet is transmitted between one of the terminal devices and one of the display device based on said address.