Videoconference system

• US 7,391,432 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2002
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Terada, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US10/066,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20020109770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,331 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.08, 348/14.03, 348/207.1
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• 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 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

This videoconference system includes plural user'"'"'s user PCs, a digital camera that is connected to each user PC through a cradle and can take a moving image, a server for a videoconference, and the Internet that connects these user PCs and the server for a videoconference. Each user PC has a program for videoconference for performing a videoconference, and when detecting that the digital camera is mounted on the cradle and is connected to the user PC duplex-communicably, the user PC makes a videoconference possible by automatically booting the above-described program for videoconference, and making moving images, taken with digital cameras of both users who are mutually communication, displayed on display devices of both user PCs.

Claims

1. A videoconference system, comprising:

computers of users, the computers enabling communication with each other via a communication network; and

electronic cameras of the users, the electronic cameras enabling a moving image to be taken, the electronic cameras being respectively connected to the computers duplex-communicably, wherein;

the videoconference system makes a videoconference possible by making a moving image, taken by the electronic camera of each user, displayed on a display device of a computer of a communication partner;

the computer has a program for videoconference which performs the videoconference;

the computer further has a program for image display; and

the program for videoconference and the program for image display are automatically booted when it is detected that the electronic camera is connected duplex-communicably;

wherein the program for image display makes the computer execute a function of making a display device of the computer simultaneously display a list of images recorded in a recording medium in the electronic camera or recorded in a recording medium in the computer; and

wherein the program for videoconference makes the computer execute, when an image is selected from the list of images during communication and image transmission is commanded, a function of making the selected image transmitted to a communication partner.

2. The videoconference system according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic camera has a photography/playback mode, and a communication mode where either of a videoconference mode where the electronic camera is made to operate as the electronic camera for the computer, and a mass storage class mode where the electronic camera is made to operate as a card reader is set;

the electronic camera automatically sets itself in the communication mode when detecting that the electronic camera is connected to the computer duplex-communicably; and

the computer automatically boots the program for videoconference when the communicate mode that is set is the videoconference mode.

3. The videoconference system according to claim 1, wherein the program for image display makes the computer execute:

a function of making a display device of the computer simultaneously display a list of images recorded in a recording medium in the electronic camera, and a menu button for commanding the computer to connect with a server performing various kinds of services; and

a function of making the server that is selected by the menu button transmit an image selected from the list of images.

4. The videoconference system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cradle on which the electronic camera is detachably mounted; and

a communication cable which connects the cradle with the computer,

wherein the cradle connects the electronic camera with the communication cable when the electronic camera is mounted.

5. The videoconference system according to claim 4, wherein:

the electronic camera has a photography/playback mode, and a communication mode where either of a videoconference mode where the electronic camera is made to operate as the electronic camera for the computer, and a mass storage class mode where the electronic camera is made to operate as a card reader is set;

the electronic camera automatically sets itself in the communication mode when detecting that the electronic camera is connected to the computer duplex-communicably; and

the computer automatically boots the program for videoconference when the communicate mode that is set is the videoconference mode.

6. The videoconference system according to claim 4, wherein the program for image display makes the computer execute:

a function of making a display device of the computer simultaneously display a list of images recorded in a recording medium in the electronic camera or recorded in a recording medium in the computer, and a menu button for commanding the computer to connect with a server performing various kinds of services; and

a function of making the server that is selected by the menu button transmit an image selected from the list of images.

7. A videoconference system, comprising:

computers of users, the computers enabling communication with each other via a communication network; and

electronic cameras of the users, the electronic cameras enabling a moving image to be taken, the electronic cameras being respectively connected to the computers duplex-communicably, wherein;

the videoconference system makes a videoconference possible by making a moving image, taken by the electronic camera of each user, displayed on a display device of a computer of a communication partner;

the computer has a program for videoconference which performs the videoconference; and

the computer makes the program for videoconference operate only when it is detected that the electronic camera is connected duplex-communicably and is a predetermined model.

8. The videoconference system according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined model of electronic camera is one of an electronic camera that has a function of treating the program for videoconference, and an electronic camera that has a function of treating the program for videoconference and is produced by a predetermined manufacturer.

9. A video conference system, comprising:

computers of users, the computers enabling communication with each other via a communication network; and

electronic cameras of the users, the electronic cameras enabling a moving image to be taken, the electronic cameras being respectively connected to the computers duplex-communicably, wherein;

the videoconference system makes a videoconference possible by making a moving image, taken by the electronic camera of each user, displayed on a display device of a computer of a communication partner;

the computer has a program for videoconference which performs the videoconference; and

the program for videoconference makes the computer perform a function of using personal information of the user at the time of user registration by another program.

10. The videoconference system according to claim 9, wherein the other program is a program for image display simultaneously booted at the time of the program for videoconference being booted.

11. The videoconference system according to claim 10, wherein the program for image display makes the computer execute:

a function of making a display device of the computer simultaneously display a list of images recorded in a recording medium in the electronic camera or recorded in a recording medium in the computer, and a menu button for commanding the computer to connect with a server performing various kinds of services; and

a function of making the server that is selected by the menu button transmit an image selected from the list of images.

12. The videoconference system according to claim 11, wherein the program for videoconference makes the computer execute, when an image is selected from the list of images during communication and image transmission is commanded, a function of making the selected image transmitted to a communication partner.

13. An image transmitting method for transmitting an image, which a user specifies in a videoconference, to another user'"'"'s communication equipment, comprising:

a step of the other user'"'"'s communication equipment and the user'"'"'s own communication equipment performing videoconferencing by displaying, on a display device of the user'"'"'s own communication equipment, at least a moving image display section representing the other user;

a step of displaying at least one image as at least one image menu on the display device of the user'"'"'s own communication equipment;

a step of selecting an image, transmission of which the user expects, from the image menu during the communication;

a step of the user commanding transmission of the selected image by dragging the selected image to the moving image display section and dropping the selected image thereon, using a user interface of the user'"'"'s own communication equipment; and

a step of transmitting the selected image, to the other user'"'"'s communication equipment as a result of the user commanding transmission the selected image.

14. A videoconference system, comprising:

computers of users, the computers enabling communication with each other via a communication network; and

electronic cameras of the users, the electronic cameras enabling a moving image to be taken, the electronic cameras being respectively connected to the computers duplex-communicably, wherein;

the videoconference system makes a videoconference possible by making a moving image, taken by the electronic camera of each user, displayed on a display device of a computer of a communication partner; and

the computer has a program for videoconference which performs the videoconference, wherein;

the electronic camera has a photography/playback mode, and a communication mode where either of a videoconference mode where the electronic camera is made to operate as the electronic camera for the computer, and a mass storage class mode where the electronic camera is made to operate as a card reader is set;

the electronic camera automatically sets itself in the communication mode when detecting that the electronic camera is connected to the computer duplex-communicably; and

the computer automatically boots the program for videoconference when it is detected that the electronic camera is connected duplex-communicably and when the communication mode that is set is the videoconference mode.

15. A method for transmitting an image in a videoconference, comprising the steps of:

enabling communication between computers of communication partners via a communication network;

connecting at least one electronic camera enabled to take a moving image to at least one of the computers;

detecting whether the camera is connected to the computer duplex-communicably;

automatically booting a program for performing a videoconference and a program for image display when the at least one camera is detected to be connected duplex-communicably to the at least one computer;

displaying, via the image display program, a list of images recorded in a recording medium in the electronic camera or recorded in a recording medium in the computer on the display of the computer;

selecting an image from the list of images, via input from a user; and

transmitting the selected image to the computer of the communication partner via the videoconference program.

16. A method for performing a videoconference, comprising the steps of:

enabling communication between computers of communication partners via a communication network;

connecting at least one electronic camera enabled to take a moving image to at least one of the computers;

detecting the camera model and detecting whether the camera is connected to the computer duplex-communicably;

performing videoconferencing by displaying a moving image, taken by the at least one electronic camera of a communication partner, on a display device of a computer of another communication partner,

wherein the computer has a program for videoconference which performs the videoconference and the computer makes the program for videoconference operate only when it is detected that the electronic camera is connected duplex-communicably and is a predetermined model.

17. A method for performing a videoconference, comprising the steps of:

enabling communication between computers of communication partners via a communication network;

connecting duplex-communicably at least one electronic camera enabled to take a moving image to at least one of the computers;

performing a videoconference, using a videoconference program loaded into the computers, by displaying a moving image taken by the at least one electronic camera on a display device of the computer of the communication partner; and

performing, via the videoconference program, a function of using personal information of the user to perform user registration by another program.