Image transmission method and mobile communication terminal for implementing the same

• US 7,812,988 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Doo, Mae Kyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Baker; Charlotte M
• Application Number:
  US11/510,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20070047018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.9, 358/540, 358/1.15, 358/448, 358/401, 358/450, 358/462, 379/1.02, 379/88.13, 348/14.01
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• 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 9/75 Chroma key

Abstract

An image transmission method and a mobile communication terminal for implementing the same are disclosed. The image transmission method for the mobile communication terminal includes preparing a picture image; preparing a character image composed of a character part and a background part; synthesizing, by the mobile terminal, the character image and the picture image to produce a synthesized image; and transmitting the synthesized image.

Claims

1. An image transmission method for a mobile communication terminal, the method comprising:

capturing, via a camera on the mobile terminal, a picture image of a user of the mobile terminal to be transmitted to another terminal during a video call;

receiving, via an input unit, characters to be synthesized within the picture image;

preparing, via a controller on the mobile terminal, a character image composed of a character part including the input characters and a background part;

synthesizing, by the controller, the character image and the picture image to produce a synthesized image; and

transmitting, via a wireless communication unit, the synthesized image to said another terminal during the video call,

wherein the background part is in a single color,

wherein the synthesizing step includes filling the background part of the character image with the picture image such that the character part of the character image is inserted into the picture image, and

wherein the synthesizing step includes matching the character image with the picture image on a one-to-one basis for each pixel and replacing only each pixel of the background part with a pixel of the picture image corresponding to the pixel.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the character image preparing step includes:

providing a window for entering a desired character;

entering a character into the window; and

converting the character into the character image.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the character entering step includes:

adjusting at least one of a size, a color, and a font of the entered character, and a character location within the window.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the character preparing step includes storing the character written in the window.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the character is stored in the form of a text file.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the character entering step includes loading the character stored in the mobile communication terminal, and entering the character into the window.

7. A mobile communication terminal comprising:

a camera configured to capture a picture image of a user of the mobile terminal to be transmitted to another terminal during a video call;

an input unit configured to input characters to be synthesized within the picture image;

a controller configured to prepare a character image composed of a character part including the input characters and a background part, and to synthesize the character image and the picture image to produce a synthesized image, by filling the background part of the character image with the picture image such that the character part of the character image is inserted into the picture image; and

a transmission module configured to transmit the synthesized image to said another terminal,

wherein the background part is in a single color, and

wherein the controller is further configured to synthesize the character image and the picture image by matching the character image with the picture image on a one-to-one basis for each pixel and replacing only each pixel of the background part with a pixel of the picture image corresponding to the pixel.

8. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 7, further comprising:

a character image generating module configured to provide a window for entering a character, and converting the character entered into the window into the character image.

9. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 8, wherein the character image generating module allows a user to adjust at least one of a size, a color, and a font of the entered character, and a character location within the window.

10. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 8, further comprising:

a memory module configured to store the character entered into the window.

11. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the character is stored in the form of a text file.

12. The mobile communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the character image generating module loads the character stored in the memory module, and enters the character in the window.