Image transmission apparatus, image transmission method, program, and storage medium

• US 8,830,326 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kitagawa, Eiichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUBIN, BLAKE J
• Application Number:
  US11/626,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,786 Days
• Field of Search: 348/159
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/33323 transmission mode only, e.g. speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/33342 of transmission mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an image transmission apparatus connected to an image pickup apparatus and configured to transmit an image picked up by the image pickup apparatus to a plurality of client terminals via a network. The image transmission apparatus includes a setting unit configured to set a transmission processing mode for transmitting a still image picked up by the image pickup apparatus and a real-time image picked up by the image pickup apparatus and having a resolution lower than that of the still image according to an instruction issued from one of the plurality of client terminals, and a control unit configured to control an instruction to the image pickup apparatus and a transmission processing for the still image and the real-time image according to the transmission processing mode set by the setting unit.

Claims

1. An image transmission apparatus configured to connect with an image capture unit and configured to transmit an image captured by the image capture unit to a client terminal via a network, the image transmission apparatus comprising:

a transmission unit configured to transmit a high-resolution version of a still image captured by the image capture unit, a low-resolution version of the still image captured by the image capture unit, and a real-time image captured by the image capture unit having a resolution lower than that of the high-resolution version of the still image;

a reception unit configured to receive a predetermined instruction from the client terminal; and

a control unit configured to control the image capture unit and the transmission unit (A) in a case where the reception unit receives the predetermined instruction during the transmission of the real-time image by the transmission unit, such that the transmission unit interrupts the transmission of the real-time image, the transmission unit transmits notification for notifying the client terminal that transmission of the real-time image is interrupted, the image capture unit captures the high-resolution version of the still image, the transmission unit transmits the low-resolution version of the still image acquired from the high-resolution version of the still image to the client terminal, and the transmission unit resumes the transmission of the real-time image after a completion of the transmission of the low-resolution version of the still image to the client terminal, (B) such that the transmission unit transmits the high-resolution version of the still image to the client terminal in a case where the reception unit receives the predetermined instruction while the transmission unit does not transmit the real-time image to the client terminal, and (C) such that the transmission unit transmits the high-resolution version of the still image to the client terminal in a case where the reception unit receives an instruction for acquiring the high-resolution version of the still image, wherein the high-resolution version of the still image is captured by the image capture unit in accordance with the reception of the predetermined instruction during the transmission of the real-time image to the client terminal.

2. The image transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the predetermined instruction for capturing the still image is received from the client terminal while the transmission unit is transmitting the real-time image, the control unit interrupts the transmission of the real-time image, instructs the image capture unit to capture the still image, transmits the low-resolution version of the still image acquired from the image capture unit to the client terminal, and resumes the transmission of the real-time image after the low-resolution version of the still image is transmitted to the client terminal that has instructed to capture the still image.

3. The image transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the predetermined instruction for capturing the still image is received from the client terminal while the transmission unit is transmitting the real-time image, the control unit interrupts the transmission of the real-time image, instructs the image capture unit to capture the still image, and produces and transmits the low-resolution version of the still image to the client terminal, and resumes the transmission of the real-time image after the low-resolution version of the still image is transmitted to the client terminal that has instructed to capture the still image.

4. The image transmission apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when it is determined that a speed of the network is lower than a predetermined value and that the image capture unit complies with a standard for performing a lower speed transmission of at least two standards for a transmission path, the control unit interrupts the transmission of the real-time image, instructs the image capture unit to capture the still image, transmits the low-resolution version of the still image to the client terminal, and resumes the transmission of the real-time image after the low-resolution version of the still image is transmitted to the client terminal that has instructed to capture the still image.

5. The image transmission apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when it is determined that a speed of the network is lower than a predetermined value and that the image capture apparatus complies with a standard for performing a higher speed transmission of at least two standards for a transmission path, the control unit interrupts the transmission of the real-time image, instructs the image capture unit to capture the still image, produces and transmits the low-resolution version of the still image to the client terminal, and resumes the transmission of the real-time image after the low-resolution version of the still image is transmitted to the client terminal that has instructed to capture the still image.

6. The image transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that a speed of the network is higher than a predetermined value, the control unit instructs the image capture unit to capture the still image, and transmits the real-time image and each of plural parts of the still image time-serially to the client terminal that has instructed to capture the still image.

9. The image transmission apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the image capture unit to store the still image into a memory card in the case where the reception unit receives, during the transmission of the real-time image by the transmission unit, the instruction for capturing the still image.

7. An image transmission method for an image transmission apparatus configured to connect with an image capture unit and configured to transmit an image captured by the image capture unit to a client terminal via a network, the image transmission method comprising:

transmitting a high resolution version of a still image captured by the image capture unit, a low resolution version of the still image captured by the image capture unit, and a real-time image captured by the image capture unit and having a resolution lower than that of the high resolution version of the still image;

receiving a predetermined instruction from the client terminal; and

controlling the image capture unit and transmitting, (A) in a case where, during the transmission of the real-time image, he predetermined instruction is received, such that the transmission of the real-time image is interrupted, interruption of the real-time image transmission is notified to the client terminal, the image capture unit captures the high-resolution version of the still image, the low resolution version of the still image acquired from the high-resolution version of the still image is transmitted to the client terminal, and the transmission of the real-image is resumed after a completion of the transmission of the low-resolution version of the still image to the client terminal, (B) such that the high resolution version of the still image is transmitted to the client terminal in a case where the image transmission apparatus receives the predetermined instruction while the real-time image is not transmitted to the client terminal, and (C) such that the high-resolution version of the still image captured by the image capture unit is transmitted to the client terminal in a case where an instruction for acquiring the high-resolution version of the still image is received, wherein the high-resolution version of the still image is captured in accordance with the reception of the predetermined instruction during the transmission of the real-time image.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the image capture unit is controlled to store the still image into a memory card in the case where, during the transmission of the real-time image, the instruction for capturing the still image is received.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing an image transmission with an image transmission apparatus configured to connect with an image capture unit and configured to transmit an image captured by the image capture unit to a client terminal via a network, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer-executable instructions for transmitting a high resolution version of a still image capture by the image capture unit, a low resolution version of the still image captured by the image capture unit, and a real-time image captured by the image capture and having a resolution lower than that of the high resolution version of the still image;

computer-executable instructions for receiving a-predetermined instruction from the client terminal; and

computer-executable instructions for controlling the image capture unit and the transmitting, (A) in a case where, during the transmission of the real-time image, the predetermined instruction is received, such that the transmission of the real-time image is interrupted, interruption of the real-time image transmission is notified to the client terminal, the image capture unit captures the high-resolution version of the still image, the low resolution version of the still image acquired from the high-resolution version of the still image is transmitted to the client terminal, and the transmission of the real-image is resumed after a completion of the transmission of the low-resolution version of the still image to the client terminal, (B) such that the high resolution version of the still image is transmitted to the client terminal in a case where the image transmission apparatus receives the predetermined instruction while the real-time image is not transmitted to the client terminal, and (C) such that the high-resolution version of the still image captured by the image capture unit is transmitted to the client terminal in a case where an instruction for acquiring the high-resolution version of the still image is received, wherein the high-resolution version of the still image is captured in accordance with the reception of the predetermined instruction during the transmission of the real-time image.

11. The medium according to claim 8, wherein the image capture unit is controlled to store the still image into a memory card in the case where, during the transmission of the real-time image, the instruction for capturing the still image is received.