JP4038752B2 - Information storage system using videophone - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information acquisition system to which a videophone is applied, and relates to an information acquisition system in an information storage system using a videophone.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, cameras equipped with an image transmitter are provided in several places, and images taken by the camera are transmitted from the image transmitter via a telephone line to a server (or site or center on the Internet) at regular intervals or every predetermined time. There was a system to send to.
This conventional system has the following problems.
A call cannot be made between the location where the camera is installed and another location where another camera is installed.
At the camera installation location, images taken by other cameras cannot be obtained and displayed. If it is desired to obtain information on another camera installation location at the camera installation location, a communication device must be prepared, and the communication device must search the site and download desired information. Naturally, it is difficult to obtain the latest information with such a system.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An information storage system using a videophone and an information acquisition method in the system according to the present invention have been made in view of the problems of the conventional techniques described above, and an object thereof is to solve the following problems.
A system in which image information is automatically stored at the information storage site, but calls can be made between the place where the videophone is installed and another place where another videophone is installed, and if necessary. In addition, image data captured by each camera can be exchanged between videophones.
At each place where a video phone is installed, an image captured by a camera of a video phone installed at another location is automatically obtained at certain time intervals according to the request of the video phone, So that it can be displayed. That is, information can be automatically acquired without searching for information.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An information storage system using a videophone according to the present invention is as follows.
An information storage site is provided on the Internet, and a video phone installed in each place is equipped with a TCP / IP protocol and includes an automatic information fetching means and an information communication means. In addition, the videophone can be connected to the Internet and can transmit information captured by the automatic information capturing means to the information storage site.
In this specification, the term TCP / IP protocol is used as including the IP protocol. In short, in this specification, the term TCP / IP protocol is used synonymously with a protocol for performing communication on the Internet.
[0005]
An information storage system using a videophone according to the present invention is as follows.
An information storage site is provided on the Internet, and videophones installed in various places are equipped with a TCP / IP protocol, and are provided with automatic information fetching means and information communication means. It is possible to connect to the Internet, and the information captured by the information automatic capturing means can be transmitted to the information storage site,
The videophones at each location are configured to access the information storage site at regular intervals, and are stored at the information storage site when the videophones at each location access the information storage site. The videophones at each location are configured to perform an operation of acquiring information, and the videophones at each location are configured to display the acquired information on a display device provided therein. When a videophone makes a call to another videophone, the image sent from the other party's videophone is displayed with priority over the latest image sent from the information storage site on the Internet. It is comprised so that it can be made.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an information storage system using a videophone and an information acquisition method in the system according to the present invention.
On the Internet (not shown), an information storage site 2, which is a site for storing various information including image information, is provided. The information storage site 2 can be accessed without being a video phone (1a to 1d) according to the present invention as long as it can be connected to the Internet (person, device, eg, personal computer).
In order to implement the present invention, at least two videophones (1a to 1d) are required to determine where those skilled in the art will install. The places where the videophones (1a to 1d) are installed are, for example, predetermined places in sightseeing spots, public telephone boxes in sightseeing spots, travel agents, accommodation facilities, sightseeing facilities, and the like.
[0008]
These video telephones (1a to 1d) are equipped with a TCP / IP protocol (Internet protocol). This is for accessing the information storage site 2 that is considered to be on the network and can communicate via the Internet. FIG. 1 shows that the TCP / IP protocol unit 5 is provided in the video phone 1d (the main body). The TCP / IP protocol unit 5 transmits image data captured by the camera 3 to the information storage site 2 and receives data from the information storage site 2.
Although not shown, naturally, other video telephones (1a to 1c) also have the TCP / IP protocol unit 5. Since the operations of the videophones (1a to 1d) are all the same, here, the videophone 1d is represented as a representative component of the videophone (1a to 1d) according to the present invention.
[0009]
In addition, the video phone 1 d includes automatic information fetching means 6 and communication means 7. The TCP / IP protocol unit 5 may be provided inside the communication unit 7. The automatic information fetching means 6 is means for fetching image data taken by the camera 3 which is an apparatus that the video phone 1d is necessarily provided into the video phone 1d main body (control unit of the video phone 1d) at predetermined time intervals. The communication means 7 is means for sending the captured image data to the Internet. Naturally, the video phone 1d (the communication means 7) can be connected to a public telephone line. Since the video phone 1d is equipped with the TCP / IP protocol as described above, it can be connected to the Internet, and information (image data) captured by the automatic information capturing means 6 is stored in the information storage site 2. Can be sent to.
[0010]
If the video phone 1d is configured in this way, image data is automatically transmitted from the video phones (1a to 1d) installed at various places to the information storage site 2, and the image data is accumulated in the site. It will be done. In addition, the image data recorded in the information storage site 2 is automatically updated.
On the other hand, apart from the storage of image data at the information storage site 2, a video call between the video telephones (1a to 1d) and between the video telephones (1a to 1d) and another general telephone (not shown). You can also.
In the present invention, it is possible to exchange information by telephone conversation between people between the places where the essential telephones (1a to 1d) are installed.
[0011]
The video telephones (1a to 1d) in each place not only automatically transmit (upload) image data to the information storage site 2, but also access the information storage site 2 at regular intervals to store the site. Information (image data from other videophones) may be acquired. When videophones (1a to 1d) at various places, for example, the videophone 1d accesses the information storage site 2, the videophone 1d performs an operation of acquiring information stored in the information storage site 2. That is, the video phone 1d issues a download instruction for image data designated by itself to the information storage site 2.
Then, the information storage site 2 transmits the image data designated by the video phone 1d to the video phone 1d. That is, the video phone 1d downloads desired image data from the information storage site 2 among the image data existing in the site.
[0012]
The video phone 1d can display the acquired image data on the display device 4 provided therein. This is because the video phone 1d always has a display device because of its functional requirements. Thus, image data can be downloaded from the Internet by installing the TCP / IP protocol in the video phone 1d.
[0013]
The display of the information (eg, image data) on the display device 4 may be limited to a time during which the video phone 1d is not in a call with another phone (eg, the video phones 1a to 1c).
That is, with such a configuration, when a videophone 1d makes a call with another videophone (1a to 1c), images transmitted from the other party's videophone (1a to 1c) are displayed on the Internet. This means that the display is prioritized over the latest images transmitted from the storage site 2. That is, priority is given to the display of the image received during a call over the image acquired from the Internet.
[0014]
The video telephones (1a to 1d) at various places, for example, the video telephone 1d, automatically receive image data from the information storage site 2 (for example, from the video telephones 1a to 1c at all other places) at regular intervals determined by those skilled in the art. Image data) is acquired, and the latest image information of each place is displayed on the display device 4 at the time of acquisition. It is a design choice for those skilled in the art which image information is displayed at which point. For example, each place where the videophones (1a to 1c) are installed may be displayed on the display device 4, and the user may select a desired image (each place) from the screen.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
Since the present invention is configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained.
Although the image information is automatically stored in the information storage site 2, the video phone (1a to 1d) is installed in another location where another video phone (1a to 1d) is installed. Calls can be made, and if necessary, image data captured by each camera can be exchanged between the videophones (1a to 1d). This is because, in addition to the normal function of the video phone, a TCP / IP protocol is installed and an automatic information transmission function to the information storage site 2 is provided.
[0016]
At various places where the video telephones (1a to 1d) are installed, according to the demand on the video telephone (1a to 1d) side, that is, at the initiative (command) on the video telephone (1a to 1d) side, at regular intervals. Images (data) captured by cameras of video phones (1a to 1d) installed in other places can be automatically obtained from the information storage site 2 and displayed on the video phones (1a to 1d). Like that. That is, it is possible to automatically acquire the latest image data at various locations without particularly searching for information to be acquired within the site.
Therefore, by carrying out the present invention, for example, it is possible to use the image information of sightseeing spots in various places (video telephones 1a to 1c) on the video telephone 1d while watching them.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an information storage system using a videophone according to the present invention.

Claims (1)

An information storage site is provided on the Internet, and videophones installed in various places are equipped with a TCP / IP protocol, and are provided with automatic information fetching means and information communication means. It is possible to connect to the Internet, and the information captured by the information automatic capturing means can be transmitted to the information storage site ,
The videophones at each location are configured to access the information storage site at regular intervals, and are stored at the information storage site when the videophones at each location access the information storage site. The videophones at each location are configured to perform an operation of acquiring information, and the videophones at each location are configured to display the acquired information on a display device provided therein. When a videophone makes a call to another videophone, the image sent from the other party's videophone is displayed with priority over the latest image sent from the information storage site on the Internet. Information storage system using videophone .

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