# US 2013/0278781 A1 · Image communication apparatus, image communication server and image processing method for image communication > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0278781 A1 - Document ID: US20130278781A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/803,864 - Filed: 2013-03-14 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-19 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Ji-hye CHUNG; Dae-woo CHO; Jae-hong AHN; Sung-wook CHOI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130278781A1 ## CPC - H04N 1/00246: {with an optical device, e.g. an optical viewing aid} - G06F 3/1454: {involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay} - H04N 1/00225: {details of image data generation, e.g. scan-to-email or network scanners (using an image reading device as a local input to a computer H04N1/00241)} - H04N 1/32406: {in connection with routing or relaying, e.g. using a fax-server or a store-and-forward facility (stored and forward data switching systems H04L12/54)} - H04N 1/3247: {Changing the arrangement of data in a page, e.g. reversing the order to produce a mirror image} - G09G 2340/10: Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels - G09G 2340/12: Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels - G09G 2340/125: wherein one of the images is motion video - G09G 2370/02: Networking aspects - G09G 2370/04: Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller - G09G 2370/16: Use of wireless transmission of display information - G09G 2370/20: Details of the management of multiple sources of image data - H04N 1/3871: {the composed originals being of different kinds, e.g. low- and high-resolution originals} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) ## Abstract An image processing method includes: acquiring a first image from a first image communication apparatus and acquiring a second image from a second image communication apparatus; generating a third image to be transmitted to an image receiving apparatus to which a transmission of an image has been requested by the first image communication apparatus, by synthesizing the first and second images; and encoding and transmitting the third image to the image receiving apparatus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image communication apparatus which performs image communication with an image receiving apparatus, the image communication apparatus comprising: an image acquirer which acquires a first image of an object; a communication unit which receives a second image photographed by a slave apparatus which is communicable linked to the communication unit; a transmission image generator which generates a third image; and a controller which controls the transmission image generator to generate the third image by synthesizing the first and second images, encodes the third image and controls the communication unit to transmit the third image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission image generator generates the third image to display the first image and the second image in an area of a single screen. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission image generator generates the third image to selectively display at least one of the first image and second image according to a predetermined event. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a display which displays an image; and an output image generator which generates a fourth image to be displayed by the display. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller detects an external device which is communicable with the image communication apparatus, and receives the second image from the detected external device if the external device has an image communication function. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an audio acquirer which acquires a first audio, wherein the communication unit receives a second audio from the slave apparatus, and the controller selectively transmits one of the first audio and the second audio, according to a user's selection. ### Claim 7 An image communication server comprising: a communication unit which receives a first image and sync information from a first image communication apparatus, and a second image from a second image communication apparatus; a transmission image generator which generates a third image to be transmitted to an image receiving apparatus to which a transmission of an image has been requested by the first image communication apparatus; and a controller which controls the transmission image generator to generate the third image by synthesizing the first and second images based on the sync information, encodes the third image, and controls the communication unit to transmit the third image to the image receiving apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image communication server according to claim 7, wherein the transmission image generator generates the third image to display the first and second images in an area of a single screen. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The image communication server according to claim 7, wherein the transmission image generator generates the third image to selectively display at least one of the first image and the second image according to a predetermined event. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The image communication server according to claim 7, wherein the communication unit receives a first audio from the first image communication apparatus and a second audio from the second image communication apparatus, and the controller selectively transmits one of the first audio and the second audio to the image receiving apparatus, according to a selection provided by the first image communication apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The image communication server according to claim 7, wherein the controller determines whether to generate the third image according to a connection identifier (ID)of the first and second image communication apparatuses. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The image communication server according to claim 7, further comprising: a storage which stores the generated third image. ### Claim 13 An image communication system comprising: a first image communication apparatus; a second image communication apparatus; and an image communication server which encodes a third image which is generated by synthesizing a first image acquired by the first image communication apparatus and a second image acquired by the second image communication apparatus, and transmits the third image as an image stream to an image receiving apparatus to which a transmission of an image has been requested by the first image communication apparatus. ### Claim 14 An image processing method for image communication, the method comprising: acquiring a first image from a first image communication apparatus; acquiring a second image from a second image communication apparatus; generating a third image to be transmitted to an image receiving apparatus to which a transmission of an image has been requested by the first image communication apparatus, by synthesizing the first and second images; and encoding and transmitting the third image to the image receiving apparatus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising receiving the second image from the second image communication apparatus, wherein the generating the third image comprises generating the third image by the first image communication apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising: transmitting the first image and sync information from the first image communication apparatus, to an image communication server; and transmitting the second image from the second image communication apparatus, to the image communication server, wherein the generating the third image comprises generating the third image by the image communication server based on the sync information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the generating the third image comprises generating the third image to display the first and second images in an area of a single screen. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the generating the third image comprises generating the third image to selectively display at least one of the first image and second image according to a predetermined event. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the first image communication apparatus comprises a display, and the method further comprises: generating a fourth image; and displaying the fourth image on the display. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising: acquiring a first audio from the first image communication apparatus; acquiring a second audio from the second image communication apparatus; and selectively transmitting one of the first audio and the second audio to the image receiving apparatus according to a selection provided by the first image communication apparatus. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising determining whether to generate the third image according to a connection identifier (ID) of the first and second image communication apparatuses. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising storing the third image in the image communication server. ### Claim 23 A system comprising: a first device having a first camera; a second device which is external to the first device and has a second camera; a third device which is external to the first device and the second device; and a processor which is configured to establish a connection event between the first device and the second device, control the first camera to acquire a first image of a first user of the first device, control the second device to transmit a second image of a second user of the second device, which has been acquired by the second camera, synthesize the first image and the second image into the third image, and transmit the third image, as a single image stream, to the third device, to be displayed on a display screen of the third device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the first device comprises a television, and the second device comprises a mobile terminal. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the first device comprises a first image communication function, and the second device comprises a second image communication function which is compatible with the first image communication function.