US 5,926,208 AGranted

Video compression and decompression arrangement having reconfigurable camera and low-bandwidth transmission capability

OwnerMichael Noonen, Kevin Deierling +2inventors

InventorsMichael Noonen, Kevin Deierling, Keith Barraclough, Bryan R. Martin

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Abstract

A video and audio compression and decompression system includes a reconfigurable compact camera communicating with a computer system to permit the camera to execute one of several types of compression modules. The camera includes first and second types of memory. The first type of memory is made of smaller ROM-type memory cells and is used for storing computer-executable video-data-compression subprograms. The second type of memory is made of larger RAM-type memory cells and stores the compression program. A download circuit on the camera is configured to receive transmitted data representing the data compression program and to store the transmitted data in the second memory. A selection is made of the stored subprograms corresponding to the data representing the compression program. An image reader including a data generation circuit captures the external image and generates data representing the image. A processor executes the data representing the computer-executable program and the selected ones of the stored subprograms to generate compressed data, and the compressed data is transmitted from the camera.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A video-conferencing system, comprising:

a source computer station including a device-communication circuit;
a memory device including data corresponding to a computer-executable video-data-compression program;
a data transfer circuit configured and arranged to carry the data corresponding to the computer-executable video-data-compression program from the memory device;
a reconfigurable video-signal camera device having
a first type of memory storing a plurality of computer-executable video-data-compression subprograms usable in compressing video-data,
a second type of memory,
a download circuit including receiver interface circuitry configured to receive the transmitted data corresponding to the computer-executable video-data-compression program and to store the transmitted data in the second memory,
an image reader including a data generation circuit which captures an external image and generates data representing the image,
a processor circuit, including a programmable RISC-type processor and a programmable DSP-type processor communicatively coupled to the programmable RISC-type processor, configured and arranged to execute the data corresponding to the computer-executable video-data compression program and the selected ones of the stored subprograms and to generate compressed data representing the external image, and
a data transmission circuit, responsive to the processor means, for transmitting the compressed data from the reconfigurable video-signal camera device;
and
an interface link communicatively coupled between the data transmission circuit and the device-communication circuit of the source computer station and arranged to carry the compressed data from the data transmission circuit;
and
a video-destination arrangement configured and arranged to be communicatively coupled to receive the compressed data and to decompress the compressed data using a video-data-decompression program that is compatible with the computer-executable video-data-compression program transmitted to the reconfigurable video-signal camera device.

11 more elements

A video-conferencing system, comprising:

a source computer station including a device-communication circuit;
a memory device including data representing a computer-executable video-data-compression program;
data transfer circuit that transmits the data representing the computer-executable video-data-compression program from the memory device;
a reconfigurable video-signal camera device having
a first memory storing a plurality of computer-executable video-data-compression subprograms usable in compressing video-data,
a memory receive port constructed and arranged to receive and electrically connect to the memory device for accessing the data representing a computer-executable video-data-compression program,
an access circuit including receiver interface circuit configured to access the data representing the computer-executable video-data-compression program,
selection means configured and arranged to execute selected ones of the stored subprograms corresponding to the data representing the computer-executable video-data-compression program,
an image reader including a data generation circuit which captures an external image and generates data representing the image,
processor means, responsive to the data generation circuit, for executing the data representing the computer-executable program and the selected ones of the stored subprograms to generate compressed data representing the external image, and
a data transmission circuit, responsive to the processor means, for transmitting the compressed data from the reconfigurable video-signal camera device;
and
an interface link communicatively coupled between the data transmission circuit and the device-communication circuit of the source computer station and arranged to carry the compressed data from the data transmission circuit to the device-communication;
and
a video-destination arrangement communicatively coupled to the source computer station and including a computer configured and programmed to receive the compressed data and to decompress the compressed data using a video-data-decompression program that is compatible with the computer-executable video-data-compression program transmitted to and selected by the reconfigurable video-signal camera device.

12 more elements

A video-conferencing system, comprising:

a source computer station including a device-communication circuit;
a memory device including data corresponding to a computer-executable video-data-compression program;
a data transfer circuit configured and arranged to carry the data corresponding to the computer-executable video-data-compression program from the memory device;
a reconfigurable video-signal processing arrangement having
a first memory region storing computer-executable video-data-compression code usable in compressing video-data for a plurality of different compression standards,
a second memory region,
a download circuit including receiver interface circuitry configured to receive the transmitted data corresponding to the computer-executable video-data-compression code and to store the transmitted data in the second memory region,
a processor circuit, including a programmable multiple-purpose processor and a programmable DSP-type processor communicatively coupled to the programmable multiple-purpose processor, configured and arranged to execute the data corresponding to the computer-executable video-data compression program provided from the memory device and selected code from the compression code usable in compressing video-data for a plurality of different compression standards, and to generate compressed data, and
a data transmission circuit, responsive to the processor means, for transmitting the compressed data from the reconfigurable video-signal processing arrangement;
and
an interface link communicatively coupled between the data transmission circuit and the device-communication circuit of the source computer station and arranged to carry the compressed data from the data transmission circuit;
and
a video-destination arrangement configured and arranged to be communicatively coupled to receive the compressed data and to decompress the compressed data using a video-data-compression program that is compatible with the computer-executable video-data-compression program transmitted to the reconfigurable video-signal processing arrangement.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/708,184Filed 6 Sep 1996 · continuation in part
Priority: 19 Feb 1992
Granted: 20 Jul 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H04N 7/141
Systems for two-way working: between two video terminals, e.g. videophone
H04N 7/142
Between two video terminals, e.g. videophone: constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
H04N 7/15
Systems for two-way working: conference systems
H04N
Pictorial communication

Family

Serial838,382Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Feb 1992
Serial303,973Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Sep 1994
Serial457,516Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 May 1995
Serial658,917Parent of this continuation · filed 31 May 1996
Serial908,826Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Aug 1997
Serial005,053Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Jan 1998
Serial098,106Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 16 Jun 1998
US 5,790,712 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,379,351 AParent of this continuation
US 5,926,208 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.