Storage tube control apparatus for a telephone image transmission system

Claim 1

In a telephone image transmission system of the type wherein a television camera, a display device and an audio communications link are interconnectable with a storage tube for transmitting television picture information signals representative of object images to a remote receiver location and in which said display device, said communications link and said storage tube are also interconnectable to reproduce television picture information signals representative of object images received by it from a remote transmitter location, the combination therewith of: first means operative to intercouple the television camera, said storage tube and said audio communications link in the order named when said system is to transmit television picture information signals representative of object images; second means for applying vertical deflection signals of a first scanning rate to said storage tube when said first means is operative to write said picture information signals into storage, and for applying vertical deflection signals of a second scanning rate to said storage tube when said first means is operative to read said picture information signals out of storage and onto said audio communications link; third means operative to intercouple said audio communications link, said storage tube and said display device in the order named when said system is to reproduce television picture information signals representative of object images received by it from a remote transmitter location; fourth means for applying vertical deflection signals of a third scanning rate to said storage tube when said third means is operative to write said picture information signals received along said audio communications link into storage, and for applying vertical deflection signals of a fourth scanning rate to said storage tube when said third means is operative to read said picture information signals out of storage for application to said display device; fifth means operative to couple said storage tube with said television camera and said audio communications link when said system is to transmit television picture information signals representative of moving object images and to decouple said storage tube from the interconnections between said television camera and said audio communications link when said system is to transmit television picture information signals representative of stationary object images; wherein said first and said fourth scanning rates are substantially equal, wherein said second means applies vertical deflection signals of a fifth scanning rate to said television camera when said fifth means is operative in the decoupling of said storage tube, and wherein said fourth means applies vertical deflection signals of a reduced scanning rate to said storage tube when said fifth means is operative in said decoupling mode to write said television picture information signals representative of stationary object images into storage at a rate substantially equal to said fifth scanning rate.