Patent US4946874A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5253286A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for focusing image in television camera for video telephone
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1992-02-21
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Granted: 1993-10-12
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Expires: 2012-02-21
Abstract
Abstract The television camera of a video telephone set can easily be focused on the image of an object, such as a sheet of paper, through an inexpensive focusing apparatus. An indication corresponding to the size of the sheet is displayed on a display unit. The size of the displayed indication is determined depending on the distance, as detected by a zoomed distance detector, by which the lens of the television camera is zoomed. The position of the television camera is moved with respect to the object until the edges of the sheet are aligned with the indication displayed on the display screen of the display unit. When the edges of the sheet are aligned with the displayed indication, the television camera is sharply focused on the displayed image of the object. The size of the displayed indication, which indicates the actual size of the sheet, is determined based on an inputted sheet size and the detected distance by which the lens is zoomed. The television camera can thus be focused on the displayed image with ease.
Inventors
- 👤 Shoichi Sano
- 👤 Syogo Nakamura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 13:58
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/14; H04N7/141; H04N7/142
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
A method of focusing an image for a video telephone set having a television camera for imaging an object, the television camera being variable in distance up to the object, a display unit for displaying the image of the object imaged by the television camera, and zoomed distance detecting means for detecting the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed, said method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed, with the zoomed distance detecting means; (b) determining an indication corresponding to a predetermined portion of the object, based on the detected distance; (c) displaying the determined indication together with the image of the object imaged by the television camera on the display unit; and (d) transmitting the image of the object as a focused image to another video telephone set when said predetermined portion of the object is aligned with said indication on the display unit as a result of movement of the television camera with respect to the object.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
175 words
A method of focusing an image for a video telephone set having a television camera for imaging an object, the television camera being variable in distance up to the object, a display unit for displaying the image of the object imaged by the television camera, and zoomed distance detecting means for detecting the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed, said method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed, with the zoomed distance detecting means; (b) determining an indication corresponding to a predetermined portion of the object, based on the detected distance; (c) displaying the determined indication together with the image of the object imaged by the television camera on the display unit; and (d) transmitting the image of the object as a focused image to another video telephone set when said predetermined portion of the object is aligned with said indication on the display unit as a result of movement of the television camera with respect to the object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said step (d) comprises the steps of: (d1) storing the image of the object when said predetermined portion of the object is aligned with said indication on the display unit as a result of movement of the television camera with respect to the object; and (d2) transmitting the stored image of the object as the focused image to the other video telephone set.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined portion of the object comprises a sheet of a predetermined size, said indication which is displayed on the display unit comprising a frame corresponding to the sheet of the predetermined size.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said indication has a size corresponding to the length of said predetermined portion of the object, said indication which is displayed on the display unit comprising a mark having a length indicative of the actual length of said predetermined portion of the object.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
205 words
A method of focusing an image for a video telephone set having a television camera for imaging an object, the television camera being variable in distance up to the object, a display unit for displaying the image of the object imaged by the television camera, zoomed distance detecting means for detecting the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed, and an input device for inputting the size of the object, said method comprising the steps of: (a) reading the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed, from the zoomed distance detecting means; (b) reading the size of the object from the input device; (c) determining the size of an indication corresponding to a predetermined portion of the object, based on the read distance and the read size of the object; (d) displaying the determined indication together with the image of the object imaged by the television camera on the display unit; and (e)transmitting the image of the object as a focused image to another video telephone set when said predetermined portion of the object is aligned with said indication on the display unit as a result of movement of the television camera with respect to the object.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
205 words
A method of focusing an image for a video telephone set having a television camera for imaging an object, the television camera being variable in distance up to the object, a display unit for displaying the image of the object imaged by the television camera, zoomed distance detecting means for detecting the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed, and an input device for inputting the size of the object, said method comprising the steps of: (a) reading the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed, from the zoomed distance detecting means; (b) reading the size of the object from the input device; (c) determining the size of an indication corresponding to a predetermined portion of the object, based on the read distance and the read size of the object; (d) displaying the determined indication together with the image of the object imaged by the television camera on the display unit; and (e)transmitting the image of the object as a focused image to another video telephone set when said predetermined portion of the object is aligned with said indication on the display unit as a result of movement of the television camera with respect to the object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said step (e) comprises the steps of: (e1) storing the image of the object when said predetermined portion of the object is aligned with said indication on the display unit as a result of movement of the television camera with respect to the object; and (e2) transmitting the stored image of the object as the focused image to the other video telephone set.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined portion of the object comprises a sheet of a predetermined size, said indication which is displayed on the display unit comprising a frame corresponding to the sheet of the predetermined size.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said indication has a size corresponding to the length of said predetermined portion of the object, said indication which is displayed on the display unit comprising a mark having a length indicative of the actual length of said predetermined portion of the object.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
155 words
An apparatus for focusing an image for a video telephone set, comprising: a television camera for imaging an object, said television camera having a lens; a display unit for displaying the image of the object imaged by said television camera; zooming means for varying the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed; zoomed distance detecting means for detecting the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed by said zooming means; control means for determining an indication corresponding to a predetermined portion of the object, based on said detected distance, and displaying the determined indication on the display unit; and transmitting means for transmitting the image of the object as a focused image to another video telephone set when said predetermined portion of the object is aligned with said indication on the display unit as a result of movement of the television camera with respect to the object.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
155 words
An apparatus for focusing an image for a video telephone set, comprising: a television camera for imaging an object, said television camera having a lens; a display unit for displaying the image of the object imaged by said television camera; zooming means for varying the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed; zoomed distance detecting means for detecting the distance to which the lens of the television camera is zoomed by said zooming means; control means for determining an indication corresponding to a predetermined portion of the object, based on said detected distance, and displaying the determined indication on the display unit; and transmitting means for transmitting the image of the object as a focused image to another video telephone set when said predetermined portion of the object is aligned with said indication on the display unit as a result of movement of the television camera with respect to the object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said zooming means comprising means for zooming the lens to one of a plurality of predetermined discrete lens positions at a time, said zooming means being marked with respective indicia at said lens positions, one of said indicia corresponding to the size of said predetermined portion of the object.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said control means comprises a memory for storing data of a plurality of indications corresponding to discrete distances to which the lens is movable, and means for determining an indication from the data stored in said memory based on the distance detected by said zoomed distance detecting means, and displaying the determined indication on said display unit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, further including an input device for inputting the size of the object, said control means comprising means for determining the size of said indication based on the distance detected by said zoomed distance detecting means and the size of the object inputted from said input device, and displaying said indication with the size thereof determined on said display unit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
90 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said control means comprises a memory for storing data of continuous distances to which the lens is movable and data of the sizes of indications corresponding to the sizes of a plurality of objects, and means for determining an indication from the data stored in said memory based on the distance detected by said zoomed distance detecting means and the size of the object inputted from said input device, and displaying the determined indication with the size thereof determined on said display unit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
69 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said control means comprises a memory for storing a predetermined function, and means for calculating the size of an indication according to the stored predetermined function based on the distance detected by said zoomed distance detecting means and the size of the object inputted from said input device, and displaying the determined indication with the size thereof determined on said display unit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, further including memory means for storing the image of the object when said predetermined portion of the object is aligned with said indication on the display unit as a result of movement of the television camera with respect to the object, said transmitting means comprising means for transmitting the stored image of the object as the focused image to the other video telephone set.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, further including camera holding means for moving and holding said television camera with respect to the object at a selected position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said control means comprises a memory for storing data of a plurality of indications corresponding to continuous distances to which the lens is movable, and means for determining an indication from the data stored in said memory based on the distance detected by said zoomed distance detecting means, and displaying the determined indication on said display unit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined portion of the object comprises a sheet of a predetermined size, said indication which is displayed on the display unit comprising a frame corresponding to the sheet of the predetermined size.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, where in said indication has a size corresponding to the length of said predetermined portion of the object, said indication which is displayed on the display unit comprising a mark having a length indicative of the actual length of said predetermined portion of the object.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, further including an articulated arm coupled to said television camera for adjusting the position of the television camera with respect to the object.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-10-11 | 1997-04-12 | 1997-10-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-10-11 | 2001-04-12 | 2001-10-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-10-11 | 2005-04-12 | 2005-10-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |