KR20140118330A - Camera system for video telephony - Google Patents

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a camera system for video calls which allows a local video caller to make video calls with a remote video caller displayed on an image display device. The camera system for video calls comprises: a semi-transparent member disposed in front of the image display device; and a recording member which is disposed on one side of the semi-transparent member, and records a local video caller in front of the semi-transparent member. The semi-transparent member transmits the image of a remote video caller for the local video caller to be able to recognize, and can reflect the appearance of the local video caller toward the recording member.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a camera system for video telephony,

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a camera system for video communication.

With the development of communication technology, the use of video call or video chat is becoming common, and with the development of network infrastructure, a high definition (HD) video call is gradually becoming common.

With the availability of high-definition (HD) video calls, consumers can more easily connect with people at remote sites without having to travel far, so that they can better communicate with each other. It is possible to understand the subtle emotions felt in expressions through high-resolution images, which can greatly enhance the efficiency of communication.

1 is a diagram showing a conventional video call. Referring to FIG. 1, a camera is disposed on an image display device and photographs a local video caller on the line of sight of a local video caller, so that an eye contact of a local video caller and a remote video caller displayed on the video display device ). That is, a visual inconsistency occurs between a local video caller and a remote video caller because the shooting angle of the camera does not match the line of sight between the local video caller and the remote video caller.

These discrepancies can interfere with reading the subtle facial expressions or emotional changes that are felt through high-resolution images, and cause the quality of the video call to deteriorate.

2, when the image capturing camera is disposed in front of the video display device, the line of sight between the local video caller and the remote video caller displayed on the video display device coincides with the image capturing angle of the image capturing camera. In this case, There arises a problem that the camera hides the image display device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A principal object of the present invention is to provide a camera system for a video call capable of providing a video call capable of being gazed between a local video caller and a remote video caller.

A video camera system for video communication according to an embodiment of the present invention is a camera system for video communication in which a local video caller can make a video call with a remote video caller displayed on a video display device, And a photographing member which is disposed on one side of the transflective member and photographs a local video caller located in front of the transflective member, Transmit the image of the remote video caller and reflect the appearance of the local video caller towards the photographing member.

The transflective member may be arranged to be tilted toward the image display device so that the imaging member can photograph an image of the local video caller facing the eyes of the remote video caller displayed by the video display device.

The angle of the transflective member tilted toward the image display device may be variable.

The photographing member can change the angle of the transflective member so that the local video caller can take an image of the remote video caller facing the eye.

The photographing member may be arranged to correspond to an inclined surface of the transflective member facing the local video caller.

Wherein the area of the transflective member is smaller than the screen area of the video display device so that the transflective member is not disturbed when the local video caller views the entire screen of the video display device, The distance between the talkers may be shorter than the distance between the transflective member and the image display device.

The semispherical member may be disposed inside, and the imaging member may be disposed outside the housing.

The surface of the housing corresponding to the inclined surface of the transflective member may be made of a material absorbing light.

And a support member for supporting the housing.

The supporting member may include a height adjusting bar disposed at one side of the housing for adjusting a height of the housing, a fixing part fixing the housing to the height adjusting bar, and a fixing part coupled to one end of the height adjusting bar, And may be provided with a supporting portion for supporting the supporting portion.

The apparatus may further include a gap adjusting member disposed between the imaging member and the transflective member and capable of adjusting a distance between the imaging member and the transflective member.

Wherein the spacing member is adapted to move the imaging member away from the transflective member as the transflective member is disposed closer to the local video caller than to the video display unit, The photographing area of the person can be enlarged.

Here, the gap adjusting member may be a bellows.

The apparatus may further include a distance adjusting member coupled to the photographing member to adjust a distance between the local photographer and the photographing member.

Here, the distance-controlling member is composed of a first member and a second member having elasticity, the first member is disposed on the local video caller side with respect to the photographing member, and the second member is disposed on the side of the photographing member Wherein the first member is retracted and the second member is stretched when the photographing member is moved toward the local video caller.

Here, when the imaging member moves toward the image display device, the first member may be extended and the second member may be contracted.

Here, an angle adjusting member capable of changing the photographing angle of the photographing member so that the photographing member can photograph the face of the video caller even if the distance from the local video caller to the photographing member is changed by the distance adjusting member, As shown in FIG.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a transflective member is disposed so as to be inclined toward the image display device so that the state of the local video caller is reflected by the transflective member and is photographed by the photographing member, It is possible to make a video call in which the line-of-sight alignment between remote video callers is performed.

1 and 2 are views showing a conventional video call.
3 is a perspective view schematically showing a camera system for video communication according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a block diagram illustrating a video call through a camera system for video communication according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a perspective view schematically showing a camera system for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 6 is a plan view schematically showing a camera system for video communication of Fig. 5; Fig.
Fig. 7 is a side view schematically showing the camera system for video communication of Fig. 5;
8 is a perspective view schematically showing a camera system for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a perspective view schematically showing a camera system for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. The present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

3 is a block diagram schematically showing a camera system for video communication according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the camera system 100 for video communication according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a housing 110, a transflective member 120, and a photographing member 130.

The housing 110 has a polyhedral shape, and a transflective member 120 is disposed inside and a photographing member 130 is disposed at one side.

The housing 110 includes a front portion 110a facing the local video caller, a rear portion 110b facing the video display device 140 (Fig. 4), and both side portions connecting the front portion 110a and both ends of the rear portion 110b 110c, the lower surface 111, and the lower surface 111 of the body 110,

The front portion 110a and the rear portion 110b may be made of a material capable of transmitting light. Accordingly, the local video caller can see the image of the video display device (140 of FIG. 4) arranged apart from the housing 110 through the rear face portion 110b and the front face portion 110a.

The transflective member 120 may be disposed in a space formed by the front portion 110a, the rear portion 110b, and the side portion 110c. The transflective member 120 may be disposed to be inclined toward the rear portion 110b. The transflective member 120 can transmit an image from the image display device located apart from the rear face portion 110b and can reflect the appearance of the local video caller located apart from the front face portion 110a. This will be described later.

The bottom surface 111 and the gap adjusting member 112 may be disposed corresponding to the inclined surface of the transflective member 120. The bottom face 111 is disposed at a lower portion of the housing 110 in correspondence with the slant face of the transflective member 120 facing the rear face 110b and the interval adjusting member 112 is disposed at a position facing the front face portion 110a, And may be disposed at an upper portion of the housing 110 corresponding to the inclined surface of the housing 120. The lower surface 111a is connected to the lower ends of the rear surface 110b and the side surface 110c to form a lower surface of the housing 110. The space adjusting member 112 includes a front surface 110a, The upper surface of the housing 110 may be connected to the upper end of the side surface 110c and the upper surface of the side surface 110c.

The lower surface portion 111 and the gap adjusting member 112 may be made of a material capable of absorbing light. The light that is incident on the bottom portion 111 or the gap adjusting member 112 through the front portion 110a or the rear portion 110b can be absorbed without being reflected by the bottom portion 111 or the gap adjusting member 112 . Accordingly, it is possible to prevent unnecessary light from being reflected by the lower surface 111 or the gap adjusting member 112 and entering the photographing member 130.

The interval adjusting member 112 is connected to the image capturing member 130 and may be stretched or contracted by itself to adjust the interval between the image capturing member 130 and the transflective member 120. The gap adjusting member 112 may be made of a stretchable material. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the gap adjusting member 112 may be formed of a bellows. The spacing member 112 may be wrinkled and retracted toward the transflective member 120 and may be stretched away from the transflective member 120. The distance between the imaging member 130 and the transflective member 120 becomes narrow and the distance between the imaging member 130 and the transflective member 120 is reduced when the space regulating member 112 is contracted. The distance between the members 120 can be distant. Accordingly, the photographing area of the photographing member 130 can be adjusted. This will be described later.

The transflective member 120 may be made of a material that transmits part of the light toward the transflective member 120 and reflects part of the light. As an example, the transflective member 120 may be a half mirror.

The transflective member 120 may be disposed within the housing 110. The housing 110 may be disposed between a local video caller and an image display device (140 in FIG. 4), and a transflective member 120 disposed within the housing 110 may be disposed to be tilted toward the image display device .

Thus, the image displayed on the image display device (140 in FIG. 4) can be transmitted through the transflective member 120 to reach a local video caller. Further, the state of the local video caller may be reflected by the transflective member 120 and incident on the photographing member 130. [

The degree to which the transflective member 120 is inclined can be adjusted. The photographing angle of the photographing member 130 can be adjusted by adjusting the inclination degree of the transflective member 120. That is, by adjusting the degree of tilting of the transflective member 120, the photographing member 130 can photograph the appearance of the local video caller facing the eyes of the remote video caller displayed by the video display device.

The transmittance of the transflective member 120 may be approximately 50%. Since the local video caller sees the video of the video display device through the transflective member 120, the brightness of the video is lowered, so that the transflective member 120 may have a transmittance of 50% or more. When the transmittance of the transflective member 120 is 50% or more, the amount of light reflected through the transflective member 120 decreases, and thus the brightness of the input image of the image pickup member 130 can be reduced. As described above, when the transmittance of the transflective member 120 is 50% or more, the image pickup member 130 can compensate the image quality of the input image reflected by the transflective member 120 by the image process.

The area of the transflective member 120 may be smaller than the screen area of the image display device (140 in FIG. 4). Since the area of the transflective member 120 is smaller than the screen area of the image display device, the size of the camera system for video communication can be reduced in size and weight. In addition, by arranging the camera system for video communication, which is miniaturized and lightweight, to be closer to the local video caller than the video display apparatus, regardless of the size of the screen of the video display apparatus, the local video caller can display You can see the entire image of the device. This will be described later.

Thus, since the transflective member 120 transmits the image of the video display device 140 and reflects the image of the local video caller 10, It is possible to photograph a video image of the display device 140, that is, a video image of a remote video caller displayed through the video display device 140, The caller can make a video call that matches the line of sight.

The imaging member 130 may be disposed above the housing 110 to correspond to the sloped surface of the transflective member 120 facing the local video caller (10 of FIG. 4). The photographing member 130 can be engaged with the gap adjusting member 112 constituting the upper portion of the housing 110. As described above, the imaging member 130 can be made larger or smaller in spacing with the transflective member 120 by the gap adjusting member 112.

The photographing member 130 can photograph a state of a local video caller (10 in Fig. 4) reflected through the transflective member 120. [ The camera system 100 for video communication according to an embodiment of the present invention can capture the appearance of the local video caller reflected through the transflective member 120 rather than photographing the local video caller directly have.

The position of the local video caller photographed by the photographing member 130 in accordance with the transmittance of the transflective member 120 can be reduced because the state of the local video caller is partially reflected by the transflective member 120 and photographed by the photographing member 130 The luminance of the image may be lowered. Accordingly, the imaging member 130 may further include an image process capable of improving the brightness of the image.

4 is a block diagram illustrating a video call through a camera system for video communication according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4, a housing 110 including a transflective member 120 may be disposed between a local video caller 10 and an image display device 140. The semi-transparent member 120 may be smaller than the image display device 140 and the local video caller 10 may not be able to view the entire image of the image display device 140 through the semi-transparent member 120. The distance a between the transflective member 120 and the local video caller 10 is closer to the distance b between the transflective member 120 and the video display device 140, The local video caller 10 can view the entire video of the video display device 140 through the transflective member 120 by disposing the housing 110 including the video display device 120. [

The housing 110 including the transflective member 120 is arranged closer to the local video caller 10 than the video display device 140 so that the area of the transflective member 120 is set to be smaller than the screen of the video display device 140 It is possible to reduce the size and weight of the camera system for video communication. However, by arranging the transflective member 120 close to the local video caller 10, the imaging area of the imaging member 130 can be limited. That is, by placing the transflective member 120 close to the local video caller 10, the photographing member 130 photographs the upper half of the local video caller 10, a face, a part of the face, etc., There may be a problem that a video call is made by viewing a part of the local video caller 10.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the transflective member 120 is provided on the local video caller 10 by having the spacing member 112 capable of adjusting the distance between the imaging member 130 and the transflective member 120, So that the photographing member 130 can photograph a certain image of the local video caller 10.

More specifically, the transflective member 120 is formed to be smaller than the image display device 140, and the local video caller 10 transmits the entire image of the video display device 140 through the transflective member 120 It is necessary to arrange the housing 110 including the transflective member 120 closer to the local video caller 10 than the video display device 140 and to position the housing 110 close to the local video caller 10 The position of the photographing member 130 disposed on the upper portion of the housing 110 is also close to the local video caller 10 according to the setting of the photographing member 130 so that the photographing region of the photographing member 130 can be reduced. At this time, the interval adjusting member 112 can secure the photographing region of the photographing member 130 by extending the photographing member 130 away from the transflective member 120, that is, in the Z-axis direction in FIG. 4, The imaging member 130 can photograph a certain portion of the local video caller 10, for example, an upper body or a face, even if the video caller 110 is placed close to the local video caller 10.

Conversely, when the housing 110 is separated from the local video caller 10, the gap adjusting member 112 contracts the imaging member 130 toward the transflective member 120, that is, in the -Z-axis direction in FIG. 4 Thereby allowing the photographing member 130 to photograph a certain portion of the local video caller 10.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing a camera system for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically showing the camera system for video communication of FIG.

5 and 6, a camera system 200 for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a distance adjustment member 212 and an angle adjustment member 213, Which is different from the camera system 100 for video communication. That is, the camera system 200 for video communication shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 may not include the gap adjusting member 112 and may include the distance adjusting member 212.

The distance adjustment member 212 may be coupled with the imaging member 230 to adjust the distance between the local video caller 10 and the imaging member 230. 5, the distance adjusting member 212 moves in the Y-axis direction in which the local video caller 10 is located, so that the distance between the local video caller 10 and the photographing member 230 is close to Or the distance between the local video caller 10 and the photographing member 230 may be increased by moving in the -Y axis direction where the video display device 140 is located.

The distance adjusting member 212 may be composed of a first member 212a and a second member 212b having elasticity.

The first member 212a is disposed on the side of the local video caller (10 in Fig. 7) around the photographing member 230 and the second member 212b is disposed on the image display device (140) of FIG.

The first member 212a is contracted and the second member 212b is stretched so that the photographing member 230 can move toward the local video caller 10. [ In addition, the first member 212a is stretched and the second member 212b is contracted, so that the imaging member 230 can move toward the image display device 140. [

As described above, the camera system 200 for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the distance control member 212 so that the transflective member 120 is disposed close to the local video caller 10, It is possible to prevent the shooting area of the video camera 230 from being shrunk and allow the photographing member 230 to photograph a certain view of the local video caller 10. [

More specifically, the transflective member 120 is formed to be smaller than the image display device 140, and the local video caller 10 transmits the entire image of the video display device 140 through the transflective member 120 It is necessary to arrange the housing 110 including the transflective member 120 closer to the local video caller 10 than the video display device 140 and to position the housing 110 close to the local video caller 10 The position of the photographing member 230 disposed on the upper portion of the housing 110 is also close to the local video caller 10 so that the photographing member 230 also approaches the local video caller 10 It is not the upper body of the local video caller, but the face or part of the face can be photographed.

At this time, the distance adjusting member 212 moves the photographing member 230 away from the transflective member 120, that is, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the first member 212a is moved in the Y-axis direction And the second member 212b is extended in the Y axis direction so that the photographing member 230 located at the portion where the first member 212a and the second member 212b are in contact with each other is also closer to the local video caller, As a result, the distance between the imaging member 230 and the transflective member 120 increases, so that even though the housing 110 is placed closer to the local video caller, For example, an upper body or a face.

Conversely, when the housing 110 is away from the local video caller 10, the distance adjustment member 212 moves the imaging member 230 closer to the transflective member 120, for example, the first member 212a Axis direction and the second member 212b is reduced in the -Y axis direction so that the photographing member 230 can photograph a certain portion of the local video caller 10. [

5 and 6, the image capturing angle of the image capturing member 230 can be changed because the image capturing member 230 moves in the Y axis direction. The camera system 200 for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include an angle adjusting member 213 that can correct an angle of photographing in accordance with the movement of the photographing member 230 toward a local video caller .

The angle adjusting member 213 can adjust the photographing angle of the photographing member 230. Referring to FIG. 7, a description will be made as follows.

Fig. 7 is a side view schematically showing the camera system for video communication of Fig. 5;

7, if it is assumed that the face of the local video caller 10 can be photographed when the photographing member 230 is located on the center point C of the transflective member 120, When the first member 212a of the first video communication device 212 is retracted toward the local video caller 10 and the second member 212b is extended toward the local video caller 10, (Y-axis direction). The photographing member 230 may not photograph the lower part of the face of the local video caller 130 and may photograph only the upper part of the face.

At this time, the angle adjusting member 213 is set so that the lens of the photographing member 230 is semi-transmissive so that even when the photographing member 230 moves toward the local video caller 10, So that the photographing angle of the photographing member 230 can be adjusted by pointing the member 120.

The camera system 200 for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention is configured such that even when the photographing member 230 is moved toward the local video caller 10 by the distance adjusting member 212, 213 can adjust the photographing angle of the photographing member 230 so that the local video caller 10 can photograph an image of the user who faces the remote video caller displayed by the video display device 140 .

8 is a perspective view schematically showing a camera system for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, the camera system 300 for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include a support member 500 for supporting the housing 110.

The support member 500 is disposed at one side of the housing 110 and includes a height adjustment bar 510 for adjusting the height of the housing 110 and a fixing unit 520 for fixing the housing 110 to the height adjustment bar 510 And a receiving part 530 coupled to one end of the height adjusting bar 510 and supporting the height adjusting bar 510.

9 is a perspective view schematically showing a camera system for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, the camera system 400 for video communication according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include microphones 411 and 412. The microphones 411 and 412 can record the voice of the local video caller. The microphones 411 and 412 may be disposed on the lower surface of the housing 110 or on one side of the photographing member 130. The present invention is not limited thereto, and the microphones 411 and 412 can be disposed at positions where the voice of the local video caller can be easily recorded.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

100, 200, 300, 400: Camera system for video communication
110: housing 111:
112: spacing member 130, 230: imaging member
212:

Claims (17)

A camera system for a video call capable of making a video call with a remote video caller displayed on a video display device by a local video caller,
A transflective member disposed in front of the image display device; And
A photographing member disposed at one side of the transflective member and photographing a local video caller located in front of the transflective member; And,
Wherein the transflective member transmits the image of the remote video caller to be recognized by the local video caller and reflects the appearance of the local video caller toward the photographing member. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the transflective member is arranged to be tilted toward the image display device so that the photographing member can photograph an image of the local video caller facing the eyes of the remote video caller displayed by the video display device Camera system for video calls. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the angle of the transflective member tilted toward the image display device is variable. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the photographing member is capable of changing the angle of the transflective member so that the local video caller can take an image of the remote video caller facing the eye. 3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the photographing member is arranged to correspond to an inclined surface of the transflective member facing the local video caller. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the area of the transflective member is smaller than the screen area of the video display device so that the transferee is not disturbed when the local video caller views the entire screen of the video display device, Wherein the distance between the transflective member and the video display device is shorter than the distance between the transflective member and the video display device. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a housing in which the semitransparent member is disposed and the photographing member is disposed outside the housing. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein a surface of the housing corresponding to an inclined surface of the transflective member is made of a material that absorbs light. 8. The method of claim 7,
And a support member for supporting the housing. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the support member comprises:
A height adjusting bar disposed on one side of the housing for adjusting a height of the housing;
A fixing part fixing the housing to the height adjusting bar; And
A pedestal coupled to one end of the height adjusting bar and supporting the height adjusting bar; The camera system comprising: The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a spacing adjusting member disposed between the photographing member and the transflective member and capable of adjusting an interval between the photographing member and the transflective member. 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the spacing member moves the imaging member away from the transflective member as the transflective member is disposed closer to the local video caller than the video display unit, And the area is enlarged. 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the gap adjusting member comprises a bellows. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a distance adjusting member coupled to the photographing member to adjust a distance between the local video caller and the photographing member. 15. The method of claim 14,
Wherein the distance adjusting member comprises a first member and a second member having elasticity,
Wherein the first member is disposed on the local video caller side around the photographing member,
Wherein the second member is disposed on the image display device side with respect to the photographing member,
Wherein the first member is retracted and the second member is stretched when the photographing member moves toward the local video caller. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein when the imaging member is moved toward the image display device, the first member is extended and the second member is contracted. 15. The method of claim 14,
And an angle adjusting member capable of changing an angle of photographing of the photographing member so that the photographing member can photograph the face of the video caller even if the distance from the local video caller to the photographing member is changed by the distance adjusting member The camera system comprising:

Images