Communication Terminal Target Area Display for Remote Image Viewing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image communication systems face challenges in allowing users to focus on specific locations at a remote site without directly operating the image capturing devices, as they require manual operation to capture and display targeted areas effectively.

Innovation Solution

A communication terminal and image communication system that includes a display unit, storage for target area information, a reception unit for target area designation, and a display control unit to display a designated area within a captured spherical image from a remote site, allowing users to view specific areas without direct operation of the image capturing device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If manual operation of the image capturing device is required to capture specific areas, then the user can focus on specific locations at the remote site, but the operation complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefocus on specific locationsVSAvoidmanual operation required
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-divides the monitoring area into multiple predetermined target areas and stores their position information. When a user needs to view a specific location, they simply select from the pre-defined areas rather than manually navigating the camera, thus resolving the contradiction between focusing on specific locations and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal device acts as an intermediary between the user and the image capturing device. It receives user input, automatically calculates the corresponding target area based on stored position information, and controls the camera to capture the desired area, eliminating the need for manual camera operation while maintaining focus on specific locations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If manual operation is needed to capture and display targeted areas, then specific locations can be viewed, but the time consumption and efficiency decrease

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveview specific areasVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-divides the monitoring area into multiple predetermined target areas and stores their position information. When a user needs to view a specific location, they simply select from the pre-defined areas rather than manually navigating the camera, thus resolving the contradiction between focusing on specific locations and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides automatic feedback by receiving user selection input and immediately responding with the corresponding target area capture and display, eliminating manual operation steps and reducing time consumption while maintaining the ability to view specific areas

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If the image capturing device is operated manually to capture specific areas, then targeted viewing is possible, but the device complexity and operation difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetargeted area viewingVSAvoidoperation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-divides the monitoring area into multiple predetermined target areas and stores their position information. When a user needs to view a specific location, they simply select from the pre-defined areas rather than manually navigating the camera, thus resolving the contradiction between focusing on specific locations and ease of operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal device performs automatic calculations to determine the corresponding target area based on user selection and stored position information. The system serves itself by automatically controlling the image capturing device without requiring manual operation, thus reducing operation complexity while maintaining targeted area viewing capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3962090A1Communication terminal, image communication system, method for displaying image, and carrier means
Publication Date: 2022.03.02 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP3962090A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP3962090A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3962090A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

A communication terminal (70) includes: a display (706) configured to display a part of a whole image as a viewable-area image, the whole image having been captured at a distribution site that is remotely located from a browsing site where the communication terminal is provided; a storage unit (7003) configured to store target area information indicating a plurality of target areas at the distribution site; a reception unit (71) configured to receive, from the distribution site, target area designation information designating a particular target area of the plurality of target areas; and a display control unit (74) configured to control the display to display the viewable-area image including the particular target area, based on the target area information of the particular target area. An image communication system (1) including the communication terminal (70), a method for displaying, performed by the communication terminal, and carrier means for causing a computer system to carry out the method for displaying are also provided.