Communication terminal, image communication system, display control method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10484603-B2
Application number	US-201816140945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2018
Priority date	Sep 25, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A communication terminal for displaying a predetermined-area image, which is an image of a part of a whole image, includes circuitry. The circuitry receives first predetermined information specifying a first predetermined area, the first predetermined information being transmitted from another communication terminal displaying a first predetermined-area image, which is an image of the first predetermined-area. The circuitry calculates a position of the first predetermined area with respect to a second predetermined area, based on the first predetermined information received and second predetermined information specifying the second predetermined area, the second predetermined area being an area of a second predetermined-area image being displayed by the communication terminal. The circuitry controls a display to display the second predetermined-area image including at least one of relative position information indicating the position calculated and direction information indicating a direction of the first predetermined area with respect to the second predetermined area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A communication terminal for displaying a predetermined-area image, which is an image of a part of a whole image, the communication terminal comprising circuitry to:
receive first predetermined information specifying a first predetermined area, the first predetermined information being transmitted from another communication terminal displaying a first predetermined-area image, which is an image of the first predetermined-area in the whole image,
calculate a position of the first predetermined area with respect to a second predetermined area in the whole image, based on the first predetermined information received and second predetermined information specifying the second predetermined area, the second predetermined area being an area of a second predetermined-area image being displayed by the communication terminal; and
control a display to display, based on the position calculated, the second predetermined-area image including at least one of relative position information indicating the position calculated and direction information indicating a direction of the first predetermined area with respect to the second predetermined area.

2. The communication terminal of claim 1 , wherein
data of the whole image is transmitted from a third communication terminal, which is different from the communication terminal and the another communication terminal.

3. The communication terminal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory to store image data identification information for identifying data. of the whole image in association with image type information indicating a type of the whole image,
wherein, in response to receiving particular whole image data of a particular whole image and particular image data identification information identifying the particular whole image data, which are transmitted from the another communication terminal,
the circuitry is further configured to:
generate, based on the particular whole image, the second predetermined-area image in the whole image as a spherical image, when particular image type information associated with the received particular image data identification information in the memory indicates a spherical image;
include at least one of the relative position information and the direction information in the generated second predetermined-area image, based on the calculated position of the first predetermined area; and
control the display to display the second predetermined-area image including at least one of the relative position information and the direction information.

4. The communication terminal of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory to store address information of a sender communication terminal, which is a transmission source of data of the whole image, address information of a destination communication terminal, which is a destination of the data of the whole image, and predetermined information specifying a predetermined-area image displayed by the communication terminal as the destination communication terminal, in association with one another, and
the circuitry is further configured to:
transmit data of a whole image of an own site where the communication terminal itself is located, to be received by the another communication terminal;
receive the address information of the communication terminal itself as a transmission source of data of a whole image received by the another communication terminal and the address information of the another communication terminal, both of the address information of the communication terminal itself and the address information of the another communication terminal being transmitted together with the first predetermined information from the another communication terminal;
store, in the memory, the address information of the communication terminal itself, the address information of the another communication terminal, and the first predetermined information, which are received, in association with one another; and
transmit the address information of the communication terminal itself, the address information of the another communication terminal, and the first predetermined information stored in the memory, to be received by one or more other communication terminals participating a same video communication in which the communication terminal itself is participating.

5. The communication terminal of claim 4 , wherein
the data of the whole image is transmitted from the communication terminal.

6. The communication terminal of claim 5 , wherein
the circuitry transmits, at preset intervals, a latest set of the address information of the communication terminal itself, the address information of the another communication terminal, and the first predetermined information stored in the memory.

7. The communication terminal of claim 1 , wherein
the communication terminal includes one of a videoconference terminal, a personal computer, a smartphone, a digital television, a smartwatch, and a car navigation device.

8. The communication terminal of claim 4 , wherein
the communication terminal includes one of a videoconference terminal, a personal computer, a smartphone, a digital television, a smartwatch, and a car navigation device.

9. An image communication system, comprising:
the communication terminal of claim 1 :
the another communication terminal; and
a communication management system that manages communication of captured-image data between the communication terminal and the another communication terminal.

10. An image communication system, comprising:
the communication terminal of claim 4 ;
the another communication terminal; and
a communication management system that manages communication of captured-image data between the communication terminal and the another communication terminal.

11. A display control method performed by a communication terminal for displaying a predetermined-area image, which is an image of a part of a whole image, the method comprising:
receiving first predetermined information specifying a first predetermined area, the first predetermined information being transmitted from another communication terminal displaying a first predetermined-area image, which is an image of the first predetermined-area in the whole image;
calculating a position of the first predetermined area with respect to a second predetermined area in the whole image, based on the first predetermined information received and second predetermined information specifying the second predetermined area, the second predetermined area being an area of a second predetermined-area image being displayed by the communication terminal; and
displaying, based on the position calculated, the second predetermined-area image including at least one of relative position information indicating the position calculated and direction information indicating a direction of the first predetermined area with respect to the second predetermined area.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program that causes a communication terminal for displaying a predetermined-area image, which is an image of a part of a whole image, to perform a method comprising:
receiving first predetermined information specifying a first predetermined area, the first predetermined information being transmitted from another communication terminal displaying a first predetermined-area image, which is an image of the first predetermined-area in the whole image;
calculating a position of the first predetermined area with respect to a second predetermined area in the whole image, based on the first predetermined information received and second predetermined information s

Assignees

• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ohmura Yohhei
• Morita Kenichiro
• Homma Takeshi
• Soneda Takuya
• Hakata Mayu
• Annaka Hidekuni

Classifications

• H04N7/15

  Conference systems · CPC title

• H04N7/142

  Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display · CPC title

• H04N23/698 Primary

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• H04N7/147 Primary

  Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q) · CPC title

• H04N7/155

  involving storage of or access to video conference sessions (tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831) · CPC title