Communication terminal, image communication system, and display control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10623231-B2
Application number	US-201916352896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2019
Priority date	Mar 29, 2018
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A communication terminal includes circuitry. The circuitry receives data of a whole image, data of a material image, and superimposition position information indicating a position where the material image is to be superimposed on the whole image, the data of the whole image, the data of the material image, and the superimposition position information being transmitted from another communication terminal. The circuitry superimposes the material image on the whole image at the position indicated by the superimposition position information. The circuitry causes a display to display a predetermined-area image, which is an image of a predetermined area of the whole image. When at least a part of the material image being superimposed is not displayed in the predetermined-area image, the circuitry changes the position where the material image is superimposed such that the material image is displayed at a predetermined position in the predetermined-area image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A communication terminal, comprising circuitry configured to:
receive data of a whole image, data of a material image, and superimposition position information indicating a position where the material image is to be superimposed on the whole image, the data of the whole image, the data of the material image, and the superimposition position information being transmitted from another communication terminal;
superimpose the material image on the whole image at the position indicated by the superimposition position information; and
cause a display provided with the communication terminal to display a predetermined-area image, which is an image of a predetermined area of the whole image, wherein
when at least a part of the material image being superimposed is not displayed in the predetermined-area image, the circuitry changes the position where the material image is superimposed such that the material image is displayed at a predetermined position in the predetermined-area image.

2. The communication terminal of claim 1 , wherein
the circuitry is further configured to receive an instruction for changing a display of the predetermined-area image to a specific-area image, which is an image of a specific area of the whole image, the specific area being different from the predetermined area, and
when at least a part of the material image being superimposed is not displayed in the specific-area image changed from the predetermined-area image in response to the instruction, the circuitry changes the position where the material image is superimposed such that the material image is displayed at a specific position in the specific-area image.

3. The communication terminal of claim 1 , wherein
the circuitry is further configured to:
receive an instruction for changing the predetermined position to another predetermined position; and
superimpose the material image on the predetermined-area image at the another predetermined position changed in response to the instruction.

4. The communication terminal of claim 1 , wherein
the whole image is a spherical image.

5. 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 system.

6. A communication system, comprising:
the communication terminal of claim 1 ;
the another communication terminal; and
a communication management system configured to manage communication of captured-image data between the communication terminal and the another communication terminal.

7. A display control method performed by a communication terminal, the method comprising:
receiving data of a whole image, data of a material image, and superimposition position information indicating a position where the material image is to be superimposed in the whole image, the data of the whole image, the data of the material image, and the superimposition position information being transmitted from another communication terminal;
superimposing the material image on the whole image based on the superimposition position information; and
causing a display provided with the communication terminal to display a predetermined-area image, which is an image of a predetermined area of the whole image,
wherein when at least a part of the material image is not included in the displayed predetermined-area image, the method further comprising superimposing the material image on the predetermined-area image at a predetermined position in the predetermined-area image.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving an instruction for changing a display of the predetermined-area image to a specific-area image, which is an image of a specific area of the whole image, the specific area being different from the predetermined area; and
wherein when at least a part of the material image being superimposed is not displayed in the specific-area image changed from the predetermined-area image in response to the instruction, changing the position where the material image is superimposed such that the material image is displayed at a specific position in the specific-area image.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving an instruction for changing the predetermined position to another predetermined position; and
superimposing the material image on the predetermined-area image at the another predetermined position changed in response to the instruction.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein
the whole image is a spherical image.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein
the method is performed by the communication terminal which includes one of a videoconference terminal, a personal computer, a smartphone, a digital television, a smartwatch, and a car navigation system.

Assignees

• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hakata Mayu
• Morita Kenichiro
• Takeda Takafumi
• Annaka Hidekuni
• Homma Takeshi
• Ohmura Yohhei

Classifications

• H04L65/403 Primary

  Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) · CPC title

• H04N7/147

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

• H04L29/06414 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/23206

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/23238

  Electricity · mapped topic