US 12,457,306 B2
Television receiver with a TV phone function
Kazunori Iwabuchi, Yokohama (JP); Hiroki Mizosoe, Kawasaki (JP); Mutsumi Shimoda, Kawasaki (JP); Setiawan Bondan, Yamato (JP); and Manabu Sasamoto, Yokohama (JP)
Assigned to Maxell, Ltd., Kyoto (JP)
Filed by Maxell, Ltd., Kyoto (JP)
Filed on Feb. 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/431,239.
Application 18/431,239 is a continuation of application No. 17/994,174, filed on Nov. 25, 2022.
Application 17/994,174 is a continuation of application No. 17/135,094, filed on Dec. 28, 2020, granted, now 11,539,921, issued on Dec. 27, 2022.
Application 17/135,094 is a continuation of application No. 16/506,100, filed on Jul. 9, 2019, granted, now 10,911,719, issued on Feb. 2, 2021.
Application 16/506,100 is a continuation of application No. 16/110,331, filed on Aug. 23, 2018, granted, now 10,389,978, issued on Aug. 20, 2019.
Application 16/110,331 is a continuation of application No. 15/837,402, filed on Dec. 11, 2017, granted, now 10,084,991, issued on Sep. 25, 2018.
Application 15/837,402 is a continuation of application No. 15/631,298, filed on Jun. 23, 2017, granted, now 10,070,099, issued on Sep. 4, 2018.
Application 15/631,298 is a continuation of application No. 15/215,839, filed on Jul. 21, 2016, granted, now 9,723,268, issued on Aug. 1, 2017.
Application 15/215,839 is a continuation of application No. 14/811,048, filed on Jul. 28, 2015, granted, now 9,432,618, issued on Aug. 30, 2016.
Application 14/811,048 is a continuation of application No. 13/723,312, filed on Dec. 21, 2012, granted, now 9,124,758, issued on Sep. 1, 2015.
Application 13/723,312 is a continuation of application No. 12/457,257, filed on Jun. 4, 2009, granted, now 8,363,087, issued on Jan. 29, 2013.
Claims priority of application No. 2008-246232 (JP), filed on Sep. 25, 2008.
Prior Publication US 2024/0179273 A1, May 30, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 7/173 (2011.01); H04L 65/1063 (2022.01); H04N 7/14 (2006.01); H04N 21/254 (2011.01); H04N 21/422 (2011.01); H04N 21/4223 (2011.01); H04N 21/431 (2011.01); H04N 21/4788 (2011.01)
CPC H04N 7/17318 (2013.01) [H04L 65/1063 (2013.01); H04N 7/141 (2013.01); H04N 7/142 (2013.01); H04N 7/147 (2013.01); H04N 7/148 (2013.01); H04N 21/254 (2013.01); H04N 21/42203 (2013.01); H04N 21/4223 (2013.01); H04N 21/431 (2013.01); H04N 21/4788 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A communication apparatus for transmitting and receiving digital information to and from another communication apparatus, comprising:
a network interface configured to receive first digital information from a contents server which is coupled to the communication apparatus via the network interface and second digital information from the another communication apparatus;
a decoder configured to decode the first digital information and the second digital information;
a camera configured to generate video information;
an encoder for encoding the video information from the camera, the encoder having at least both a first encoding function and a second encoding function being different from each other, and configured to encode the video information using either the first encoding function or the second encoding function by switching between the at least first encoding function and the second encoding function possessed by the encoder depending on an operation mode, wherein the first encoding function is for encoding the video information for recording so that the video information can be recorded in the communication apparatus and the second encoding function is for encoding the video information for video-phone so that the video information can be transmitted to an outside of the communication apparatus as an image for video-phone communication;
a storage configured to record the video information from the camera as encoded by the first encoding function of the encoder;
a display configured to display at least one of decoded first digital information and decoded second digital information; and
a processor configured to:
i) control the operation mode of the communication apparatus based on an operational input to initiate a first operation mode in which the decoded first digital information is displayed on the display, wherein in the first operation mode, the processor switches the encoder to a state in which the encoder operates in the first encoding function so that the video information from the camera as encoded with the first encoding function can be recorded in the storage;
ii) control the operation mode of the communication apparatus based on an inbound video-phone call received during the first operation mode to initiate a second operation mode in which the decoded second digital information is displayed on the display, wherein, in the second operation mode, the processor switches the encoder from the state in which the encoder operates in the first encoding function to the state in which the encoder operates in the second encoding function so that the video information from the camera is encoded using the second encoding function of the encoder to generate third digital information for the video-phone call, and the third digital information is outputted to the another communication apparatus; and
iii) stop outputting of the third digital information to the another communication apparatus and control the operation mode of the communication apparatus to switch to the first operation mode in response to receiving an input for stopping the video-phone call,
wherein the encoder is coupled to both the network interface and the storage,
wherein, in the second operation mode:
the display is configured to simultaneously display a first window including display of the decoded first digital information and a second window including display of the decoded second digital information for rendering a video of a person placing the video-phone-call from the another communication apparatus, and
wherein, in the first operation mode,
the display is configured to display the first window including display of the decoded first digital information and not display the second window including display of the decoded second digital information for rendering the video of the person placing the video-phone-call from the another communication apparatus.