Abstract: A connector for profile sections having axes that intersect at a certain angle (.alpha., .beta.) includes a connecting member folded or cut so that it defines a bearing surface provided with a through-bore and arranged to be attached to any one of the surfaces of a first profile section, the connecting member being pivotable about a first axis parallel or orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the through-bore, and at least one portion of the member further being pivotable about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis (D1); the part of the connector located beyond a plane parallel to the first axis and passing through the second pivot axis forms an initial attachment portion to which a second profile section is attached either directly or by an insert.

Abstract: A process for synchronizing a scanning circuit of a device for the display of images acquired by a camera having a scanning circuit controlled by a given acquisition clock. The device comprises an input buffer, a processor making it possible to reconstitute each image entering the buffer, a display store in which the images are recorded after processing and a controller able to control the reading or writing of the images in the display store. The process is characterized in that it consists of applying to the scanning circuit an arbitrary clock signal independent of the image synchronization of the signal received. Also, the reading and writing of the display store is controlled in order to obtain repetitions or suppressions of images on display thus absorbing any delay or advance. Further, the processor should have a faster than necessary image compression (average time of one image).

Abstract: In order to establish a videophone communication from a calling terminal to a called terminal, a communication is established on a first TBCC channel, then a ringing tone is emitted automatically, from the called terminal, to the calling terminal on the first channel and a call is emitted to the telephone set on the second channel B; in response to the unhooking of the telephone handset the two channels are automatically linked from the called terminal; and, in response to a code from the telephone set, the emission is caused of a waiting tone to the calling terminal and a ringing to the called videophone terminal; in the event of acceptance on the part of the subscriber of the called videophone terminal, the establishment of communication is automatically continued in response to the hooking of the set.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for throughput compression for use in a videophone camera wherein an array of photosensitive cells is divided into odd and even lines and the cells of these cells are interlaced with each other and then the interlaced lines are coupled together such that during a first time interval the electric charges stored in the cells of the even lines are transferred to a plurality of first storage cells, then transferred to a plurality of corresponding second storage cells during a succeeding time interval and finally added in the second storage cells to the electrical charges in the corresponding cells of the odd lines of the cell array during a third time interval.

Abstract: The audiovisual telecommunication terminal makes it possible to orient the flat screen relative to the position of the face of the operator in front of the same. The terminal comprises means for the flexible driving of the mobile part (20) carrying the flat screen relative to the fixed part (10). The transmission is of the "pulley block" type and uses a motor (12) driving a belt (8) fixed on the one hand to a drive shaft (18) and on the other to the fixed part (10) in order to exert tension on the mobile part (20). The reverse movement can be brought about by helical springs (19).

Abstract: A visual and sound telecommunication system includes an audiovisual terminal, a camera and a handset with earpiece and microphone. The handset has a remote control acting on the terminal and on the camera by way of the terminal.

Abstract: An apparatus for coding/decoding image signals processes sequential information signals in real time so as to compress the volume of data necessary for representing the corresponding image resulting in a minimum bit rate for transmission of the corresponding image using a transmission network. The coding/decoding apparatus includes a coding arrangement for coding image signals to be transmitted as well as a decoding arrangement for decoding the image signals received. The coding arrangement includes a local image coding loop for images broken down into blocks including a coder incorporating a transformation and quantization arrangement for coding the difference between each block of a local image and the corresponding block of a preceding local image. A decoder of the local image coding loop incorporates a reverse transformation and reverse quantization arrangement for reconstituting each block.

Abstract: An audio and video communications terminal, of the type comprising a housing, a camera provided with an optical system, a display screen, a microphone, a loudspeaker, and a central unit including a sound and image information encoder and decoder, and an interface in association with the elements for communication with another terminal of the same type via a digital transmission network, the terminal further comprising electric motors and clutches for adjusting at least one camera parameter; a manual control suitable for generating control information for adjusting the parameter(s); and a switch for switching between a local adjustment mode in which the control information is applied to the electric motors and clutches, and a remote adjustment mode in which the control information is sent to the other terminal over the digital network in parallel with the sound and image information, and in which control information received from the other terminal, likewise over the digital network and in parallel with sound

Abstract: A table-top terminal for sound and vision communications, of the type associated, in particular, with a telephone set, and comprising a case (100) containing: a display screen monitor (128), a camera (132) having a lens system (130), manual control means, and an electronic assembly for the purposes of control, coding/decoding, and interfacing with a transmission line, wherein, for the purpose of compensating the illumination of a speaker in an environment having overhead ambient lighting and thereby enabling the camera to obtain a balanced image of said speaker, the terminal further includes an auxiliary lighting device (160) having a general emission direction (C) which is essentially upwardly inclined towards the speaker, together with a mechanism for adjusting the light flux emitted by the device as a function of the ambient lighting.

Abstract: A terminal for sound and vision communication, of the type associated, in particular, with a telephone set, comprises a case (100) containing a display screen monitor (128), a camera (132) provided with optics (130), an electronic assembly (134) for control, coding/decoding, and telephone line interfacing and control (114). The case (100) comprises a first part (110) via which the terminal is supported on a support surface, and a second part (120) which is hinged to the first part about a substantially horizontal axis (A) and which receives the camera (132) and its optics (130) together with the monitor (128). The terminal is such that, in use, the second part (120) of the case can assume at least two different angular positions relative to the first part (110), corresponding to two different aiming directions (B) for the camera.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transmission-reception system for the transmission of animated color images or pictures and sound from two independent channels. The image signal is distributed over two independent channels, the luminance signal occupying one channel, while the chrominance signal, which is multiplexed with the sound, occupies with the sound the other channel. Separate luminance and chrominance signal processors are provided.

Abstract: A telecommunications terminal is provided which has a central unit (100) and a handset (200). The handset houses a microphone (210) and a speaker (220) and is connected to the central unit via a cord (300). The connecting cord has a plurality of wires (301-304) for conveying output signals from the microphone and input signals to the speaker. The telecommunications terminal incorporates at least one function under the manual control of its user. That function is controlled by a switching means (l1, l2; 230) housed in the handset, with the corresponding control signals being conveyed along said cord in the form of phantom D.C. voltages.

Abstract: The invention relates to a quantization process in an encoding by transformation for transmission on a low rate link of an image signal, said image signal being processed in the form of blocks, each containing a set of digital data, each block being transformed to produce a transformed block of coefficients (Ci) representing the frequency components of the block, each transformed coefficients of a block being quantified during a scan by comparison with quantization levels, the first being called the threshold, the process being characterized in that the quantization is performed with a threshold (T) able to vary between one transfored coefficient (Ci) and the next (Ci+1) in the scan, depending on whether the transformed coefficient does or does not fulfil the conditions -T<Ci<+T.

Abstract: The coding and decoding devices embodying the invention are connected by two paths, a main path and an auxiliary path, of a variable rate digital transmission network. When the main path is capable of dispatching the totality of the information rate that the coding device is able to issue, only a main coder and a main decoder, respectively of the coding and decoding devices, are active. When the main path is not capable of dispatching the totality of the picture information, an auxiliary coder and an auxiliary decoder, respectively of the coding and decoding devices, are also active and the auxiliary path dispatches the part of the information rate that cannot be dispatched by the main path. A decoder and a subtracter are provided in the coding device so as to estimate the part of information not transmitted by the main path.

Abstract: A sound and image transmission system which is applicable to television-telephony, uses a single transmission line and multiplexes the image signal and the sound signal with an output which is essentially identical to the rhythm of an encoded image and the sound of the latter image. The encoder and decoder for the image processing lines function for only part of the time, but faster than if they functioned continuously.

Abstract: A circuit for the fast calculation of the discrete cosine transform (X.sub.i), 0.ltoreq.i.ltoreq.N-1, in which N=2.sup.n and n is an integer of a signal defined by a sequence (x.sub.i), 0.ltoreq.i.ltoreq.N-1 includes a first adder stage receiving the sequence (x.sub.i), 0.ltoreq.i.ltoreq.N-1, and supplying two sequences (x.sub.i.sup.o) and y.sub.i.sup.i) and 0.ltoreq.i.ltoreq.(N/2)-1, a group of upper half-stages receiving the sequence of x.sup.o.sub.i) and supplying the sequence (X.sub.2q) of the even components of the cosine transform. That group constitutes a circuit for the fast calculation of the cosine transform for a group of (N/2) points and a group of lower half-stages receiving the sequence (y.sub.i) and supplying the sequence (X.sub.2q+1) of the odd components of the cosine transform.

Abstract: A process for coding by transformation for the transmission of an image signal, comprises a stage of breaking down the image into blocks, each block containing a set of matrix-organized digital data and representing part of the picture, said process being characterized in that it comprises, for each block a step of detecting the movement of the block by comparing said block of the current image with the corresponding block of the preceding image, transmitting a non-refreshing code for the block and an identification code for the block in the image if the block is fixed, if a movement is detected in the block, breaking down the block into several subblocks, movement detection in each subblock by comparison with the corresponding subblock of the corresponding block of the preceding picture and transmission of a code which is a function of the movement of the subblock, if the block is moving.

Abstract: A color correction process applicable to video photography and a system using this process. A digital processing member receives image sample signals from a camera and calculates the average color of the images and determines therefrom correction coefficients which are applied to to the camera outputs. The coefficients can be based on average luminance, a reference color, or the saturation of the average color. The samples are continuously updated.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for the display of relief moving pictures. The displayed image is formed behind a lenticular frame having vertical cylindrical lenses and its spacing exceeds that of the frame. The picture is obtained either by a screen attached to the frame, or by projecting the picture from a separate screen. The apparatus has useful application in visiophony, television, simulation, etc.

Abstract: A digital luminance signal and two digital color difference signals having high bit-rates and composed of words representing color picture elements are encoded into an encoded digital luminance signal and two encoded digital color difference signals having low bit-rates and composed of second words. The second words are selected in terms of real variation intervals of the two color differences having limits depending on a linear relation associating them with the luminance value.