Abstract: The invention relates to a controllable antenna structure (11) comprising a set of antennas (AA) arranged on a flexible support (12). Phase shifts and, in an advantageous embodiment, amplitude gains of electromagnetic current transmitted to these antennas (10), are determined by control means (13) to achieve a directive radiation pattern of the set of antennas (AA), said control means including computing means (18) which determine the radiation pattern of the set of antennas in accordance with global motion (GM) of the flexible support detected by tracking means (16), in accordance with local motion (LM) of the flexible support detected by detection means (17) and in accordance with the radio-frequency field characteristics (RF). Phase shifts and amplitude gains are transmitted to antennas via at least a phase shifter (14) and at least a gain multiplier (15).

Abstract: A planar, ray-imaging, electronically steered array antenna, whose radiating array elements are disposed on a planar surface above an electrically conductive ground plane that enhances the antenna gain. The conductive ground plane forms an integral part of the antenna, and the required dimensions of this ground plane depend on the array height, and on the lowest elevation coverage angle from the (possibly tilted) ground plane. The antenna is further characterized by a modular design that tailors the required antenna gain and azimuthal directivity through the stacking of identical antenna segments side by side. The antenna can generate, with the aid of a multiple-beam microwave network or a two-ended series-feed network, a pair of symmetrically steered beams from an incident wavefront received by a linear (column) or planar array, in conjunction with reflections from a bottom metal plate.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and a device for receiving a signal transmitted by a source with a plurality of antennas, in which a plurality of beam signals are obtained by weighting the signals received by the different antennas. The beam signals are correlated with the replica of a reference signal transmitted by the source and then combined by means of coefficients obtained from correlation results.

Abstract: A miniaturized antenna is described with at least a ceramic substrate (10) and a metallization, particularly designed for use in the high-frequency and microwave ranges. The antenna is characterized in that the metallization is a surface metallization which is formed by a feed terminal (12) for electromagnetic energy to be radiated, by at least a first metallization structure (30), and by a conductor track (20) extending along at least part of the circumference of the substrate (10), which track connects the feed terminal to the at least one first metallization structure (30), which first metallization structure (30) comprises a first conductor track portion (31) extending from a side of the substrate lying opposite the feed terminal (12) towards the feed terminal and a first metallization pad (32).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dual feeding chip antenna. The dual feeding chip antenna includes a dielectric substrate. A general transmission/reception antenna component comprised of a first conductor pattern is formed on a portion of a dielectric substrate. A diversity antenna component comprised of a second conductor pattern is formed on another portion of the dielectric substrate. A first feeding terminal is formed on one end of the general transmission/reception antenna component to connect the general transmission/reception antenna component to both transmission and reception terminals. A second feeding terminal is formed on one end of the diversity antenna component to connect the diversity antenna component to the reception terminal.

Abstract: The present invention provides radio frequency resonant tags and methods of manufacturing these tags for use in detection of theft of article for sale. In these tags, the radio frequency is transmitted through a resonance circuit without the need for direct connection of a conducting pattern or conducting patterns, but rather via a dielectric film which is adjacent to the conducting pattern or separates the conducting patterns.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for tuning a circularly polarized patch antenna to compensate for manufacturing tolerance variation, and to compensate for mistuning of the antenna due to the implementation of the product in which the antenna is used. Varactors are coupled to the metal patch portion of the antenna, and a dc voltage is applied to tune the antenna capacitance. The varactors can receive different voltages if desired.

Abstract: An antenna apparatus has a patch radiator member; a ground-plane back-up element for the patch radiator member; and a feed arrangement connecting the patch radiator member to radio circuitry. The patch radiator member has inner and outer patch portions that define a first open slot between first edges of the patch portions. A metallic wall portion connects second edges of the patch portions that are opposed to the first edges, and reflects a wave propagating toward the metallic wall portion and feeds the reflected wave toward the first open slot with a 180 degree phase reversal. A reflector-and-slot extension-metallic arm is folded over another open slot between the first edge of the inner patch portion and the ground plane back-up element to provide a 180 degree phase reversal by reflect-feedback of an outgoing wave from the another slot. The antenna apparatus can be made in small size for mounting within portable communications devices, while maintaining satisfactory operating characteristics.

Abstract: An apparatus for a capacitive feed planar inverted-F (PIFA) multi-band antenna is provided. The antenna structure of the present invention typically comprises of a ground element, a main radiating element, having predefined slits and arranged above the ground element, and a capacitive feed element. The capacitive feed element is electrically connected to an antenna feed and is detached from the main radiating and ground elements. By having additional secondary elements, the bandwidth or the number of resonant frequencies of the antenna can be increased without increasing the overall dimensions of the antenna.

Abstract: A telematic vehicle antenna for dampening low frequency vibrations includes a shaft adapted to be mounted on a vehicle, wherein the shaft has a longitudinal axis and an outer surface, the outer surface has a configuration that surrounds and extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the diameter of the configuration defines the diameter of the shaft. The antenna further comprises a conductor substantially enclosed by the outer surface and an air turbulence generator in contact with the outer surface for dampening vibrations transmitted to a vehicle by the shaft, wherein the air turbulence generator extends helically in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the air turbulence generator extends radially outwardly from the outer surface of the shaft by a distance greater than or equal to about 10% of the diameter of the shaft. A method of dampening low frequency vibrations associated with telematic antennas is also disclosed.

Abstract: An antenna is set in an antenna mounting of size and shape such that the antenna may be accommodated at least in part in the naturally occurring dip between a persons shoulder blades at the upper part of the back. The mounting includes supporting straps which extend during use from that part of the mounting hosting the antenna, over the shoulders of the wearer and down the front of the wearers torso. The antenna mounting is provided in a garment (not shown) suitable for wearing about the upper part of the body. By extending the support straps over the wearers shoulders in this way, the weight of the straps serves to counter balance the weight of the antenna and mounting to provide more even weight distribution of the antenna and mounting combined between the front and back of the wearer, so as to be centered about the wearers shoulders.

Abstract: In order to enable one radiant electrode to transmit and receive signals with a plurality of frequency bands, in a base member, a feeding electrode to be connected to a signal supply source and an open electrode floated from the ground are arranged adjacent to each other leaving a space. In the base member, one end of a linear electrode is connected to the feeding electrode while the other end is connected to the open electrode. A substantially loop-shaped radiant electrode extending from the feeding electrode toward the open electrode via the linear electrode is defined by the feeding electrode, the open electrode, and the linear electrode. The linear electrode is provided with a short-cut electrode short-cutting a loop of the radiant electrode.

Abstract: There is provided an antenna apparatus in which a non-detection region is made minimum within the regulatory limit of radio wave radiation, and satisfactory communication is enabled over a wide range. Four substantially square antennas are adjacently arranged on the same plane to constitute an antenna assembly, which is arranged to be opposite to a similar antenna assembly. Reverse phase currents flow to the first antenna and the third antenna, and similarly, reverse phase currents flow to the second antenna and the fourth antenna. The second and the fourth antennas are subjected to phase inversion for every data communication between a pattern 1 in which same phase currents flow to the second antenna and the third antenna and a pattern 2 in which same phase currents flow to the first antenna and the second antenna. A predetermined phase difference is provided between the first and the second antenna assemblies.

Abstract: Radiation synthesizer systems provide efficient wideband operation with loop antenna elements which are small relative to operating wavelength. Energy dissipation is substantially reduced by cycling energy back and forth between a high-Q radiator and a storage capacitance under control of a switching circuit. Systems using multi-segment loop antennas match input impedance to switching circuit parameters. Use of such antennas in crossed-loop configurations excited in quadrature and supported on a wearable garment provide body-borne antennas with isotropic type coverage. With light-weight flexible construction, a wearable radiating system can avoid any need for visually identifiable features and provide effective antenna pattern coverage regardless of the wearer's body orientation, whether standing, prone or otherwise.

Abstract: An antenna system includes a feedhorn, main reflector, sub-reflector, and frequency selective member. The sub-reflector includes an axially symmetrical reflecting surface. The frequency selective member includes an axially non-symmetrical reflecting surface. The frequency selective member transmits signals having a first frequency from the feedhorn to the sub-reflector. These signals are symmetrically reflected by the sub-reflector to the main reflector. The frequency selective member reflects signals having a second frequency from the main reflector to the feedhorn. These signals are reflected at a small conical angle by the frequency selective member to the feedhorn. In this way, the present transmit/receive system provides coincident transmit and receive signals with only conically scanned receive signals.

Abstract: An antenna, has a box conductive case having at least a single opening on an upper part, an internal conductor which is stored in the case, is disposed at a bottom, and is shaped like a letter “” which is one of Japanese katakana letters, a letter “u”, a letter “U”, a cramp, or an arc, and a feeding element which is stored in the conductive case and is connected to a feeding section disposed on the bottom of the conductive case, wherein the internal conductor other than parts disposed on the conductive case is not connected to the case.

Abstract: A compact antenna enabling to produce high gain is based on an antenna main body is constructed in such a way that a plurality of resonance sections, each having parallel-connected respective inductance sections and capacitance sections, are electrically connected in series, and a frequency adjusting capacitance section is connected electrically in series between a ground section at the ground potential and an exit end of the antenna main body. The resonance sections are constructed so that that the characteristic frequency curves overlap one another at least in the width portion to enable the antenna man body as a whole to resonate at substantially one resonance frequency, which is higher than the normal vibration frequency at which each resonance section resonates.

Abstract: A display arrangement having at least a video display region and at least one interactive display region, each display region being arranged as a matrix having respective rows and columns of display screens, the interactive display region having a row of monitor screens, and row of terminals, each terminal aligned with a respective monitor screen, each terminal having a plurality of key elements each having a designated key function; and computing apparatus in operative engagement with the display screens, and the monitor screens and the terminals for displaying information being stored in the computing apparatus in response to manual input entered into the key elements, and further, a display arrangement wherein the key elements are touch screen elements.

Abstract: An electronic baseball card and an associated adapter is disclosed for showing images of baseball players or other personalities. The card includes a flat body similar to a standard pre-printed baseball card with an electronic display and a memory storing imaging data. The display shows images based on the data from the memory. The stand includes its own memory and an external interface for receiving data from an external source and for storing it into its memory. When the card is coupled to the stand, the data from the stand memory may be transferred and stored in the card memory. In addition to images, the card and/or the stand can also display other information such as statistical or biographical information of one or more players.

Abstract: Sustaining discharges are conducted in a first sub-field in a pair of adjacent first and second sub-fields. Then, writing discharges in a second sub-field are conducted after the sustaining discharges in the first sub-field without conducting any erasure discharge between the sustaining discharges and the writing discharges. A relation expressed by an equation L1=L2=1 and an inequality Ln+2≦Ln+1+Ln holds for a luminance weighting Li. The luminance weighting Li is a luminance weighting of the i-th lowest sub-field from the bottom among the plurality of sub-fields.

Abstract: In a plasma display panel driving method, during a selection period B, the potential of sustain electrodes 3 are fixed to a first auxiliary scan voltage Vnsw once. Thereafter, in the sustain electrode 3i corresponding to an (i)th scan electrode 2i in the scanning order for applying the scan pulse Vw, the sustain electrode potential is sequentially changed to a second auxiliary scan voltage Vpsw at a timing which is later than the application of the (i)th scan pulse Vwi by a half of the pulse width of the (i)th scan pulse Vwi. The first auxiliary scan voltage Vnsw is a voltage which never generates a surface electric discharge between the scan electrode 2.

Abstract: When performing the line-sequential addressing for setting the state of each of the cells arranged in rows and columns that constitute a display screen, discharge is generated that has intensity in accordance with display data corresponding to each of all cells belonging to the selected row for each selection of the row. Thus, the priming effect in the following discharge is generated.

Abstract: A light emitting display device having a plurality of light emitting elements connected to intersecting points of a plurality of anode lines and cathode lines arranged in a matrix. Either one of the anode lines and the cathode lines are used as scanning lines, and the others are used as driving lines. While one of the scanning lines is scanned during a scanning period, a driving source is synchronously connected to one of the driving lines so that a light emitting element connected to an intersecting point of the one scanning line and the one driving line is caused to emit light. Immediately after the scanning period of the one scanning line is started, a first driving source is connected to the one driving line, and subsequently, in exchange for the first driving source, a second driving source is connected to the one driving line.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel driving apparatus is adapted to display a uniform level of luminance on an entire display area of a liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel drive apparatus applies an alternative current signal to a storage line on the liquid crystal panel so that the signal voltage charged at each picture element on the first gate line is substantially equal to the signal voltage charged at each picture element on the second to last gate lines. As a result, the luminance level on a first line of the liquid crystal panel is substantially equal to that on the remaining lines and the luminance level is uniformly displayed on the liquid crystal panel, and further enhances the quality of a picture displayed on the liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: An active matrix drive type liquid crystal device is equipped with a data line driving circuit (101) composed of a bidirectional shift register which has an odd number of output stages and a scanning line driving circuit (104) composed of a bidirectional shift register which has an odd number of output stages so as to make it possible to horizontally and vertically invert the horizontal scanning direction and the vertical scanning direction easily by using a relatively simple constitution.

Abstract: Polarity patterns (polarity pattern signal POL) are stored in a ROM in a polarity pattern controlling portion. Then, the polarity pattern is changed according to applications of a liquid crystal display panel. Since the polarity pattern is stored in the ROM, the polarity pattern can be changed without modification of a hardware. Also, two sets of polarity patterns or more are stored in the ROM, and then any one polarity pattern can be output according to the application. In addition, the polarity pattern signal POL and image signals RGB are compared with each other, and then the polarity pattern which is to be read from the ROM is switched according to the result.

Abstract: Display device designed to prevent surroundings from being adversely affected by noise includes an inner circuit board on which a support frame is mounted in a specific position. A liquid crystal panel is mounted on the support frame and held stationary by a frame. An EL panel for illuminating the liquid crystal panel is mounted behind the liquid crystal panel. An EL circuit board holding an EL driver circuit thereon is bonded to the bottom surface of the EL panel. A shielding plate is mounted on a top surface of the inner circuit board surrounded by the support frame, and is located opposite the EL panel. The shielding plate cuts off noise generated by the EL driver circuit. The EL panel is connected with electrodes on the EL circuit board via lead wires. An electrode on the EL circuit board and an electrode on the circuit board are connected via a contact member. Electric power and control signals are supplied via this contact member.

Abstract: A viewing device has a flexible display device operatively connected to a handle. The flexible display device has a first surface, a second surface oppositely disposed with respect to the first surface, and a display edge located between the first surface and the second surface, wherein an image is displayable on the first surface. The handle has a surface formed thereon, wherein the display edge is operatively connected to the handle surface.

Abstract: An electronic book comprising multiple, electronically addressable, page displays is described. Said page displays may be formed on flexible, thin substrates. Said book may additionally encompass memory, power, control functions and communications.

Abstract: A transmissive color electrophoretic display incorporated with a backlight, has a plurality of laterally adjacent picture elements or pixels. Each pixel is comprised of two or more subpixels, or cells, which are vertically stacked, one directly above the other on the horizontal surface of a reflective panel located at the rear or bottom of the stacks. The cells contain a light-transmissive fluid and charged pigment particles that can absorb a portion of the visible spectrum, with each cell in a stack containing particles having a color different from the colors of the particles in the other cells in the stack.

Abstract: Techniques for canceling pilot interference in a wireless (e.g., CDMA) communication system. A received signal typically includes a number of signal instances (i.e., multipaths). For each multipath desired to be processed, the other multipaths act as interference on the desired multipath. If the pilot is generated based on a known data pattern (e.g., all zeros) and covered with a known channelization code (e.g., a Walsh code of zero), then the pilot in an interfering multipath may be estimated as the spreading sequence at a time offset corresponding to the arrival time of that multipath. The pilot interference from each interference multipath may be estimated based on the spreading sequence for the interfering multipath and the despreading sequence for the desired multipath. The total pilot interference from a number of interfering multipaths may be subtracted from the data component in the desired multipath to provide pilot-canceled data having improved performance.

Abstract: The present invention is a cursor control device to be used in conjunction with a computer which allows for convenient, easy and ergonomic hand-held or work surface use. Actuation of the buttons on the device require only the natural flexing or squeezing motion of the fingers and thumb. The device can be used in either mode without mechanical or electrical change.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for increasing the transmissibility of inertial forces produced by an inertial actuator on the housing of a tactile feedback interface device. A tactile interface device, coupled to a host computer, outputs tactile sensations to a user based on interactions and events occurring in a displayed graphical environment. An actuator produces periodic inertial forces, such as vibrations, and a compliant suspension couples the actuator to the device housing. A compliance of the suspension is selected such that the suspension magnifies the periodic inertial forces for a particular frequency range of the inertial forces. The magnified inertial forces are transmitted to the housing to be felt by the user.

Abstract: A method and software for remote control of computer apparatus is disclosed. The method and software use computer network communications to effect remote control of apparatus that are connected to a computer at a remote location.

Abstract: A touchpad formed from the combination of a flexible and non-conductive material used for a touch-sensitive surface, and a PC board on which is mounted the touchpad circuitry, wherein touchpad sensing electrodes are disposed on the touch-sensitive surface by creating electrical traces formed from conductive ink, the touch-sensitive surface being capable of conforming to various arcuate surfaces, and being capable of sensing through a protective housing such that the touch-sensitive surface is protected, and does not come in direct contact with the pointing object.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for attenuating luminance of a plasma display panel (PDP) to prevent degradation of picture quality on a local area and an increase in power consumption are provided. The apparatus includes a motion detection unit for detecting whether input data has motion, a duration check unit for checking a duration time for which the input data has no motion when the input data is detected as having no motion in the motion detection unit, an attenuation constant generator for generating an attenuation constant corresponding to a luminance level of the input data when the input data continuously has no motion for at least a predetermined period of time, and a level attenuation unit for attenuating the luminance level of the input data using the attenuation constant generated from the attenuation constant generator.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device include a gamma a voltage controller. The gamma voltage controller includes a voltage-divider network of resistive elements and is part of a gamma voltage circuit, which also includes a programmable digital-to-analog converter. The output voltage signals from the programmable digital-to-analog converter are input to the gamma voltage controller for requisite voltage division. The voltage difference between any two voltage signals output from the gamma voltage controller (i.e., the gamma reference voltage signals) can be finely aligned by setting appropriate values for different resistive elements in the gamma voltage controller. This allows generation of gamma reference voltage signals whose voltages can be precisely controlled according to the T-V characteristics of a liquid crystal display panel in the liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: An opened polygon including a transparent region for maintaining a backward drawing state is drawn. Next, a mask polygon which inhibits another polygon and texture from begin forwardly drawn afterward and maintains a backward drawing state is drawn behind the drawn opened polygon so as to be superimposed by at least the transparent region thereof. Then, in the case where a new polygon is drawn to be superimposed in front of an opened polygon, behind which the mask polygon is drawn, the new polygon is drawn in a region other than the transparent region of the opened polygon. In this manner, even in the case where another polygon is drawn to be overwritten at the boundary of a plurality of polygons having a positional relationship displayed on a game picture, it is possible to maintain a three-dimensional image.

Abstract: A volume data set composed of voxels is rendered onto an image plane composed of pixels by casting a ray through each pixel of the image plane. A surface of the volume data set is selected as a base plane. Sample points are defined along each ray so that the sample points lie in planes parallel to the base plane. Voxels adjacent to each sample point are sampled to determine a sample value for each sample point, and the sample values of each ray are combined to determine a pixel value for each pixel.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device of a high degree of freedom in column and a graphics display system using the semiconductor memory device as a mapping memory are provided. The semiconductor memory device according to the present invention is comprised of a plurality of memory arrays and each memory array is comprised of a plurality of memory cell groups. A plurality memory cell groups in each memory array are independently selected according to the information of a separate column address. Column decoders select the column of a corresponding memory array in response to common column addresses and first or second separate column addresses. The first or the second separate column addresses select one memory cell group among memory cell groups in each memory array. The common column addresses select predetermined numbers of columns in each memory cell group.

Abstract: Frame buffer memory bandwidth is conserved by performing a depth comparison between colliding pixels at batch building time. If the incoming pixel fails the depth comparison, then it may be “tossed” and excluded from any batches currently under construction. The batch building process may then continue without the need for a batch flush responsive to the occurrence of the pixel collision. If the incoming pixel passes the depth comparison, then it may yet be possible to avoid flushing: The current rendering mode of the pipeline is determined. If the current rendering mode does not require read-modify-write operations, then the incoming pixel may be merged with the buffered pixel with which it collides. Merger of the two pixels may be accomplished by overwriting the buffered RGBA pixel components with those of the incoming pixel, but only those components corresponding to asserted bits in the incoming pixel's BEN.

Abstract: A graphics controller for a System-On-a-Chip (SOC) used with a battery-powered device allows for reduced-power display modes. The microprocessor writes to a frame buffer that is a single, contiguous address block in virtual memory. A memory management unit (MMU) translates frame-buffer address to multiple physical blocks. The graphics controller fetches pixels from the multiple physical blocks, including a block in an on-chip memory and a block in an external memory. In a low-power mode, pixels are only fetched from the lower-power on-chip memory and not the higher-power external memory. A smaller display window is defined and pixels outside the window are replaced by dummy data,.eliminating external-memory fetches. The smaller display window falls within the first block in the on-chip memory. Status and other information can be displayed in the smaller display window during stand-by modes, while a full-screen of data is displayed for full-power modes.

Abstract: A preferred method for producing a composite digital video data stream, which contains data corresponding to an image to be rendered, includes the steps of: receiving multiple digital video data streams, each of the multiple digital video data streams corresponding to at least a portion of an image to be rendered; and combining the multiple digital video data streams into the composite digital video data stream. Devices also are provided.

Abstract: A data processor identifies a source format and a destination format of data. The data processor determines whether a fast data conversion path, such as a direct lookup table, is available to convert one or more portions of the data from the source format to the destination format, and converts the data using the fast data conversion path where possible. For portions of the data not convertible by a fast data conversion path, the data processor performs a two-step conversion process in which the data is first converted from the source format to an intermediate format and then from the intermediate format to the destination format.

Abstract: A computer graphic system wherein image element data can be processed efficiently at a high speed, and images of higher quality are produced at a lower cost than conventional. An image processor for dividing a screen into regions (fragments) of predetermined sizes and processing data on every divided region (fragment), wherein pieces of information on image constituting elements are rearranged in a direction vertical to a scanning line (ST1), the pieces of information on the image constituting elements are rearranged in a direction parallel to the scanning line (ST2), and image processing for opaque polygons, polygons with transparent pixels, and semitransparent polygons is performed in the order of mention on the basis of the rearranged pieces of information (ST3 to ST6).

Abstract: An image display system includes a host side for executing an application and transmitting image data having a P dot width in a block unit with the number of m dots as the width of the block. A panel side is connected through a digital I/F line to the host side, which converts the image data having a P dot width by using magnification to produce data having an R dot width and then displays the image data. The panel side executes scaling by using a block having an integral value obtained by a R×m/P set as a dot width and a block having a dot width of an added integral value obtained by adding 1 to the integral value, and converts by magnification the image data received from the host side in block unit based on the executed scaling and displays the image data on a panel.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following: a wide format thermal printer for printing a multicolor graphic product on a printing sheet; a vacuum workbed for supporting a sheet material for performing work operations, such as cutting, printing or plotting, thereon; a replaceable donor sheet assembly, which includes a memory, for use with a thermal printer; methods and apparatus for improved thermal printing, including methods and apparatus for conserving donor sheet and reducing the amount of time required to print a multicolor graphic product; a thermal printhead including a memory; and methods and apparatus for the alignment of a sheet material for printing or performing other work operations on the sheet material. The wide format thermal printer can include provision for the automatic loading of cassettes of donor sheet from a cassette storage rack.

Abstract: A laser scanner is adapted to cause a laser beam to scan in the main-scanning direction by deflecting the laser beam by means of a deflecting optical system. A horizontal synchronizing signal is obtained by detecting the laser beam by means of a photodetector. Forced emission of laser beam is started after a predetermined time period since the detection of the laser beam, which predetermined time period is variable as a function of the rotary speed of the deflector section. With this arrangement, a horizontal synchronizing signal can be reliably detected if the rotary speed of the deflecting operation system fluctuates.

Abstract: A videoconferencing method automatically detects, within an image generated by a camera, locations and relative sizes of faces. Based upon the detection, a control system tracks each face and keeps a camera pointed at and focused on each face, regardless of movement about a room or other space. Preferably, multiple cameras are used, and an automatic algorithm selects a best face image and resizes the face image to substantially fill a transmitted frame. Preferably, an image encoding algorithm adjusts encoding parameters to match a currently amount of bandwidth available from a transmission network. Brightness, contrast, and color balance are automatically adjusted. As a result of these automatic adjustments, participants in a video conference have freedom to move around, yet remain visible and audible to other participants.

Abstract: A camera control system for displaying a video image inputted from a plurality of cameras, wherein in order to easily control each camera, a map showing positions of cameras is prepared. Along with the map, icons indicating the positions of cameras are displayed on the map so that the directions of the cameras can be identified on the map. An operator is able to select a camera referring to the map and see the video image of the selected camera. When each of the cameras is to be operated, an operator uses a pointing device to operate an icon for a camera on the map. In this camera control system, a camera corresponding to each icon can be controlled for zooming, panning, tilting and focusing by operating the icon for each camera. An operator may delete, add or move the icon for a camera according to an actual structure of the camera system.