Abstract: A communication terminal includes a communication module, a camera device, a display device, and a controller. The communication module receives a display characteristic command and an input video data stream from a remotely located other communication terminal and sends an output video data stream thereto. The camera device generates an initial video data stream based on incident light. The display device displays a received input video data stream from the remote communication terminal. The controller generates the output video data stream based on the initial video data stream and a received display characteristic command from the remote communication terminal.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for reducing delay in video communication, including, for example, video transcoding and continuous presence in a multipoint multimedia conference. The video communication control unit reduces such delay by processing a video stream in a small number of macroblocks referred to as “chunks,” without waiting to get a full frame of video data. Instead, the incoming video stream is converted into decoded chunks. These decoded chunks are transferred to an output module without waiting to decode an entire frame. An encoder in the output module encodes the decoded chunks (also referred to as encoder chunks), and transfers them to an end user without waiting for the entire frame to be processed. Thus, reducing the delay in waiting for the entire frame of video data provides improved real-time video communication.

Abstract: A method for communicating data during an audio conference is provided. Digital data is received from a data source. The digital data is then modulated onto a carrier signal. The modulated carrier signal is subsequently combined with an audio signal of the audio conference. The combined signal is communicated to at least one remote communication device. Upon receipt by the at least one remote communication device, the combined signal is separated into the audio signal and the modulated carrier signal. The modulated carrier signal is then demodulated to extract the digital data. Both the digital data and the audio signal are output by the at least one remote communication device.

Abstract: Multiple video picture frames are combined into a spatial multiplex video picture frame that may be fully decoded and displayed. The video display of the spatial multiplex video picture frame is a composite combination of all of the video picture frames that have been combined, and may have an appearance such as a mosaic. Multiplexing the video picture frames involves removing picture headers, creating a picture header for the spatial multiplex video picture frame, and altering the headers of individual components of each video picture frame. The new header for the spatial multiplex video picture frame indicates a slice format frame, and headers of the individual components are altered to provide a slice format based picture position for each video picture frame. The headers of the individual components are altered to become slice based, such as in accordance with the ITU-T H.263 video standard, prior to establishing the slice based picture position if the frames are not already of the slice format.

Abstract: A method for generating a video output signal. The method may include receiving a plurality of input video signals from each of the participants. Each of the input video signals may have a plurality of input frames. Each of the input frames may have a source slice carrying an image. Each of the input frames may be encoded using the respective reference frame at an encoding time. The method may include a step for generating the video output signal for transmission to the participants. The video output signal may comprise a plurality of output frames. A first of the output frames generally has at least a first slice having (a) a first coded portion carrying the image from a first of the participants and (b) a first unencoded portion for the image from a second of the participants. A second of the output frames generally has at least a second slice having (a) a second coded portion carrying the image from the second participant and (b) a second unencoded portion for the image from the first participant.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and methods for recovering video information when operating in an area that impairs an electromagnetic field of a transmit/receive signal during a video telephony of a portable terminal. A method of which includes determining a number of buffers for storing intra coded (I) frames to be received, transmitting the number of the buffers to a counterpart terminal together with a VFU signal, acquiring video information by storing I frames received from the counterpart terminal, and generating video frames using the acquired video information.

Abstract: The invention provides a system that preserves the synchronization of the audio and video presented at a secure conferencing site without necessitating decryption, decompression, compression, and encryption of signals at the hub. The presently preferred embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus and method for synchronizing audio and video in encrypted videoconferences that comprises a plurality of conference sites; and a hub for receiving a compressed and encrypted, composite audio and video signal from each site, for determining a currently active site, and for transmitting said composite audio and video signal from said currently active site to all other sites; said hub receiving a compressed and encrypted audio only signal from each site; wherein said hub routes all incoming compressed and encrypted audio only signals to each site.

Abstract: A conferencing system with improved audio response, interface, and audio source tracking capabilities includes a low-profile base unit capable of capturing and processing audio and video information and of interfacing with other external devices, and a separate network interface device coupled to the low-profile base unit and capable of connecting to a network, producing audible sound, regulating power, and housing removable interface circuitry.

Abstract: An image communicating display apparatus includes: an imaging unit that picks up and processes an image signal of an object; a voice input unit that receives a voice signal of the object; an encoder that receives and encodes the image and voice signals and generates information on the object; a decoder that decodes the encoded image and voice signals and an encoded external signal; a network transceiver that transmits the encoded image and voice signals and the information on the object; a controller that controls the encoder, decoder and network transceiver, and outputs a voice guidance instruction signal based on information on a remote party received through the network transceiver; a display unit that displays the decoded image signal; and a voice output unit that outputs the decoded voice signal and outputs a voice guidance announcement based on the voice guidance instruction signal.

Abstract: A conversion apparatus is connected to a camera server delivering image information obtained by image sensing to a display operation terminal. When image information is received from the camera server, the conversion apparatus converts the received image information to a format for a portable display terminal, and delivers it to the portable display terminal.

Abstract: A foreground object part is distinguished from a substantially static background part of each videoframe within a video sequence. Each video frame is divided into a number of video blocks each of which comprises one or more pixels. A mask frame is generated in respect of each video frame, each mask frame having a mask block corresponding to each video block in each respective video frame. Each mask block is then set to either an object value, indicating that the corresponding video block in the corresponding video frame includes one or more pixels depicting a foreground object part, or to another value.

Abstract: Scalable video codecs are provided for use in videoconferencing systems and applications hosted on heterogeneous endpoints/receivers and network environments. The scalable video codecs provide a coded representation of a source video signal at multiple temporal, quality, and spatial resolutions.

Abstract: A system and process for highlighting the current speaker on an on-going basis in each frame of a low frame-rate video of an event having multiple people in attendance, such as a video teleconference, is presented. In general, this is accomplished by periodically identifying an attendee that is currently speaking at a rate substantially faster than the video frame rate, and for each frame of the video updating the frame to highlight the attendee currently speaking. More particularly, an audio/visual (A/V) source provides separate video, audio, and current speaker data streams to a client computing device. The client device then uses these data streams to render and display the video and to periodically update the frame being displayed to highlight the current speaker depicted therein.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving an audio signal and/or a video signal with a two-way radio. The two-way radio comprises a transmitter system and a receiver system. The transmitter system is adapted to transmit a digitized video signal and a digitized audio signal. The receiver system is adapted to receive a second digitized video signal and a second digitized audio signal.

Abstract: A system and process for highlighting the current speaker on an on-going basis in each frame of a low frame-rate video of an event having multiple people in attendance, such as a video teleconference, is presented. In general, this is accomplished by periodically identifying an attendee that is currently speaking at a rate substantially faster than the video frame rate, and for each frame of the video updating the frame to highlight the attendee currently speaking. More particularly, an A/V source provides video and audio data streams to the client computing device, with current speaker data embedded into the audio stream via audio watermarking techniques. The client device extracts the current speaker data from the audio stream, and then renders and displays the video while using the current speaker data to periodically update the frame being displayed to highlight the current speaker.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a filtering processor that includes a filter and switches between a pre-filtering path and a post-filtering path; a data compressor that compresses image data output from the filtering processor; an image data storage that stores the image data compressed; and a data expandor that expands the image data stored. The pre-filtering path includes a first path sending a raw image data to the data compressor via the filter and a second path passing the image data expanded. The post-filtering path includes a third path passing the raw image data to the data compressor and a fourth path sending the image data expanded to the filter.

Abstract: Methods, computer code products and devices for encoding and/or decoding video data in multiple passes, the video data having a multiple components each component including multiple coefficients. The method can starting the next pass of the encoding or decoding process immediately after the end of the current encoding or decoding pass for a given component without regard to whether other components have finished the current encoding or decoding pass. In addition, stagger delays and dampers can be used to more closely regulate the encoding or decoding process to ensure that one component is not encoded or decoded too quickly with respect to other components.

Abstract: A signal transmission system has a signal transmission apparatus including a time-base compression unit for time-base-compressing an audio signal, and a multiplexing unit for time-division-multiplexing a control signal and the time-base-compressed audio signal in a blanking period of a video signal. The signal transmission apparatus transmits the time-division-multiplexed signal through a transmission path. The signal transmission system also has a signal reception apparatus including a demultiplexing unit for demultiplexing the signal in which the video signal, the control signal, and the time-base-compressed audio signal are time-division-multiplexed. The multiplexed signal is transmitted from the signal transmission apparatus to the signal reception apparatus and demultiplexed into the video signal, the control signal, and the time-base-compressed audio signal, respectively, and a time-base decompression unit for decompressing the time-base-compressed audio signal.

Abstract: There is provided with a method performed in an image transmission apparatus capable of executing first communication and second communication whose communication speed is lower than that of the first communication with a display apparatus, including: generating an image to be displayed on the display apparatus; detecting whether the first communication is executable or not; transmitting the generated image to the display apparatus via the first communication when the first communication is executable; transmitting a compressed image obtained by compressing the generated image to the display apparatus via the second communication when the first communication is not executable; and transmitting compression utilization information required to display the compressed image on the display apparatus to the display apparatus via at least one of the first communication and the second communication when the first communication is executable.

Abstract: In a telecommunications system, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) that receives an input signal. The input signal includes a digital signal representative of an analog signal. The ALU selectively performs compression and decompression on the digital signal. The ALU comprises the following elements. A standard ALU component performs standard ALU operations on the input signal. An encoding unit selectively performs compression on the digital signal. A decoding unit selectively performs decompression on the digital signal. An instruction decoder receives and decodes an ALU instruction. An output selector selects a result from one of the standard ALU component, the encoding unit, and the decoding unit in accordance with the decoded instruction and provides the result as an output.

Abstract: There is provided herein a system for video encoding and decoding that uses short-term and long-term buffers. Reconstruction of each block within an image may be performed with reference to one of the buffers, so that different portions of an image, or different images in a sequence, may be reconstructed using different buffers. There is also provided herein systems for signaling, between an encoder and a decoder, the use of the above buffers and related address information. The encoder may, for example, transmit information identifying video data as corresponding to a particular one of the buffers, and the decoder may transmit information relating to the size of the short-term and the long-term buffer. The buffer sizes may be changed during transmission of video data by including buffer allocation information in the video data. Also disclosed herein are methods and apparatuses according to the above.

Abstract: A system and method for visual image compression and transmission offers significant bandwidth conservation while retaining high resolution imaging capability. Videograpic images are decomposed into detail levels, and images are delivered to a remote site display at a level of detail proportional to the perception level of a viewer. Images are transformed, quantized, coded and queued for transmission in accordance with their level of image detail. Image detail layers are transmitted as an inverse function of image displacement speed and as a direct function of image magnification. Images are constructed vertically with each additional queueing layer providing additional image detail. Higher priority layers are lossy encoded, while the lowest priority layers (highest detail levels) are losslessly encoded.

Abstract: There is provided herein a system for reducing artifacts associated with multi-threaded video coding. The system generates a virtual thread from the multi-threaded data. The virtual thread combines the multi-thread data with estimates of virtual thread data in a manner that variably weights the combination according to motion information decoded from the multi-thread. A post-processing system is described that generates a single, virtual thread of video data, based upon image and motion data from a plurality of different threads in a multi-threaded video stream. The system estimates motion vectors for the virtual thread, generates frames of estimated video data, and applies the estimated frames to a filter. The filter generates an output that combines each new estimated frame with the current reference frame on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

Abstract: A communication system (100) includes two or more communication devices (110, 150) for communicating video including at least one virtual image. An avatar is associated with each communicated image. Change messages are communicated between a transmitting communication device (110) and at least one receiving communication device (150) to provide iterative enhancement of each avatar associated with a current digital image at the receiving communication device (150).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for mixing compressed video useable in a videoconferencing environment having a plurality of endpoint users. Through the use of the method and apparatus, each endpoint can receive a unique layout displaying some subset of the users at the endpoints. Input streams from each endpoint are uncompressed, resized, and scaled to fit the segment in the layout for particular endpoints, and then encoded (or compressed) by a sub-encoder into a sub-encoded stream according to the compression parameters. Each sub-encoded streams is further encoded and associated with a position in the layout. Different layouts may be sent to different conferees, and different compression standards may be used for each endpoint.

Abstract: When a telephone unit communicates with a communication party using a television telephone function, a receiving portion of the telephone unit receives compressed moving picture data from the communication party having a moving picture encoder through a communication network. While the received moving picture compressed data is successively decoded by a moving picture decoder and displayed on a displaying device or the like, when the user of the telephone unit performs an inputting operation equivalent to a shutter operation, one frame of decoded picture data at the timing is supplied to a still picture encoder and encoded as still picture compressed data. In addition, a communication party telephone number detecting portion detects the telephone number of the communication party and stores it to a telephone directory along with the compressed still picture data.

Abstract: A method and system provides a face-to-face video conference. The method and apparatus comprise a conferencing system consisting of a conferencing station defining a predetermined motif, an image system for generating a substantially full scale image of a person at the conferencing station so that participants at the conferencing station feel that any images of persons displayed by the imager at the conferencing station are present and face-to-face. The method comprises the steps of receiving image data at a teleconferencing station, the image data including data corresponding to at least one person, and displaying an image corresponding to the image data at the teleconferencing station so that at least one participant at the teleconferencing station views an image of said at least one person, thereby providing a face-to-face presence environment whereat the image of at least one person appears substantially life size.

Abstract: A video conferencing system employs a plurality of video conferencing stations, each of which includes a voice activity detector. When the images of remote conferees are displayed on a video conference station, the voice activity detection is utilized in order to designate which remote speaker is presently speaking.

Abstract: A method for creating a virtual video includes at least one of steps a)–d): a) sending an image of an object to a receiver via an information line, the image having a plurality of identifiable image points being substantially fewer in number than a number of remaining image points of the image, and the object having a plurality of identifiable object points corresponding to the plurality of identifiable image points; b) determining object position data of the plurality of identifiable object points; c) sending the object position data to the receiver via an information line; and d) morphing the image such that image position data of the identifiable image points are adjusted to approximately correspond to the object position data, where all of steps a)–d) are performed.

Abstract: A system for providing video communication services to one or more premises with video communications-services users, comprising a first premises network, a plurality of user workstations interconnected by the first premises network, and a multimedia central office being in communication with the first premise network and a public digital network. The multimedia central office, in use, transceives audio, video and digital data signals for providing at least switching functions originating at or destined for at least one user workstation, to and from the first premises network to provide video communications services.

Abstract: Multiple video picture frames are combined into a spatial multiplex video picture frame that may be fully decoded and displayed. The video display of the spatial multiplex video picture frame is a composite combination of all of the video picture frames that have been combined, and may have an appearance such as a mosaic. Multiplexing the video picture frames involves removing picture headers, creating a picture header for the spatial multiplex video picture frame, and altering the headers of individual components of each video picture frame. The new header for the spatial multiplex video picture frame indicates a slice format frame, and headers of the individual components are altered to provide a slice format based picture position for each video picture frame. The headers of the individual components are altered to become slice based, such as in accordance with the ITU-T H.263 video standard, prior to establishing the slice based picture position if the frames are not already of the slice format.

Abstract: A method of image compression comprises the steps of recursively transforming a image using a Discrete Wavelet Transform. This creates a plurality of levels including at least a first level, multiple intermediate levels, and a low-low pass subband of the last level. The transformed image at each level is quantized, and datapacking the quantized image is performed. The step of datapacking further includes, encoding of the first level using adaptive run length of zero cofficients; encoding of the intermediate levels using run-length coding of zero coefficients and a predetermined two-knob huffman table for non-zero coefficients and encoding of the low-low pass subband using a low frequency packing algorithm.

Abstract: The present invention allows video images with improved subjective quality to be transmitted without a concomitant increase in a total number of bits transmitted per frame. Quantization parameters are applied to coefficients of macroblocks within a given video frame. A lower value of quantization parameter is applied near a central region of a video frame. This central region is referred to as a prime video region. Applying a lower quantization parameter to the prime video region has the effect of increasing the bit density within that area thereby improving the video quality. Outside of the prime video region, the bit density is progressively decreased on a macroblock-by-macroblock basis so as to have a zero or near-zero net-gain in bit density over the entire video frame.

Abstract: A program delivery system using a compression apparatus capable of compressing incoming video and non-video signals, such as audio and data signals. The system includes a frequency modulator which modulates the incoming audio, data or other non-video signals, unto selected video frequencies. A Fourier transformer generates a set of sinusoidal transform components corresponding to the incoming video, audio, data or other non-video signals, and a selector chooses the most desirable Fourier sinusoidal transforms. A multiplexer multiplexes only the selected Fourier transform components for further processing.

Abstract: Personal multimedia devices can detect when an incoming video format is different from a native format and make a local decision to convert incoming video formats to a format native to the personal multimedia device. The personal multimedia device may include a media processor that comprises an MPEG decoder/encoder, graphics processors, and a video decoder/encoder. These components increase a frame rate of a received video signal when the frame rate of the received video signal is less than a frame rate of the native video format of the personal multimedia device and decrease the frame rate of the received video signal when the frame rate of the received video signal is greater than the native frame rate of the set-top box. The graphics processor scales a frame resolution of the frames in the received video signal to correspond to the native video format.

Abstract: A picture phone apparatus includes an image picking section which picks up a picture data; a display section; a substitution picture storage section which stores a substitution picture data; an image processing section and a communication processing section. The image processing section checks whether the picked-up picture data is valid or invalid, retrieves the substitution picture data from the substitution picture storage section to output as transmission picture data when it is determined that the picked-up picture data is invalid, sets the picked-up picture data as the transmission picture data when it is determined that the picked-up picture data is valid, and encodes the transmission picture data. The communication processing section multiplexes the encoded transmission picture data and transmission audio data into transmission data and transmits the transmission data to a counter station.

Abstract: A communication apparatus includes an image sensing unit, voice recognition unit, keyword detection unit, auxiliary image selection unit, input image selector switch, and transmission unit. The image sensing unit senses a camera image. The voice recognition unit recognizes a phrase from input voice. The keyword detection unit detects coincidence between a registered keyword and the phrase output from the voice recognition unit. The auxiliary image selection unit selects a specific auxiliary image associated with the registered keyword in response to a coincidence detection output from the keyword detection unit. In response to the coincidence detection output, the input image selector switch selectively outputs one of the camera image output from the image sensing unit and an image containing the auxiliary image output from the auxiliary image selection unit. The transmission unit transmits the input voice and the image output from the input image selector switch. A communication method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vision processor includes a control section, a motion estimation section, and a discrete cosine transform (“DCT”) section. The motion estimation section includes two memories, an image memory with two read ports and a write port, and a search memory with two read ports and a write port. The DCT section includes a DCT memory configurable as a two read, two write port memory and as a four read, four write port memory. The ports of these memories are selectively applied to various elements in the motion estimation path and the DCT path. In motion vector searching, the ALU performs averaging and difference operations on pixels in the frame and search memories. Data from the search memory is shifted for certain operations, before arithmetic operations in the ALU are performed.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in video conferencing, which apparatus comprises at least one video camera (50) for providing a video image signal of at least one person taking part in a video conference, at least one display means (46) on which the video image signal from a remote location is displayed, and at least one part-transmissive curved mirror (48) which enables the person to view the display means (46) with the video camera (50) being positioned on a side of the part-transmissive curved mirror (48) away from the person and at substantially eye level of the person, whereby persons using the apparatus for a video conference arc able to maintain eye contact with each other.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating with a plurality of emergency response persons is disclosed. A plurality of portable communication devices are provided for the emergency response persons. A central station including a video monitor and a video camera is in communication with a network. A plurality of remote stations including a video monitor and a video camera are also in communication with the network. The central station is in communication with the portable communication devices to provide a message to the emergency response persons. The remote stations are positioned for access by the emergency response persons. A router is in communication with the network for providing a bridged video connection between the central station and the remote stations. Emergency response persons located adjacent the remote stations are in video communication with each other and the central station.

Abstract: A multimedia surveillance arrangement comprising a surveillance sensor adapted to communicate by a standard communication protocol media representing at least one sensed parameter according, a plurality of networks interconnected by media gateways and at least one network controller, and a surveillance receiver adapted to receive all or part of said media. The network controller also serves as endpoint for media from the surveillance sensor, is adapted to interact with said received media, is responsive to information contained in the received media, and is adapted to communicate an event message and/or all or part of said received media on basis of said information. The multimedia network controller ca be a SIP server or H.323 Gatekeeper, adapted to interact with said surveillance media, for generating an event message.

Abstract: A fundamental limitation in the exchange of audiovisual information today is that its representation is extremely low level. It is composed of coded video or audio samples (often as blocks) arranged in a commercial format. In contrast, the new generation multimedia requires flexible formats to allow a quick adaptation to requirements in terms of access, bandwidth scalability, streaming as well as general data reorganization. The Flexible-Integrated Intermedia Format (Flexible-IIF or F-IIF) is an advanced extension to the Integrated Intermedia Format (IIF). The Flexible-Integrated Intermedia Format (Flexible-IIF) datastructures, file formats systems and methods provide a framework that integrates advanced concepts, such as objects based audio-visual representation, meta-data and object oriented programming, to achieve a flexible and generic representation of the audiovisual information and the associated methods to operate on the audiovisual information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for comparing an infrared image of a person to a database of visual images of persons and calculating the probability that each is a match to the infrared image is characterized by extracting minutiae from the infrared image and extracting visible minutiae from the visible images. Coincident minutiae which occur in both spectra are used to scale and register the infrared and the visible images. Other minutiae are spectrum-dependent, but must obey rules relative to minutiae of the other spectrum, due to the anatomical structure of the human face and body. The primary application is for identification of persons seen in infrared surveillance imagery, using a reference database of visual images. Other applications include compression of talking head video and animation of synthetic faces. The method and apparatus can also be applied to areas of the body other than the face, to compare images from different spectra including images from medical sensors.

Abstract: A method and system provides a face-to-face video conference. The method and apparatus comprise a conferencing system consisting of a conferencing station defining a predetermined motif, an image system for generating a substantially full scale image of a person at the conferencing station so that participants at the conferencing station feel that any images of persons displayed by the imager at the conferencing station are present and face-to-face. The method comprises the steps of receiving image data at a teleconferencing station, the image data including data corresponding to at least one person, and displaying an image corresponding to the image data at the teleconferencing station so that at least one participant at the teleconferencing station views an image of said at least one person, thereby providing a face-to-face presence environment whereat the image of at least one person appears substantially life size.

Abstract: A television telephone apparatus includes a data compressor which is an image compressor or a voice compressor, an inputting unit and a load amount controller. The inputting unit generates a process amount reduction instruction of the image compressor or the voice compressor. The load amount controller controls a compression process amount of the image compressor or the voice compressor such that the compression process amount is reduced.

Abstract: A method for transferring live video signals from a video camera of a local system to a remote video-display system via low-bandwidth communication lines is disclosed. The method is especially useful for a fixed camera located at a predetermined location, such as a security camera, for monitoring a picture of a substantially constant background. A live video system for implementation of the method is also disclosed that includes a video camera and a video displayer interconnected by a conventional telephone line.

Abstract: A method and apparatus select the wire video size and capture video size of a video telephony product depending upon the desired remote video size. A target frame rate is taken into account when choosing the wire video size and capture video size. Wire video size is chosen as close to the desired remote video size as possible. To provide high quality, the video capture frame rate and capture video sizes are maintained above a predetermined level.

Abstract: An image capture, conversion, compression, storage and transmission system provides a data signal representing the image in a format and protocol capable of being transmitted over any of a plurality of readily available transmission systems and received by readily available, standard equipment receiving stations. The system is adapted to be installed in a standard cellular phone configuration, providing a portable, hand held, wireless transmission system for transmitting video image signals to a remote receiving station.

Abstract: An object may be identified with a camera that is sensitive to both visible and invisible light. The camera receives a target of invisible light, either from an invisible light illuminator attached to the object, or via radiation from the object itself. The system processes the invisible light to position and size a halo with respect to the location of the object. The type of halo used may be determined by user selection. The system then modifies the visible component of the video signal from the camera to obscure the portion that lies outside the halo, thereby concealing the surroundings of the object.

Abstract: An Image Transceiving Telephone with Integrated Digital Camera (ITTDC) for simultaneous transceiving of real-time audio and non-real time image through a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is disclosed. The ITTDC includes an integrated telephone front end, a PSTN access device, an audio CODEC, an image input device, an image CODEC, an image display device, a local storage for an embedded system control software and associated control and operating parameters and data, an optional local electronic interface, a user-control and a system control including the embedded system control software. The control software further includes an audio sampling and processing means, an image capturing and processing means and a process priority control means allocating, via a real-time audio but non-real time image transfer protocol control, a highest priority to tasks for audio information processing whereas a lower priority to tasks for image information processing.