Patent ID: 7983524

Claim:
An interactive communication apparatus for sending a video signal obtained by an image pickup device performing an image pickup activity to another apparatus through a communication section while controlling a display section to display an image based on a video signal received from said another apparatus through said communication section, said interactive communication apparatus comprising: a pickup start and stop section configured to stop said image pickup activity of the image pickup device, the image pickup activity capturing an optical image and converting the optical image to generate the video signal obtained by the image pickup device, the pickup start and stop section including a switch configured to cover a lens of the image pickup device, the switch transmitting a signal indicating that the image pickup activity is stopped when the switch covers the lens; an indicator image storage section configured to store image information constituting an indicator image indicating that said image pickup activity is stopped; a video switching section configured to selectively switch between the video signal obtained by said image pickup device performing said image pickup activity, and a video signal based on said image information stored in said indicator image storage section, said video switching section being further configured to supply said communication section with the selected video signal; and a control unit configured to control said video switching section to supply said communication section with the video signal based on said image information stored in said indicator image storage section when the control unit receives the signal indicating that the image pickup activity is stopped.