JP2012227745A - Conference support device, conference support device control method, and conference support device control program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a conference support device which performs an accurate support which enables a conference attendee to grasp the situation of the conference.SOLUTION: The conference support device is provided with a function of identifying a content being discussed in the conference and a function of obtaining information on the knowledge or experience of the conference attendee. On the basis of the identified content and the obtained information, the device selects (S201) a function to be provided to the conference attendee from among plural types of supporting functions (S205 and S207, S211 and S213, and S217 and S219) for understanding the conference, and provides the function.

Description

  The present invention relates to a conference support apparatus, a control method for a conference support apparatus, and a control program for a conference support apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a conference support that provides support so that a person who participates in a conference can grasp the status of the conference. The present invention relates to a device, a control method for a conference support device, and a control program for a conference support device.

  Conventionally, a conference support apparatus and a conference support system that support the progress of a conference are known.

  Participants may join in the middle of the meeting, or leave the seat and return again in the middle of the meeting (this situation is generally referred to as joining the meeting). In such a case, the participant does not immediately know the status of the conference, such as what is being discussed at the conference. When it is difficult to interrupt the conference flow by asking other participants about the conference status or asking questions about the conference status, the participant will know the status of the conference over a long period of time. Can't participate and can't participate in conversations, so time is wasted.

  In the above situations, participants can search for the flow of discussions by referring to the shared screen used for explanations, and various information (audio, video, memo writing, shared materials, shared materials) Have been tried to grasp the contents by using a conference understanding support system capable of reproducing them by fast-forwarding them.

  For example, in the following Patent Document 1, in a remote conference (electronic conference), minutes are created, access to an appropriate conference data storage medium, conference data is provided to those who are absent from the conference, and assistance to midway participants is efficiently performed. A conference structure grasp support device that can be used is disclosed. The device extracts conference structure information from the conference data of the remote conference system. The device includes a storage unit that stores multimedia conference data of each participant that occurs during the conference in a time-series format that can be randomly accessed for each media and participant, and at the same time as the conference proceeds, from the start time of the conference to the present time or A conference structure information generation unit that analyzes multimedia conference data up to the end of the conference and extracts conference structure information;

  Patent Document 2 listed below discloses an electronic conference system that accumulates various types of information (audio, video, memo writing, shared material, writing to shared material, index writing, etc.) and creates a conference digest based on the information. Has been.

  Patent Document 3 listed below discloses a conference system that accumulates signals obtained by synthesizing image and audio signals and reproduces them by fast-forwarding so that participants can grasp the contents.

  Patent Document 4 below discloses an information processing apparatus that creates minutes for each person in consideration of a part participating in a conference and a part not participating.

  Patent Document 5 below discloses a call control device that plays back accumulated audio data to participants in the middle of a conference and connects to the conference when it catches up with the current time.

JP 2006-81005 A JP 2004-350134 A JP 2001-128133 A JP 2008-165322 A JP-A-2005-33270

  The process required for a participant who participates in the conference to follow the content of the story varies depending on the participant. In other words, it should be different depending on the level of participants' understanding of the content being discussed and their level of interest.

  However, the conventional conference support apparatus and conference support system described above can only provide a uniform method to the participants, and there is a problem that the usability is poor.

  In addition, in a case where the content of the discussion is grasped by displaying the shared screen to the participants of the conference, the content that is referred to by other participants with interest may be different from the content of the shared screen. In this case, there is a problem that the situation cannot be quickly grasped even if a participant who participates refers to the shared screen.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a conference support apparatus, a control method for the conference support apparatus, and a conference that provide accurate support so that persons who participate in the conference can grasp the status of the conference. It is to provide a control program for a support device.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, the conference support apparatus includes: a specifying unit that specifies contents discussed in the conference; an acquisition unit that acquires information about a conference participant's knowledge or experience; Based on the specified contents and the acquired information, out of a plurality of types of support functions for understanding the conference, a selection unit that selects a function to be provided to the conference participant, and a selection unit selected by the selection unit Providing means for providing a function.

  Preferably, the selection means compares the specialized field of the conference participant registered in advance with the specialized field being discussed, and selects a function according to the degree of difference.

  Preferably, the conference support apparatus is opened on the computer of the conference participant and a connection means for connecting to a computer of another conference participant different from the conference participant via a network and the computer of the other conference participant. And a totaling unit that counts the files and pages thereof, and the selection unit selects the files opened on the computers of the other conference participants and the pages based on the totaling results of the totaling unit. The function for notifying the conference participant's computer can be selected as one of a plurality of types of support functions.

  Preferably, the conference support apparatus further includes a recording unit that records various information during the conference, and the selection unit has a function of providing information recorded by the recording unit to the conference participant as a plurality of types of support functions. It can be selected as one of them.

  Preferably, the conference support apparatus changes a range in which the information recorded by the recording unit is provided based on information on the knowledge or experience of the conference participant acquired by the acquiring unit.

  Preferably, the selection unit selects a function to be provided to the conference participant according to the interest of the conference participant.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, the control method of the conference support apparatus is specified by the specifying step of specifying the content being discussed in the conference, the acquiring step of acquiring information on the knowledge or experience of the conference participants, and the specified A selection step of selecting a function to be provided to the conference participant among a plurality of types of support functions for understanding the conference based on the acquired content and the acquired information, and a function selected in the selection step Providing step of providing.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, the control program of the conference support apparatus specifies a specific step of identifying the content being discussed in the conference, an acquisition step of acquiring information on the knowledge or experience of the conference participants, and the specification A selection step of selecting a function to be provided to the conference participant from among a plurality of types of support functions for understanding the conference based on the obtained content and the acquired information, and the function selected in the selection step And a providing step of providing a computer.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a conference support apparatus, a control method for the conference support apparatus, and a control program for the conference support apparatus that perform appropriate support so that those who participate in the conference can grasp the status of the conference. .

It is a figure which shows roughly the structure of the meeting assistance system in one of embodiment of this invention. 1 is a perspective view showing an MFP 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of MFP 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a server 100. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a PC 200. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a database of specialized fields of conference participants recorded in the HDD 27 of the MFP 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a discussion content collection process executed by the CPU 21 of the MFP 1. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a database for specifying a specialized field of a conference recorded in the HDD 27 of the MFP 1 used in step S103 of FIG. It is a figure which shows the screen of the meeting assistance displayed on the display apparatus 213 of PC200 of a meeting participant. It is a figure which shows a process when the present condition grasp button B is pressed in Mr. A's PC200A. It is a figure which shows a process when the present condition grasp button B is pressed in Mr. B's PC200B. 4 is a flowchart illustrating processing executed when the CPU 21 of the MFP 1 receives a current status grasp request from a PC. It is a figure which shows schematically the structure of the meeting assistance system in other embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows a process when the present condition grasp button B is pressed in Mr. C's PC200C. It is a figure which shows a process when the present condition grasp button B is pressed in Mr. D's PC200D. 4 is a flowchart illustrating processing executed when the CPU 21 of the MFP 1 receives a current status grasp request from a PC.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  [Overall configuration of conference support system]

  FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a conference support system (or conference management system) in one embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to the figure, the conference support system includes a plurality of PCs (personal computers) 200A, 200B, 200E to 200I, an MFP (an abbreviation of Multi Function Peripheral, which is a specific example of an image forming apparatus) 1, a moving image or a still image. And a network including the camera C and the electronic blackboard B that can perform the above. These devices are connected to each other via a network bus so that data can be transmitted and received.

  Hereinafter, one of the plurality of PCs 200A, 200B, and 200E to 200I is referred to as a PC 200. The users using each of the PCs 200A, 200B, 200E to 200I are referred to as A, B, E, F, G, H, and I.

  FIG. 1 shows the operation of the conference support system during a conference. At the meeting, the specification change of ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) as hardware (HW) is being explained, and Mr. I made a presentation by displaying information on the shared screen on the electronic blackboard B using PC200I. Shows the situation. The display contents of the electronic blackboard B and the appearance of Mr. I are photographed by the camera C and distributed to the network. Also, the voice of Mr. I's announcement is captured by a microphone built in the camera C and distributed to the network.

  As described above, the conference support system is connected to the PC of the conference participant via the network. Thereby, a plurality of participants in different rooms can participate in the conference. In addition, each person can share information such as a shared screen and sound in different rooms through the PC.

  Here, Mr. B, Mr. G, and Mr. H are participating in the meeting in the same room as Mr. I who is presenting. Mr. E and Mr. F participate in the conference in a room different from the room where Mr. I is presenting. Mr. A participates in the conference in a room different from the room where Mr. I presents and the room where Mr. E and Mr. F exist. That is, the quadrangle shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 indicates the boundary of each room.

  Mr. I's presentation is related to Mr. A's specialized field. That is, Mr. A is a person in charge of hardware (HW) design technology, and has 7 years of experience in ASIC design and 2 years in board design as hardware design technology. In addition, as a hardware design leader, he has a year of experience in ASIC development. However, there is no experience in designing software (SW) and no experience as a leader.

  In addition, Mr. I's presentation is outside Mr. B's field of expertise. That is, Mr. B is a software (SW) design engineer, and as a software design engineer, has two years of experience in BSP design and one year in thread design. He has no experience as a software design leader and no hardware (HW) design experience.

  The MFP 1 has a plurality of functions such as a printer function, a facsimile function, a copy function, a scanner function, and a presentation function. The network in FIG. 1 is also connected to the Internet.

  Job data such as document data and image data processed by the participant's PC can be transmitted to the MFP 1 and printed by the MFP 1. The image data created by reading the document with the MFP 1 can be transmitted to the participant's PC and displayed or stored on the PC side. Further, the MFP 1 transmits image data created based on a document to, for example, a remote terminal on another network via the Internet, receives job data from the remote terminal via the Internet, and prints out based on the received data. It is also possible to do.

  The MFP 1 stores software related to a conference, and is configured to collect application data and audio data transmitted by the conference support system according to the software. Further, the MFP 1 provides information for notifying participants during the conference of the conference status based on the collected data. In this way, the MFP 1 operates as a conference support apparatus. Note that instead of the MFP 1, an electronic device such as a server may be operated as the conference support apparatus.

  The network configuration is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1, and may be a configuration having a proxy server, a mail server, a router, and the like, for example.

  Next, an outline of the operation of the conference support system will be described with reference to FIG. The conference support system performs the following operations.

  When there is a request from a PC of a person who participates in the conference halfway, the conference support system provides information to inform the PC of the status of the conference (provides a function to support the current status of the participants' conference) ). At this time, support for grasping the current situation according to the strengths and weaknesses of the people who participate in the process is executed.

  More specifically, for a participant who is in the middle of a meeting, the specialized field of the participant that has been registered in advance (information on knowledge and experience, including skills), and the specialized field of the topic being discussed are compared. . According to the degree of difference, each person's strengths and weaknesses are determined, and based on the determination, a preferable method for grasping the current situation is selected and executed. In this way, by executing the preferred status grasp function based on the information related to the individual participants and the content of the conference, participants in the conference can follow the content and flow of the story quickly and efficiently. Become.

  [Configuration of MFP 1]

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the MFP 1.

  Referring to FIG. 1, MFP 1 includes a paper feed cassette 3, a paper discharge tray 5, an operation unit (an example of an operation receiving unit) 11, a control unit 20, a print unit 30, and a scan unit 40. As will be described later, the control unit 20 includes a CPU 21 (shown in FIG. 3) and the like, and controls the operation of the MFP 1. The control unit 20 and the print unit 30 are arranged inside the casing of the MFP 1.

  The MFP 1 has three paper feed cassettes 3 (paper feed cassettes 3a, 3b, 3c). Each paper feed cassette 3 is loaded with, for example, different sizes of paper (B5 size, A4 size, A3 size, etc.). The paper feed cassette 3 is arranged at the bottom of the MFP 1 so that it can be inserted into and removed from the housing of the MFP 1. The paper loaded in each paper feed cassette 3 is fed one by one from the paper feed cassette 3 and sent to the printing unit 30 at the time of printing. Note that the number of paper feed cassettes 3 is not limited to three, and may be more or less.

  The paper discharge tray 5 is disposed above the portion where the printing unit 30 is stored in the casing of the MFP 1 and below the portion where the scanning unit 40 is disposed. A sheet on which an image is formed by the printing unit 30 is discharged from the inside of the housing to the discharge tray 5.

  The operation unit 11 is disposed on the upper front side (front side in the drawing) of the MFP 1. The operation unit 11 includes a plurality of operation buttons 11a that can be pressed by the user. The operation unit 11 is provided with a display panel (an example of display means) 13 that displays information to the user. The display panel 13 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) provided with a touch panel. The display panel 13 displays a guidance screen for the user or displays an operation button to accept a touch operation from the user. The display panel 13 performs display under the control of the CPU 21. The operation unit 11 receives an operation input from the user. When the operation button 11a or the display panel 13 is operated by the user, the operation unit 11 transmits an operation signal or a predetermined command corresponding to the operation to the CPU 21. That is, the user can cause the MFP 1 to execute various operations by operating the operation unit 11.

  The printing unit 30 roughly includes a toner image forming unit, a paper transport unit (not shown), and a fixing device (not shown). The print unit 30 forms an image on a sheet by electrophotography.

  The paper transport unit includes a paper feed roller, a transport roller, and a motor that drives them. The paper transport unit feeds paper from the paper feed cassette 3 and transports the paper inside the housing of the MFP 1. The paper transport unit discharges the paper on which the image has been formed from the housing of the MFP 1 to the paper discharge tray 5 or the like.

  The fixing device has a heating roller and a pressure roller. The fixing device conveys the sheet on which the toner image is formed between the heating roller and the pressure roller, and heats and presses the sheet. As a result, the fixing device melts the toner adhering to the paper and fixes it on the paper to form an image on the paper.

  The scan unit 40 is disposed on the upper part of the casing of the MFP 1. The scanning unit 40 includes an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 41. The scanning unit 40 performs the above-described scanner function. The scanning unit 40 scans a document placed on a transparent document table with a contact image sensor and reads it as image data. Further, the scanning unit 40 reads the image data by the contact image sensor while sequentially taking in a plurality of documents set on the document tray by the ADF 41.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the MFP 1.

  Referring to the figure, MFP 1 includes an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 27 and a communication unit 29 in addition to the above-described units.

  The HDD 27 stores print job data sent from the outside via the communication unit 29, image data read by the scan unit 40, and the like. Further, the HDD 27 stores setting information of the MFP 1, a control program 27a for performing various operations of the MFP 1, an authentication database 27b used for a user authentication function to be described later, and the like. The HDD 27 can store a plurality of print jobs transmitted from one PC 200 or a plurality of PCs.

  The communication unit 29 is configured by combining a hardware unit and a software unit that performs communication using a predetermined communication protocol. The communication unit 29 connects the MFP 1 to the network. As a result, the MFP 1 can communicate with an external device such as the PC 200 connected to the network. The MFP 1 can receive a print job from the PC 200 or the server 100. Further, the MFP 1 can transmit the image data read by the scanning unit 40 to the PC 200, or can be transmitted by E-mail via a mail server (not shown).

  The control unit 20 includes a CPU 21, a ROM 23, and a RAM 25. The control unit 20 is connected to the system bus together with the operation unit 11, the printing unit 30, the scanning unit 40, and the like. Thereby, the control unit 20 and each unit of the MFP 1 are connected so as to be able to send and receive signals.

  The CPU 21 controls various operations of the MFP 1 by executing a control program 27 a stored in the ROM 23, RAM 25, HDD 27, or the like. When an operation signal is transmitted from the operation unit 11 or an operation command is transmitted from the PC 200 or the like, the CPU 21 executes a predetermined control program 27a in response thereto. Thus, a predetermined function of MFP 1 is executed in accordance with the operation of operation unit 11 by the user.

  The ROM 23 is, for example, a flash ROM (Flash Memory). The ROM 23 stores data used for operating the MFP 1. Like the HDD 27, the ROM 23 may store various control programs, function setting data of the MFP 1, and the like. The CPU 21 reads data from the ROM 23 and writes data to the ROM 23. The ROM 23 may be non-rewritable.

  The RAM 25 is a main memory of the CPU 21. The RAM 25 is used to store data necessary for the CPU 21 to execute the control program 27a.

  As described above, the scanning unit 40 performs a scanner function and reads image data from a document. The image data read by the scanning unit 40 is converted into an application data format by the CPU 21 and stored in the HDD 27 or the like. The CPU 21 can transmit image data stored in the HDD 27 or the like to the PC 200 or the like.

  Here, the MFP 1 has a post-processing unit 90. The post-processing unit 90 is provided, for example, in the vicinity of a paper discharge outlet to the paper discharge tray 5. The post-processing unit 90 may be an apparatus that is externally attached to the MFP 1 and carries out post-processing by carrying in paper discharged to the paper discharge tray 5. The post-processing unit 90 performs, for example, a punching process for punching holes on a sheet on which an image is formed, a binding process for binding a plurality of sheets with staples, and the like, and discharges them. Whether post-processing is executed by the post-processing unit 90 depends on, for example, the print settings of each print job. In other words, the control unit 20 controls the post-processing unit 90 based on the print settings when executing a print job. Each MFP 1 may or may not have the post-processing unit 90.

  Each MFP 1 has a user authentication function. In the present embodiment, the user authentication function is realized as follows, for example. That is, the authentication database 27b recorded in the HDD 27 of the MFP 1 records user information that can be authenticated by the user and authentication information necessary for the user authentication in association with each other. The authentication information is, for example, a password set for each user. In the authentication database 27b, information related to the function permitted to be executed for each user is recorded in association with the user. The user operates the operation unit 11 to input information about the user (for example, an account name) and a password to the MFP 1. When these pieces of information are input to the operation unit 11, the CPU 21 refers to the authentication database 27b and determines whether authentication is possible. If the authentication is possible, the CPU 21 determines that the user is authenticated, and based on the authentication database 27b, can execute a function that is permitted for the user. At this time, the user is logged in to the MFP 1. By using the user authentication function, the convenience of the MFP 1 can be enhanced by adapting the display on the display panel 13 and the available functions to the authenticated user. In addition, a high security effect can be obtained such that a printed matter can be output when the authenticated user is near the MFP 1 without touching the eyes of other users. As a user authentication method, for example, a card authentication method using a contact / non-contact ID card, a biometric authentication method using user fingerprint information, vein information, or the like may be employed.

  The voice input / output unit 50 includes a microphone, a speaker, and the like, and inputs voice in a conference room in which the MFP 1 is installed, for example, and plays back voice data transmitted via the Internet. By outputting the voice of a remote person, the person can participate in the conference.

  [Configuration of Server 100]

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the server 100.

  In FIG. 1, the server 100 is not shown on the network, but the server 100 shown in FIG. 4 may be connected to the network. Further, the server 100 may function as a conference support apparatus.

  Referring to the figure, server 100 includes a control unit 120, a network unit 129, an HDD (an example of a storage unit) 140, and a communication unit 131. The control unit 120 includes a CPU 121, a ROM 123, and a RAM 125. The control unit 120, the network unit 129, the communication unit 131, and the HDD 140 are all connected to the system bus. Thereby, each part of the control part 120, the network part 129, the communication unit 131, and HDD140 is connected so that transmission / reception of a signal is possible.

  The network unit 129 connects the server 100 to the Internet 800. As a result, the server 100 can be connected to an external network.

  Further, the server 100 can communicate with an external device such as the MFP 1 or the PC 200 by controlling the communication unit 131. The server 100 can receive, for example, image data read by the scan unit 40 of the MFP 1 and data such as a print job transmitted from the PC 200. The received data is stored in the HDD 140 as necessary.

  The CPU 121 controls various operations of the server 100 by executing a control program 150 stored in the ROM 123, RAM 125, HDD 140, or the like. CPU 121 executes control program 150 in accordance with an operation command transmitted from PC 200 or the like, information transmitted from MFP 1, or the like. Thereby, various functions of the server 100 are executed.

  The ROM 123 and RAM 125 operate in the same manner as the ROM 23 and RAM 25 of the MFP 1, for example. The CPU 121 controls the operation of the server 100 by writing data into and reading data from the ROM 123 and RAM 125. The HDD 140 stores job data 160 and a job status table 170.

  [Configuration of PC 200]

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the PC 200.

  Referring to the figure, the PC 200 includes an input device 211, a display device 213, a control unit 220, a communication unit 229, an HDD 240, and an audio input / output unit 231. The control unit 220 includes a CPU 221, a ROM 223, and a RAM 225. Each part of the PC 200 is connected to the system bus so that signals can be transmitted and received.

  The configurations of the control unit 220 and the communication unit 229 are substantially the same as the configurations of the control unit 120 and the communication unit 131 of the server 100, for example. Since the communication unit 229 is connected to the network, the PC 200 can communicate with an external device such as the MFP 1 or the server 100. The CPU 221 controls the operation of the PC 200 by executing a control program 250 stored in the HDD 240 and writing / reading data to / from the ROM 223 or RAM 225.

  The input device 211 is, for example, a keyboard or a pointing device such as a mouse. The user can input various instructions to the PC 200 by operating the input device 211. When the input device 211 is operated, an operation signal is transmitted to the control unit 220. The CPU 221 controls the operation of the PC 200 according to the operation signal.

  The display device 213 is a monitor device such as an LCD display, for example. Various displays are made on the display device 213 by the control unit 220, so that the user can input various instructions to the PC 200 while confirming the display.

  For example, in addition to the control program 250, user document data 280 is stored in the HDD 240. The document data 280 is, for example, a text format file or a data format file that can be edited by an application program operating on the PC 200.

  Each of the communication units 29, 131, and 229 may be a short-range wireless communication device or a device connected to a wired LAN.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a database of specialized fields of conference participants recorded in the HDD 27 of the MFP 1.

  Referring to the figure, for each conference participant (Mr. A, Mr. B,...), Information on the IP address of the PC to be used and the specialized field (including the function) is registered and recorded in advance. Information related to specialized fields includes the fields in which the participants are responsible (technical fields, such as HW (hardware) engineers or SW (software) engineers)) and various fields (ASIC design / board development) For each sub-item), information related to the work history such as the years of experience engaged in it, the years of experience of leader work engaged in each technical field, and the functions (in charge of HW design technology, managerial positions) are recorded.

  By referring to this database, you can compare the specialties of the conference participants with the technical areas being discussed at the conference (or is the content being discussed at the conference interesting to the conference participants? Is determined). Using the result, it is possible to determine what function is appropriate to be executed as a function for supporting understanding of the content of the conference for the conference participants.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing discussion content collection processing executed by the CPU 21 of the MFP 1.

  In step S <b> 101, the CPU 21 of the MFP 1 uses the communication unit 29 to transmit various information during the conference (sound during conference, audio, video, shared image, memo writing) transmitted through the network of the conference support system in FIG. 1. Etc.).

  In step S103, the received various types of information are recorded in the HDD 27, and keywords (words) are extracted from the content being discussed, and the specialized field to which the content being discussed relates is specified.

  In step S105, a break in the content being discussed is detected based on the keyword. For example, when a discussion shifts from one theme to another and the keyword that appears in the discussion changes, that point is determined as a break. For each break, the conference information is divided and recorded in the HDD 27.

  In step S107, it is determined whether or not the conference is ended. If YES, the process of FIG. 7 is ended. If NO, the process from step S101 is repeated. Note that the determination in step S107 may be performed by inputting a conference end from the PC of the conference organizer, or may be determined based on whether a preset conference end time has been reached.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a database for specifying a specialized field of a conference recorded in the HDD 27 of the MFP 1 used in step S103 of FIG.

  Referring to the figure, in the database, words (a, b, c,...) Appearing in the conference in the vertical direction are arranged, and fields (A, B, C,...) Are arranged in the horizontal direction. The degree of association between words and fields is shown in a matrix. According to the table shown in FIG. 8, for example, the degree of association between the word a and the field A is indicated by a numerical value XAa.

  By acquiring various types of information in step S101 of FIG. 7, it is possible to acquire keywords (words) that appear in the conference based on the information. For words appearing at a predetermined frequency or higher, in step S103, the matrix in FIG. 8 is used to determine which field the word is highly related to and the field (contents) being discussed at the conference. Can be identified. In this specification, for example, a field in which a numerical value indicating the degree of association is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold can be set as a field being discussed at the meeting.

  When using the voice data of the conference participant, the CPU 21 generates text data from the voice data by executing voice recognition processing. Words (words) appearing repeatedly are extracted from the list. Based on the word, what is being discussed is identified. When using image data of a video or a shared image, the CPU 221 generates text data by performing character recognition from the image data. Words (words) appearing repeatedly are extracted from the list. Based on the word, what is being discussed is identified.

  In step S105 of FIG. 7, the delimiter of the discussion (the discussion has shifted from one theme to another) is determined based on the identification result of what is being discussed.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a conference support screen displayed on the display device 213 of the PC 200 of the conference participant.

  Referring to the figure, the conference support device causes the display device 213 of the conference participant's PC 200 to display a shared screen display unit, a text display unit, a text input unit, a participant display unit, and a current state grasp button B. Is displayed.

  The above-described shared screen (shared image) is displayed on the shared screen display unit. In the text display section, the text (speech) input to the PC by the participant of the conference is displayed together with information for specifying the participant who input it. The text input unit is an area that receives text input from the input device 211 and displays it.

  The participant display section displays conference participants (or users of PCs currently connected to the conference support system). The current state grasping button B is displayed at the lower right of the screen, and when the user clicks this portion with the input device 211, a request for grasping the current state can be issued to the conference support system. The user can grasp the current state of the conference by pressing the current state grasping button B when participating in the conference halfway or when the conference flow is lost.

  More specifically, when the current state grasping button B is pressed, the IP address (or user ID) of the PC where the current state grasping button B is pressed is transmitted to the MFP 1. In the MFP 1, based on the transmitted IP address (if the user ID has been transmitted, the IP address corresponding to the user ID registered in advance in association therewith), the current state grasp button is selected from the table of FIG. The individual who pressed B (user who is a conference participant) is specified. Furthermore, the specialized field of the conference participant registered in advance for the conference participant is acquired from the table of FIG. On the other hand, the process of FIG. 7 identifies the specialized field of the content being discussed at the current meeting. The CPU 21 of the MFP 1 compares the specialized field of the acquired conference participant with the specialized field of the content being discussed in the current conference. Then, according to the degree of difference, a support function for understanding the conference is automatically selected and provided to the user who pressed the current state grasp button B.

  In other words, if the dissimilarity is low, it is determined that the conference participant has sufficient basic knowledge, and appropriate (or indispensable) information is provided to inform a high-level participant of the current status of the conference. . Conversely, if the degree of dissimilarity is high, it is determined that the conference participant does not have sufficient basic knowledge, and is appropriate (or indispensable) to inform the non-high level participant of the current state of the conference. Provide information.

  Regarding the determination of the degree of difference, for example, the following method can be used.

  (1) Quantify each person's years of experience in the specialized field. For example, if there are many years of experience, the numerical value is set so as to increase the numerical value.

  (2) A difference level between fields registered in advance is indicated by a coefficient. As a result, the level of difference between the specialized field of the conference participant and the specialized field of the content being discussed at the current conference is represented by a coefficient. For example, if there is little technical difference between a certain field and a certain field, the coefficient is set so as to increase the coefficient.

  (3) The index is obtained by multiplying the numerical value of (1) above and the coefficient of (2) above. If the index is large, the participant's understanding level is high and the dissimilarity level is small with respect to the content being discussed at the current meeting. If the index is small, it is assumed that the level of understanding of the participant is low and the degree of difference is high with respect to the content being discussed at the current meeting.

  In addition, if there are multiple areas of expertise of the conference participants and / or if there are multiple areas of specialization that are being discussed at the current meeting, they will be discussed with the areas of expertise of the conference participants at the current meeting. All pairs with specialties of content are required. In each pair, the indexes (1) to (3) are obtained, and all the indexes are added (Σ is taken). If the index is large, it is determined that the understanding is deep (the degree of difference is small), and if the index is low, the understanding is low (the degree of difference is large).

  For those who have little understanding of what is being discussed, it is difficult to keep up with the content of the meeting without understanding the discussion before joining the meeting. On the other hand, for those who have a deep understanding of what is being discussed, it is not necessary to review the entire content of the meeting. Also, the shared screen may differ from the material that participants are interested in. For this reason, in order to quickly grasp the situation, it is better to refer to materials referenced by many people than to refer to the shared screen.

  Based on this idea, the conference support system provides different support functions according to the level of understanding of the participants as follows.

  For example, in the case of FIG. 1, the specification change of hardware (ASIC) is explained at the conference. Mr. A has no experience in designing software, but is specialized in designing hardware. Therefore, Mr. A is judged to have a deep understanding of the content being discussed. On the other hand, Mr. B has experience in designing software, but has no experience in designing hardware. For this reason, Mr. B is judged to have low understanding of the content being discussed.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a process when the current state grasping button B is pressed on Mr. A's PC 200A.

  Like Mr. A, when it is judged that the content being discussed is deeply understood (the degree of difference between the content being discussed and the participant's specialized field is low) When is pressed, a request for grasping the current state is output from the PC, and the following support function for understanding the conference is executed.

  The conference support device searches all conference participants PC 200A, 200B, 200E to 200I, and totals the reference files opened on each conference participant's PC and the referenced pages (for PC 200A, search is performed). You don't have to). Based on the total information, the PC 200A that has made a request for grasping the current state is notified of the files that are frequently opened in the PCs 200B and 200E to 200I other than the PC 200A that has made a request for grasping the current state, and information about the page.

  In the PC 200A that has issued the current status grasp request, information on the files and pages that are often opened in the PCs 200B and 200E to 200I other than the PC 200A that requested the current status is obtained, and many other conference participants The reference page of the material referenced by is displayed.

  Mr. A, who is a participant during the meeting, quickly understands what kind of content the other meeting participants are currently interested in by referring to the displayed materials. You will be able to participate in the discussion.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating processing when the current state grasping button B is pressed on Mr. B's PC 200B.

  If it is judged that Mr. B is not familiar with the content being discussed (the degree of difference is high between the content being discussed and the specialized field of the participant), the current state grasp button of the person's PC 200B When is pressed, the current status grasp request is output from the PC 200B, and the following support function for understanding the conference is executed.

  The conference support system extracts the current discussion area (information related to the current discussion) from various recorded information (audio, video, shared images, memos, etc.) during the conference. Then, the extracted information is notified to the PC 200B that has made a request for grasping the current state. More specifically, the various recorded information during the meeting is managed by dividing the content of the discussion in step S105 in FIG. Only the portion related to the content currently being discussed (record information from the present to the previous break) is transmitted to the PC 200B that requested the current status.

  The PC 200B that issued the current status grasp request obtains the extracted information and reproduces the information quickly. By referring to the reproduced information, Mr. B who is a mid-conference participant can review the content currently being discussed, understand the content, and participate in the discussion.

  Various recording information (sound, video, shared image, memo, etc.) during the meeting may be sent from the MFP 1 or server to the PC that requested the current status, or to the PC that requested the current status. In this case, only the extracted range is transmitted, and the PC accesses a device that records various recording information (such as voice, video, shared image, memo, etc.) such as the MFP 1 and the server, and acquires the information. May be.

  Note that the information extraction range may be changed according to the specialized field of the user of the PC (here, PC 200B) that requested the current status. More specifically, the amount of information to be notified may be adjusted by determining whether or not information that goes back in the past is necessary according to the specialized field of the PC user who requested the current status. Provide only minimal information to those who have a relatively deep understanding of what is being discussed, and go back to those who have a relatively low understanding of what is being discussed. It provides more information.

  It should be noted that these support functions for understanding the conference may be automatically executed regardless of whether the current state grasping button B is pressed. Further, the support function may be executed when the conference participant is inquired as to whether or not the current situation is necessary and an instruction indicating that it is necessary is selected.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating processing executed when the CPU 21 of the MFP 1 receives a current status grasp request from the PC.

  The current status request from the PC may be transmitted from the PC to the MFP 1 when the new PC is connected to the network when the MFP 1 recognizes that the meeting is being held, for example. It may be transmitted when the current state grasping button B is pressed.

  In step S201, a conference participant who is a user of the PC is specified based on the IP address of the PC that has output the current status grasp request. The specialized field of the conference participant is compared with the specialized field related to the topic being discussed at the conference, and the degree of difference is calculated.

  If the degree of difference is small, an inquiry is made as to whether the support function is to be executed or not in the PC that has output the current status request in step S203. In response to this, the PC that has output the current status grasp request displays a message on the display device 213 as to whether to execute the support function. If the user selects using the input device 211 to perform the support function, the notification is transmitted to the MFP 1. Thereby, a determination is made in step S203.

  When the support function is implemented in step S203, the PCs of the conference participants connected to the network in step S205 are searched, and the files opened on those PCs (files referenced by the conference participants) And sum up the referenced pages. In step S207, for example, a file referenced by a predetermined number or more of PCs and information on the pages thereof are notified to the PC that has output the current status grasp request. In response to this, the PC that has output the current status grasp request displays on the display device 213 information on files and pages referred to by a predetermined number or more of PCs. Alternatively, the system may be configured such that the page of the file is automatically displayed on the PC that has output the current status grasp request.

  If it is determined in step S201 that the degree of difference is medium, in step S209, an inquiry is made as to whether the support function is to be executed to the PC that has output the current status grasp request. This process is the same as the process in step S203.

  When the support function is implemented in step S209, in step S211, information in the range where the current discussion is made (parts related to the current discussion) from various information in the meeting obtained by the processing of FIG. Information) is extracted. In step S213, the information is notified to the PC that has output the current status grasp request. In response to this, the PC that has output the request for grasping the current situation displays information in the currently discussed range, and plays it back quickly. Note that this playback may not be fast-forward playback, or may be controlled according to an instruction from the user such as fast-forward speed or no fast-forward.

  If it is determined in step S201 that the degree of difference is large, an inquiry is made as to whether the support function is to be performed or not in the PC that has output the current status grasp request in step S215. This process is the same as the process in step S203.

  When the support function is implemented in step S215, in step S217, information in a range in which the current discussion is being performed (parts related to the current discussion) from various information during the meeting obtained by the processing of FIG. Information) and information in the previous range in time are extracted (tracing back to the past). This is to extract information that goes back in the past than that extracted in step S211 (information that extends over a longer period of time than that extracted in step S211). In step S219, the information is notified to the PC that has output the current status grasp request. In response to this, on the PC that has output the current status grasp request, the information in the current discussion area and the information in the previous area are displayed, quickly reproduced, and reproduced. Note that this playback may not be fast-forward playback, or may be controlled according to an instruction from the user such as fast-forward speed or no fast-forward. Note that the determination of steps S203, S209, and S215 may be omitted, and the processing of steps S205, S211, and S217 may be directly executed.

  [Other embodiments]

  Hereinafter, the difference between a conference support system according to another embodiment of the present invention and the conference support system described above will be described.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a conference support system (or conference management system) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

  Referring to the figure, the conference support system includes a plurality of PCs (personal computers) 200C to 200I, an MFP (an abbreviation for Multi Function Peripheral, which is a specific example of an image forming apparatus) 1, and a camera capable of shooting moving images and still images. C and a network including an electronic blackboard B. These devices are connected to each other via a network bus so that data can be transmitted and received.

  Hereinafter, one of the plurality of PCs 200C to 200I is referred to as a PC 200. The users using each of the PCs 200C to 200I are referred to as C, D, E, F, G, H, and I.

  FIG. 13 shows the operation of the conference support system during the conference. At the meeting, ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) design review of hardware (HW) is in the process of explaining budget planning, and Mr. I displays information on the shared screen on the electronic blackboard B using PC200I. , Shows the status of making announcements. The display contents of the electronic blackboard B and the appearance of Mr. I are photographed by the camera C and distributed to the network. Also, the voice of Mr. I's announcement is captured by a microphone built in the camera C and distributed to the network.

  As described above, the conference support system is connected to the PC of the conference participant via the network. Thereby, a plurality of participants in different rooms can participate in the conference. In addition, each person can share information such as a shared screen and sound in different rooms through the PC.

  Here, Mr. D, Mr. G, and Mr. H are participating in the meeting in the same room as Mr. I who is presenting. Mr. E and Mr. F participate in the conference in a room different from the room where Mr. I is presenting. Mr. C participates in the conference in a room different from the room where Mr. I and Mr. E and Mr. F are present. That is, the quadrangle shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 indicates the boundary of each room.

  The contents of Mr. I's presentation are related to fields of high interest for Mr. C. In other words, Mr. C is a manager and has 15 years of experience in designing ASICs and 5 years in designing boards as a hardware design technology manager. In addition, he has 10 years of experience as a leader in hardware design. There is no experience in designing software (SW). Three years of experience as a software leader.

  In addition, Mr. I's presentation is related to a field of low interest for Mr. D. That is, Mr. D is a person in charge of designing software (SW), and has a history of one year in BSP design and zero years in thread design as a software design engineer. He has no experience as a software design leader, no hardware (HW) design experience, and no hardware leader experience.

  The MFP 1 stores software related to a conference, and is configured to collect application data and audio data transmitted by the conference support system according to the software. Further, the MFP 1 provides information for notifying participants during the conference of the conference status based on the collected data. In this way, the MFP 1 operates as a conference support apparatus. Note that instead of the MFP 1, an electronic device such as a server may be operated as the conference support apparatus.

  Next, an outline of the operation of the conference support system will be described with reference to FIG. The conference support system performs the following operations.

  When there is a request from a PC of a person who participates in the conference halfway, the conference support system provides information to inform the PC of the status of the conference (provides a function to support the current status of the participants' conference) ). At this time, support for grasping the current state according to the degree of interest in the content of the meeting of the person who participates in the middle is executed.

  More specifically, for a participant who is in the middle of a meeting, the special field of the registered participant (information related to knowledge and experience, including job functions) is compared with the specialized field of the topic being discussed. The Based on the degree of difference, the presence / absence of each person's interest is determined, and based on this, a preferred method for grasping the current situation is selected and executed. In this way, by executing the preferred status grasp function based on the information related to the individual participants and the content of the conference, participants in the conference can follow the content and flow of the story quickly and efficiently. Become.

  In other words, the conference support system according to the present embodiment estimates how much the participants who participate in the conference on the way are interested in the theme of the conference based on the degree of difference, and provides different support functions based thereon .

  People who are highly interested in the content being discussed are expected to want to understand the content being discussed in depth. On the other hand, it is expected that a person who has a low degree of interest in the content being discussed only needs to understand the outline of the content being discussed. Based on this expectation, the following support functions for understanding the conference are provided.

  Regarding the determination of the degree of difference, for example, the following method can be used.

  (1) Quantify each person's field of specialization based on years of experience and skills.

  (2) A difference level between fields registered in advance is indicated by a coefficient (particularly, a coefficient determined based on the job function). As a result, the level of difference between the specialized field of the conference participant and the specialized field of the content being discussed at the current conference is represented by a coefficient. For example, if there is little technical difference between a certain field and a certain field, the coefficient is set so as to increase the coefficient.

  (3) The index is obtained by multiplying the numerical value of (1) above and the coefficient of (2) above. If the index is large, the participant is highly interested in the content being discussed in the current meeting, and the degree of difference is small. If the index is small, the participant is less interested in the content being discussed at the current meeting, and the degree of difference is large.

  In addition, if there are multiple areas of expertise of the conference participants and / or if there are multiple areas of specialization that are being discussed at the current meeting, they will be discussed with the areas of expertise of the conference participants at the current meeting. All pairs with specialties of content are required. In each pair, the indexes (1) to (3) are obtained, and all the indexes are added (Σ is taken). If the index is large, it is determined that the interest is high (difference is small), and if the index is low, the interest is low (difference is large).

In FIG. 13, it is determined that Mr. C is highly interested in the content being discussed, and Mr. D is determined to be less interested in the content being discussed.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a process when the current state grasping button B is pressed on Mr. C's PC 200C.

  For participants who are determined to be interested in the content being discussed, the following support function for understanding the conference is executed.

  The conference support system extracts the current discussion area from various recorded information (sound, video, shared image, memo, etc.) during the conference, and extracts it for the PC 200C that requested the current status. Provide detailed information. The PC 200C that has issued the current status grasp request obtains the extracted information, and plays back the information quickly.

  Participants in the middle of the meeting can review the content being discussed in detail by referring to the reproduced information, and can participate deeply in the discussion.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating processing when the current state grasping button B is pressed on Mr. D's PC 200D.

  For the participants who are judged to be less interested in the content being discussed, the following support function for understanding the conference is executed.

  The conference support system extracts the current discussion area from various recorded information (sound, video, shared image, memo, etc.) during the conference, and extracts it for the PC 200D that requested the current status. Notify only the information summary. The PC 200D that issued the current status grasp request obtains the extracted information and reproduces the information quickly. Participants in the middle of the meeting can review the outline of the content currently being discussed by referring to the reproduced information, and can follow the content of the discussion.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating processing executed when the CPU 21 of the MFP 1 receives a current status grasp request from the PC.

  The current status request from the PC may be transmitted from the PC to the MFP 1 when the new PC is connected to the network when the MFP 1 recognizes that the meeting is being held, for example. It may be transmitted when the current state grasping button B is pressed.

  In step S301, a conference participant who is a user of the PC is specified based on the IP address of the PC that has output the current status grasp request. The specialized field of the conference participant is compared with the specialized field related to the topic being discussed at the conference, and the degree of difference is calculated. Based on the degree of difference, the degree of interest in the conference agenda of the conference participant is determined.

  If the interest is high, in step S303, an inquiry is made to the PC that has output the current status grasp request whether the support function is to be executed. In response to this, the PC that has output the current status grasp request displays a message on the display device 213 as to whether to execute the support function. If the user selects using the input device 211 to perform the support function, the notification is transmitted to the MFP 1. Thereby, a determination is made in step S303.

  When the support function is implemented in step S303, in step S305, information in a range in which the current discussion is being performed (parts related to the current discussion) from the various information in the meeting obtained by the process of FIG. Information) is extracted. The information is notified to the PC that has output the current status grasp request. In response to this, in step S307, the PC that has output the request for grasping the current state displays information in the currently discussed range, and replays it. Note that this playback may not be fast-forward playback, or may be controlled according to an instruction from the user such as fast-forward speed or no fast-forward.

  If it is determined in step S301 that the interest is low, an inquiry is made as to whether to implement the support function to the PC that has output the current status grasp request in step S309. This process is the same as the process in step S303.

  When the support function is implemented in step S309, in step S311, information in a range in which the current discussion is being performed (parts related to the current discussion) from various information in the meeting obtained by the processing of FIG. Information) is extracted. Only the summary is notified to the PC that has output the current status grasp request. In response to this, in step S313, the PC that has output the request for grasping the current situation displays the summary information in the currently discussed range, and replays it. Note that this playback may not be fast-forward playback, or may be controlled according to an instruction from the user such as fast-forward speed or no fast-forward.

  [Effects of the embodiment]

  As described above, the conference support system (conference management system) is configured by connecting the conference participant's PC and the MFP (or server) via the network. The MFP (or server) operates as a conference support device, and it is extracted from the specialized fields (including functions) of conference participants registered in advance and the specialized fields being discussed (sound, video, shared images, memos, etc.) ). The MFP (or server) automatically selects and executes a support function for understanding the conference to be implemented from a plurality of types according to the degree of difference.

  The MFP (or server) has a function for finding a meeting participant's PC in the network, a function for counting reference files and pages opened on the meeting participant's PC, and a PC for which a current status request is requested. And a function of notifying a file and a page that are frequently opened on a PC other than the PC that requested the current status based on the total information.

  In addition, the MFP (or server) has a function for recording various information (voice, video, shared image, memo etc.) during the meeting, a function for extracting a currently discussed range from the recorded information, and a grasp of the current situation. It has a function to notify the requested PC of the extracted information. Further, according to the special field of the PC user who requested the current status, it is determined whether or not the extracted information needs to be traced back to the past. If necessary, the retroactive information is also notified. It is desirable.

  Also, the MFP (or server) determines whether the extracted information is interesting information or not, and adjusts the information to be notified according to the specialized field of the conference participant who is the PC user who requested the current status. It is also possible to configure as described above.

  With the configuration as described above, a preferable support function for understanding the conference can be realized.

  The support function for understanding the conference may be automatically executed, or may be executed when a conference participant is inquired as to whether it is necessary and selected as necessary.

  The meeting support function may be provided in the MFP 1 as in the above-described embodiment, or may be provided in a server or a PC.

  The processing in the above-described embodiment may be performed by software or may be performed using a hardware circuit. In addition, a program for executing the processing in the above-described embodiment can be provided, and the program is recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, and a memory card and provided to the user. You may decide to do it. The program is executed by a computer such as a CPU. The program may be downloaded to the apparatus via a communication line such as the Internet.

  The above-described embodiment is to be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

1 MFP
21 CPU
29 Communication Unit 100 Server 121 CPU
131 Communication unit 200A-200I PC
221 CPU
229 Communication unit

Claims (8)

A specific means of identifying what is being discussed at the meeting;
An acquisition means for acquiring information on the knowledge or experience of the conference participants;
A selection unit that selects a function to be provided to the conference participant from among a plurality of types of support functions for understanding the conference based on the specified content and the acquired information.
A conference support apparatus comprising: providing means for providing a function selected by the selecting means.   The conference support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit compares a specialized field of the conference participant registered in advance with a specialized field being discussed, and selects a function according to the degree of difference. . Connection means for connecting the computer of the conference participant and a computer of another conference participant different from the conference participant via a network;
Further comprising a counting means for counting the files opened on the computers of the other conference participants and their pages;
The selecting means has a plurality of functions for notifying the meeting participant's computer of files and pages opened on the other meeting participant's computer based on the counting result of the counting means. The conference support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conference support apparatus can be selected as one of types of support functions. It further comprises recording means for recording various information during the meeting,
The said selection means can select the function which provides the information recorded by the said recording means to the said conference participant as one of several types of support functions. The meeting support apparatus described in 1.   The conference support apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a range in which the information recorded by the recording unit is provided is changed based on information on the knowledge or experience of the conference participant acquired by the acquisition unit.   The conference support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects a function to be provided to the conference participant according to the interest of the conference participant. Specific steps to identify what is being discussed at the meeting;
An acquisition step for acquiring information on the knowledge or experience of the conference participants;
A selection step of selecting a function to be provided to the conference participant among a plurality of types of support functions for understanding the conference based on the specified content and the acquired information;
And a providing step for providing the function selected in the selecting step. Specific steps to identify what is being discussed at the meeting;
An acquisition step for acquiring information on the knowledge or experience of the conference participants;
A selection step of selecting a function to be provided to the conference participant among a plurality of types of support functions for understanding the conference based on the specified content and the acquired information;
A control program for a conference support apparatus, which causes a computer to execute a providing step for providing a function selected in the selection step.