JP3081898B2 - Conference control method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a conference control method.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a multipoint conference system capable of real-time communication, information necessary for holding a conference from a communication terminal to a multipoint control device (hereinafter referred to as an MCU) called a conference controller / trunk. Is transmitted, and when it is confirmed that the conference can be held, a conference is held using the MCU. Also, if there is a problem with resources such as the number of lines,
When the MCU determines that the event cannot be held, it is general to return a notification indicating that the event cannot be held to the terminal.

There is also a multipoint conference system in which a plurality of MCUs are arranged at each base. In this case, a plurality of MCUs are recognized by a user (each communication terminal) as one MCU by a common representative number. It is supposed to be. If there is a request to hold a conference from a certain communication terminal and the MCU in the area under its jurisdiction cannot be held, if there is a free space in another MCU, the communication requesting confirmation information that the MCU can hold the meeting is requested. It is sent back to the terminal to hold a conference.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, in the above-mentioned conventional multipoint conference system, if the MCU that has been notified of the request to hold the conference first can be accepted, the MCU always takes over the conference. become.

However, depending on conditions such as the member configuration of the conference, it may be advantageous that another MCU takes charge of the conference in terms of communication cost and control efficiency, and the inconvenience that the conference cannot be operated with the optimal MCU may occur.

Further, in order to avoid such inconvenience, it is necessary that the user be able to select the most appropriate MCU, and to specify the selected MCU from the communication terminal. However, in order to select an MCU, it is necessary for the user to know detailed information, such as the size and style of each of the MCUs distributed at each site, and to use that information as the meeting holding conditions. It is necessary to analyze each time to determine the optimal MCU, which is very difficult.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problem and to provide a conference control method capable of selectively determining a conference control device and holding a conference without bothering the user.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention is a conference control method using a plurality of conference control units for controlling a conference performed between a plurality of communication terminals, wherein one of the plurality of conference control units is a conference control unit. Receiving the conference-related information including media information used for the conference from the plurality of communication terminals, and receiving the conference-related information including the media information used for the received conference, A conference, comprising: a determination step of selectively determining a conference control unit from the conference control unit; and a line connection step of connecting the conference line under the control of the determined conference control unit. It is a control method.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an entire multipoint conference system showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The MCUs 11 to 13 are installed at the respective bases, respectively, and are responsible for the overall control of the conference that they are assigned.

On the other hand, the communication terminals 21 to 26 (A to F in the figure) are multimedia terminals participating in a multipoint conference held by the present system.

Hereinafter, the multipoint conference described in this embodiment is referred to as this conference.

Lines 31 to 36 indicated by solid lines in the figure are connection lines between the optimal MCU 12 and the terminals 21 to 26 finally determined by the conference.

Lines 41 and 42 indicated by broken lines in the figure are connection lines when the communication terminal 21 notifies the MCU 11 of the start of the conference.

Furthermore, areas indicated by dashed lines 51 to 53 are areas of a communication terminal group that is controlled by each of the MCUs 11 to 13, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the terminal management table of the MCU 11.

The terminal management table includes the MCU 11 and each of the communication terminals 21 to 2.
6 stores information such as the type of connection line and the charge unit price, and the type of connection line and charge unit price of the MCU (hereinafter, referred to as a group MCU) under the control of each of the communication terminals 21 to 26.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of such a conference system when selecting an optimal MCU when holding a conference.

First, in order for the terminal 21 to hold a multipoint conference with the other terminals 22 to 26, the line 41 is connected to the MCU 11 which is the group MCU of the terminal 21 (S1), Send a meeting request including media information (S
2).

The MCU 11 receiving this information refers to the terminal management table described above in order to determine the optimal MCU to control this conference, and first determines whether or not the determination information can be sufficiently secured only by its own terminal management table. (S3).

If sufficient judgment information can be secured, an optimum MCU is determined based on the judgment information, and a line is connected to the MCU (S4). As a determination method in this case, it is assumed that each participating terminal is connected around each MCU, and the total unit price of each is calculated.

As a result, in this conference, the MCU 12 is determined as described above, and the line 42 is connected.

Also, in S3, if the judgment information that the MCU 11 alone can secure is not enough to determine the optimal MCU, the MCU 11 and the other MCUs 12 and 13 perform mutual communication to determine the judgment collected from each of the MCUs 12 and 13. Determine optimal MCU by adding information (S
Five).

After determining the optimal MCU 12 in this way, this MCU
The conference holding information is transmitted to 12 (S6). And each
After disconnecting the line between the MCUs and notifying the communication terminal 21 of the holding MCU 12, the line 41 is disconnected (S7).

Thereafter, the lines 31 to 36 are connected between the determined MCU 12 and each of the participating terminals 21 to 26, and a conference is held in an optimal connection form (S8).

In the above-described embodiment, the criterion for determining the optimum MCU is calculated based only on the line cost. However, the media used in the conference may also be determined.

In addition, in order to minimize information exchange between MCUs, it may be possible to update or add information exchanged between MCUs to its own terminal management table, or to request only minimum information. It is possible.

Further, the configuration may be such that such determination information is periodically exchanged between the MCUs, or is centrally managed by the master MCU, and only this master MCU is inquired.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, in consideration of conference-related information including information on media used for a conference, a conference control unit is satisfactorily determined from a plurality of conference control units, and a conference is enabled. To play.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an entire multipoint conference system showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a terminal management table of the MCU in the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation at the time of holding a conference in the embodiment. 11 to 13 MCU, 21 to 26 Communication terminal, 31 to 36, 41, 42 Communication line.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A conference control method using a plurality of conference control units for controlling a conference performed between a plurality of communication terminals, wherein one of the plurality of conference control units uses a medium used for the conference. Receiving from the plurality of communication terminals the conference-related information including the information of the conference from the plurality of conference control units in accordance with the conference-related information including the information of the media used for the received conference. A conference control method, comprising: a determination step of selectively determining a control unit; and a line connection step of connecting the conference line under the control of the determined conference control unit.