JPH05122374A - Conference communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the configuration of a conference terminal equipment by receiving conference information sent respectively from a main conference terminal equipment and a slave conference terminal equipment from two directions on a line and adding the outputs and outputting the result. CONSTITUTION:A main conference terminal equipment 11 is provided with a transmission section 28 sending sent conference information in a direction on lines 15-18 according to a prescribed procedure and pattern detection generating sections 26, 31 detecting and sending a bit pattern for information transmission control circulated through the lines 15-18. Moreover, each of slave conference terminal equipments 12-14 is provided with transmission sections 37, 40 sending the sent conference information in two directions on the lines 15-18 and with reception sections 38, 41 receiving the conference information from two directions on the lines 15-18. The conference information sent by the main conference terminal equipment 11 and the conference information sent by the slave conference terminal equipments 12-14 are received by reception sections 38, 42, outputs of the reception sections 38, 42 are subject to addition processing and the result is outputted. Thus, the configuration of the conference terminal equipments 11, 12-14 is simplified.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a conference communication system constituted by connecting a main conference terminal and a plurality of sub-conference terminals by a double loop communication path, and particularly, in a business office dispersed in a wide area. The present invention relates to a conference communication system that can be effectively used when a conference is held using placed conference terminals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional conference system, as shown in FIG. 4, a main conference terminal 1 is connected to a plurality of sub conference terminals 3 (# 1 to #N) via a switching device 2, 1 and the switching device 2 are provided with lines for the maximum number of sub-conference terminals participating in the conference, and the main conference terminal 1 and the sub-conference terminal 3 are
It has been known that one-to-one connection is made via the exchange device 2 to hold a conference. In this system, when a conference is held, the conference information transmitted from the plurality of sub conference terminals 3 is
The summing means included in the main conference terminal 1 superimposes them, and the distribution means also included in the main conference terminal 1 sends them to the line prepared for each sub conference terminal 3, thereby It was configured to be distributed to the council terminal 3. Regarding this, for example, Tomita and Nakano: a conference system using a primary group interface (NT
TR & D, 40, No. 6, pp.767-772, 1991) can be referred to.

[0003]

The above-mentioned conventional technique has a problem that a plurality of line facilities are required between the main conference terminal 1 and the switching device 2. There is also a problem that the main conference terminal 1 needs an adding means and a distributing means for superposing the conference information for the number of the sub-conference terminals participating in the conference.
Further, when the sub-conference terminals 3 are distributed over a wide area, the total sum of the line connection distances between the main conference terminal and the sub-conference terminals becomes enormous and the communication charge becomes expensive. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional technique and to reduce the facility cost by simplifying the configuration of the conference terminal. An object of the present invention is to provide a conference communication system capable of reducing the communication charge even over a long distance.

[0004]

The above-mentioned object of the present invention is a conference communication system in which one main conference terminal and a plurality of sub-conference terminals are connected in a double loop in different directions. If the main conference terminal has conference information to be transmitted, a transmission unit that transmits the conference information in one direction on the loop according to a predetermined procedure, and an information transmission control circuit that circulates on the loop. Each of the sub-conference terminals is provided with a pattern detection generation unit that detects and transmits a bit pattern, a reception unit that receives the conference information transmitted by the sub-conference terminal, and an output processing unit that processes and outputs the received conference information. In the case where there is conference information to be transmitted, a transmitting unit that transmits the same conference information in two directions on the loop, the conference information transmitted by the main conference terminal and the conference information transmitted by the sub-conference terminal. Before A receiver for receiving from two directions on the loop is achieved by the conference communication system characterized by comprising an output processing unit that outputs the sum processing the output of the receiver.

[0005]

In the conference communication system according to the present invention, the main conference terminal transmits the conference information to be transmitted in one direction on the loop according to a predetermined procedure, and the information transmission circulating on the loop. Detects control bit pattern
A pattern detection generation unit for transmitting the conference information is provided, and the conference information to be transmitted is transmitted to each of the sub-conference terminals in two directions on the loop, and the conference information is transmitted from the two directions on the loop. By providing a receiving unit for receiving and controlling transmission / reception of conference information between the conference terminals, it is possible to realize a conference communication system that simplifies the configuration of the conference terminals and reduces the communication charge. You can In particular, the conference communication system according to the present invention is used as an integrated digital communication network.
When connected by a basic interface subscriber line (hereinafter referred to as "ISDN"), the ISDN basic interface has two information channels (B channels), and each channel operates simultaneously for transmission and reception (all (Duplex) By using the fact that it is possible to connect the main conference terminal and multiple sub-conference terminals in a loop, the number of lines of the main conference terminal is 1,
It is possible to realize an efficient conference communication system in which the adding means of the conference information from all the subordinate conference terminals and the distributing means to all the subordinate conference terminals are unnecessary.

More specifically, in the conference communication system according to the present invention, first, prior to the conference,
By using the call setting function of the circuit switching provided by the ISDN service, the main conference terminal is connected to the first sub-conference terminal participating in the conference, and the first sub-conference terminal is changed to the second sub-conference terminal. After that, in the same manner, the last Nth sub-conference terminal is connected to the main conference terminal to form a loop communication path. When a loop-shaped communication path is formed,
The main conference terminal transmits the first bit pattern once from the two B channels. Then, when the above-mentioned first bit pattern is received on one (first) B channel, the first bit pattern is transmitted once from the other (second) B channel, and vice versa. The above (first) in the (second) B channel
When the second bit pattern is received, the first bit pattern is transmitted once from the other (first) B channel. This allows
The first bit pattern is always 1 on the two loop lines.
Therefore, a loop with good transmission efficiency is formed. For details on the ISDN circuit switching service and its call setting function, see, for example, “IS
The description on pages 92 to 106 of "DN picture and reader" (Ohmsha, 1988) can be referred to.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a conference communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The conference communication system (hereinafter, simply referred to as “system”) according to the present embodiment is the main conference terminal 1
1, 1st council terminal 12, Kth (however, 1 <
K <N, N: total number of conference call terminals, conference call terminal 13, Nth
The second subconference terminal 14 is included. The above conference terminals are connected by ISDN. Prior to conducting a communication conference, the main conference terminal 11 is connected to the first sub-conference terminal 12 participating in the communication conference by using the call setting function of circuit switching provided by the ISDN basic interface, and the (K) The (-1) th conference call terminal is connected to the Kth conference call terminal 13, the (N-1) th conference call terminal is connected to the Nth (final) conference call terminal 14, and By connecting the thirteenth subconference terminal 14 to the main conference terminal 11, 64
A loop communication channel is formed in which an unrestricted bearer service of kbps is provided.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the K-th sub-conference terminal 13 as a representative of the main conference terminal 11 and the sub-conference terminal described above. Note that FIG. 2 shows the configuration after the loop communication path is formed by the call setting described above, and details of the internal configuration of the network including the ISDN exchange are omitted. In FIG. 2, 2
Reference numerals 3 and 34 denote a conference information input unit having a function of inputting information such as text data stored in a floppy disk or the like, image data read by an image scanner or the like, image data manually input by a tablet or the like, 3
3 and 44 are conference information having a function of displaying the conference information sent through the ISDN line and the information input from the conference information input section of the own terminal on a CRT display or the like, and a function of storing the information in a floppy disk or the like. The output part is shown. 15 is an I connected to the main conference terminal 11.
The receiving side line of the first B channel of the SDN basic interface subscriber line, 16 the same transmitting side line, and 17 of the second B channel of the ISDN basic interface subscriber line connected to the main conference terminal 11. The receiving side line, 18 is the transmitting side line. Similarly, 19 is the conference terminal 1
3 is connected to the ISDN basic interface subscriber line of the first B channel receiving side line, 20 is the transmitting side line, and 21 is the IS connected to the subconference terminal 13.
The second B channel of the DN basic interface subscriber line is the receiving side line, and 22 is the transmitting side line.

The conference communication protocol used in this embodiment will be described. The protocol used in the present invention is based on SDLC (Synchronous Data Link Control).
This is a loop protocol, and for details thereof, for example, the description in “Protocol Handbook” edited by Asahi Shimbun, Inc. (Asahi Shimbun, 1988), pages 170 to 171 can be referred to. The communication method based on the above-mentioned loop protocol will be described below with reference to FIG. In the loop system, the signal sent from the primary station is relayed by each secondary station and returned to the primary station. As shown in FIG. 3A, the transmission direction of the frame is a fixed direction, and each secondary station has a function of receiving the frame and at the same time relaying it to the downstream side. The primary station is shown in Figure 3.
As shown in (b), after transmitting the GA (Go Ahead) pattern (01111111), "1" is continuously transmitted. The receiver of the secondary station
Normally, the data received from the primary station is retransmitted with a delay of 1 bit time. If the secondary station is transmitting, then G
When the A pattern is detected, it is retransmitted at the end of the GA pattern.
When 1 ”is set to“ 0 ”and the flag pattern (01111110) is changed, the frame of the own station is transmitted next, and when the transmission is completed,
As shown in (c), after sending the flag pattern, the received data
Retransmit (consecutive "1").

Returning to FIG. 2, the description will be continued. 24 has a function of detecting a GA pattern from the above-mentioned line 15,
A GA detection unit that turns on the signal line 25 when a pattern is detected, a GA generation unit that generates a GA pattern when the signal line 25 is turned on, and a GA generation unit that continuously sends "1" thereafter.
Reference numeral 27 denotes a buffer unit that stores information for one frame from the conference information input unit 23 described above. Further, 28 is normally a transmission unit that delays the data from the GA generation unit 26 by 1 bit time and retransmits it. If information is stored in the buffer unit 27 and a GA pattern is detected,
The last "1" of the GA pattern to be retransmitted is set to "0" and replaced with the flag pattern (01111110), then the information in the buffer unit 27 is transmitted according to the SDLC protocol, and at the end of the transmission, the flag pattern is transmitted and then the GA generation unit. 26 shows a transmitting unit for retransmitting data (continuous “1”) from 26.
Reference numeral 29 has a function of detecting a GA pattern from the above-described line 17, and a GA detection unit that turns on the signal line 30 when the GA pattern is detected. Reference numeral 31 indicates a GA pattern when the signal line 30 is turned on. G is generated, and thereafter, "1" is continuously transmitted G
An A generation unit 32 has a SDLC protocol function as described above, and indicates a reception unit that outputs conference information from the line 17.

Reference numeral 35 denotes 1 from the above-mentioned conference information input section 34.
A buffer unit for storing information for a frame, 36 is a buffer unit for storing the same information as that stored in the buffer unit 35 for one frame from the conference information input unit 34, and 37 is for storing data received from the line 19 normally. This is a transmitting unit that delays by 1 bit time and retransmits. If information is stored in the buffer unit 35 and a GA pattern is detected,
The last "1" of the GA pattern to be retransmitted is set to "0" and replaced with the flag pattern (01111110), then the information in the buffer unit 35 is transmitted according to the SDLC protocol. At the end of the transmission, the flag pattern is sent out from the line 19. 2 shows a transmission unit that retransmits the data (continuous "1"). Reference numeral 38 denotes a receiving unit that has an SDLC protocol function and outputs the conference information from the line 19 to the buffer unit 39. Like the transmitter 37, 40 is a transmitter that normally retransmits the data received from the line 21 by delaying it by 1 bit time. If information is stored in the buffer 36,
When the GA pattern is detected, the last "1" of the GA pattern to be retransmitted is set to "0" and the flag pattern (01111
110) instead of transmitting the information in the buffer section 36 in accordance with the SDLC protocol, and at the end of the transmission, after transmitting the flag pattern, retransmit the data (continuous "1") from the line 21. There is.

Reference numeral 41 denotes a receiving unit which, like the receiving unit 38, has an SDLC protocol function and outputs the conference information from the line 21 to the buffer unit 42. 39 is the receiving unit 3
The buffer unit that stores the information from 8 for one frame, 42 the buffer unit that stores the information from the receiving unit 41 for one frame, and 43 superimposes the information from the buffer unit 39 and the information from the buffer unit 42. The addition processing unit is shown. The operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below. First, the operation of starting a conference in this system will be described. The main conference terminal 11 includes the GA generation unit 26 and the G generation unit 26.
A GA pattern is generated from the A generation unit 31. That is, the main conference terminal 11 and the plurality of sub-conference terminals are clockwise and counterclockwise.
Form a set of loop lines. Next, the operation during the conference will be described.

Transmission Method When the voting information from the main voting terminal 11 is transmitted to each sub-conference terminal, the information input by the conference information input unit 23 is accumulated in the buffer unit 27, and the transmission unit 28 is GA. When the GA pattern from the generation unit 26 is detected, the transmission unit 28 sets the last "1" of the detected GA pattern to "0" and changes it to a flag pattern, and then the information of the buffer unit 27 is changed to SDLC.
The data is transmitted according to the protocol, and at the end of the transmission, the flag pattern is transmitted, and then the data (continuous "1") from the GA generation unit 26 is retransmitted. As a result, the follow-up conference terminal 13
The receiving unit 41 can receive the conference information from the main conference terminal 11 by the SDLC protocol function. Hereinafter, similarly, the conference information from the main conference terminal 11 can be received by another sub conference terminal. At this time, when the GA detection unit 24 detects the GA pattern rotated once, the signal line 2
5, the GA generator 26 generates a GA pattern by turning on the signal line 25, and thereafter continuously outputs "1". As a result, the conference information that makes one round in the loop is erased.

When the conference information is transmitted from the sub-conference terminal 13 to other sub-conference terminals and the main conference terminal 11, the information input by the conference information input unit 34 is stored in the buffer unit 35.
When the transmission unit 37 detects a GA pattern and is stored in the buffer unit 36, the transmission unit 37 changes the last "1" of the detected GA pattern to "0" and changes it to a flag pattern, and then the information of the buffer unit 35. Is transmitted in accordance with the SDLC protocol, and at the end of transmission, a flag pattern is sent out, and then data (continuous "1") from the line 19 is retransmitted. On the other hand, the transmission unit 40, like the transmission unit 37, detects the GA pattern and retransmits the last "1" of the GA pattern to "0".
Then, instead of the flag pattern (01111110), the information in the buffer section 36 is transmitted in accordance with the SDLC protocol. At the end of transmission, the flag pattern is transmitted and the data (continuous "1") from the line 21 is retransmitted. As a result, the conference information from the sub-conference terminal 13 is
That is, the K + 1-th and subsequent sub-conference terminals and the main conference terminal 11 are transmitted from the line 22, and the sub-conference terminals before the self-conference conference, that is, the K-1th and earlier sub-conference terminals are transmitted from the line 20. To do.

Receiving Method The receiving unit 32 of the main conference terminal 11 receives the conference information of all the sub conference terminals from the line 17 and outputs it to the conference information output unit 33. When the subordinate conference terminal 13 receives the conference information sent from the other subordinate conference terminals and the main conference terminal 11, the receiving unit 38 precedes the own subordinate conference terminal, that is, the K-1th and earlier subordinate conferences. The conference information from the terminal is received from the line 20 and output to the buffer unit 39, and the receiving unit 41 receives the conference information from the subordinate conference terminal after the self-conference conference terminal, that is, from the K + 1th subordinate conference terminal and the main conference terminal 11. Received from the line 21 and output to the buffer unit 42. The addition processing unit 43 outputs the superposition of information from the buffer unit 39 and information from the buffer unit 42 (all information from the main conference terminal 11 and other sub-conference terminals) to the conference information output unit 44.
By repeating the above operation, the conference information input from the main conference terminal 11 and all the subordinate conference terminals is efficiently and equally distributed to the main conference terminal and all the subordinate conference terminals.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1) Since a plurality of line facilities are not required between the main conference terminal and the remodeling device, the structure of the line corresponding part of the main conference terminal is simplified. (2) Even if the main conference terminal and the sub-conference terminals are distributed over a wide area, since each conference terminal is connected in a loop,
The total line connection distance is minimized, and the communication charges can be reduced. (3) Both the main conference terminal and the sub-conference terminal can communicate with a plurality of conference terminals by connecting the ISDN basic interface subscriber line only once. (4) Since the main conference terminal does not need a means for adding information from all the subconference terminals and a means for distributing information to all the subconference terminals, the structure of the main conference terminal is simplified. (5) Two sets of loop connections are used, and since the GA bit pattern constantly circulates on the loop, information transmission efficiency is good. In the above embodiments, the present invention has been described by taking the case where the ISDN basic interface subscriber line is connected in a loop as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a normal analog line is used. Needless to say, it can be realized by a heavy loop connection.

[0017]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the facility cost can be reduced by simplifying the structure of the conference terminal, and the communication fee can be reduced even for a long distance. The conspicuous effect that the conference communication system capable of realizing the above can be realized is achieved.

[0018]

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal configuration example of a main conference terminal 11 and a sub conference terminal 13 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a loop protocol of SDLC used in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional conference communication system.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: Main conference terminal, 12-14: Sub-conference terminal, 15-2
2: line, 23, 34: conference information input section, 24, 29:
GA detector, 26, 31: GA generator, 27, 35, 3
6, 39, 42: buffer unit, 28, 37, 40: transmitting unit, 32, 38, 41: receiving unit, 33, 44: conference information output unit, 43: addition processing unit.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A conference communication system in which one main conference terminal and a plurality of sub-conference terminals are connected in a double loop shape in different directions, and the main conference terminal comprises:
When there is conference information to be transmitted, the transmitting unit that transmits the conference information in one direction on the loop according to a predetermined procedure and the information transmission control bit pattern that circulates on the loop are detected and transmitted. A pattern detection / generation unit, a reception unit that receives the conference information transmitted by the sub-conference terminals, and an output processing unit that processes and outputs the received conference information are provided, and each of the sub-conference terminals has a conference to be transmitted. If you have information,
A transmitting unit that transmits the same conference information in two directions on the loop, and a receiving unit that receives the conference information transmitted by the main conference terminal and the conference information transmitted by the sub-conference terminal from the two directions on the loop. A conference communication system comprising: an output processing unit that adds and outputs the output of the receiving unit. 2. The double loop connection is a connection by an ISDN basic interface subscriber line, and the main conference terminal is first connected using one B channel of the subscriber line.
Call-connecting to the second conference call terminal, connecting the first conference call terminal to the second conference call terminal using one B channel of the subscriber line, and connecting the second conference call terminal to the subscriber line. One B channel of the subscriber line is used to connect the third conference call terminal to the third teleconference terminal using one of the B channels. 2. A double-loop communication path whose directions are different from each other is formed by making a call connection to the other B channel different from the one B channel of the main conference terminal by using. The conference communication system described. 3. The pattern detection / generation unit in the main conference terminal, when detecting the information transmission control bit pattern (first bit pattern), sends the first bit pattern once to the transmission unit. After that, the predetermined bit pattern is continuously transmitted to the transmission unit, and when there is no conference information to be transmitted, the transmission unit relays the bit pattern transmitted from the pattern detection / generation unit as it is. However, if there is conference information to be transmitted, relaying is continued until the first bit pattern is detected from the bit patterns sent from the pattern detection / generation unit, and the first bit pattern is detected. , The first bit pattern is changed to a second bit pattern, the conference information to be transmitted next, the first bit pattern is transmitted next, and then the bits transmitted from the pattern detection / generation unit. Is intended as it relays Tan, also, the transmission unit of the in each 従議 terminal, if there is no meeting information to be transmitted, performs a relaying received information,
When there is conference information to be transmitted, the received information is relayed until the first bit pattern is detected, and when the first bit pattern is detected, the first bit pattern is changed to the second bit. It transmits in place of the pattern, then transmits the conference information to be transmitted, then the first bit pattern, and thereafter relays the bit pattern transmitted from the pattern detection / generation unit as it is. Claim 1 characterized by
Or the conference communication system according to 2. 4. The conference communication system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein communication control on the dual loop communication paths whose directions are different from each other is performed according to a SDLC loop protocol.