JPH05300502A - Image communication terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an image communication terminal equipment which can flexibly deal with various applications to the opposite party terminal just by adding the simple hardware and a control procedure. CONSTITUTION:A remote control part 17 is provided in addition to a means which transmits and receives the data having a frame structure of the CCITT recommendation H.221 and performs the multiplex control with use of a BAS(bit rate allocation signal) code based on the CCITT recommendation. The part 17 transfers the information for control of a camera, etc., of the opposite party terminal by means of the incoming subaddress information element included in a call setting message. Furthermore a data area division control part 18 is added to transfer the information used for control how to divided a data area together with a multiplexing/demultiplexing part 10 which transmits and receives plural pieces of data after dividing the data area based on the control information, a BAS control part 13, a data area multiplexing/demultiplexing part 19, a control information processing part 20, etc.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image communication terminal device having a multiplex transmission function for video, audio and data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the International Telegraph and Telephone Advisory Committee (hereinafter referred to as
CCITT) formally recommends video coding method, multiplexing method, and communication procedure for audiovisual services, and CCIT from each company accordingly.
An image communication terminal device such as a TV conference system and a moving image TV phone that comply with the T recommendation has been developed.

A conventional image communication terminal device which performs processing in accordance with the CCITT recommendation will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 shows a functional block diagram of a conventional image communication terminal device. In FIG. 5, 1 is a camera for taking a self-portrait, 2 is a monitor for displaying the image or self-portrait from the other party, 3 is a microphone, Reference numeral 4 is a speaker, 5 is a tablet for performing telewriting, 6 is a key operation unit for inputting a telephone number and selecting a function, and 7 is compression / encoding (decompression / decoding) video data and audio data. A codec section, 8 is a telewriting control section for converting the data from the tablet 5 so that the data can be displayed on the monitor 2, 9 is a display control section for controlling switching of display of video on the monitor 2, and 10 is video and audio. , Tablet (telewriting) data to CCITT Recommendation H.264. 221 (from 64 kb / s in audiovisual teleservice to 1920
kb / s channel frame structure) or a multiplexing / separating unit that separates frames sent from the other party into video, audio, and tablet data. 11 is based on the settings from the key operation unit 6. , A terminal control unit for controlling the entire terminal device, 12 a line interface unit for connecting the terminal to an integrated service digital network (ISDN) 21, 13 a CCITT Recommendation H.264. 242 (1920
Bit rate allocation signal (BAS: Bit-ra) that executes a communication procedure based on a method for setting communication between audiovisual terminals using digital channels up to kb / s)
te Allocation Signal) control unit 14 is a call control processing unit that manages calls such as incoming and outgoing calls and disconnections.

Further, FIG. 6 shows CCITT Recommendation H.264. 221 is a diagram showing the multiplex frame structure defined by H. 221 in relation to time T. Table 1 below shows CCITT Recommendation H.264. 22
2 is a numerical table of BAS code defined in 1.

[0006]

[Table 1]

The operation of the conventional image communication terminal device configured as described above will be described below.

When the telephone number of the partner terminal is set by the key operation unit 6 and the call key is pressed, the terminal control unit 11 notifies the call control processing unit 14, and the call control processing unit 14 sends the call through the line interface unit 12. A B channel that can be used by the user in ISDN 21 is connected to the partner terminal. In addition, ISD
In N21, the D channel is used for switching connection. After the connection is completed, the BAS controller 13 uses the B channel to make the CCITT recommendation H.264. The mode initialization procedure is activated by the communication procedure based on 242. In this mode initialization procedure, first, the frame synchronization signal as shown in FIG.
The frame synchronization is established by (FAS: Frame Aligment Signal), and after the synchronization is established, the BA shown in Table 1 is established.
The terminal capability is exchanged with the partner terminal by using the audio / transfer rate capability and the data / video capability of the S code. Then, the command BAS code is used to switch to an appropriate operation mode in consideration of the capabilities of the own terminal and the partner terminal.

A combination of two frames (a) and (a) in FIG. 6 is called a sub-multiframe (multiplexed frame structure), and BAS is represented by 8 bits of the first frame (a). It is composed of a BAS code and an error correction code represented by 8 bits of the second frame (a). Further, the switching of the operation mode becomes effective from the next sub-multiframe upon receiving the command BAS code.

FIG. 4A shows CC when two B channels are used.
ITT Recommendation H. An example of division within 221 frames is shown. At this time, in the first B channel, voice (A) is 16 kb / s, low speed data (LSD) is 40 kb / s, and video (V) is first B,
It is transmitted at 68.8 kb / s on the second B channel.

[0011]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional image communication terminal device, there are two areas that can be allocated for data using the BAS code, a low speed data area and a high speed data area. When it was necessary to send the coordinate data at the time of telewriting using, the accumulated still image data, the control data of the camera of the partner terminal, etc. at once, it could not be sent.

The high-speed data area can be used only when communicating with a plurality of B channels or H0 channels, but since it can only be allocated in units of 64 kb / s, 64
When data is transmitted at a low speed of less than kb / s, it is inefficient to allocate to data, and the transmission capacity of the entire communication is small.
(For example, during 2B transmission), there is a problem in that the area for sending video cannot be taken up.

In order to solve this, when the transmission rate of each data is low, it is possible to divide the low-speed data area or the high-speed data area into a plurality of areas, and use the BAS code defined in the recommendation. The procedure could not be realized.

The present invention solves the above problems,
The purpose is to be able to flexibly support various applications.

[0015]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, the present invention uses a called subaddress information element in a call setting message to provide information for controlling a camera or the like of a partner terminal, respectively. And a means for exchanging information for controlling how to divide the data area with a partner terminal, and a method for dividing a data area based on the control information to send / receive a plurality of data. A means for receiving is provided.

[0016]

According to the present invention, when it is necessary to send still image data and tablet (telewriting) data at the same time while performing video and audio communication, the called terminal address information element in the call setting message is used to make the other terminal. By notifying that the data area is divided into two, two kinds of data can be transmitted in one area of low speed or high speed without using two areas of low speed data and high speed data. is there.

Further, when it becomes necessary to control the camera or the like of the partner terminal, the low speed / current transmission / reception of other data is in use.
It is possible to notify the other terminal by using the information element in the call setting message without using the high speed data area.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an image communication terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a camera, 2 is a monitor, 3 is a microphone, 4 is a speaker, 5 is a tablet, and 6 is a key operation unit. , 7 is a codec section, 8 is a telewriting control section, 9 is a display control section, 10 is a multiplexing / demultiplexing section,
11 is a terminal control unit, 12 is a line interface unit, 13 is a BA
The S control unit 14 is a call control processing unit, which has the same configuration as the conventional example.

Next, 15 is a scanner for taking in still picture data, 16 is a still picture control section for compressing / decompressing still picture data, and 17 is a camera of the partner terminal using an information element in the call setting message. A remote control unit, 18 is a data area division control unit that controls to divide the low-speed data area and the high-speed data area into a plurality of areas, and 19 is a data area division control unit 18 that divides the data area based on an instruction from A data area multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 20 that multiplexes / demultiplexes a control information processing unit.

Table 2 below shows a numerical table (data) of destination sub-address information elements used when controlling the division of the data area and controlling the camera of the partner terminal in this embodiment. ) Is control information, (b) is data area 2
Division, (c) shows control of the partner camera.

[0021]

[Table 2]

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a subaddress of a terminal connected to a communication destination line, and FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram when exchanging control information in this embodiment.

The operation of the image communication terminal device configured as described above will be described below.

A case where the low-speed data area is divided into two in the case of communicating using two B channels will be described.

At present, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), the voice (A) is 16 kb /
s, 40 kb / tablet data (low-speed data: LSD)
S, and video (V) are multiplexed at 68.8 kb / s and are communicating with the other terminal. At this time, still image data (SD)
Is sent using 32 kb / s in the low speed data area.

When the still image data transmission is selected from the key operation unit 6, the terminal control unit 11 detects it and notifies the data area division control unit 18 of it. In response to this, the data area division control unit 18 notifies the control information processing unit 20 of control information for informing the partner terminal that the low-speed data area is to be divided into two and still image data is to be transmitted at 32 kb / s. Instruct to send.

Receiving this, the control information processing unit 20 creates the data shown in Table 2 (b) from the instructed information using the control information identifier shown in Table 2 (a), and performs call control. Processing unit 14
To notify. The call control processing unit 14 inserts this data into the called sub address information element, and the call setup message shown in FIG.
(Control information) S ₁ is created. In this example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, "1 #" is used as a pseudo sub-address identifier indicating that the content of the destination sub-address information element is information for controlling the image communication terminal device of the communication destination. However,
It is assumed that no other terminal connected to the image communication terminal device under the same line receives an incoming call to the sub address. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 3, a call is made to notify the call setting message (control information) S ₁ to the partner terminal, and the data area division control unit 18 is notified of the completion of transmission via the control information processing unit 20.

The data area division control unit 18, which has received the notification of the completion of transmission, instructs the data area multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 19 to set the low speed data area to the sub-channels # 3 to # 6 as shown in FIG. 4B.
To the still image data (SD) and the remaining subchannel # 7 to the tablet data (TD), and the data area multiplexing / separating unit 19 multiplexes the still image data and the tablet data into the low speed data area based on the instruction. And sends it to the multiplexer / demultiplexer 10. Then, the tablet data is sent from the multiplexer / demultiplexer 10 at 8 kb / s and the still image data is sent to the partner terminal at 32 kb / s.

On the contrary, when the call control processing unit 14 detects the call setup message including the called sub-address information element as the control information from the partner terminal, the control information processing unit 20 analyzes the information and the data is stored in the data area. If it is related to the division control of, the data area division control unit 18 is notified. In response to this, the data area division control unit 18 switches the data area multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 19 and notifies the terminal control unit 11 to switch the internal operation, as instructed by the other terminal. Then, the terminal control unit 11 causes the still image control unit 16,
The telewriting control unit 8 is controlled to prepare for the transmitted data.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the partner terminal receiving the call setting message as described above releases the call by responding with the release completion message S ₂ without accepting the incoming call. Further, at this time, if the partner terminal wants to return some kind of response, the information can be transmitted by including the called sub address information element in the release completion message.

When the key for zooming up the camera of the partner terminal is pressed, the terminal control unit 11 detects it and notifies the remote control unit 17 of it. Responsive thereto, the remote control unit 17 instructs the control information processing unit 20 to transmit the control information for notifying the camera to zoom up to the partner terminal. Receiving this, the control information processing unit 20 creates data as shown in Table 2 (c) from the instructed information using the control information identifier in Table 2 (a), and notifies the call control processing unit 14 of the data. .. The call control processing unit 14 inserts this data into the destination sub-address information element and creates a call setup message. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, a call is made to notify the call setting message (control information) S ₁ to the partner terminal.

On the contrary, a call setting message including a called subaddress information element as control information related to camera control from the partner terminal is transmitted via the call control processing unit 14 to the control information processing unit.
When 20 is detected, the remote control unit 17 is notified, and the remote control unit 17 having received the notification instructs the terminal control unit 11 to control the camera 1 based on the instruction from the partner terminal. Then, the terminal control unit 11 having received the control controls the movement of the camera 1 of the own terminal.

In the above embodiment, only the data area is divided into two and the control of the partner camera is performed. However, by finely defining the data of the destination sub-address information element according to the application, fine control becomes possible.

[0034]

As described above, the image communication terminal device of the present invention only needs to add simple hardware and control procedure to the function for realizing the multiplexing control function based on the CCITT recommendation. That is, make a call to send control information,
By using the destination sub-address information element in the call setup message at the time of the call, the information for controlling the camera of the other terminal can be sent without using the data area, and the data area can be transmitted in multiple data of arbitrary size. Since the data area can be divided and used easily, the data area can be effectively used and various applications can be flexibly supported.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an image communication terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of subaddresses of terminals connected to a communication destination line.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram when exchanging control information in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a CC when communicating using two B channels.
ITT Recommendation H. It is a figure showing the example of division in 221 frames.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a conventional image communication terminal device.

FIG. 6 CCITT Recommendation H.264. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a multiplexing frame structure defined by H.221.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Camera, 2 ... Monitor, 3 ... Microphone, 4
... speaker, 5 ... tablet, 6 ... key operation part,
7 ... Codec section, 8 ... Telewriting control section,
9 ... Display control unit, 10 ... Multiplexing / separating unit, 11 ... Terminal control unit, 12 ... Line interface unit, 13 ... BAS control unit, 14 ... Call control processing unit, 15 ... Scanner, 16 ... Still image control unit, 17 ... remote control section, 18 ... data area division control section, 19 ... data area multiplexing / separation section, 20 ... control information processing section, 21 ... ISDN.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee Recommendation H. 221
In the image communication terminal device having the function of multiplex transmission of video, audio and data in accordance with the above, information for controlling the camera etc. of the partner terminal is provided to the partner terminal by using the destination subaddress information element in the call setting message. Means for exchanging data, means for exchanging information for controlling how to divide the data area with a partner terminal, and transmission / reception of a plurality of data by dividing the data area based on the control information. An image communication terminal device comprising means for performing.