JP2002288098A - Presentation system method and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To construct a convenient presentation system with the use of personal computers and a network of TCP/IP protocol. SOLUTION: A server 1 and a plurality of clients 3, 4, 5, etc., are connected to the TCP/IP network 2, and the clients are equipped with respective externally controllable display applications 32, 42, 52, etc. The server 1 transmits a display file, a display condition and a display change key operation code to the clients, so that the clients display the same image that the server displays.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a presentation method and a system therefor, and more particularly to a presentation method and a system capable of giving the same presentation to a large number of terminals and terminals at remote locations.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Presentations at meetings and the like are
Although presentations have been made using HP, slides, etc., in recent years, presentations using personal computers (hereinafter abbreviated as PCs) have become popular. This is Figure 2
As shown in (1), this is a method in which an image from a PC is projected on a large screen by a projector and viewed by many people. With this method, you do not need to make OHP or slide films,
The screen created on the PC can be displayed as it is, which is convenient. However, it was necessary to arrange a room where everyone could see one screen, and in a venue where a large screen could not be prepared, it was often inconvenient such as difficulty in installation. In order to solve such inconvenience, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of monitor terminals 32 are connected from a PC 31 as a server for distributing presentation information via a distributor 30 and an RGB cable.
A system that sends information to 33, 34,... Is used.

[0003]

However, the method of viewing the presentation content from one PC on a plurality of monitors as shown in FIG. 3 requires that the RGB cable connecting the PC body and the monitor be branched by a distributor. However, there is a problem in that the image is deteriorated when branching to a large number of monitors. Also, the distance between the PC main body and the monitor could not be increased due to the loss of the RGB cable. Naturally, this method could not be used for presentations in remote locations.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a presentation method and a system thereof that enable presentation of clear images to a large number of people without using a large screen, and also enable presentation at a remote place. It is in.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a network which communicates according to the TCP / IP protocol, and a server connected to the network.
And a presentation system including one or a plurality of clients, wherein a server displays, on a server, a display file for presentation, an object-oriented application program for displaying the display file, and a key input. Display control means for controlling the screen display of the display file by controlling a corresponding object of the application program, and a code corresponding to a key operation of a display state or a display change of the display file and the display file via a network. Display information transmitting means for transmitting to a connected client, a receiver for receiving, from each server, a code corresponding to a key operation for changing the display state of the display file or the display file from the server; An object-oriented application program for displaying the display file received by the means, and the application program according to the display information received by the receiving means or a code corresponding to a key operation of a display change. A presentation system comprising client display control means for controlling screen display of the display file by controlling an object of the program.

Further, according to the present invention, a server and one or a plurality of clients are connected via a network which communicates according to the TCP / IP protocol, and a display file for presentation is prepared on the server and displayed on a screen. The display file is transmitted to the client together with its display state, and the client displays the display file received from the server according to the received display state. When the server changes the display of the display file, the display file changed to the client is displayed. The code corresponding to the key operation performed for the state or the change is transmitted, and the client changes the display of the display file according to the changed display state received from the server or the code corresponding to the key operation performed for the change. Presentation characterized by the following To provide a down method.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a presentation system according to the present invention. A server 1 is connected to a network 2, and clients 3, 4, 5,. Both the server and the client are composed of PCs (personal computers). The communication protocol used in the network 2 is a TCP / IP protocol used in a network using a LAN or a telephone line. Today's PCs support this protocol as one of the standard features.

The network 2 is, for example, an LA
N or the Internet, and it is assumed that an IP address is assigned to the server and the client in advance. When the user of the client wants to receive a presentation, it issues a connection request to the server 1. This is a connection request with the IP address of server 1,
The server 1 monitors the line and starts a connection operation upon detecting a connection request having its own IP address. Communication is performed by the server and the client transmitting and receiving information to which an IP address is added. The connection is maintained until either sends information to release the connection to the network 2.

A server program 11 and a display application 12 are installed in the server 1.
A display file 13 for presentation and a management table 14 for client management are provided. Each of the clients 3, 4, 5,... Has a client program 31, 41, 51, and a display application 32, 42, 52,. Display file 3 of each client
3, 43, 53,... Are received and taken in from the server 1. The server program 11 controls the display application 12 according to the presenter's key operation, displays the display file on the display screen of the server, and sends the display file, the display state, and the key operation to the client. The client programs 31, 41, and 51 send a connection request from the network to the server 1, receive the display file 13, the display state, and the key operation from the server 1, and, based on the display file 13, the display applications 32, 42, and 52, respectively, Control and
Display the received display file.

Display applications 12, 32, 4
2, 52 ... are created in an object-oriented manner,
It is assumed that the object has been published. An object-oriented program is divided for each function and stored in a form like a library. Applications (Word, Excel, etc.) used in Windows have been created by this method in recent years.
000 functions are an object library.
When the object is published, this object library can be referenced and used from outside. For example, Wor
When trying to control d2000 from another application, the control code may be substituted into an object corresponding to the function of the word to be controlled and executed. in this way,
The display application created in an object-oriented manner and in which the object is disclosed can be externally controlled, and the programs 11, 31, 41, 51,... Control the display application by this function.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of one display application. This display application is composed of n object libraries OL1, OL2,..., OLn, and each library is composed of objects OJk1, OJk2,.
.. OJk5 (k = 1, 2,..., N).
However, the number of objects in each library is 5 in FIG.
However, this may be different for each library. Here, it is assumed that the key A is a code corresponding to the object OJ14 of the object library OL1, and the object OJ14 has a function of enlarging the display. In this case, when the user wants to enlarge the display, key A is pressed. Then, the object OJ14 of the object library OL1 is executed, and the display is enlarged. As described above, each object can be executed in response to a key operation, or can be executed by inputting its code from another program. In the present invention, as described below,
A code for executing an object corresponding to a key operation (hereinafter referred to as a key operation code) is transmitted from the server through communication between the server and the client, and the corresponding object is transmitted using the key operation code received by the client program. Run to change the display and enable remote presentation. It is also possible to send a parameter indicating the current display state on the server instead of the key operation code, execute some objects in response to it, and match the display on the client with the display on the server. is there.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the presentation control process in the server 1, which is executed by the server program 11. First server 1
Monitors a connection request from the client side by TCP / IP, and there is no connection request (STEP 101).
(NO in step 102) to perform a key operation (YE in step 102).
S). The first key operation is an operation of displaying the display file 13 on the display of the server 1. When a key operation for this is performed (STEP 103), the display file 1
The display of 3 is performed when the server program 11 activates an object of the display application 12 corresponding to the key operation code. Server 1 is display file 1
When "3" is displayed, the display state, that is, how many pages of the display file 13 are displayed, at what magnification, etc. are stored, and the latest key operation pressed at that time is also stored (STEP 104). ). Next, the server 1 refers to the management table 14 and checks the address of the client that has made the connection request and whether the transmission permission flag of the address is on (STEP 105). However, in the management table 14, it is assumed that all of these flags are initially initialized to off. At first, there is no client that has made a connection request yet, and there is no client whose transmission permission flag is ON (NO in STEP 105), so the process returns to the beginning. In the above loop, the user of the server 1 displays the display file 13 of the server 1 on the display screen and sets the first screen of the presentation.

When the key operation of the first presentation image display is completed (NO in STEP 102), it is checked whether there is a connection request by TCP / IP from the network 2 (STEP 101).
(YES in EP101), the server 1 sends the display file 13 and the stored display state (stored in STEP104) to the client that has made the connection request (STEP1).
06), and waits for reception of a displayed code indicating that the display file has been successfully displayed from the sending client (STE).
P107). If there is no displayed code from the sending client (NO in STEP 107), STEP
Return to 101 and if the displayed code has come (STEP
107 (YES), the server 1 turns on the transmission flag of the client on the management table 14 (STEP 10).
8), proceed to STEP102.

In this state, the same image as the image displayed on the server 1 is displayed on the client whose flag is turned on on the management table 14. If a connection request is received from another client (STEP
(YES in step 101), the display file 13 and the display state are also sent to the client (STEP 10).
6) The same screen is displayed on all clients that have issued a connection request to the server 1 and returned the displayed code. In this state, the server 1 performs a key operation. For example, when a key operation for enlarging the screen is performed (YES in STEP 102), the server 1 displays a file in which the screen is enlarged in accordance with the key operation (STEP 102).
103), the display state and the key operation code to be enlarged are stored (STEP 104). Next, the server 1 checks whether there is a client whose transmission flag is on on the management table 14 (STEP 105). If not (STEP
(NO in 105), returns to the beginning, but if there is a client whose transmission flag is ON (YES in STEP 105),
The key operation code (ST) stored in the client
(Stored in EP 104). Now client 3,
If the transmission flag of client 4 is on,
The key operation code is transmitted to the client 3 and the client 4. Assuming that the stored key operation indicates enlargement, a key operation code indicating enlargement is transmitted to the client 3 and the client 4, and the clients 3 and 4 perform an object for enlarging the display applications 32 and 42. Is started, and the same screen enlargement as that of the server 1 is performed by the clients 3 and 4.

Next, the server 1 checks whether the key operation is a key operation for ending the file display (STEP 110).
If the file display is not completed, the process returns to STEP for checking whether to perform the next key operation (STEP 102). If the key operation is to end the file display (STE
(YES in P110), the transmission flags of all the clients are turned off (STEP 111), and the process ends.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of presentation control processing in the client, which is executed by the client programs 31, 41, 51,. To display a presentation screen, first, a TCP / IP connection request is sent from the client to the server 1 via the network 2 (STE
P201). If the connection is not successful (NO in STEP 202), the connection request is repeated (STEP 201). If successful (YES in STEP 201), the process waits for a display file and display state data from the server 1 (STEP 201).
NO loop at 203). When the display file and the display state come, the received display file (display file 33 in the case of the client 3) is stored in the storage device, and based on the received display state data, the object of the display application 32 is driven and displayed. The image of the file is displayed (STEP 204). Then, the displayed code is transmitted to the server 1 (STEP 205). In this state, the same image as that displayed on the server 1 is displayed on the client.

Next, the client waits for a key operation code (NO in STEP 206). When the key operation code is received (YES in STEP 206), the object of the display application is controlled and the display screen is changed based on the key operation code (STEP 206).
207). Then, it is determined whether the key operation code is a key operation for ending the file display (STEP 208). If the file display is not completed (NO in STEP 208),
It waits for reception of the next key operation code (STEP 206).
If the file display is completed (YE in STEP 208)
S), the transmission of the connection release request with the server 1 is completed by TCP / IP.

FIG. 7 shows communication contents and an operation example in TCP / IP. The symbols a, b, c,... Of the communication contents added for description from the left side of FIG. 7, the operation in the server, the direction of the communication, and the operation of the client are shown in this order. In the communication of the symbol a, when a display file and a display state code (page, magnification, scroll state) are transmitted from the server, the client accumulates the display file and displays it according to the reception display state. In the communication of the symbol b, the displayed code is transmitted from the client. The transmission of the key operation code after receiving the displayed code in the server 1 includes communication indicated by symbols c to j. The symbol c is an upper scroll notification,
Symbol d is a notification of scrolling down, symbol e is notification of scrolling left, symbol f is notification of scrolling right, symbol g is notification of next page, symbol h is notification of previous page, symbol i is notification of display magnification, and symbol j is communication of notification of display end. It is. The client changes the display accordingly. When the presentation ends, a display end notification of the symbol j is transmitted, the client ends the display, and the client deletes the display file received and accumulated. Then the client has the symbol k
A connection release request is transmitted by TCP / IP, and the server releases the connection.

In the operation flow shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the image display is changed on the server side, the changed key operation code is transmitted to the client. However, the key operation code is not transmitted. , Always send the display state (display page, enlargement ratio, scroll state, etc.), the client can extract the difference between the current display state and the received display state, and make a change corresponding to the difference It is. If the display state is always transmitted instead of the key operation code in this way, the amount of transmitted information slightly increases,
There is also an advantage that correction such as when a display image between the server and the client is shifted is unnecessary.

As described in detail above, by transmitting a display file and a display state from the server to the client side and displaying the same image as the server on the client side, presentation is possible even in a remote place. Although the explanation was given only for images, the presentation also requires audio. Voice can be easily transmitted by using a telephone line. In particular, it can be realized at low cost by using an Internet telephone or the like.

[0021]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (1) A plurality of personal computers can be used to give presentations simultaneously with high-quality images, and presentations can be made to many people without a large screen. (2) If there is a TCP / IP communicable environment and a personal computer, multiple presentations can be made simultaneously anywhere. (3) Presentation to a remote place is also easy. (4) The presentation information to be communicated can be changed by transmitting the display screen data to the client only once at first, and then transmitting the display state information and the information indicating the key code. There is an effect that updating can be realized at high speed with a small communication capacity.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a presentation system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a conventional large-screen presentation.

FIG. 3 is an example of a conventional multi-monitor installation presentation.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a display application program.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a presentation control operation in the server.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a presentation control operation in the client.

FIG. 7 shows communication contents and an operation example between a server and a client.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 server 2 network 3, 4, 5 client 11 server program 12, 32, 42, 52 display application 13, 33, 43, 53 display file 31, 41, 51 client program

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A presentation system comprising a network that communicates according to a TCP / IP protocol and a server 1 and one or more clients connected to the network. An object-oriented application program for displaying the display file, display control means for controlling a screen display of the display file by controlling a corresponding object of the application program in response to a key input, and Display information transmitting means for transmitting, to a client connected via a network, a display file and a code corresponding to a key operation of a display state or a display change of the display file; Receiving means for receiving a code corresponding to a display file and a key operation for changing the display state or display of the display file, an object-oriented application program for displaying the display file received by the means, Client display control means for controlling the screen display of the display file by controlling the object of the application program in accordance with the code corresponding to the display information or the key operation of the display change received by the receiving means. A unique presentation system. 2. A server and one or a plurality of clients are connected via a network that communicates by a TCP / IP protocol. A display file for a presentation is prepared in the server, the file is displayed on a screen, and the display file is displayed. The display file is transmitted to the client together with the display state, the client displays the display file received from the server according to the received display state, and when the server changes the display of the display file, the display state or the changed display state is changed to the client. A code corresponding to the operated key operation is transmitted, and the client changes the display of the display file according to the changed display state received from the server or the code corresponding to the operated key operation for the change. Presentation method characterized by the following.