JP2003289514A - Lecture system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a participant of a lecture to refer to a correspondence course with no deterioration, a high picture quality and a high sound quality in real time and it an on-demand style, and to enable an arbitrary participant of the lecture to refer to arbitrary video materials with no deterioration, a high picture quality and a high sound quality in real time and in the on-demand style or to make the other participant of the lecture refer to the materials. <P>SOLUTION: A server device 100 digitally records the video and audio of the participants of the lecture received from a plurality of lecture terminals 200 as a correspondence course and transmits it to a lecture terminal from which the reproduction of the correspondence course is requested. Besides, when the registration of the video materials is instructed from a lecture terminal to the lecture server device, the video materials are digitally recorded, the reproduction of the video materials is requested, and the video materials are transmitted to the lecture terminal that instructs the registration or to all the lecture terminals. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lecture system for a teacher (lecturer) to give a lecture to a plurality of students using a teacher terminal and a student terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional lecture system is a television lecture in which a TV terminal and a lecture terminal having a microphone and a speaker are arranged in a classroom, and video and audio are combined as analog signals and distributed between the lecture terminals. The system is known. In this system, a control unit called a multipoint control unit (MCU) controls the system.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional TV lecture system, since the video and audio are combined as analog signals and distributed between the respective lecture terminals, the lecture participants may not be present in the lecture before the present. There is a problem in that it is not possible to refer to the video and audio, and further, the lecture materials as a lecture record in real time, so that the lecture cannot proceed smoothly. In addition, participants who were late for the lecture,
It is not possible to refer to the video and audio before attending or to check the lecture materials before attending with video.

In the conventional television lecture system, a video recorder and audio can be analog-recorded by connecting a VTR to a lecture terminal, etc., but the video and voice can be freely referred from other lecture terminals in real time. Can not do it. Further, in a television lecture system operating on a personal computer, since the video is VGA output, only the video cannot be recorded, and since it is analog recording, the image quality and sound quality are deteriorated.

Further, in the conventional television lecture system,
When using video materials during a lecture, you can send video materials on behalf of the lecture participants to a display that displays the video materials with a camera for shooting the lecture participants. The video of the lecture participants cannot be transmitted, and any video material cannot be used. Furthermore, the video material cannot be simply displayed on a part of the screen for auxiliary use, the image quality of the video material is poor, and the video material can be freely started and stopped from other terminals. I cannot see it again.

In view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example, the present invention provides a lecture system in which lecture participants can view a lecture record during a lecture without deterioration, high image quality, high sound quality, real time, and on-demand format. The purpose is to The present invention also provides a lecture system in which any lecture participant can browse any video material in a non-degraded, high image quality, high sound quality, real-time, on-demand format, or allow other lecture participants to browse. The purpose is to do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a lecture in which a plurality of lecture terminals and a lecture server device are connected via a network and the lecture server device receives from the plurality of lecture terminals. A multipoint lecture system for synthesizing video and audio of a participant and delivering to the plurality of lecture terminals, wherein video and audio of a lecture participant received from the plurality of lecture terminals by the lecture server device as a lecture record. It is configured to be digitally recorded and transmitted to the lecture terminal requesting reproduction of the recorded lecture record. With the above configuration, the video and audio of the lecture participants are digitally recorded as the lecture record and transmitted to the lecture terminal that requested the reproduction of the lecture record. You can browse in image quality, high sound quality, real-time, on-demand format.

Further, in the present invention, the lecture server device further digitally records the video material distributed during the lecture as a lecture record, and transmits the recorded video material to a lecture terminal which requests reproduction of the recorded video material. It is characterized by doing so. With the above configuration, since the video material distributed during the lecture is digitally recorded as a lecture record and transmitted to the lecture terminal requesting reproduction of the recorded video material, any lecture participant can select any video. You can browse materials without deterioration, high image quality, high sound quality, real-time, on-demand format.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the lecture server device transmits the reproduced lecture record to the lecture terminal in a download format or a bit rate control system.
With the above configuration, the lecture record can be transmitted according to the form of the network.

Further, according to the present invention, the lecture server device determines whether or not the lecture terminal, which has requested the reproduction of the lecture record including the video material, has an access right to the video material. Configured to send and not send if not. With the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the video material from being transmitted to a person who is not a lecture participant.

Further, according to the present invention, when the lecture server device receives an instruction to enlarge and display a lecture record or a video material from the lecture terminal, the transmission bit rate of the video signal is increased so that the enlarged display is possible. It is characterized by With the above configuration, the lecture record or the video material of another lecture participant who the lecture participant wants to pay attention to can be enlarged and displayed.

According to the present invention, the lecture server device synthesizes a video of a lecture participant received from the plurality of lecture terminals, the lecture record or video material, and an enlarged video thereof on a multi-window screen and transmits the composite video. Is characterized by. With the above configuration, the video of the lecture participant and the lecture record or the video material and its enlarged video can be combined and displayed on the multi-window screen.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a lecture system according to the present invention.

In the system shown in FIG. 1, as an example, a maximum of eight lecture client terminals (hereinafter also simply referred to as "terminals") 200 for a lecture server apparatus (also simply referred to as server apparatus) 100 are LANs or WANs (hereinafter LANs). / WA
N) 300. The server device 100 is provided with a hard disk (HD) 120 as a mass storage device. Further, the LAN / WAN 300 can be connected to WWW servers 400 around the world, and the lecture server device 100 is also a WWW server.

FIG. 2 shows an operation in which the terminal 200 accesses the WEB material on the WWW server 400 (and further on the lecture server device 100) in the system shown in FIG.
The terminal 200 has a browser. Then, the lecture server device 100 uses the WEB material name and the UR on the WWW server 400.
It has a WEB material database for correspondingly registering L addresses. This WEB material database further registers its own WEB material. The WEB material is a text file or a file including images such as JPEG, GIF, and BMP.

The procedure (1) in FIG. 2 is the WWW server 4
The procedure to "see" the WEB material on 00 is shown, and the procedure (2)
Indicates the procedure of "showing". (1) Viewing side terminal 200a
Client selects the WEB material name on the WWW server 400 and operates the “View” button to send the WEB material name to the lecture server apparatus 100, the lecture server apparatus 100 responds to this. Send the URL address. As a result, the terminal 200a becomes the WWW server 4
You can access the WEB materials on 00.

(2) The client of the terminal 200a on the showing side selects the URL address of the WEB material on the WWW server 400 and operates the "I want to show" button to the client of the terminal 200b on the other side to be shown, and
Sends the URL address to the lecture server device 100, the lecture server device 100 displays the terminal 2 on the visible side.
The URL address is sent to 00b. As a result, the terminal 200b on the visible side is displayed on the WWW server 400.
Since the above WEB material can be accessed, the client of the terminal 200a can show the WEB material to be displayed to the client of the other terminal 200b. In this way, the lecture server device 100 is not burdened while viewing (accessing) the WEB material on the WWW server 400.

The server device 100 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. This server device 100 is a communication control means 10 composed of software and hardware.
1, user authentication means 102, reservation management means 103, server control means 104, character synthesis means 105, video synthesis means 106, audio format conversion means 107, speech synthesis means 108, WWW server means 111, storage means 113,
And a load monitoring control means 115, a user management database 109, a reservation management database 110, a WEB material database 112, a video database 114, and a screen synthesis definition database 116 which are configured on the HD 120.

The communication control means 101 is a client terminal 2
As data / control command 1 received from 00, audio / video data, user authentication data, reservation registration information, terminal information, video material data, WEB material data, URL data, enlarged video request command and other control data are received, As the data / control command 2 to be transmitted to the client terminal 200, audio / video data, HT
It sends ML data, lecture information data, user authentication result notification, and other control data.

Communication control means 101 and user authentication means 10
User authentication data and user authentication result notification between 2
Are exchanged, the communication control means 101 and the reservation management means 1
Reservation information data 4 is exchanged with 03. The control data 5 is exchanged between the communication control means 101 and the server control means 104, and the character information data 6 is sent from the communication control means 101 to the character synthesis means 105.
Video data and composite video data 7 are exchanged between the communication control means 101 and the video composition means 106, and the character video data 10 is sent from the character composition means 105 to the video composition means 106. The communication control means 101 sends the GSM voice data 8 to the voice format conversion means 107, and the voice synthesis means 108 sends the synthesized GSM voice data 9 to the communication control means 101. The PCM synthesized voice data and the GSM synthesized voice data 11 are exchanged between the voice format conversion means 107 and the voice synthesis means 108.

User authentication data 12 is exchanged between the user authentication means 102 and the user management database 109, and the reservation management means 103 and the reservation management database 1 are exchanged.
Reservation information data 13 is exchanged with 10.
HTTP request data and HTTP response data 14 are exchanged between the server control means 104 and the WWW server means 111, and voice synthesis control data 15 is exchanged between the server control means 104 and the voice synthesis means 108. The video synthesis control data 16 is sent from the server control means 104 to the video synthesis means 106. The storage control data and the read control data 17 are exchanged between the server control means 104 and the storage means 113, and the stored video data and the read video data 18 are exchanged between the video composition means 106 and the storage means 113. The accumulated voice data and the read voice data 19 are exchanged between the voice synthesis unit 108 and the storage unit 113.

WEB material and WEB material data 20 are exchanged between the WWW server means 111 and the WEB material database 112, and video / audio data and video material data 21 are exchanged between the accumulating means 113 and the video database 114. It Further, WEB materials and WEB material data 20 are exchanged between the storage means 113 and the WEB material database 112. The screen synthesis definition data 24 is exchanged between the video synthesis means 106 and the screen synthesis definition database 116. The load monitoring control means 115 exchanges load monitoring packet data and load monitoring response packet data 2 with the LAN / WAN 300.
2 is exchanged to send the rate control instruction data 23 to the communication control means 101.

The basic functions of the server device 100 will be described. -Proxy function: WWW server function. LAN / WAN3
It is determined whether the request from 00 is an HTTP request for a multipoint lecture or a normal Internet access request, and in the latter case, the request is delivered to the Internet proxy. -User authentication function: Judges whether the user is registered in advance. Video synthesizing / delivery function: Video from each terminal 200 is synthesized into a single sheet in a designated layout and delivered to all terminals 200. -Voice synthesis / delivery function: The voices from each terminal 200 are mixed in a designated combination and delivered to all terminals 200. Character synthesizing function: Slice data is synthesized in the lower part of the image from each terminal 200 to synthesize one frame.

Recording function: Video / audio from each terminal 200 is recorded in the HD 120. Recording / reproducing function: Reproduces video / audio data recorded in the HD 120 and distributes it to each terminal 200. If it is a download, it is converted into the MPEG-1 format and downloaded. Rate control function: investigates the network bandwidth to which the terminal 200 is connected, and adopts a video bit rate and an audio encoding method according to the bandwidth.

Next, detailed functions will be described. <Lecture reservation> ・ Lecture registration: A function to reserve and register the lecture to be held. The information registered at the time of reservation is the date / time / held lecture name / comment / participating user authentication setting / video material used for the lecture.・ Lecture deletion: A function to delete the lecture reservation contents that have already been registered for reservation.・ Lecture registration contents list display: A function to display the contents of lectures that have already been registered as a contents list on the specified date. -Lecture participation authentication: When a user participates in a lecture, a function that determines whether or not the user is registered in the lecture, and rejects the lecture participation if the user is not registered.

<WEB material> Web material registration: A function of registering a name associated with a URL address used as a WEB material as a "WEB material name".・ WEB material deletion: A function to delete the already registered WEB material name. -WEB material list display: a function of displaying a list of WEB material names registered in the server apparatus 100.・ WEB material display: Select the registered WEB material name and WEB of the URL address associated with the WEB material name
A function to display page information. If a lecture is in progress, the video display area is reduced and displayed. -Reflect WEB material: A function to reflect the contents of the WEB material currently displayed to other lecture participants.

<Video material> -Video material registration: A video recorded in a DV (abbreviation of digital video: the same hereinafter) camera is converted into MPEG-1 and registered on the server 100. -Delete video material: Delete the registered video material.・ Video material preview (Play / Pause / Fast forward / Rewind): Plays / Pauses / plays back the already registered video material.
Fast forward and rewind function. -Video material list display: A function to display a list of already registered video materials.・ View video material (play / pause / fast forward / rewind): A function that allows registered video material to be composited during a lecture and distributed for reference by one person.・ Show video materials: A function to combine registered video materials during the lecture and distribute them to everyone.

<Lecture record> ・ Lecture record recording: video / audio, video material, W
A function of recording the EB material on the server device 100. -Lecture record download: A function of downloading the lecture record registered in the server device 100 in the HTML format onto the recording medium of the terminal 200. -Lecture record browsing: A function of delivering a lecture record registered on the server device 100 while receiving rate control. -Lecture record list display / deletion: A function of displaying a list of lecture records registered on the server device 100 and deleting them.・ Lecture record playback (WEB material playback): A function to refer to the downloaded lecture record on the WEB browser.

<Display> -Lecture participant name display: A function of composing the participant name in a part of the video display area.・ Lecture information display: A function to display the lecture information (lecture name / date / time / host name / participant name) currently being held.・ Image enlargement / reduction

Next, the terminal 200 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. This terminal 200 has a voice input / output means 20.
1, video input means 202, WWW display means 203, operation input means 204, audio format conversion means 205, video format conversion means 206, WWW control means 20
7, audio codec control means 208, video codec control means 209, terminal control means 210, storage means 211,
It has a recording medium 212 and a communication control means 213, and the communication control means 213 is connected to the LAN / WAN 300 (see FIGS. 1 and 3).

The audio input / output unit 201 sends the PCM audio input signal 31 to the audio format conversion unit 205, and the audio codec control unit 208 sends the audio output signal 32 to the audio input / output unit 201. The DV video signal 33 is sent from the video input unit 202 to the video format conversion unit 206. WWW control means 207 to WW
The HTML file control information 34 is sent to the W display means 203, and the WWW display means 203 sends the WWW control means 20.
The CGI form information 35a is sent to 7. The operation event data 35b is sent from the operation input means 204 to the WWW display means 203.

The audio format conversion means 205 sends the PCM down-sampled audio data 36 to the audio codec control means 208, and the video format conversion means 206 sends the DV video data 37 to the video codec control means 209. Video codec control means 209
From the WWW control means 207, MPEG-1 video data 38 is sent. The WWW control means 207 sends the control data 39 to the terminal control means 210, and the control data 40 is exchanged between the terminal control means 210 and the storage means 211. Video / audio data, video material, and WEB material data (HTML) 41 are exchanged between the storage means 211 and the recording medium 212.

The GSM voice data 42 and the like are sent from the voice codec control means 208 to the communication control means 213,
Communication control means 213 to voice codec control means 208
The GSM voice data 43 is sent to. From the video codec control means 209 to the communication control means 213, MPEG-
One video data 44 is sent, and the MPEG-1 video data 45 is sent from the communication control means 213 to the video codec control means 209. Control data 46 is exchanged between the terminal control means 210 and the communication control means 213.

Next, the main functions of the terminal 200 will be described. -Voice data distribution: A function of capturing sound from a DV camera / microphone input and distributing the sound data to the server device.
(Audio input PCM data from DV camera / microphone input is downsampled, converted to GSM, packetized in GSM frame units, and delivered by HTTP protocol.) Audio playback: -Video data delivery: DV camera / USB camera A function to capture video from and distribute the video data to the server device.
(The DV format video data from the DV camera / USB camera is converted to MPEG-1, packetized in MPEG-1 frame units, and delivered by the HTTP protocol.)

Next, the display screen of the terminal 200 will be described with reference to FIGS. <Menu screen> On the menu screen, as shown in FIG.
"Lecture reservation screen display button", "Video material registration screen display button", "WEB material registration screen display button", "Lecture browsing download screen display button", "Button to attend lecture currently being held", ""Display area of currently held lecture information", "Area that displays the status of whether or not a lecture is currently held", "Request button for currently held lecture information", "Lecture information scheduled to start today""Displayarea" is displayed. <Reservation screen> When the "lecture reservation screen display button" on the menu screen shown in Fig. 5 is operated, a lecture reservation screen as shown in Fig. 6 is displayed, and a lecture can be reserved from this lecture reservation screen. .

<Lecture Screen> When the "lecture start button" on the menu screen shown in FIG. 5 is operated, a lecture screen as shown in FIG. 7 is displayed. In this lecture screen, "Lecture information display area", "Video material display area", "View" button and "Show" button for the selected video material, "Registered WE"
"B material list display area", "view" button for selected WEB material, "lecture record start / stop button", "to menu" button to return to menu screen, "lecture video display area" . As shown in detail in FIG. 8, the “lecture video display area” is 4 × 2 in the lower half.
= 8 windows are divided, and each divided window displays images of 8 lecture participants. In addition, the upper half is divided into 2 × 1 = 2 windows, the right side window displays the video material that you want to see or is shown to other participants, and the left side window displays the image. An enlarged image of the material is displayed.

<Lecture Screen (Video Material Display)> When the "View" button and "Show" button of the selected video material on the lecture screen shown in FIG. 7 are operated, the video material display as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed. The lecture screen of is displayed. In this lecture screen, the video material is displayed in the "lecture video display area", and in addition to the display of the lecture screen shown in Fig. 7, "play / pause / stop / slider / end video material" is displayed. Each button of is displayed. <Lecture screen (WEB display)> On the lecture screen shown in FIG.
When the "View" button of the selected WEB material is operated,
A WEB display lecture screen as shown in FIG. 10 is displayed. In this lecture screen, in addition to the display of the lecture screen shown in FIG. 7, a "WEB page display area", a reduced "lecture video display area", a "URL input field", a "WEB page operation button", and a display A "show" button for displaying the inside WEB page to another terminal and a "end WEB material display" button are displayed.

<Video material registration screen (during preview)> On the video material registration screen during preview, as shown in FIG. 11, the video material list registered on the server 100, the video material list on the terminal itself, and external recording. List of video materials in the device, move / delete button of selected video material, "to menu"
Buttons, video material playback display area, slider bar, video material playback / pause / stop button, video material name input field, etc. are displayed.

<WEB material registration screen> On the WEB material registration screen, as shown in FIG. 12, a WEB material name input field to be registered, an inputted WEB material name registration button, a WEB material name display list already registered, WEB material Display / delete button from list, “to menu” button, URL address input field, WEB page display area, WEB operation button and the like are displayed.

<Lecture record browsing screen (download)> On the lecture record browsing screen for downloading, as shown in FIG. 13, "Go to menu" button, lecture record list display area, download / view from lecture record list / Delete button, download destination specification area, etc. are displayed. <Lecture record browsing screen> On the lecture record browsing screen, as shown in FIG. 14, to the lecture information display area, video / WEB material display mode switching button, slider bar, lecture record play / pause / stop button, and browse download screen. The forward button, lecture record video display area, etc. are displayed.

<Lecture record browsing screen (WEB display)> WEB
On the displayed lecture record browsing screen, as shown in FIG.
In addition to the display shown in, a URL address input field, a WEB page display area (instead of the lecture record image display area), a reduced lecture record image display area, a WEB page operation button, and the like are displayed.

<Lecture Record> Next, with reference to FIG. 16, the process of starting the recording of the lecture record by the server 100 will be described. First, when the “lecture record recording start” button is operated, the terminal 200 transmits a lecture record recording start command to the server device 100.
In the server device 100, the communication control unit 101 has the terminal 20.
When a command (lecture record recording start command) is received from 0, command analysis is instructed to the server control means 104 (step S1), and when the server control means 104 analyzes the received command as the lecture record recording start command, the lecture record A recording instruction is issued to the storage means 113 (step S2).
Then, the storage unit 113 starts recording the video / audio during the lecture as a lecture record in the video database 112 on the HD 120 (step S3).

<Image Material Registration> Next, with reference to FIG. 17, the image material registration process of the server device 100 will be described. First, the terminal 200 transmits a video material registration command to the server device 100 when the “video material registration” button is operated. In the server device 100, when the communication control means 101 receives a command (video material registration command) from the terminal 200, it instructs the server control means 104 to analyze the command (step S21), and the server control means 104 images the received command. When analyzed with the material registration command, an instruction to write the video material is issued to the storage means 113 (step S22). Then, the storage unit 113 records the video material designated by the video material registration command in the video database 114 on the HD 120, and records the management data thereof in the user management database 109 (step S23).

<Video Material Reproduction> Next, with reference to FIG. 18, the processing of the video material reproduction of the server apparatus 100 will be described. First, when the “view” button is operated, the terminal 200 transmits a video material reproduction command to the server device 100. In the server device 100, when the communication control means 101 receives a command (video material reproduction command) from the terminal 200, it instructs the server control means 104 to analyze the command (step S31), and the server control means 104 images the received command. When analyzed with the material reproduction command, an access right judgment instruction is issued to the server control means 104 (step S32),
The server control means 104 determines the access right of the user (step S33).

Then, in the case of "access right",
The accumulation means 113 reproduces the video material designated by the video material reproduction start command from the video database 114 with reference to the user management database 109 (step S3).
4 → S35), and then the reproduced video / audio is synthesized by the video synthesizing means 106 and the voice synthesizing means 108, respectively (step S36), and then the communication control means 101
Is delivered to the terminal 200 (step S37). On the other hand, in the case of “no access right”, the server control means 1
04 generates a transmission command of “no access right” (steps S34 → S38), and then transmits this to the communication control means 1
01 is delivered to the terminal 200 (step S39).

<WEB Material Registration> Next, referring to FIG. 19, the web material registration processing of the server 100 will be described.
First, when the "WEB material registration" button is operated, the terminal 200 transmits a WEB material registration command to the server device 100. In the server device 100, when the communication control means 101 receives a command (WEB material registration command) from the terminal 200, it instructs the server control means 104 to analyze the command (step S71), and the server control means 104.
When the received command is analyzed by the WEB material registration command, the storing means 11 stores the write instruction of the WEB material management table.
3 (step S72). And storage means 1
13 creates a WEB material management table and records it in the WEB material database 112 on the HD 120 (step S73).

<WEB Material Event Registration> Next, referring to FIG. 20, the recording processing of the WEB material event of the server 100 will be described. First, when the “WEB material recording” button is operated, the terminal 200 transmits a WEB material recording control command to the server device 100. In the server device 100, the communication control unit 101 sends a command (W
When receiving the EB material recording control command), the server control unit 104 is instructed to analyze the command (step S41), and the server control unit 104 sends the received command to the WE.
When analyzed with the B material recording control command, a recording instruction of the URL of the video material being displayed is issued to the accumulating means 113 (step S42). Then, the storage unit 113 stores the lecture information (lecture name / held date / time / organizer name / participant name), the URL address of the displayed video material, and the elapsed time from the start of the lecture as a WEB material event of the video material. HD12
It is recorded in the WEB material database 112 of 0 (step S43).

<Showing WEB Material> Next, the WEB material event notification process of the server 100 will be described with reference to FIG. First, when the “show” button is operated, the terminal 200 transmits a WEB material URL notification control command to the server device 100. In the server device 100, the communication control means 101 sends a command (WEB data U
When receiving the RL notification control command), it instructs the server control means 104 to analyze the command (step S5).
1) When the server control unit 104 analyzes the received command as the WEB material URL notification control command, it issues a URL notification command generation instruction (step S52).

Then, the server control means 104 generates a URL notification command and sends the transmission instruction to the communication control means 10.
1 (step S53), and then communication control means 1
01 transmits this URL notification command to another terminal 200 (step S54). As a result, the UR of the WEB material being displayed on the terminal 200 whose “show” button has been operated
Since the L address is displayed on the other terminal 200, the other terminal 200 uses this URL address for the WWW server 400.
(In addition, the WEB material of the server device 100) can be accessed and displayed.

<Lecture Record Reproduction> Next, with reference to FIG. 22, the process of reproducing the lecture record by the server device 100 will be described. First, the terminal 200 transmits a lecture record reproduction start command to the server device 100 when the “lecture record reproduction start” button is operated.
In the server device 100, the communication control unit 101 has the terminal 20.
When a command (lecture record reproduction start command) is received from 0, the server control unit 104 is instructed to analyze the command (step S11). When the server control unit 104 analyzes the received command as the lecture record reproduction start command, the lecture record A reproduction instruction is issued to the storage means 113 (step S1).
2). Then, the storage unit 113 starts the reproduction of the lecture record from the video database 114 on the HD 120 (step S13).

Next, it is determined whether the distribution format is rate control distribution or a download format conversion instruction. Then, in the case of rate control distribution, the reproduced video / audio is combined by the video synthesizing means 106 and the audio synthesizing means 108 (step S14), and then this is controlled by the communication control means 101.
Is delivered to the terminal 200 (step S15). On the other hand, in the case of a download format conversion instruction, the reproduced video / audio data is converted to the download format (MPEG-1 format) (step S16), and then this is distributed to the terminal 200 by the communication control means 101. (Step S17).

Here, in FIG. 1, eight terminals 200 and 1 are connected.
Although only one server device 100 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, one lecture can be held using any eight N terminals 200 and one M server apparatus 100.

[0053]

As described above, according to the invention described in claim 1, the video and audio of the lecture participants are digitally recorded as a lecture record and transmitted to the lecture terminal requesting the reproduction of the lecture record. As a result, the lecture participants can view the lecture record during the lecture in non-degraded, high-quality, high-quality sound, real-time, on-demand format. According to the invention described in claim 2, since the video material distributed during the lecture is digitally recorded as a lecture record and is transmitted to the lecture terminal requesting the reproduction of the recorded video material, it is arbitrary. Lecture participants can view any video material in non-degraded, high-quality, high-quality, real-time, on-demand format. According to the invention described in claim 3, the lecture record can be transmitted according to the form of the network. According to the invention described in claim 4, it is possible to prevent the lecture record such as the video material from being transmitted to a person who is not a lecture participant. According to the invention described in claim 5, it is possible to enlarge and display the lecture record or the video material of another lecture participant who the lecture participant wants to pay attention to. According to the invention described in claim 6, the video of the lecture participant and the lecture record or the video material and the enlarged video thereof can be combined and displayed on the multi-window screen.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a lecture system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure for accessing WEB materials in the system of FIG.

3 is a block diagram showing the server device of FIG. 1 in detail.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the client terminal of FIG. 1 in detail.

5 is an explanatory diagram showing a menu screen of the terminal of FIG.

6 is an explanatory diagram showing a lecture reservation screen of the terminal shown in FIG.

7 is an explanatory diagram showing a lecture screen of the terminal of FIG.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing in detail the lecture video display area of FIG.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a lecture screen (display of video material) on the terminal of FIG.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a lecture screen (WEB display) of the terminal of FIG.

11 is an explanatory diagram showing a video material registration screen (during preview) of the terminal of FIG.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a WEB material registration screen of the terminal of FIG.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a lecture record browsing screen (download) of the terminal of FIG.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a lecture record browsing screen of the terminal of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a screen for viewing a lecture record on the terminal shown in FIG. 1 (WEB display)
Explanatory diagram showing

16 is a flowchart showing a process of recording a lecture record by the server device shown in FIG.

17 is a flowchart showing a process of registering video material in the server device of FIG.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a process of reproducing video material by the server device of FIG.

19 is a flowchart showing a process of WEB material registration of the server device of FIG.

20 is a flowchart showing a process of recording a WEB material event in the server device of FIG.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing the processing of the WEB material event notification of the server device of FIG.

22 is a flowchart showing a process of playing a lecture record by the server device shown in FIG.

23 is a configuration diagram showing an application example of the lecture system of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 server device (lecture server device) 112 WEB material database 114 video material database 120 hard disk (HD) 200 client terminal (lecture client terminal)
(Lecture terminal or simply terminal) 300 LAN / WAN 400 WWW server

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yasuo Homoda             3-1, Tsunashima-Higashi 4-chome, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Matsushita Communication Industry Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C028 BB04 BC05 BD03                 5C064 AA02 AB03 AB04 AC04 AC06                       AC12 AC16 AD07 AD14

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of lecture terminals including a teacher terminal and a student terminal and a lecture server device are connected via a network, and the lecture server device synthesizes images and sounds of lecture participants received from the plurality of lecture terminals. The lecture server device digitally records the video and audio of the lecture participants received from the lecture terminals by the lecture server device as the lecture record, and the recorded lecture A multi-point lecture system that transmits to a lecture terminal that requests recording reproduction. 2. The lecture server device further digitally records the video material distributed during the lecture as a lecture record,
2. The lecture system according to claim 1, wherein the recorded video material is transmitted to a lecture terminal that requests reproduction. 3. The lecture server device transmits the reproduced lecture record to the lecture terminal in a download format or a bit rate control method.
The lecture system described in. 4. The lecture server device determines whether or not the lecture terminal requesting the reproduction of the lecture record including the video material has an access right, transmits if the access right is available, and transmits if there is no access right. No. 1 to 3, characterized in that
The lecture system described in any one of. 5. The lecture server device, when receiving an enlarged display instruction of a lecture record or a video material from the lecture terminal, increases the transmission bit rate of the video signal so that the enlarged display is possible and transmits the video signal. The lecture system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. The lecture server device synthesizes a video of a lecture participant received from the plurality of lecture terminals, the lecture record or video material, and an enlarged video thereof on a multi-window screen and transmits the composite window. The lecture system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.