JP2014060607A - Conference terminal and conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a conference terminal which can change a parameter to be set to a terminal arranged at a certain place for each place.SOLUTION: The conference terminal has: photographing means 201 for photographing an image; sound input means 209 for inputting sound; compression means 203, 211 for compressing at least one of image data and sound data according to a compression parameter; position information acquisition means 124 for acquiring position information on a device; compression parameter acquisition means for acquiring the compression parameter associated with the position information which the position information acquisition means acquires; communication means 207 for transmitting the image data and the sound data compressed by the compression means to a communication partner and receiving the image data and the sound data from the communication partner; and output means 216, 219 for outputting the image data and the sound data which the communication means receives.

Description

  The present invention relates to a conference terminal that transmits and receives video and audio.

  As an indoor usage method, it is common to divide an indoor space according to the purpose of use or divide it into individual rooms, or to change the purpose of use according to the compartment or room. The same applies to the conference room, and there are many cases where the use is predetermined in advance, such as a conference room for meeting with a customer or a conference room dedicated to the company.

  On the other hand, devices such as projectors, cameras, and PCs (Personal Computers) are used in conference rooms, but these devices are not necessarily provided in conference rooms and may be used in various conference rooms. is there. In addition, these devices are often connected to a LAN or the Internet in order to communicate with the outside.

  FIG. 1 is an example of a diagram schematically illustrating devices connected to a network in a conference room. Each of the conference rooms A to C has a LAN composed of an L2 switch or the like, and a remote conference terminal is connected to the LAN. These LANs are connected to each other via a router or the like, or connected to a conference room in another place via the Internet.

  In such a state, when conferences are separately performed in the conference room A and the conference room B, voice and video continue to flow to each other through the network. That is, when a plurality of conference rooms A and B hold a conference, a contention for bandwidth may occur between the remote conference terminals A and B.

  As a system administrator, there is a case where it is desired to allocate a large band to a conference room (for example, a conference room used by a customer or an officer) where an important conference is held. That is, it is desired to allocate a large band to the remote conference terminal used in a predetermined conference room. A technique for allocating a band is conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, when a conference type is transmitted from a remote conference terminal to a distribution management server, the distribution management server transmits a band control parameter corresponding to the conference type. Thereby, the bandwidth can be controlled according to the type of conference.

  However, when each user requests a desired band, the band is still compressed. Although it is conceivable that a fixed bandwidth is set for a remote conference terminal installed in a specific conference room, since a remote conference terminal may be moved, it is preferable to allocate a fixed bandwidth to the remote conference terminal. Absent.

  An object of this invention is to provide the conference terminal which can change the parameter set to the terminal arrange | positioned in a certain place for every place in view of the said subject.

  The present invention relates to a photographing means for photographing an image, a sound input means for inputting sound, a compression means for compressing at least one of image data or sound data in accordance with a compression parameter, and position information acquisition for acquiring position information of the device. Means, a compression parameter acquisition means for acquiring the compression parameter associated with the position information acquired by the position information acquisition means, and image data and audio data compressed by the compression means are transmitted to a communication partner, and communication is performed. There is provided a conference terminal comprising: communication means for receiving image data and audio data from a partner; and output means for outputting image data and audio data received by the communication means.

  It is possible to provide a conference terminal that can change a parameter set in a terminal placed at a certain place for each place.

It is an example of the figure which shows typically the apparatus connected to the conference room and the network. It is an example of the figure explaining the schematic characteristic of a remote conference terminal. It is an example of the figure showing a positional information management system. It is an example of the figure which extracts and shows the communication apparatus, radio | wireless terminal, and management apparatus which comprise a wireless network. It is an example of the figure showing the hardware constitutions of a management server. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a function structure of a remote conference terminal. It is an example of the functional block diagram of a management server. It is a figure which shows an example of a band control parameter. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the operation | movement procedure in which a remote conference terminal acquires a band control parameter from a management server. It is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the operation | movement procedure in which a remote conference terminal registers a band control parameter with a management server. It is an example of the functional block diagram of a management server (Example 2). It is an example of the figure which illustrates an example of an apparatus registration table typically. (Example 2) which is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the operation | movement procedure in which a remote conference terminal acquires a band control parameter from a management server. (Example 2) which is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the operation | movement procedure which a remote conference terminal registers a band control parameter with a management server. (Example 3) which is a block diagram which shows an example of a function structure of a remote conference terminal. (Example 3) which is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the operation | movement procedure in which a remote conference terminal acquires a band control parameter from a management server. (Example 3) which is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the operation | movement procedure in which a remote conference terminal registers a bandwidth control parameter with a management server. It is an example of the functional block diagram of a management server and a remote conference terminal (Example 4). It is a figure which shows an example of a correspondence table. (Example 4) which is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the operation | movement procedure in which a remote conference terminal acquires a band control parameter from a management server. (Example 4) which is a sequence diagram which shows an example of the operation | movement procedure in which a remote conference terminal registers a bandwidth control parameter with a management server.

  Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described. However, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

  FIG. 2 is an example of a diagram illustrating the schematic features of the remote conference terminal according to the present embodiment. The remote conference terminal 200 is portable. For example, the remote conference terminal 200 is installed in each conference room. In the figure, the remote conference terminal A and the remote conference terminal B are arranged in different conference rooms A and B, and the respective users transmit audio / video data to perform a conference.

  Bandwidth control parameters are stored in association with position information in a server (hereinafter referred to as a management server) with which the remote conference terminals A and B communicate. In the bandwidth control parameter, a compression parameter is set for the remote conference terminals A and B to compress the audio / video data so that communication can be performed in an appropriate bandwidth for each conference room.

  The remote conference terminals A and B transmit their own location information to the management server 160 from the installed conference room. The management server 160 reads the bandwidth control parameter associated with the position information and transmits it to the remote conference terminals A and B. Since the remote conference terminals A and B compress the audio / video data using the bandwidth control parameters, the audio / video data can be transmitted in an appropriate bandwidth to the conference room where the remote conference terminals A and B are installed.

  The bandwidth control parameters may be stored in the remote conference terminals A and B. Further, the location information of the remote conference terminals A and B may be obtained by using the indoor GPS (Earth Positioning System) technology “iMES (indoor MEssaging System)”, or the remote conference terminal uses a location information detector. You may have.

  FIG. 3 shows a location information management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 includes communication apparatuses 100, 102, 104, and 106, wireless terminals 120, 122, and 124, a management apparatus 140, a management server 160, a network 180 and a network 190 including the communication apparatus, the wireless terminal, and the management apparatus. . Here, the network 180 is a wireless network managed by the management device 140.

  FIG. 4 shows the communication devices 100, 102, 104, and 106, the wireless terminals 120, 122, and 124, and the management device 140 that constitute the wireless network in FIG.

  The communication devices 100, 102, 104, and 106 are fixed to, for example, a ceiling of a room, and position information (hereinafter referred to as “position information”) such as history information, the number of floors of a building, and a building number related to the fixed position. This is transmitted wirelessly continuously or intermittently. Each communication device has an independent casing and operates by being supplied with power from a previously installed power source, or is incorporated in a lighting fixture such as an LED fluorescent tube and operates with power supplied from the lighting fixture. Each of the communication devices 100, 102, 104, and 106 transmits position information held by each of the communication devices 100, 102, 104, and 106 to a predetermined range using a radio signal. The predetermined range is determined by the signal strength of the radio signal used. The communication device is arranged so as to cover an area that is a position management target, and is configured so that the respective areas do not overlap. Or even if it is a case where it overlaps, in the side which receives a positional information, it is comprised so that any one communication apparatus can be determined based on the intensity | strength of a received radio wave. In the example of FIG. 3, a conical dotted line shown below each communication device represents a predetermined range. As a communication method for transmitting position information, for example, a ground complementary signal (IMES signal) can be used.

  The wireless terminals 120, 122, and 124 can receive wireless signals transmitted by the nearest communication device among the communication devices 100, 102, 104, and 106. In the example of FIG. 3, each wireless terminal is attached to a rectangular parallelepiped managed object whose position is to be managed. The wireless terminals 120, 122, and 124 are terminals that can transmit radio waves themselves, such as active tags. Hereinafter, the wireless terminal 120 will be described.

  The wireless terminal 120 is within a range in which a wireless signal from the communication device 100 can be received, and receives position information of the communication device 100. The position information of the communication device 100 is received using, for example, IMES. The wireless terminal 120 transmits information including its own identification information such as a network address to the communication apparatus 100 together with the received position information. The transmission is performed through a network 180 by short-range wireless communication such as IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark). In this case, IEEE802.15.4 abbreviated address or IEEE extended (MAC) address can be used as identification information of the wireless terminal 120. The identification information and position information transmitted to the communication device 100 are then transmitted to the management device 140 via the adjacent communication device 102. The transmission / reception operation in the wireless terminal 120 is performed at a timing determined in advance in the wireless terminal 120 or at a timing when a change in acceleration by the acceleration sensor included in the wireless terminal 120 is detected. In order to receive the band control parameter immediately after the remote conference terminal 200 is turned on, transmission and reception are performed when a change in acceleration due to movement is detected. For example, when there is a change in acceleration and it stops, transmission / reception is performed.

  The management device 140 connects the network 180 and the network 190 to each other, and bridges data transmitted from the network 180 side to the network 190. The management device 140 is installed, for example, for each floor of a building or for each room partitioned by walls. When the network 180 is a PAN (Personal Area Network) based on IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark) and the network 190 is a LAN based on the IEEE802.3 standard, the communication system is converted between them. If the identification information of the wireless terminal 120 is represented by an IEEE 802.15.4 abbreviated address, it is converted into an IEEE extended address based on the information at the time of PAN configuration and transmitted to the management server 160.

  The management server 160 records the identification information and position information received via the management device 140 together with the reception date and time, and manages the position of the management target object. In the management server 160, management objects related to wireless terminals are recorded in advance. Therefore, the location of the management target can be searched using these pieces of information.

  The network 180 connects the respective communication devices 100, 102, 104, 106, the wireless terminals 120, 122, 124, and the management device 140, for example, a PAN configured by IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark) standards. It is. When the PAN is configured with IEEE802.15.4 and ZigBee (registered trademark) standards, the wireless terminal, the communication device, and the management device each have an end device function, a router function, and a coordinator function defined by the ZigBee (registered trademark) standard. . Each communication device and wireless terminal enters the management of the management device at the time of activation, forms a PAN, and determines the minimum path to the management device.

  The network 190 is a network that connects the management apparatus 140 and the management server 160, and is, for example, a LAN defined by the IEEE 802.3 standard.

  As described above, in the location information management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the wireless terminal transmits identification information and location information to the management server 160 using power that can be communicated with the nearest communication device. Can do. In addition, it is not necessary to install a new infrastructure for installing the communication device, and the introduction cost can be reduced.

  Note that the location information of the communication device may be provided through the network 180. This eliminates the need for transmission means for transmitting position information such as IMES.

  Further, the wireless terminal may transmit the identification information and the position information to the management apparatus 140 when the management apparatus is present in the vicinity of the communication apparatus that transmitted the position information. Thereby, identification information and position information can be transmitted to the management server 160 by the shortest path.

  Further, the function of the management apparatus may be integrated into the management server 160. This eliminates the need for a separate management device.

  The wireless terminal may be a wireless terminal having a function equivalent to that of an active tag, such as a smartphone, a PDA, a PC (Personal Computer), or a smart meter. As a result, it is possible to manage the position information of the existing wireless terminal without attaching a tag.

  Further, in addition to the above-described position information, information for specifying a finer position, such as information representing a section in the room, may be included. As a result, finer location management is possible.

  The location management target may be a person. Thereby, the location of a person can be managed by the system 1.

  The network 180 may be configured using short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth LE, ANT, Z-Wave, and the like. This makes it possible to manage position information of various wireless terminals.

  The network 190 may include a plurality of types of networks such as the Internet. This makes it possible to manage the location information of the wireless terminal regardless of the physical location between the network 180 and the management server 160.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in this embodiment, since the wireless terminal 124 is detachably attached to the remote conference terminal 200, the management server 160 can detect the position information of the remote conference terminal 200.

  FIG. 5 shows a hardware configuration of the management server 160 in the present embodiment. The management server 160 includes a CPU 260, a RAM 262, a ROM 264, an HDD 266, a communication control unit 268, a communication unit 270, a display control unit 272, a display unit 274, an input control unit 276, an input unit 278, and a bus 280.

  The CPU 260 executes a program that controls the operation of the management server 160. The RAM 262 constitutes a work area for the CPU 260 and the like. The ROM 264 stores a program executed by the CPU 260 and data used by the program. The HDD 266 stores information for managing the position of the wireless terminal 124 used in the position information management system 1. The communication control unit 268 executes communication processing via the communication unit 270. The communication unit 270 is a device having a network interface that conforms to, for example, the IEEE 802.3 standard. The display control unit 272 controls the content displayed on the display unit 274 in accordance with the processing content of the location management program executed on the management server 160. The display unit 274 includes a display such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT display. The input control unit 276 processes a signal from the input unit 278 such as a keyboard and a mouse that receives an input from the user. A bus 280 electrically connects the above devices.

  With the above configuration, the management server 160 in one embodiment of the present invention can manage the location of the wireless terminal 124 and search for the location of the wireless terminal 124.

  The HDD 266 may be any storage device including a tape drive, or may be a storage area accessible via a network.

  The management server 160 may include a wireless communication control unit and a wireless communication unit included in the management device 140 described above, and may perform the processing instead of the management device 140. Thereby, it is not necessary to provide the management device 140 separately.

[Band control parameter acquisition pattern]
The remote conference terminal 200 registers / acquires bandwidth control parameters in the management server 160 depending on whether the wireless terminal 124 and the remote conference terminal 200 can communicate (with a wireless terminal I / F described later) or not. In doing so, there can be four patterns. Further, in each pattern, the bandwidth control parameter may be stored in the remote conference terminal 200 or stored in the management server 160. Hereinafter, the description will be divided into examples.

  In this embodiment, the wireless terminal 124 and the remote conference terminal 200 can communicate with each other, the wireless terminal 124 transmits the position information to the management server 160, and the wireless terminal 124 receives the bandwidth control parameter to the remote conference terminal 200. The location information management system 1 to be transmitted will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the remote conference terminal 200 according to the present embodiment. The remote conference terminal 200 includes a camera 201, a video input control unit 202, and a video encoder 203 for encoding (encoding) video. In addition, the remote conference terminal 200 includes a microphone 209, a voice input control unit 210, and a voice encoder 211 for encoding voice. In addition, the remote conference terminal 200 includes an operation control unit 205 that controls internal functions according to the operation content received by the operation unit 204, and a distribution policy control unit that performs control related to reception of bandwidth control parameters.

  In addition, the remote conference terminal 200 includes a distribution control unit 212 and a communication control unit 207 in order to communicate each data to the management server 160. The remote conference terminal 200 also includes a video decoder 214, a video output control unit 215, and a video display device 216 for decoding and displaying video. The remote conference terminal 200 includes an audio decoder 217, an audio output control unit 218, and a speaker 219 for decoding and outputting audio.

  The camera 201 captures an image and outputs the captured image to the image input unit 202. The video input control unit 202 handles the device driver of the camera connected to the remote conference terminal 200 and the video data input from the camera.

  The video encoder 203 is a video codec that compresses uncompressed video data acquired via the video input control unit 202. Examples of compression methods include H.264 and MPEG-4. In addition, the video encoder 203 changes the compression parameters according to the compression parameters (compression method, resolution, frame rate, bit rate, etc.) instructed from the distribution control unit 212.

  The microphone 209 inputs the speaker's voice and outputs the voice data to the voice input control unit 210. The voice input control unit 210 handles a microphone device driver connected to the remote conference terminal 200 and voice data input from the microphone.

  The audio encoder 211 is an audio codec that compresses uncompressed audio data acquired via the audio input control unit 210. There are G.711 and AAC as compression methods.

  The operation unit 204 has a function of accepting an operation from the user, such as a button or a touch panel. The operation control unit 205 has a function of controlling button operations. The distribution policy control unit 206 sends the band control parameter received by the wireless terminal I / F 220 to the distribution control unit.

  The reception quality information will be described. Since RTCP's RR (Receiver Reports), which will be described later, can easily grasp the reception packet interval jitter, the packet loss occurrence rate, and the network delay time, these data are transferred to the management server 160.

  The reception quality information includes the ID of the remote conference terminal 200 on the receiving side / distribution source. Further, by calculating and transmitting usable network bandwidth, retransmission allowable time, etc. without using RTCP or in combination with RTCP, it is possible to change to more optimal audio / video data.

The distribution control unit 212 transmits the audio / video data acquired from the video encoder 203 and the audio encoder 211 to the remote conference terminal 200 used by the other party of the conference via the communication control unit 207.

  Also, the distribution control unit 212 outputs the audio / video data received from the remote conference terminal 200 used by the conference partner to the video decoder 214 and the audio decoder 217.

  Also, the distribution control unit 212 controls, for example, RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) and RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) clients and servers and RTCP (RTP Control Protocol). RTP is a data transfer protocol for delivering data streams such as voice and moving images in real time. RTSP is a protocol for controlling streaming data (so-called Video Cassette Recorder operation) and operates in cooperation with RTP. RTCP is a protocol for controlling a session for transmitting and receiving data by RTP.

  In addition, the distribution control unit 212 includes communication means for exchanging RTSP addresses with each other. For example, it is conceivable to connect to each other using a POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface) standard socket interface. In addition, the distribution control unit 212 is configured by SIP or H.264. Call control such as H.323 may be used.

  The communication control unit 207 includes a protocol stack and a network interface card necessary for communication. The video decoder 214 is a video codec that decompresses the compressed video data acquired from the distribution control unit 212.

  The video output control unit 215 is a device driver of a video display device 216 such as a display connected to the remote conference terminal A20, and outputs the video data expanded by the video decoder 214 to the video display device 216. The video display device 216 is a display that displays video, and is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or a projector.

  The audio decoder 217 is an audio codec that decompresses the audio data acquired from the distribution control unit 212. The audio output control unit 218 is a device driver of the speaker 219 connected to the remote conference terminal A20, and outputs the audio data expanded by the audio decoder 217 to the speaker 219. The speaker 219 outputs sound data acquired from the sound output control unit 218.

  When receiving the position information from the communication device 106, the wireless terminal 124 transmits the position information and identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the communication device 106. The communication device 106 transmits the position information and the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the management server 160. When the wireless terminal 124 receives the bandwidth control parameter, the wireless terminal 124 transmits the bandwidth control parameter to the distribution policy control unit 206 via the wireless terminal I / F 220. Note that the wireless terminal 124 may be fixed in the remote conference terminal.

  FIG. 7 is an example of a functional block diagram of the management server 160. The management server 160 includes a bandwidth management unit 161, a parameter registration unit 163, and a bandwidth management DB 162. The bandwidth management DB 162 may be stored in a storage device accessible by the management server 160 and may not be included in the management server 160.

  The bandwidth management unit 161 transmits a bandwidth control parameter optimal for the installation location of the remote conference terminal 200 to the remote conference terminal 200. In this embodiment, the bandwidth management unit 161 transmits a bandwidth control parameter to the wireless terminal 124. When the network 180 is formed by, for example, Zigbee, Bluetooth LE, ANT, Z-Wave or the like, the bandwidth management unit 161 sets the bandwidth control parameter via the communication device 106 that communicates with the wireless terminal 124 of the remote conference terminal 200. Send. The wireless terminal 124 transmits the received bandwidth control parameter to the remote conference terminal 200 via the portable terminal I / F 220. In this case, the mobile terminal I / F is a communication device such as Zigbee.

[Bandwidth control parameters]
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a band control parameter. The bandwidth control parameter is a parameter that indicates the degree to which audio / video data is compressed. In FIG. 8, reception quality (packet loss threshold) and video and audio compression parameters are registered in association with the location information of the conference room. The administrator of the remote conference terminal 200 registers the compression parameter in advance. The compression parameters are, for example, video resolution and video frame rate [number / sec] for video, and bit rate [kbps] for audio.

  In addition, the number of color components of video (the number of bits of each color) may be included in the compression parameter, and a bit rate (compression rate) such as H.264 or MPEG-4 may be included in the compression parameter.

  There is also a remote conference terminal in which the camera swings within an angle range in which the optical axis is horizontal. In this case, the amount of information increases as the swing angle range increases. However, since the range where conference participants exist is almost determined by the arrangement of chairs in the conference room and the size of the conference room, if the angle range is determined by the conference room, the range where the participants exist can be efficiently used. Can be taken. Therefore, it is effective to include an angle range in which the camera swings in the compression parameter.

  The reason why different packet loss threshold values are associated with the same conference room is to enable the remote conference terminal 200 to change the compression parameter in accordance with the packet loss. Therefore, the upper limit and the lower limit of the compression parameter are associated with the band control parameter in a certain conference room. According to the figure, since the three bandwidth control parameters having different packet loss thresholds are transmitted to the remote conference terminal 200, the remote conference terminal 200 sets the compression parameter based on the packet loss when the video / audio data is received. decide.

  The compression parameter may be a percentage of the terminal initial setting value, a compression algorithm, or the like. In the case of audio, a compression algorithm, an average data compression amount, a sampling frequency, or the like may be used.

  In FIG. 8, the compression parameter is associated with the position information, but the compression parameter may be associated with a user ID for identifying the user. That is, the compression parameter can be changed by the user even in the same position information (conference room). The user ID is specified when the user logs in to the remote conference terminal.

[About operation]
FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedure in which the remote conference terminal 200 acquires a bandwidth control parameter from the management server 160.
S1: When the user installs the remote conference terminal A, the wireless terminal 124 detects a change in acceleration. This makes it possible to receive position information and transmit position information and identification information.
S2: The communication device 106 transmits the location information to the wireless terminal 124 using the network 180.
S3: The user turns on the remote conference terminal A.
S4: If the remote conference terminal A is in a communication area such as a wireless LAN, the remote conference terminal A and the management server 160 establish communication. Since communication between the remote conference terminal A and the management server 160 and communication between the wireless terminal 124 and the communication device 106 are performed independently, the communication procedure may be changed.
S5: The wireless terminal 124 transmits the position information and its identification information to the communication device 106 using the network 180.
S6: The communication device 106 transmits the position information and the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the management server 160.
S7: The management server 160 reads the bandwidth control parameter associated with the location information from the bandwidth management DB 162.
S8: The bandwidth management unit 161 of the management server 160 transmits the bandwidth control parameter to the communication device 106.
S9: The communication device 106 transmits the bandwidth control parameter to the wireless terminal 124.
S10: The wireless terminal 124 transmits the bandwidth control parameter to the remote conference terminal A via the wireless terminal I / F 220.

Next, the remote conference terminal B that is the destination of the conference also performs the same process.
S11: When the user installs the remote conference terminal B, the wireless terminal 124 detects a change in acceleration. This makes it possible to receive position information and transmit position information and identification information.
S12: The communication device 106 transmits the position information to the wireless terminal 124 using the network 180.
S13: The user turns on the remote conference terminal B.
S14: When the remote conference terminal B enters a communication area such as a wireless LAN, the remote conference terminal B and the management server 160 establish communication. Since communication between the remote conference terminal B and the management server 160 and communication between the wireless terminal 124 and the communication device 106 are performed independently, the communication procedure may be mixed.
S15: The wireless terminal 124 transmits the position information and its own identification information to the communication device 106 using the network 180.
S16: The communication device 106 transmits the position information and the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the management server 160.
S17: The management server 160 reads the bandwidth control parameter associated with the location information from the bandwidth management DB 162.
S18: The bandwidth management unit 161 of the management server 160 transmits the bandwidth control parameter to the communication device 106.
S19: The communication device 106 transmits the bandwidth control parameter to the wireless terminal 124.
S20: The wireless terminal 124 transmits the band control parameter to the remote conference terminal B via the wireless terminal I / F 220.
S21: The remote conference terminal A compresses the audio / video data with the bandwidth control parameter received in S10 and transmits it to the remote conference terminal B of the other party.
S22: The remote conference terminal B compresses the audio / video data with the bandwidth control parameter received in S20 and transmits the compressed data to the remote conference terminal A.

[When the remote conference terminal registers bandwidth control parameters in the management server]
If the user of the remote conference terminal 200 arbitrarily creates a bandwidth control parameter and registers it in the management server 160, the bandwidth of an important conference room may be compressed. However, it is convenient if a user having a predetermined authority such as an administrator can register the bandwidth control parameter from the remote conference terminal 200 to the management server 160.

  FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedure in which the remote conference terminal 200 registers bandwidth control parameters in the management server 160. In FIG. 10, the operation of the remote conference terminal 200 on the other party side of the conference is omitted, but registration can be similarly performed.

The procedure from S1 to S6 is the same as that in FIG. When the management server 160 receives the position information, it transmits a bandwidth control parameter (when the bandwidth control parameter is stored), but the illustration is omitted.
S7: The user operates the operation unit 204 to adjust the band control parameter.
S8: The remote conference terminal 200 transmits a bandwidth control parameter to the wireless terminal 124 together with the registration request.
S9: The wireless terminal 124 transmits the position information and the band control parameter to the communication device 106.
S10: The communication device 106 transmits the position information and the bandwidth control parameter to the management server 160.
S11: The parameter registration unit 163 of the management server 160 registers the bandwidth control parameter in association with the position information.
S12: The remote conference terminal 200 compresses the audio / video data with the bandwidth control parameter adjusted in S7 and transmits it to the remote conference terminal B of the other party.

  As described above, when the bandwidth control parameter is not registered in the management server 160, it can be registered from the conference room, and when the bandwidth control parameter is registered in the management server 160, the bandwidth control parameter can be updated.

  Further, instead of registering the bandwidth control parameter in the management server 160, the bandwidth control parameter may be registered in the remote conference terminal 200 that is the own device. In this case, the remote conference terminal 200 receives the position information via the wireless terminal I / F 220 and registers the position information in association with the band control parameter.

  Even when the bandwidth control parameter is read after registration in the remote conference terminal 200, the remote conference terminal 200 receives the location information via the wireless terminal I / F 220 and reads the bandwidth control parameter stored in association with the location information. . By recording in the own device, the processing load of the management server 160 can be reduced.

  As described above, the remote conference terminal 200 according to the present embodiment compresses audio / video data with a preferable bandwidth control parameter for a location such as a conference room. Can be secured.

  In this embodiment, the wireless terminal 124 can communicate with the remote conference terminal 200, the remote conference terminal 200 transmits position information to the management server 160, and the remote conference terminal 200 receives the bandwidth control parameter from the management server. The information management system 1 will be described. In the present embodiment, the constituent elements denoted by the same reference numerals in the first embodiment perform the same functions, and therefore, only the main constituent elements of the present embodiment may be mainly described.

  FIG. 11A shows an example of a functional block diagram of the management server 160. The functional configuration of the remote conference terminal 200 is the same as that in FIG. The management server 160 has a device management unit 164 and a device registration table 165 as compared with FIG. The device registration table 165 may be stored in a storage device accessible by the management server 160, and may not be included in the management server 160.

  When receiving position information and identification information from the wireless terminal 124, the device management unit 164 registers them in the device registration table 165. The remote conference terminal 200 in which the position information and the identification information are registered in the device registration table 165 is a target to which the bandwidth control parameter is transmitted.

  In addition, the bandwidth management unit 161 according to the present embodiment transmits the bandwidth control parameter to the communication control unit 207 of the remote conference terminal 200 instead of the wireless terminal 124. The remote conference terminal 200 is given a local private IP address by a DHCP server (not shown), and the IP address of the management server 160 is fixed, so that it is known or at least resolvable by DNS. . The communication control unit 207 of the remote conference terminal 200 transmits position information to the management server 160, notifies the management server 160 of the current position, and receives a band control parameter.

  FIG. 11B shows an example of a functional block diagram of the remote conference terminal related to acquisition of the bandwidth control parameter. The remote conference terminal includes a parameter request unit 171 and a parameter acquisition unit 172. When the parameter request unit 171 receives the position information from the wireless terminal, the parameter request unit 171 transmits the position information to the management server and requests a bandwidth control parameter. The parameter acquisition unit 172 acquires a bandwidth control parameter from the management server. Note that the parameter request unit 171 does not need to request the bandwidth control parameter from the management server even if the location information is received from the wireless terminal when the bandwidth control parameter has already been received.

  FIG. 12 is an example of a diagram for schematically explaining an example of the device registration table 165. The device registration table 165 has fields of “radio terminal identification information”, “remote conference terminal position information”, and “bandwidth control parameter transmission”. The identification information of the wireless terminal 124 is registered in the “identification information of the wireless terminal”, and the position information of the remote conference terminal 200 (the position transmitted by the communication device 106 and received by the wireless terminal 124) is stored in the “location information of the remote conference terminal”. Information) is registered, and the transmission of the bandwidth control parameter is registered as “already” or “not yet” in “transmission of bandwidth control parameter”.

  Even if the wireless terminal 124 detects a change in acceleration and transmits the position information and the identification information to the communication device 106 before and after the remote conference terminal 200 is turned on, the position adjustment of the remote conference terminal 200 is performed again. There is. Then, the wireless terminal 124 detects a change in acceleration and transmits position information and identification information to the communication device 106 again. If there is no record that the bandwidth control parameter has been transmitted, the management server 160 will transmit the bandwidth control parameter many times, so that it is “completed” that the bandwidth control parameter has been transmitted in the “bandwidth parameter transmission” column. And record.

  Upon receiving the position information and the identification information from the wireless terminal 124, the device management unit 164 registers the information in “identification information of the wireless terminal” and “position information of the remote conference terminal”. As described above, for example, a MAC address can be used as the “radio terminal identification information”. At this point, the “Bandwidth control parameter transmission” field is “not yet”. In the “Bandwidth control parameter transmission” column, “Done” is registered when the bandwidth management unit 161 transmits the bandwidth control parameter.

  Even if “identification information of a wireless terminal” is registered, if the associated position information is different, the already registered record is deleted and new position information and identification information are registered.

FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedure in which the remote conference terminal 200 acquires a bandwidth control parameter from the management server 160. In FIG. 13, the operation of the remote conference terminal 200 on the other party side of the conference is omitted, but the procedure for acquiring the bandwidth control parameter may be the same.
S1: When the user installs the remote conference terminal 200, the wireless terminal 124 detects a change in acceleration. This makes it possible to receive position information and transmit position information and identification information.
S2: The communication device 106 transmits the location information to the wireless terminal 124 using the network 180.
S3: The user turns on the remote conference terminal 200.
S4: If the remote conference terminal 200 is in a communication area such as a wireless LAN, the remote conference terminal 200 and the management server 160 establish communication.
S5: The wireless terminal 124 transmits the position information and its identification information to the communication device 106 using the network 180.
S6: The communication device 106 transmits the position information and the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the management server 160.
S7: The device management unit 164 of the management server 160 registers the identification information and the position information in the device registration table 165 in association with each other. “Transmission of bandwidth control parameter” at this time is “not yet”.
S8: The wireless terminal 124 also transmits the position information to the remote conference terminal 200 via the wireless terminal I / F 220.
S9: The remote conference terminal 200 transmits a request for position information and bandwidth control parameters to the management server 160.
S10: The bandwidth management unit 161 of the management server 160 reads the bandwidth control parameter associated with the position information received from the remote conference terminal 200. That is, it is confirmed that the location information is registered in the device registration table 165, and the bandwidth control parameter associated with the location information is read from the bandwidth management DB 162. By confirming, it is possible to verify that the location information received by the remote conference terminal 200 is transmitted from the communication device 106, and transmit the bandwidth control parameter registered as the bandwidth control parameter of the installation location to the remote conference terminal 200. it can.
S11: The bandwidth management unit 161 transmits the read bandwidth control parameter to the remote conference terminal 200. Note that the bandwidth management unit 161 changes “transmission of bandwidth control parameter” associated with the identification information or location information of the wireless terminal 124 that has transmitted the bandwidth control parameter in the device registration table 165 to “already”. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the same bandwidth control parameter from being transmitted to the remote conference terminal 200 at the same position many times.
S12: The remote conference terminal 200 compresses the audio / video data with the received bandwidth control parameter and transmits it to the remote conference terminal 200 of the other party.

  Also in the present embodiment, the bandwidth control parameter can be registered in the management server 160 from the remote conference terminal.

  FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedure in which the remote conference terminal 200 registers bandwidth control parameters in the management server 160. In FIG. 14, the operation of the remote conference terminal 200 on the other party side of the conference is omitted, but registration can be performed in the same manner.

The procedure from S1 to S8 is the same as that in FIG. When the remote conference terminal 200 receives the position information, it requests a bandwidth control parameter, but this is not shown.
S9: The user operates the operation unit to adjust the band control parameter.
S10: The remote conference terminal 200 transmits the location information and the bandwidth control parameter to the management server 160 together with the registration request.
S11: The parameter registration unit 163 of the management server 160 registers the bandwidth control parameter in the bandwidth management DB 162 in association with the location information. That is, it is confirmed that the position information is registered in the device registration table 165, and if it is registered, the bandwidth control parameter is registered in the bandwidth management DB 162. By confirming, it is possible to verify that the position information received by the remote conference terminal 200 is transmitted from the communication device 106, and the band control parameter of the installation position can be registered in the band management DB 162.
S12: The remote conference terminal 200 compresses the audio / video data with the bandwidth control parameter adjusted in S9 and transmits it to the remote conference terminal 200 of the other party.

  Further, instead of registering the bandwidth control parameter in the management server 160, the bandwidth control parameter may be registered in the remote conference terminal that is the own device. In this case, the remote conference terminal receives the position information via the wireless terminal I / F 220 and registers the position information in association with the band control parameter.

  Even when the bandwidth control parameter is read after registration with the remote conference terminal, the remote conference terminal receives the location information via the wireless terminal I / F 220 and reads the bandwidth control parameter stored in association with the location information. By recording in the own device, the processing load of the management server 160 can be reduced.

  Since the remote conference terminal 200 according to the present embodiment compresses audio / video data with a preferable bandwidth control parameter depending on the location of the conference room or the like as in the first embodiment, the bandwidth suitable for the attribute of the conference room or the user of the conference room Can be secured. Even if the wireless terminal 124 does not have a function of receiving the bandwidth control parameter, the remote conference terminal 200 can receive the bandwidth control parameter.

  In the present embodiment, the remote conference terminal 200 transmits the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the management server 160 without communication between the wireless terminal 124 and the remote conference terminal 200, and the remote conference terminal 200 receives the bandwidth control parameter from the management server 160. The position information management system 1 that receives the information will be described.

  FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the remote conference terminal 200 according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the constituent elements denoted by the same reference numerals in Embodiment 1 or 2 perform the same functions, and therefore, only the main constituent elements of the present embodiment may be mainly described.

  The remote conference terminal 200 in FIG. 15 does not have the wireless terminal I / F 220 and stores the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 in a nonvolatile memory or the like in advance. Since the wireless terminal I / F 220 is not necessary, the cost can be suppressed. Further, the band control parameter suitable for the installation location can be received based on the identification information of the wireless terminal 124. The identification information of the wireless terminal 124 is set by, for example, the administrator operating the operation unit 204 when the wireless terminal 124 is attached to the remote conference terminal 200. The configuration of the management server 160 may be the same as in the second embodiment.

  Although the functional block diagram of the remote conference terminal 200 may be the same as that in FIG. 11B, the parameter request unit 171 transmits not the position information but the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the management server. Further, since there is no opportunity to receive the position information, for example, when the remote conference terminal is activated by turning on the power, a bandwidth control parameter is requested. Further, once the bandwidth control parameter is acquired, the bandwidth control parameter is not requested unless there is an explicit request from the user, so the “bandwidth control parameter transmission” field becomes unnecessary in the device registration table 165.

FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedure in which the remote conference terminal 200 acquires a bandwidth control parameter from the management server 160. In FIG. 16, the operation of the remote conference terminal 200 on the other party side of the conference is omitted, but the band control parameter acquisition procedure may be the same.
S1: When the user installs the remote conference terminal 200, the wireless terminal 124 detects a change in acceleration. This makes it possible to receive position information and transmit position information and identification information.
S2: The communication device 106 transmits the location information to the wireless terminal 124 using the network 180.
S3: The user turns on the remote conference terminal 200.
S4: If the remote conference terminal 200 is in a communication area such as a wireless LAN, the remote conference terminal 200 and the management server 160 establish communication.
S5: The wireless terminal 124 transmits the position information and its identification information to the communication device 106 using the network 180.
S6: The communication device 106 transmits the position information and the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the management server 160.
S7: The device management unit 164 of the management server 160 registers the identification information and the position information in the device registration table 165 in association with each other.
S8: The remote conference terminal 200 transmits the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 and the bandwidth control parameter request to the management server 160.
S9: The bandwidth management unit 161 of the management server 160 reads bandwidth control parameters suitable for the installation location of the remote conference terminal 200. That is, the position information of the remote conference terminal 200 associated with the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 is read from the device registration table 165, and the band control parameter associated with the position information is read from the band management DB 162.
S10: The bandwidth management unit 161 transmits the read bandwidth control parameter to the remote conference terminal 200.
S11: The remote conference terminal 200 compresses the audio / video data with the received bandwidth control parameter and transmits it to the remote conference terminal 200 of the other party.

  Also in the present embodiment, the bandwidth control parameter can be registered in the management server 160 from the remote conference terminal.

  FIG. 17 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedure in which the remote conference terminal 200 registers bandwidth control parameters in the management server 160. In FIG. 17, the operation of the remote conference terminal 200 on the other party side of the conference is omitted, but registration can be similarly performed.

The procedure from S1 to S7 is the same as that in FIG. After S7, the remote conference terminal 200 requests a bandwidth control parameter, but the illustration is omitted.
S8: The user operates the operation unit to adjust the band control parameter.
S9: The remote conference terminal 200 transmits the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 and the bandwidth control parameter to the management server 160 together with the registration request.
S10: The parameter registration unit 163 of the management server 160 registers the bandwidth control parameter in the bandwidth management DB 162 in association with the position information. That is, the position information associated with the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 is specified from the device registration table 165, and the bandwidth control parameter is registered in association with the position information.
S11: The remote conference terminal 200 compresses the audio / video data with the bandwidth control parameter adjusted in S8 and transmits it to the remote conference terminal 200 of the other party.

  Further, instead of registering the bandwidth control parameter in the management server 160, the bandwidth control parameter may be registered in the remote conference terminal that is the own device. In this case, the remote conference terminal transmits only the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the management server 160 and receives the position information from the management server 160 in S9. Then, the band control parameter is registered in association with the position information.

  Even when the bandwidth control parameter is read after registration with the remote conference terminal, the remote conference terminal transmits only the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the management server 160 and receives position information from the management server 160. Then, the bandwidth control parameter stored in association with the position information is read. By recording in the own device, the processing load of the management server 160 can be reduced.

  Since the remote conference terminal 200 according to the present embodiment compresses audio / video data with a preferable bandwidth control parameter depending on the location of the conference room or the like as in the first embodiment, the bandwidth suitable for the attribute of the conference room or the user of the conference room Can be secured. Since the wireless terminal 124 and the remote conference terminal 200 do not communicate with each other, the wireless terminal I / F 220 is not required and the cost can be reduced.

  In this embodiment, the wireless terminal 124 and the remote conference terminal 200 do not communicate with each other, the remote conference terminal 200 transmits the identification information of the remote conference terminal 200 to the management server 160, and the remote conference terminal 200 controls the bandwidth from the management server 160. The position information management system 1 that receives parameters will be described.

  FIG. 18 is an example of a functional block diagram of the management server 160 and the remote conference terminal 200 of this embodiment. In the present embodiment, the constituent elements denoted by the same reference numerals in Embodiments 1 to 3 perform the same function, and therefore, only the main constituent elements of the present embodiment may be mainly described.

  The management server 160 has a correspondence table 166 as compared with FIG. The correspondence table 166 is a table in which the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 is associated with the identification information of the remote conference terminal. This eliminates the need for the remote conference terminal to have the wireless terminal I / F 220.

  FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of the correspondence table 166. “Identification information of the wireless terminal” and “identification information of the remote conference terminal” are registered in association with each other. The correspondence table 166 is registered in the management server 160 when the administrator of the management server 160 joins the wireless terminal 124 to the remote conference terminal 200. The “identification information of the remote conference terminal” only needs to be unique, and any combination of letters, numbers, alphabets, and symbols, the serial number of the identification information of the remote conference terminal, the MAC address of the communication control unit, the identification of the wireless terminal 124 Information or a part thereof may be used. The correspondence table 166 allows the management server 160 to identify the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 when receiving “identification information of the remote conference terminal” from the remote conference terminal, and to identify the location information of the wireless terminal 124 from the bandwidth management DB 162. .

  Further, the remote conference terminal 200 of FIG. 18 stores “identification information of the remote conference terminal” in the nonvolatile memory. For example, the administrator sets the identification information of the remote conference terminal by operating the operation unit 204.

  The functional block diagram of the remote conference terminal 200 may be the same as that in FIG. 11B, but the parameter request unit 171 transmits the identification information of the remote conference terminal 200 instead of the location information to the management server. Further, since there is no opportunity to receive the position information, for example, when the remote conference terminal is activated by turning on the power, a bandwidth control parameter is requested. Further, once the bandwidth control parameter is acquired, the bandwidth control parameter is not requested unless there is an explicit request from the user, so the “bandwidth control parameter transmission” field becomes unnecessary in the device registration table 165.

FIG. 20 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedure in which the remote conference terminal 200 acquires a bandwidth control parameter from the management server 160. In FIG. 20, the operation of the remote conference terminal 200 on the other side of the conference is omitted, but the procedure for obtaining the band control parameter may be the same.
S1: When the user installs the remote conference terminal 200, the wireless terminal 124 detects a change in acceleration. This makes it possible to receive position information and transmit position information and identification information.
S2: The communication device 106 transmits the location information to the wireless terminal 124 using the network 180.
S3: The user turns on the remote conference terminal 200.
S4: If the remote conference terminal 200 is in a communication area such as a wireless LAN, the remote conference terminal 200 and the management server 160 establish communication.
S5: The wireless terminal 124 transmits the position information and its identification information to the communication device 106 using the network 180.
S6: The communication device 106 transmits the position information and the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 to the management server 160.
S7: The device management unit 164 of the management server 160 registers the identification information and the position information in the device registration table 165 in association with each other.
S8: The remote conference terminal 200 transmits the identification information and bandwidth control parameter request of the remote conference terminal 200 to the management server 160.
S9: The bandwidth management unit 161 of the management server 160 reads bandwidth control parameters suitable for the installation location of the remote conference terminal 200. That is, the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 associated with the identification information of the remote conference terminal 200 is specified from the correspondence table 166. Next, the position information of the remote conference terminal 200 associated with the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 is specified from the device registration table 165. Next, the bandwidth control parameter associated with the position information is read from the bandwidth management DB 162.
S10: The bandwidth management unit 161 transmits the read bandwidth control parameter to the remote conference terminal 200.
S11: The remote conference terminal 200 compresses the audio / video data with the received bandwidth control parameter and transmits it to the remote conference terminal 200 of the other party.

  Also in this embodiment, the bandwidth control parameter can be registered in the management server 160 from the video projection device.

  FIG. 21 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedure in which the remote conference terminal 200 registers bandwidth control parameters in the management server 160. In FIG. 21, the operation of the remote conference terminal 200 on the other party side of the conference is omitted, but registration can be similarly performed.

The procedure from S1 to S7 is the same as that in FIG. After S7, the remote conference terminal 200 requests a bandwidth control parameter, but the illustration is omitted.
S8: The user operates the operation unit to adjust the band control parameter.
S9: The video projector 200 transmits the identification information of the video projector and the band control parameter to the management server 160 together with the registration request.
S10: The parameter registration unit 163 of the management server 160 registers the bandwidth control parameter in the bandwidth management DB 162 in association with the position information. That is, the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 associated with the identification information of the video projection device is specified from the correspondence table 166. Next, the position information associated with the identification information of the wireless terminal 124 is specified from the device registration table 165, and the band control parameter is registered in association with the position information.

  Further, instead of registering the bandwidth control parameter in the management server 160, the bandwidth control parameter may be registered in the video projection apparatus that is the device itself. In this case, the video projection apparatus transmits only the identification information of the remote conference terminal 200 to the management server 160 and receives position information from the management server 160 in S9. Then, the band control parameter is registered in association with the position information.

  Even when the bandwidth control parameter is read after registration in the video projection device, the video projection device transmits only the identification information of the remote conference terminal 200 to the management server 160 and receives the position information from the management server 160. Then, the bandwidth control parameter stored in association with the position information is read. By recording in the own device, the processing load of the management server 160 can be reduced.

  Since the remote conference terminal 200 according to the present embodiment compresses audio / video data with a preferable bandwidth control parameter depending on the location of the conference room or the like as in the first embodiment, the bandwidth suitable for the attribute of the conference room or the user of the conference room Can be secured. Since the wireless terminal 124 and the remote conference terminal 200 do not communicate with each other, the wireless terminal I / F 220 is not required and the cost can be reduced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Location information management system 100,102,104,106 Communication apparatus 120,122,124, Wireless terminal 160 Management server 161 Band management part 162 Band management DB
163 Parameter registration unit 164 Device management unit 165 Device registration table 166 Correspondence table 200 Remote conference terminal

JP 2011-41153 A

Claims (10)

Photographing means for photographing an image;
Voice input means for inputting voice;
Compression means for compressing at least one of image data and audio data according to a compression parameter;
Position information acquisition means for acquiring position information of the device;
Compression parameter acquisition means for acquiring the compression parameter associated with the position information acquired by the position information acquisition means;
Communication means for transmitting image data and audio data compressed by the compression means to a communication partner, and receiving image data and sound data from the communication partner;
Output means for outputting image data and audio data received by the communication means;
A conference terminal characterized by comprising: The position information acquisition means is a detachable wireless communication means for receiving the position information from an indoor communication device,
The compression parameter acquisition means transmits the position information to the external device that stores the compression parameter in association with the position information, so that the wireless communication means receives the compression received from the external device. Get parameters,
The conference terminal according to claim 1. The position information acquisition unit receives the position information from an indoor communication device, and stores the position information and identification information of the position information acquisition unit in an external device that stores the position information in association with the compression parameter. A detachable wireless communication means for transmitting,
Communication means for communicating with the position information acquisition means and receiving the position information;
The compression parameter acquisition means transmits the location information to the external device via a network and receives the compression parameter associated with the location information from the external device.
The conference terminal according to claim 1. The position information acquisition unit receives the position information from an indoor communication device, and stores the position information and identification information of the position information acquisition unit in an external device that stores the position information in association with the compression parameter. A detachable wireless communication means for transmitting,
Identification information storage means for storing identification information of the position information acquisition means,
The compression parameter acquisition means transmits the identification information of the position information acquisition means to the external device via a network, and corresponds to the position information specified by the identification information of the position information acquisition means in the external device. Receiving the compression parameter attached from the external device,
The conference terminal according to claim 1. The position information acquisition means receives the position information from an indoor communication device, stores the position information and identification information of the position information acquisition means in association with the position information and the compression parameter, and Removable wireless communication means for transmitting to the external device that stores the identification information of the position information acquisition means and the identification information of the conference terminal in association with each other,
Identification information storage means for storing identification information of the conference terminal,
The compression parameter acquisition means transmits identification information of the conference terminal to the external device via the network, and is associated with the position information specified by the identification information of the conference terminal in the external device. Receiving the compression parameter from the external device;
The conference terminal according to claim 1.   The conference terminal according to claim 1, wherein the compression parameter defines one or more of a size of image data, a number of color components, or a compression rate.   The conference terminal according to claim 6, wherein the compression parameter further defines an operating range of the camera. The compression parameter is stored in the device in association with the position information,
The conference terminal according to claim 1, wherein the compression parameter acquisition unit reads the compression parameter from its own apparatus based on the position information.   The conference terminal according to claim 1, wherein the compression parameter is associated with the position information and user identification information for identifying a user. A conference system in which a conference terminal and a server can communicate via a network,
The conference terminal
Photographing means for photographing an image;
Voice input means for inputting voice;
Compression means for compressing at least one of image data and audio data according to a compression parameter;
Position information acquisition means for acquiring position information of the device;
Compression parameter acquisition means for acquiring the compression parameter associated with the position information acquired by the position information acquisition means;
Communication means for transmitting image data and audio data compressed by the compression means to a communication partner, and receiving image data and sound data from the communication partner;
Output means for outputting image data and audio data received by the communication means,
The server
A conference system, wherein the position information and the compression parameter are stored in association with each other.

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