JP2017220131A - Information processing system, information processing device, and control method and program thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mechanism for allowing each terminal to share a necessary image by facilitating the selection of a display image to be shared by a plurality of terminals.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM: An information processing device for allowing a designated display image to be shared by a plurality of client terminals specifies an active window, designates an image of the active window as a display image, determines the designated image of the active window when the display image is designated, and determines the image as a display image to be shared by the plurality of client terminals, and causes the plurality of client terminals to share the image of the active window determined as the display image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program.

  Conventionally, in a web conference system, devices having functions such as a camera, a microphone, and a speaker are connected to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer or a tablet terminal, and video and audio input from each device are transmitted between a plurality of bases. Sending and receiving.

  In a remote desktop such as Virtual Network Computing (VNC), screens of other computers connected via a network are shared and operated from a local computer. In addition, one of the user terminals participating in the web conference becomes a host terminal, and the entire desktop of the host terminal or an image of a specific application is shared with a guest terminal that is a user terminal of another participating user. (For example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-192036 A JP 2013-029922 A

  Patent Document 2 describes that a list of application windows is displayed and an application screen selected from the list is shared among a plurality of terminals. However, each time screen sharing is started, it is troublesome to display an application window list screen, select an application window to be shared, and start sharing. On the other hand, when sharing the desktop screen, the images of all windows displayed on the desktop screen are shared, so there is an effect of omitting the trouble of such application window list display and selection from the list. It will share even unnecessary information displayed on the screen that is not necessary for the conference.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism that facilitates selection of a display image shared by a plurality of terminals and allows each terminal to share a necessary image.

  The present invention is an information processing apparatus including a sharing unit that allows a plurality of client terminals to share a specified display image, and a specifying unit that specifies an active window, and a specifying unit that specifies an image of an active window as the display image And, when the display image is designated by the designation means, a determination means for determining a display image that is an image of the designated active window as a display image shared by the sharing means, The sharing means causes the plurality of client terminals to share a display image that is an image of the active window determined by the determining means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily select a display image shared by a plurality of terminals and to provide a mechanism that allows each terminal to share a necessary image.

It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the information processing system in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the hardware constitutions of various apparatuses in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a function structure of the various apparatuses in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the meeting image transmission process in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the display image sharing process in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the change process of the display image to share in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the various data structure in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of a conference screen and an application window list | wrist in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the display screen of each terminal accompanying the change of the active window in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the display screen of each terminal according to the 1st Embodiment of this invention according to the sharing of a display image according to permission / non-permission. It is a figure which shows an example of a structure of the display screen of a host terminal accompanying the change of the active window by starting of an application in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the various data structure in other embodiment of this invention.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, a display image to be shared with other terminals participating in a web conference among display images on the screen (for example, an image of the application window) according to an application window displayed on the desktop screen. A mechanism for easily determining and sharing will be described.

  In addition, by maximizing the application window that has been minimized on the desktop screen due to, for example, an erroneous operation by the host user or a remote operation by the guest user, multiple images of the application window that the host user does not intend to share the display are displayed. You need to avoid sharing it on your device.

  Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, according to the application window displayed on the desktop screen, among the display images on the screen, easily determine the display image to be shared with other terminals participating in the web conference, In addition, a method for permitting or not permitting sharing of the display image will be described.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment>
First, an example of the configuration of the information processing system in the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  The web conference system of the present invention includes, for example, a client terminal 100 (100H, 100G1, 100G2) that is an information processing apparatus to which a personal computer can be applied, and a web conference server 200 (server) that enables the use of the web conference system at each client terminal. Device (one of information processing devices)) is communicably connected via the network 150.

  The web conference server 200 is a server for realizing a web conference using a web browser, and in response to an access from the client terminal 100, a conference of a user with a user ID that has received an input at each client terminal 100 participates. A web conference screen (interface / information for displaying a screen expressed in html, for example), which is a screen, is transmitted to each client terminal 100 and displayed. By providing the conference screen (providing a conference image and a display image to be displayed on the conference screen), a service for performing a web conference by a plurality of client terminals 100 is provided.

  The conference image here is an image captured by the camera of each client terminal 100 (for example, the camera 101 in FIG. 1) to which the user ID of the user participating in the conference is input and transmitted to the web conference server 200. A captured image, for example, an image of the user's own face. Further, the display image here is an image that is transmitted from the client terminal 100 to the web conference server 200 and is shared through the input unit of the client terminal 100 according to a user operation.

  The display image is an image displayed on the display screen of the client terminal 100 that is determined to be shared with other client terminals 100 by accepting designation by a user operation at the client terminal 100, for example. The display image is, for example, a desktop image displayed on the desktop screen of the client terminal 100. Alternatively, it is an image of an application window displayed on the desktop, which has been designated by the user. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the operation for activating or displaying the application window in the foreground on the desktop screen is an operation for designating a display image to be shared with each terminal from the user. The display image is transmitted to the web conference server 200 from the client terminal 100 (the host terminal that is the display image sharing source) that is the host of the sharing process, and is participating in the same conference as the host terminal from the web conference server 200. It is transmitted to another client terminal (a guest terminal that is a terminal to which a display image is shared).

  The client terminal 100 is, for example, a desktop PC as indicated by 100H, a notebook PC such as 100G1, or a tablet PC such as 100G2. The client terminal 100 displays the image, video (conference image), and display image received from the web conference server 200 on the conference screen received from the web conference server 200.

  In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a web browser for accessing the web conference server 200 and a dedicated module are installed in the client terminal 100. Note that this dedicated module is an ActiveX component that is downloaded from the web conference server 200 via a web browser, for example. When transmitting a moving image of itself in a web conference, a camera 101 (such as a web camera) that is a video device is connected. When transmitting voice, the microphone 102 is connected, and the speaker 103 is connected to view the other party's voice. The microphone 102 and the speaker 103 are audio devices.

  Further, in FIG. 1, each device is illustrated as a separate housing. However, for example, devices in which 101 to 103 are provided in hardware of the same housing may be used. For example, a device having a camera function and a microphone function, a microphone function and a speaker function, and all functions. Further, when the devices 101 to 103 are incorporated in the client terminal 100, images, sounds, and the like may be input / output using these incorporated devices.

  In the web conference system of the present embodiment, the screen image (display image) displayed on the client terminal 100 (example: client terminal 100H) is displayed on the screen of another client terminal 100 (example: client terminals 100G1, 100G2, etc.). Display and screen sharing (display image display sharing processing) can be performed. A display image to be shared can be designated on the client terminal 100. For example, only an application screen (window image) designated by a user operation can be shared as a display image (application sharing). In addition, by accepting designation of the desktop screen displayed on the client terminal 100, the entire desktop image can be shared as a display image (desktop sharing). In addition, by specifying the client terminal 100 (or by accepting an operation for displaying an image captured by the camera of the own apparatus in full screen), the image captured by the camera can be shared as a display image. The client terminal 100 that is the display image sharing source that started sharing the display image is a host terminal, and the other client terminal 100 that is the display image sharing destination is a guest terminal.

  The web conference system can generate, store, and manage a plurality of virtual conference rooms called rooms in the web conference server 200. A user who operates each client terminal 100 accesses and logs into the web conference server 200 via a web browser using his / her user ID / password, and enters the room using his / her user ID. Participate in conferences held in the room. The above is the description of FIG.

  Hereinafter, an example of the hardware configuration of the web conference server and the client terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 201 denotes a CPU that comprehensively controls each device and controller connected to the system bus 204. Further, the ROM 202 or the external memory 211 is necessary to realize a BIOS (Basic Input / Output System) or an operating system program (hereinafter referred to as an OS), which is a control program of the CPU 201, or a function executed by each server or each PC. Various programs to be described later are stored.

  A RAM 203 functions as a main memory, work area, and the like for the CPU 201. The CPU 201 implements various operations by loading a program or the like necessary for execution of processing from the ROM 202 or the external memory 211 into the RAM 203 and executing the loaded program.

  An input controller 205 controls input from an input device 209 such as a keyboard (KB), a pointing device such as a mouse (not shown), a touch panel, or a camera.

  A video controller 206 controls display on a display device (external output device) such as the display device 210 (for example, a CRT display). Note that the display device shown in the display device 210 is not limited to a CRT display, but may be another display device such as a liquid crystal display or a multi-touch screen. Also, an external output device such as a projector may be used.

  Note that the video controller 206 can control a video memory (VRAM) for display control, and a part of the RAM 203 can be used as a video memory area, or a dedicated video memory can be provided separately. Is possible. In the present embodiment, each client terminal 100 displays the first video memory area used for display when the client terminal 100 is normal and the display of the first video memory area when a predetermined screen is displayed. It has a second video memory area that is used for another display superimposed on the content. The number of video memory areas is not limited to two, and a plurality of video memory areas can be provided as long as the resources of the information processing apparatus permit.

  An audio input / output controller 212 controls input / output from the microphone / speaker 213 (102 and 103 in FIG. 1). The voice input from the microphone can be recognized. An earphone can be connected to the speaker.

  A memory controller 207 is connected to the hard disk (HD), flexible disk (FD), or PCMCIA card slot for storing a boot program, various applications, font data, user files, editing files, various data, etc. via an adapter. The access to the external memory 211 such as a compact flash (registered trademark) memory is controlled.

  A communication I / F controller 208 is connected to and communicates with an external device via a network (for example, the network 150 (for example, LAN) shown in FIG. 1), and executes communication control processing in the network. . For example, communication using TCP / IP, communication using a telephone line such as ISDN, and a 3G line of a mobile phone are possible.

  Note that the CPU 201 enables display on the CRT 210 by executing outline font rasterization processing on a display information area in the RAM 203, for example. Further, the CPU 201 enables a user instruction with a mouse cursor (not shown) displayed on the display device 210.

  Further, the storage device (storage medium) for permanently storing information such as the external memory 211 is not limited to a storage device such as a hard disk. For example, a medium such as SSD (Solid State Drive) may be used.

  Various programs to be described later for realizing the present invention are recorded in the external memory 211 and executed by the CPU 201 by being loaded into the RAM 203 as necessary. Furthermore, definition files and various information tables used when executing the program are also stored in the external memory 211, and a detailed description thereof will be described later. The above is the description of FIG.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 3, an example of a functional configuration of various apparatuses in the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  The client terminal 100 includes an image storage unit 311, a transmission control unit 312, a permission information storage unit 313, an active window change instruction reception unit 314, a transmission stop control unit 315, a selection screen display control unit 316, a display control unit 317, and the like. Yes.

  The web conference server 200 includes a conference information storage unit 321, a reception control unit 322, an image storage unit 323, a transmission control unit 324, and the like.

  The conference information storage unit 321 is a storage unit that stores which user has entered which conference room and is having a meeting with which user.

  The transmission control unit 312 displays an image (video) captured and input by a camera, or a display image (image of the entire desktop or a screen of a specified application) designated as an image to share the display by a user operation or the like. It is a transmission control part which controls transmission. The transmitted image is received by the reception control unit 322 of the web conference server 200 and stored in the image storage unit 323 (queue) on the memory.

  The image storage unit 311 is a storage unit (queue) that stores the same image as the image transmitted by the transmission control unit 312. The queue includes a queue for a captured image (conference image) captured by the imaging device of the client terminal 100 and a queue for a display image (such as an image on the desktop screen of the client terminal 100) designated by a user operation.

  The captured images are sequentially stored in the captured image queue. Since the camera continuously performs image capturing processing (moving image capturing and inputting moving image to the client terminal 100), a plurality of images constituting the moving image are sequentially stored in the queue for each frame in the moving image. . The display image queue is stored for each predetermined time in the display image queue. For example, the desktop images displayed on the desktop screen of the client terminal 100 are sequentially stored every 0.2 seconds. Each stored display image is, for example, one frame of a moving image that is played back by connecting desktop images.

  The reception control unit 322 is a reception unit that receives a conference image (video), a display image, and audio transmitted from the transmission control unit 312 of the client terminal 100. The transmission control unit 324 participates in the same conference (images that are entered in the same conference room) with the image, display image, audio, and the like received by the reception control unit 322. It is a control part which transmits to make another client terminal 100 receive.

  In the present embodiment, each client terminal 100 makes an image acquisition request from the image storage unit 323 to the web conference server 200, so that the transmission control unit 324 of the web conference server 200 responds to the request. Assume that the latest image in the queue at the time of receiving the request is transmitted to the requesting client terminal 100. After receiving the requested image, the client terminal 100 displays the received image (one frame in the moving image) on the display screen. In parallel with the display, the web conference server 200 is requested for the next image in the moving image. The request and display of the image are repeated until the display of the moving image ends, such as when the conference ends.

  The transmission control unit 324 is a control unit that transmits a conference image or a display image stored in the image storage unit 323 to the requesting client terminal 100 in response to a request from each client terminal 100.

  The active window change instruction accepting unit 314 is an accepting unit that accepts an active window change instruction by a user operation or the like. The change instruction of the active window is, for example, a mouse click operation (an operation for displaying in the foreground of the desktop screen) for a window different from the application window currently displayed in the foreground on the desktop screen. For example, when it is detected that the OS has issued an event indicating that an operation for changing the active window has been received, it is determined that an instruction to change the active window has been received.

  The transmission stop control unit 315 is a control unit that temporarily stops transmission (sharing) of the image (display image) of the changed active window to the web conference server 200 when an instruction to change the active window is received.

  When the selection screen display control unit 316 receives an instruction to change the active window, the selection screen display control unit 316 shares the image of the application window that has received the newly activated instruction with other client terminals 100 participating in the same conference. It is a processing unit that performs display control of a selection screen (a designation screen that is designated by the user) that allows the user to select whether or not (whether sharing is permitted or not).

  The permission information storage unit 313 is a storage unit that stores identification information of application windows that have been selected to permit sharing, application windows that have not been permitted, and application windows that have not been permitted on the selection screen.

  The display control unit 317 displays an image (video / moving image) input from the camera, an image of the entire desktop designated as an image shared among a plurality of client terminals, or an image of a screen displayed on the designated application window. It is a control part which displays on a display screen. Also, it receives the image (conference image or display image) transmitted by the transmission control unit 324, stores the received image in the queue for received images (image storage unit 311) in the memory, and stores the queue in the memory. Images are sequentially acquired from the images, displayed on the display screen continuously, and reproduced and displayed as moving images. The above is the description of FIG.

  Next, the flow of image transmission processing in the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In order to enjoy the web conference service provided by the web conference server 200, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 accesses a predetermined URL according to a user operation on the browser software and displays a login screen (not shown). Then, the user ID and password are received on the login screen, and the login request to the web conference server 200 is transmitted by accepting the “login” button being pressed (step S401).

  The CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 accepts the login request (step S402), and compares it with user information (user ID and password / illustrated in 700 of FIG. 7) stored in advance in the external memory of the own device (step S402). Login process). When authentication is successful (when login to the web conference server 200 using the received user ID is successful), screen information (for example, html information) of a menu screen (not shown) is generated and transmitted to the client terminal 100. (Step S403).

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 receives the screen information and displays a menu screen (not shown) on the display screen based on the received screen information (step S404). The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 accepts a selection operation of a room to be entered by the login user in a room (room identification information) (not shown) included in the menu screen (step S405). By accepting the pressing of the “enter room” button shown in the figure, a request to enter the selected room is transmitted to the web conference server 200 (step S406).

  In response to the room entry request, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 receives the user ID of the logged-in user who is logged in at the client terminal 100 that accepted the room entry operation, the room identification information (room ID), and the client terminal 100 identification information ( The request is transmitted to the web conference server 200, including information such as the IP address), the terminal type of the client terminal 100, and the communication method. The terminal type is information for identifying, for example, whether the client terminal 100 itself is a PC (desktop PC, notebook PC) or a mobile terminal (eg, tablet PC, mobile phone). If the device itself is a PC, the value of terminal type = pc is transmitted, and if the device itself is a mobile terminal, the value of terminal type = mobile is transmitted. Each client terminal 100 holds and stores in advance a terminal type information of its own device in a storage area such as an external memory of its own device, acquires that information, and embeds it in the request. The communication method is identification information of a communication method indicating how the client terminal 100 itself communicates with the web conference server 200. For example, in the case of communication using a wired LAN, communication method = wire-line, and in the case of wireless communication, communication method = wireless. The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 obtains information on the communication method by inquiring of a communication method used by the own device for communication with the external device from a function unit (for example, a communication / IF controller) that manages the communication of the own device. To do. Then, it is embedded in the room entry request and transmitted to the web conference server 200.

  Here, it is assumed that the web conference server 200 acquires the room ID of the room for which the entry request and the room entry request have been made by including the room whose selection has been received by the client terminal 100 in the room entry request. When the selection operation is accepted, the ID of the room is transmitted to the web conference server 200 as the ID of the room being selected, and the web conference server 200 accepts this, and the selection is received by accepting the press of the “room entry” button. May be requested to enter a user who is logged in at the client terminal 100, and the web conference server 200 may accept the room.

  When the CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 accepts the room entry request (step S407), the CPU 201 executes a room entry process for allowing the user to enter the requested room (conference room) (step S408).

  Here, in the room entry process, which user is registered and stored in which conference in which conference room, which terminal of which terminal type, and which communication method is used to enter the room.

  Specifically, the user ID of the user who enters the room ID of the room entering the meeting room 711 of the meeting information 710 in FIG. 7 into the participant ID 713 is added. If there is no user entering the room (when entering an unattended room), a meeting ID for identifying the meeting is issued and inserted into the meeting ID 712 and stored. In the case of the second or subsequent person, the conference ID of the conference in which the user ID (participant) entering the room is participating (conference ID corresponding to the room being entered) is stored in the conference ID 712. Further, the terminal ID of the client terminal 100 included in the room entry request received in step S407 is inserted into the terminal ID 714. In the first embodiment, the received terminal type and communication method information is not stored. (In other embodiments described later, for example, the terminal type is inserted into the terminal type 1215 and the communication method is inserted into the communication method 1216 and stored.)

  When the room entry process is completed, the CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 displays screen information (for example, html information) of the conference screen for displaying the conference image captured by the camera of each client terminal 100 as indicated by 800 in FIG. It transmits to the client terminal 100 of the transmission source of the user ID of the user who entered the room (step S409).

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 receives the screen information of the conference screen, and displays the conference screen 800 based on the received screen information (step S410). Thereafter, until the conference ends (the conference end will be described later in step S424), the processes in steps S411 to S423 are executed and continued.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 receives an input of an image (video) from the camera 101 connected to the own device (or built in the own device), and an image (video / conference image) captured by the camera 101 Is acquired (step S411) and displayed on the conference screen (step S412). For example, an image captured by the camera of its own device is displayed in the display area 804 on the conference screen 800 in FIG. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 801 denotes a main display area for displaying a large image, and reference numerals 802, 803, and 804 denote sub display areas for displaying a small image. Reference numeral 805 denotes an “application sharing button” for displaying a list of display images (for example, images of application windows) shared with other client terminals 100 participating in the same conference.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 displays the input image (video) from the camera 101 on the conference screen, while performing the compression processing of the image (video) by the video codec, and sequentially processes the compressed image for each frame. Each of them is saved and stored in a queue on its own memory (step S413).

  An example of the queue is shown as a conference image queue 720 in FIG. The conference image queue 720 is an identification number (identification information) of each image, a sequence number 721 indicating the order of the images, and an item of an image 722 which is an image entity (image of one frame in image data / video). Consists of The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 assigns a sequence number to each frame image of the video acquired from the camera 101 in the order in which the image is acquired, and stores the sequence number in the conference image queue 720.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 sequentially transmits the images stored in the conference image queue 720 together with the sequence number to the web conference server 200 (step S414). That is, the information shown in the conference image queue 720 is transmitted to the web conference server 200.

  The CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 receives the image (compressed data) (step S415), and is a logged-in user at the client terminal 100 (terminal ID 714) that is the image transmission source and is stored in the memory of the own device. Are added to and stored in the conference image queue (the configuration is the same as that of the conference image queue 720) (step S416). The CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 generates a conference image queue for each user (for each user ID of the user who has entered the participant ID 713 in the conference room) when the user enters the conference room. And keep it in memory. In the conference image queue on the memory of the web conference server, the same information as the sequence number 721 and image 722 of the conference image queue 720 received from the client terminal 100 is stored in association with each other.

  In step S 417, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 transmits an acquisition request for an image of another conference participant (an image of the conference image queue of the user ID of another room participant who has entered the same room) to the web conference server 200. (Step S417). The request includes the user ID that is logging in to the web conference server 200 at the client terminal 100.

  The CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 accepts the acquisition request (step S418), and the user ID of the user who is entering the same room as the login user other than the login user at the requesting client terminal 100 (terminal ID 714), The conference information 710 is specified. And the image of the newest sequence number (the last number) is acquired among the images of the conference image queue of the other specified room occupants (step S419), and the acquired image captured by the camera of each client terminal 100 The (conference image) is transmitted to the requesting client terminal 100 together with the user ID corresponding to the image (step S420).

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 receives the image (compressed data) transmitted in step S420 (step S421), performs decompression processing by the video codec, restores the video (image), and displays it on the displayed conference screen. (Step S422). For example, in 800 of FIG. 8, the image (video) of User002 is assigned to the main display area 801, and the images (video) of User003 and User004 are assigned to sub-display areas such as 802 and 803. In addition, an image (video) of the user 001 who is the login user is assigned to 804. Assume that association information (information in which display area IDs are associated with user IDs) indicating which user's image is displayed in which display area is stored in the memory of the client terminal 100. The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 updates the display of each user's image (conference image) by displaying the received image in a display area corresponding to the user of each image, and reproduces / reproduces it as a moving image (video). indicate.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 determines whether the meeting is finished (step S423). For example, when the client terminal 100 receives an operation of pressing an “exit button” (not shown), it is determined that the conference for the logged-in user has ended. When the end time of using the room is stored in the web conference server, the CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 forcibly terminates the web conference when the end time is reached, and participates in the forcibly terminated conference. To the client terminal 100 of the user who has been. The CPU 201 of each client terminal 100 determines that the conference has ended when the notification of forced termination is received. When the web conference ends, the process of FIG. 4 ends, and when it continues, the process proceeds to step S411.

  When performing a web conference, there may actually be a plurality of client terminals 100, so the CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 executes steps S402 to S409 as many times as the number of client terminals 100 logged into the web conference server 200. Will be. In addition, the processes in steps S415 to S420 are executed as many as the number of client terminals 100 of users who participate in the web conference (enter the room). The above is the description of FIG.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the flow of display image transmission processing in the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  In the description of this embodiment, the active window (the application window displayed in the foreground on the desktop screen) is a display image designated to be shared with other client terminals participating in the same conference. Also, when an operation to activate the application window is accepted, an operation to select (designate) the image of the application window to be activated as a display image shared with other client terminals participating in the same conference is accepted. It shall be determined.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H receives a display image selection screen display instruction that permits sharing with other client terminals, or a display image specification and sharing instruction (step S501). For example, when the pressing of the “full screen” button on the conference screen of FIG. 8 is received, the image is captured by the camera 102 of the client terminal 100H that has received the pressing of the “full screen” button and is being transmitted to the web conference server 200. The conference image is determined as the display image, and it is determined that the display image sharing instruction has been accepted.

  Further, for example, an application window that allows display sharing with other client terminals as shown in a selection screen 811 in 810 in FIG. 8 by accepting pressing of the “application sharing” button 805 in the conference screen in FIG. It is determined that the display instruction of the selection screen to be selected (designated screen to be designated) has been received.

  In this embodiment, it is assumed that the client terminal 100H that is a display image sharing source (transmission source) is a host terminal, and the client terminals 100G1 and 100G2 that are sharing destinations (transmission destinations) are guest terminals. In step S501, it is assumed that the “application sharing” button 805 of the client terminal 100H is pressed.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H requests the OS (operating system) of its own device to list the windows of active applications (list of window IDs) by accepting the pressing of the “application sharing” button 805. In response to the request, a list of application windows running on the client terminal 100H is acquired from the OS and displayed in a selectable list on a selection screen 811 in FIG. Each window is given a unique window ID from the OS. The window ID is, for example, unique identification information indicating which window of which application. When the window ID = App001_win001, this indicates that the window is the window 001 of the application 001.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H accepts an operation for selecting an application window that permits sharing. On the selection screen 811, a plurality of application windows can be selected as windows for which sharing is permitted. A check mark is displayed in the check box of the application window that has accepted the selection operation so that the selection can be identified.

  811 in FIG. 8 indicates that application windows “application 001_window 001” and “application 002_window 001” are selected. When an operation of selecting “Desktop” is accepted, it is determined that the user desires to share the entire desktop image, and an application window other than “Desktop” is grayed out so that it cannot be selected. If any of the application windows other than “Desktop” is selected, it is determined that the user desires to share only the image of the specific application window, and the “Desktop” selection part cannot be selected. Is grayed out.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H receives the pressing of the “OK” button on the selection screen 811 to determine the application window being selected on the selection screen 811 as an application window that permits sharing (step S504), and permits sharing. Start sharing the application window image. In practice, among the application windows that are allowed to be shared, the image of the active window specified in step S507, which will be described later, is shared. Further, a list of application windows that are permitted to be shared and a list of application windows that are not determined to be permitted to be shared (unauthorized) are stored in the memory (step S505). For example, the permission information 740 in FIG. 7 is generated.

  The permission information 740 is information for storing which window ID 741 of the application window image sharing is permitted (browsing permission for a sharing destination user). In the application sharing permission 742 of the application window selected as permitting sharing on the selection screen 811, “permitted” (= a value indicating a state in which sharing of images to other client terminals is permitted) is stored. . In addition, the sharing permission 742 of the application window that has been activated but not selected / designated as the application window that permits sharing indicates “unauthorized” (= whether or not sharing is permitted). Value). Note that the timing at which “not permitted” (= a value indicating that sharing is not permitted) is stored will be described later.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H displays the desktop screen on the display screen (step S506), and is displayed in the foreground on the desktop among the application windows permitted to share (the window of sharing permission 742 = “permitted”). The window ID of the current application window (active window) is identified and acquired by inquiring of the OS, and stored in the memory (step S507). Specifically, a table like the active window 750 in FIG. 7 is created on the memory, and the ID of the active window is inserted and stored.

  For example, a desktop screen as indicated by 900 in FIG. 9 is displayed. In 900 of FIG. 9, two applications of application 001 (application ID = App001) and application 002 (application ID = App002) are already running. A window 902 of the application 001 (window ID = App001_win001) and a window 903 of the application 002 (window ID = App002_win001) are expanded and displayed. In 900 of FIG. 9, it is assumed that the window 902 is displayed as an active window.

  Note that the application 003 (application ID = App003) is activated, and the window (window ID = App003_win001) is minimized (906). Reference numerals 904 and 905 denote minimization instruction receiving units corresponding to the application 001 window and the application 002 window, respectively. The mouse cursor 907 is in a state where the cursor is set to 907 in order to develop the minimized application 003 on the screen.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H acquires an image of the active window screen (eg, the image of the window 902 in FIG. 9) indicated by the ID stored in the active window 750 from the VRAM (memory), and stores the image on a predetermined memory. The acquired display image 732 of the active window is associated with the sequence number 731 and stored in the image queue for display images (the queue generated on the memory of the client terminal 100H / the display image queue 730 in FIG. 7) and stored in the queue. The stored latest display image is acquired and transmitted to the web conference server 200 (step S508). In addition, the user ID being logged in at the client terminal 100 </ b> H is transmitted to the web conference server 200.

  After that, an application window changing process for sharing an image display shown in step S519 is executed. Details of the processing in step S519 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 receives the display image transmitted in step S508 (step S509). The CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 inputs a user ID of a user (eg, User002, User003) who is participating in the same conference as the user of the client terminal 100H (eg, User001) to start sharing the display image. The user ID is transmitted to another client terminal 100 (for example, 100G1, 100G2) used for logging in to the web conference server 200 (step S510). Here, the client terminal 100G1 will be described as an example. If the display image is already shared, the process of step S510 is skipped, and the process proceeds to step S511.

  The CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 generates and stores a display image (image of an active window in the host terminal) on its own memory and an image queue for display images (the same data as the display image queue 730) on the memory. (Step S511). Specifically, in addition to the display image for each frame and the sequence number indicating the frame of each display image, the user ID of the user of the client terminal 100H that is the transmission source of the display image, and the guest that has transmitted the display image The transmitted user who is the user of the terminal is stored.

  When the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100G1 receives the display image sharing start notification (step S512), the CPU 201 sends a display image acquisition request to the web conference server 200 in order to acquire the display image from the display image queue on the web conference server. Transmit (step S513). The display image acquisition request is continued until it is determined in step S520 described below that the display image sharing end operation has been performed and a sharing end notification is received from the web conference server 200.

  The CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 receives the display image acquisition request (step S514), and displays the display image of the latest sequence number (eg, last number) stored in the display image queue for the display image. It acquires (step S515) and transmits the display image to the requesting client terminal 100G1 (step S516). At this time, the display image to be transmitted is acquired from the display image queue corresponding to the login user of the display image request source (for example, the client terminal 100G1 in FIG. 5). Further, the image transmitted to the client terminal 100G1 is deleted from the display image queue.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100G1 receives the display image transmitted in step S516 (step S517), and, as shown by 920 in FIG. 9, the received display image (here, the image of the active window 902 on the desktop of the client terminal 100H) ) Is displayed in full screen. Similarly, the other client terminal 100 (for example, 100G2) makes a display image acquisition request, receives the display image, and displays it on the full screen (step S518).

  After step S519, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H determines in step S520 whether an operation for ending the display image sharing process started in step S504 has been received (step S520). For example, when the user presses down the “x” button 901 (“close” button) 900 in FIG. 9, it is determined that an operation to end display image sharing is received, and the end of display image sharing is determined. And the process of FIG. 5 is terminated. Further, when an operation for ending the sharing of the display image is accepted, the value of the permission information 740 on the memory is cleared (deleted). The CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 receives the notification of the termination, notifies the notification of the termination to the other client terminals 100, and the CPU 201 of the other client terminal 100 that has received the notification terminates the full-screen display of the display image. Then, a conference screen as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the display screen. If an operation for ending display image sharing has not been received, the process proceeds to step S507, and display image sharing is continued. The above is the description of FIG.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 7, the flow of a process for changing a shared display image in the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H starts monitoring the activation of application windows that are not stored in the permission information 740. Specifically, it monitors the expansion / maximization of minimized windows, the launching of unlaunched applications (new applications), the issuance of mouse clicks and key input operations on the currently displayed window. To detect. The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H detects a user operation event for the own device.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H determines whether an operation for a window different from the current active window (for example, the window 902 in 900) is received (step S602). That is, it is determined whether the event detected in step S601 indicates an operation to activate a window different from the current active window. More specifically, when an event of a mouse click or key input operation is issued from the OS to a window other than the current active window, and the event is detected, a window other than the current active window is activated to be activated. It is determined that an operation to be displayed on the front side has been received, and the process proceeds to step S605. Further, for example, the window ID of the application window that is specified from the character string of the event and has received the operation to be displayed on the foreground is stored in the memory. If the detected event is not an operation event for another window being displayed, the process proceeds to step S603.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 </ b> H determines whether the event detected in step S <b> 601 is a minimization cancellation (window expansion on the desktop screen) event of the minimized window (e.g., window 906 in 900) (step S <b> 603). That is, it is determined whether an operation for displaying the image in the foreground with the minimized window 906 active is accepted. If it is determined that the minimization cancellation event has been detected, the process proceeds to step S605. Further, for example, the window ID of the application window that is specified from the character string of the event and has received the operation for canceling the minimization is stored in the memory. If the detected event is not a minimization cancellation event, the process proceeds to step S604.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 </ b> H determines whether the event detected in step S <b> 601 is an activation operation event of an unstarted application (e.g., an activation operation of the application 003 in 1100 of FIG. 11) (step S <b> 604). For example, as shown in FIG. 11, it is determined whether or not a press of an icon 1101 of an unstarted application has been accepted (whether an instruction to activate the window of the application started by the pressing operation and display it in the foreground is accepted). If the event is a start operation event of an unstarted application, the process proceeds to step S605. Further, for example, the window ID of the application window that is specified from the character string of the event and accepts the activation operation is stored in the memory. If the event is not an activation operation of an unstarted application, the processing in FIG. 6 ends.

  In step S605, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H stops the display image transmission process to the web conference server 200 (step S605 / stops the latest image acquisition / transmission process from the display image queue 730). In step S606, the window ID of the application window (active window) displayed on the foreground on the desktop is inquired from the OS to be specified and acquired, and the active window 750 is overwritten and stored (step S606).

  That is, the display image (the image of the active window, that is, the image of the application window operated in step S602, or the application window after the cancellation of minimization that received the minimization cancellation operation in step S603) is displayed by the process of step S605. The transmission of the image or the image of the application window after the application newly started in step S604) to the web conference server 200 is temporarily stopped.

  When the transmission of the display image to the web conference server 200 is stopped, each guest terminal (for example, the client terminal 100G1) cannot receive or acquire the display image from the web conference server 200. Therefore, instead of the display image, FIG. A black screen as shown in 930 of FIG.

  Further, the CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 cannot receive a display image from the host terminal (eg, client terminal 100H) for a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) and cannot store images for 3 seconds continuously in the display image queue. If it is determined that the message has been received, a message screen including the message 931 is generated and stored as the latest image in the display image queue for each guest terminal, as indicated by 930 in FIG. The guest terminal acquires the image of the message screen from the display image queue for its own device on the web conference server 200 and displays it on the display screen. Note that the CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 holds the message screen image as the latest image in the display image queue without deleting it until a new display image is received from the host terminal even if it is transmitted to the guest terminal. . Therefore, the message screen shown at 930 is displayed on the guest terminal until the display image transmission from the host terminal is reunited.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H obtains the window ID of the application window whose image transmission has been stopped in step S605 from the active window 750 on the memory, compares it with the permission information 740, and the application window indicated by the window ID is It is determined whether the window is an unpermitted window for sharing an image to another terminal (step S607).

  If it is an unpermitted window, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H moves the process to step S608 and displays a permission confirmation screen as shown at 912 in 910 of FIG. 9 (step S608 / display confirmation screen). ). 911 in FIG. 9 shows the window 906 of the activated application 003.

  By displaying the permission confirmation screen, the user can be notified that an application window that is not permitted to share becomes active.

  In addition, the user can be notified that sharing of the image of the application window has been suspended.

  In the permission confirmation screen 912, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H determines whether an operation for permitting sharing of the image of the application window whose image transmission has been stopped in step S605 has been performed or an operation for disallowing sharing. (Step S609). Specifically, when the user presses the “Yes” button in 912, it is determined that the selection operation for permitting sharing of the application has been performed, and when the user presses the “No” button, the application It is determined that a selection operation has been performed that does not permit sharing but does not permit sharing.

  When it is determined that an operation for permitting sharing is accepted, another client terminal 100 of an application window (with an ID stored in the active window 750) activated by the operation in step S601, S602, or S603. In order to permit sharing, the sharing permission 742 of the window ID 741 of the permission information 740 is rewritten to “permitted” and stored / updated (step S610). Then, sharing of the image of the active window (transmission of the display image to the web conference server 200 / transmission of the display image to another client terminal 100 via the web conference server 200) is resumed (step S611). That is, the display image transmission stop is canceled.

  If the “No” button is pressed on the permission confirmation screen 912, the sharing permission 742 of the permission information 740 of the application window activated by the operation in step S601, S602, or S603 is “not permitted”. "And then stored / updated (step S612). Then, the permission confirmation screen is closed. That is, since sharing of the activated application window is not permitted, transmission of the image of the active window to the web conference server 200 is stopped until the application window permitted to be shared is activated. The message screen shown in 930 continues to be displayed on the guest terminal until the application window permitted to be shared becomes active.

  On the other hand, if a value other than “unpermitted” is already stored in the sharing permission 742 in step S607 (“permitted” or “not permitted” is inserted), the process proceeds to step S613.

  In step S613, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H has registered “permitted” or “not permitted” registered in the sharing permission 742 of the application window (window ID 741) of the image whose sharing has been stopped in step S605. (Step S613). That is, it is determined whether sharing of the image is permitted.

  If “permitted” is registered, the process proceeds to step S611. If “not permitted” is registered, the process of FIG. 6 is terminated. That is, while the application window is active, transmission of the display image to the web conference server is stopped. The above is the description of FIG.

  In the description of the above-described embodiment, transmission of a display image is once stopped in step S605, and when it is determined that sharing is permitted in step S613, transmission of the display image is resumed. However, even when an application window that is permitted to be shared is activated, image transmission of the window is temporarily suspended.

  In order to prevent the transmission of the display image from being interrupted, for example, immediately before step S605, an inquiry and identification of the active window to the OS and storage in the active window 750 are performed, and the window of the active window 750 (that is, step S602 or It is determined whether or not sharing of the image of the application window activated by the operation of S603 or S604 to the other terminal is permitted in the permission information 740, and sharing is not permitted (sharing permission 742 = “not yet” In the case of “permitted” or “non-permitted”), the process may be shifted to step S605. If sharing is permitted, the processing in FIG. 6 ends. After stopping the sharing of the display image in step S605, instead of step S606, it is determined whether sharing of the image of the application window whose transmission is stopped in step S605 is set as “not permitted” or “not permitted”. When the determination is made with reference to the permission information 740 and “not permitted” is set, the process proceeds to step S607, and when “not permitted” is set, the process of FIG. 6 ends. To do. Prior to step S605, for example, by determining the permission state of sharing of an application window that is activated by a user operation, it is possible to prevent suspension / interruption of transmission of an image of a window that is permitted to be shared. In addition, it is possible to confirm the sharing permission / non-permission of the display image that is not permitted to be shared and to stop sharing the image that is not permitted to be shared.

  Further, the window in which sharing is permitted and registered in step S611 and the window in which sharing is not permitted in step S612 may be displayed in an identifiable manner. Specifically, in step S611, the display position on the desktop screen of the window permitted to be shared is obtained by inquiring the OS, and “sharing permission” as indicated by the icon 1001 in 1000 of FIG. 10 is displayed on the window. Display an icon. When a window for which sharing is permitted is active, a screen as shown at 1020 in FIG. 10 is displayed on the screen of the guest terminal. Also, in step S612, the display position on the desktop screen of the window whose sharing is not permitted is obtained by inquiring the OS, and “sharing not permitted” as indicated by the icon 1011 in 1010 of FIG. 10 is displayed on the window. Display an icon. By the identification display using the icon, the user can confirm on the desktop screen the windows permitted to be shared and the windows not permitted to be shared. When a window that is not allowed to be shared is active, a screen such as 1031 shown at 1030 in FIG. 10 is displayed on the guest terminal screen. The screen of 1031 is distributed to the guest terminal by causing the CPU 201 of the host terminal to generate the image of the screen of 1031 and keep it as the latest image in the display image queue 730 of the next machine in step S612. Displayed on the screen.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to easily select a display image shared by a plurality of terminals, and to provide a mechanism that allows each terminal to share a necessary image.

  Further, at the second and subsequent display image selection / designation timings, it is possible to share the display image once permitted to be shared with each terminal without confirming whether or not sharing is permitted.

  Also, at the second and subsequent display image selection / designation timings, control is performed so as not to share the image of the application that is once unpermitted for sharing, by confirming whether or not to permit sharing. Can do.

  Also, after a while after minimizing the window, there is a case where what is contained in the minimized window is forgotten. In addition, when the operator of the host terminal changes to another person, it is not known what content is included in the minimized window. In other words, even if an application window is permitted to be shared once, it may be better to temporarily stop sharing the image each time it becomes active and confirm with the user whether the image in the window should be shared. Therefore, for example, the value of the sharing permission 742 of the permission information 740 is updated and stored as “not permitted” each time the application window having the window ID indicated by 741 becomes inactive (moves to the back of another window). It may be. Thus, each time an operation for activating an inactive window is accepted, image sharing can be temporarily stopped, and the user can confirm whether or not the image of the window should be shared.

  Further, even if the host terminal is an inactive window, the entire application window may be confirmed as indicated by reference numeral 903 in FIG. Regardless of what type of information the window contains, the user may choose to pause image sharing or confirm sharing permission / denial each time it is activated. This unnecessarily increases the user's effort. Therefore, for example, the value of the sharing permission 742 of the permission information 740 may be updated to “unpermitted” each time an event in which the application window with the window ID indicated by 741 is minimized is stored. As a result, when an operation for redisplaying the minimized window and reactivating it is accepted, the sharing of the image can be temporarily stopped, and the user can confirm whether the image of the window should be shared.

  <Second Embodiment>

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Note that description of processing that is common to the first embodiment is omitted. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of various data configurations in the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the second embodiment of the present invention, when a predetermined user is participating in a conference, it is easy to select a display image to be shared by a plurality of terminals, and a mechanism for sharing a necessary image with each terminal is provided. For the purpose.

  In the second embodiment, user information 1200 registered and stored with the authority ID 1201 associated with the user information 700 is stored in the external memory of the web conference server 200. Here, it is assumed that three authorities are prepared as indicated by 1202. These authority IDs and applications are stored in advance in the external memory of the client terminal 100H as shown in the authority correspondence information 1320 in FIG. 12 (stored in the external memory of the web conference server 200, and the web conference server 200 The client terminal 100 acquires and stores the information at the time of logging in.) 1251 is an application ID, and 1252 is an authority ID of a user who is recommended (permitted) to share the application indicated by the application ID 1251.

  In step S <b> 502 of FIG. 5, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 </ b> H transmits the active application list (application ID list) to the web conference server 200. In addition, in the application list, an application that is allowed to be shared by a user (user ID) who is logged in to the same conference as the logged-in user who is logged in to the web conference server 200 from the client terminal 100H, and sharing is permitted The web conference server 200 is inquired about the ID of the application that has not been executed.

  The CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 uses the ID of the application included in the received application list and the authority ID of the user (including the user of the client terminal 100H) participating in the same conference as the logged-in user of the client terminal 100H. Then, according to the inquiry, the application for which sharing is permitted and the ID of the application for which sharing is not permitted are specified, and a list in which the ID of each application is associated with whether sharing is possible is transmitted to the client terminal 100H.

  For example, the authority ID of User 002 participating in the conference is 2, and the authority ID of User 003 is 3, and according to FIG. Not. Sharing the image display of the application 003 is recommended only for the User001 with authority ID = 1. Therefore, the application 001 and the application 002 are applications that are allowed to be shared in a meeting in which the user of the client terminal 100H participates, and the application 003 is an application that is not allowed to be shared in a meeting in which the user of the client terminal 100H participates. Information indicating that is transmitted to the client terminal 100H.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 </ b> H receives the list and can select an application that is allowed to be shared, and grays out an application that is allowed to be shared and cannot be selected, and can select both applications. To display. In step S503, selection of an application that permits sharing is accepted, and in step S504, an application that permits sharing is determined. In step S505, a list of applications permitted to be shared is stored in the memory (for example, permission information 1240 in FIG. 12 is stored / shared permission 1242 corresponding to the application ID 1241 determined to be permitted to share is “permitted”. Is stored in the sharing permission 1242 corresponding to the application ID 1241 grayed out as an application whose sharing is not permitted, and is stored in the sharing permission 1242 corresponding to the application ID 1241 that is not selected as the permitted application. Remembers "unauthorized"). In step S507, the active window is identified from the windows of the application permitted to be shared, stored in the display image queue, and transmitted to the web conference server. Thereafter, the processes of steps S509 to S518 are executed.

  Further, in step S607 of FIG. 6, it is determined with reference to the permission information 1240 whether or not the application of the active window is an application that is not permitted to share. If not permitted, the process proceeds to step S608. If it is permitted or not permitted, the process proceeds to step S613. In step S613, it is determined whether sharing of the active window application is permitted or not permitted. If not permitted, the process of FIG. 6 is terminated, and if permitted, the process proceeds to step S611. After executing the process of step S608, if it is determined in step S609 that an operation for permitting sharing has been performed, the process proceeds to step S610. If it is determined that an operation for disallowing sharing has been performed, the process proceeds to step S612. In step S610, the sharing permission 1242 (in the permission information 1240) corresponding to the application ID of the active window is updated to “permitted” and stored, and the process proceeds to step S611. In step S611, the sharing permission 1242 corresponding to the application ID of the active window is updated to “not permitted” and stored, and the process of FIG. 6 ends.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, when a user with a predetermined authority participates in a conference, an unauthorized image is unintentionally shared on a shared image. Can be prevented.

  <Third Embodiment>

  In the third embodiment, there is provided a mechanism for preventing an unauthorized display image from being unintentionally shared according to the type (type) of a user terminal participating in the conference. The description of each common process described above is omitted.

  The web conference server 200 inserts and stores the terminal type and communication method information requested to enter the room included in the request received in step S407 into the terminal type 1215 and communication method 1216, respectively. Also, as indicated by 1260 in FIG. 12, the application ID 1261 and the terminal type 1262 for which sharing of the image display of the application indicated by the 1261 is recommended (allowed) are stored in advance in the external memory of the client terminal 100H. (The information is stored in the external memory of the web conference server 200, and the client terminal 100 acquires and stores the information when logging into the web conference server 200).

  In step S502 of FIG. 5, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H refers to the active application list (application ID list), the conference information 1210 1215 in the own device, and the terminal type correspondence information 1260 from the client terminal 100H. The ID of the application that is permitted to be shared and the application that is not allowed to be shared are specified for the user (user ID) who is logged in to the same conference as the logged-in user who is logged in to the web conference server 200. Specifically, it is determined whether the terminal of the user who is participating in the same conference as the client terminal 100H includes the client terminal 100 of the terminal type for which sharing of the image display of the application 003 is not recommended. For example, the client terminal 100G1 has a terminal type = mobile, and the client terminal 100G2 has a terminal type = pc. According to 1260 of FIG. 12, sharing of the image display of the application 003 is not recommended for the client terminal 100G1. Sharing the image display of the application 003 is recommended for the client terminal 100G2 with terminal type = pc. Therefore, the application 003 is specified as an application that is not permitted to be shared in the conference. In addition, according to the information of 1210 and 1260 of FIG. 12, the application 001 and the application 002 are specified as applications permitted to be shared in the conference.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H grays out the application permitted to be shared so that the application permitted to share can be selected, and displays both applications on the selection screen 811 so as to be identifiable. Since the processes in steps S503 to S518 are the same as those described in the second embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted. In step S505, a list of applications determined to be permitted to be shared in step S504 is stored in the memory as permission information 1240 (the sharing permission 1242 corresponding to the application ID 1241 determined to be permitted to be shared). Stores “permitted”, stores “not permitted” in the sharing permission 1242 corresponding to the application ID 1241 grayed out as an application whose sharing is not permitted, and shares corresponding to the application ID 1241 not selected as the permitted application “Unauthorized” is stored in the permission 1242).

  In FIG. 6, permission information 1240 stored in step S505 of the third embodiment (information that sharing is not permitted depending on the terminal type is stored, and whether sharing is permitted or not permitted by the user's selection operation is stored. The processing of step S607 and step S613 is executed by the method described above in the description of the second embodiment. The above is the description of the third embodiment.

  According to the third embodiment, it is possible to prevent an unauthorized image from being unintentionally shared on a shared image according to the terminal type of a user terminal participating in the conference. it can.

  <Fourth Embodiment>

  In the fourth embodiment, a mechanism is provided that prevents unauthorized sharing of unintended images according to the communication method of the terminals of users participating in the conference. The description of each common process described above is omitted.

  As shown by 1270 in FIG. 12, the application ID 1271 and the communication method 1272 of the terminal that is recommended (permitted) to share the image display of the application indicated by 1271 are stored in advance in the external memory of the client terminal 100H. (The information is stored in the external memory of the web conference server 200, and the client terminal 100 acquires and stores the information when logging into the web conference server 200).

  In step S502 of FIG. 5, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H refers to the active application list (application ID list), the conference information 1210 1215 in the own device, and the communication method correspondence information 1270 from the client terminal 100H. The ID of the application that is permitted to be shared and the application that is not allowed to be shared are specified for the user (user ID) who is logged in to the same conference as the logged-in user who is logged in to the web conference server 200. Specifically, it is determined whether the terminal of the user who is participating in the same conference as the client terminal 100H includes the client terminal 100 that communicates using a communication method for which sharing of the image display of the application 003 is not recommended. For example, the communication method of the client terminal 100G1 is wireless, and the communication method of the client terminal 100G2 is wire-line. According to 1270 of FIG. 12, sharing of the image display of the application 003 is not recommended for the client terminal 100G1. Sharing the image display of the application 003 is recommended for the client terminal 100G2 with the communication method 1272 = wire-line. Therefore, the application 003 is specified as an application that is not permitted to be shared in the conference. Note that, according to the information of 1210 and 1270 in FIG. 12, the application 001 and the application 002 are specified as applications permitted to be shared in the conference.

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H grays out the application permitted to be shared so that the application permitted to share can be selected, and displays both applications on the selection screen 811 so as to be identifiable. Since the processes in steps S503 to S518 are the same as those described in the second embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted. In step S505, a list of applications determined to be permitted to be shared in step S504 is stored in the memory as permission information 1240 (the sharing permission 1242 corresponding to the application ID 1241 determined to be permitted to be shared). Stores “permitted”, stores “not permitted” in the sharing permission 1242 corresponding to the application ID 1241 grayed out as an application whose sharing is not permitted, and shares corresponding to the application ID 1241 not selected as the permitted application “Unauthorized” is stored in the permission 1242).

  In FIG. 6, permission information 1240 stored in step S505 of the third embodiment (information that sharing is not permitted by the communication method is stored, and whether sharing is permitted or not permitted by the user's selection operation is stored. The processing of step S607 and step S613 is executed by the method described above in the description of the second embodiment. The above is the description of the fourth embodiment.

  According to the fourth embodiment, it is possible to prevent an undisplayed image from being unintentionally shared on an image being shared according to the communication method of the terminals of users participating in the conference. it can.

  <Fifth Embodiment>

  In the fifth embodiment, there is provided a mechanism for preventing an unauthorized image from being unintentionally shared according to a character string included in an image of an application window. The description of each common process described above is omitted.

  As shown at 1220 in FIG. 12, a character string 1221 and a sharing permission 1222 indicating whether to permit sharing of an image including the character string are stored in advance in the external memory of the client terminal 100H (web conference). The information is stored in the external memory of the server 200, and the client terminal 100 acquires and stores the information when logging into the web conference server 200). In addition, the image and text information of the file opened by the activated application (the activated application) are transmitted to the web conference server 200, and which character string 1231 is included in the file opened by which application 1232 the web conference server 200 is open. Application character string information 1230 for managing whether it is included is generated and held in the memory. The client terminal 100 requests and acquires the application character string information 1230 from the web conference server 200 and stores it in the memory.

  In step S502 of FIG. 5, the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H refers to the list of active application windows, the character string permission information 1220, and the application character string information 1230, and the windows permitted to be shared and the sharing are permitted. Identify unauthorized window IDs. Specifically, the ID of the window including the character string 1221 whose sharing permission 1222 is not permitted in the character string permission information 1220 is specified with reference to the application character string information 1230, and the application that is not permitted to share. Determine and identify as a window. Further, the ID of a window that does not include the character string 1221 for which the sharing permission 1222 is not permitted in the character string permission information 1220 is specified with reference to the application character string information 1230, and the application window that is permitted to be shared. Determine and identify as

  The CPU 201 of the client terminal 100H grays out the application permitted to be shared so that the application permitted to share can be selected, and displays both applications on the selection screen 811 so as to be identifiable. Since the processes in steps S503 to S518 are the same as those described in the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted. In step S505, a list of applications determined to be permitted to be shared in step S504 is stored in the memory as permission information 1240 (the sharing permission 1242 corresponding to the application ID 1241 determined to be permitted to be shared). Stores “permitted”, stores “not permitted” in the sharing permission 1242 corresponding to the application ID 1241 grayed out as an application whose sharing is not permitted, and shares corresponding to the application ID 1241 not selected as the permitted application “Unauthorized” is stored in the permission 1242).

  In FIG. 6, with reference to the character string 1231 of the file opened in the active window (eg, the window of the application 003 in FIG. 9) and the character string permission information 1220 immediately before step S606, the file is opened in the active window. It is determined whether or not the file is an application that opens a file including the character string of sharing permission 1322 = “not permitted”. When the file including the character string of sharing permission 1322 = “not permitted” is opened, the process of FIG. 6 ends. When a file including the character string of sharing permission 1322 = “not permitted” is not opened, the permission information 1240 is referred to determine whether the active window is a window in which sharing is not permitted or permitted. If sharing is permitted, the process proceeds to step S611. If sharing is not permitted, the process proceeds to step S608.

  According to the fifth embodiment, it is possible to prevent an unauthorized image from being unintentionally shared according to a character string included in an application image to be displayed on a shared image.

  For example, it is possible to prevent an image including a confidential character string from being unintentionally shared.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mechanism for facilitating selection of a display image shared by a plurality of terminals and sharing a necessary image with each terminal.

  Note that the inventions of the above-described embodiments can be freely combined and executed.

  Further, in the description of the above-described embodiment, when the CPU 201 of the client terminal 100 accepts an operation for changing the active window, the CPU 201 transmits the image (display image) of the application window that is newly activated to the server 200. Although it is assumed that sharing of an unnecessary image is prevented by pausing, for example, each client of the display image is sent to the server 200 without stopping transmission of the display image from the own device to the server 200. You may make it prevent sharing of an unnecessary image by instruct | indicating to stop the delivery to the terminal 100, and stopping a delivery. Specifically, the server 200 is instructed not to store the display image in the display image queue, and the CPU 201 of the server 200 that has received the instruction displays the display image received from the client terminal 100H as the host. By discarding the image without storing it in the image queue, the distribution of the display image is stopped.

  In addition, the present invention can be implemented as, for example, a system, apparatus, method, program, storage medium, or the like. Specifically, the present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices. You may apply to the apparatus which consists of one apparatus.

  Specifically, the web conference server 200 may execute the processes in steps S601 to S613 in FIG. 6 that have been executed by the host terminal (client terminal 100H). In this case, the event monitoring issued by the OS of the host terminal and various inquiries to the OS are inquired, detected and executed by the CPU 201 of the web conference server 200 communicating with the host terminal via the network 150. . 7 and 12 stored in the client terminal 100 is transmitted to the web conference server 200 each time the client terminal 100 acquires the data, and the web conference server 200 that receives the data receives the data in its own memory. Various data shall be stored.

  Note that the present invention includes a software program that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments directly or remotely from a system or apparatus. The present invention also includes a case where the system or the computer of the apparatus is achieved by reading and executing the supplied program code.

  Accordingly, since the functions of the present invention are implemented by computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. In other words, the present invention includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

  Examples of the recording medium for supplying the program include a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW. In addition, there are magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R), and the like.

  As another program supply method, a browser on a client computer is used to connect to an Internet home page. The computer program itself of the present invention or a compressed file including an automatic installation function can be downloaded from the homepage by downloading it to a recording medium such as a hard disk.

  It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer is also included in the present invention.

  In addition, the program of the present invention is encrypted, stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, distributed to users, and key information for decryption is downloaded from a homepage via the Internet to users who have cleared predetermined conditions. Let It is also possible to execute the encrypted program by using the downloaded key information and install the program on a computer.

  Further, the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the computer executing the read program. In addition, based on the instructions of the program, an OS or the like running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing, and the functions of the above-described embodiments can also be realized by the processing.

  Further, the program read from the recording medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. Thereafter, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing.

The above-described embodiments are merely examples of implementation in carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited thereto.
That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the technical idea or the main features thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Client terminal 100G1 Client terminal 100G2 Client terminal 101 Camera 102 Microphone 103 Speaker 150 Network 200 Web conference server

Claims (8)

An information processing apparatus comprising a sharing means for sharing a specified display image among a plurality of client terminals,
A specific means of identifying the active window;
Designation means for designating an image of an active window as the display image;
A determining unit that determines a display image that is an image of the specified active window as a display image shared by the sharing unit when the display image is specified by the specifying unit;
With
The information processing apparatus, wherein the sharing unit causes the plurality of client terminals to share a display image that is an image of the active window determined by the determining unit. The sharing stop means for stopping sharing by the sharing means of an image of a window newly activated by the operation when an operation for activating a window is received. Information processing device. A confirmation screen display means for displaying a confirmation screen for confirming whether or not sharing of the image of the activated window by the sharing means is accepted when an operation for activating the window is received;
With
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sharing unit shares, as the display image, an image of a window that is operated to allow sharing by the sharing unit on the confirmation screen. .   The sharing of the display image by the sharing unit is resumed when an operation for permitting sharing by the sharing unit of an image of a window that has received an operation to be activated is performed on the confirmation screen. Item 4. The information processing device according to Item 3. Permission information storage means for storing permission information including whether sharing by the sharing means is permitted or not for each window in accordance with the operation received on the confirmation screen;
With
The confirmation screen display means does not store, in the permission information storage means, information indicating permission or non-permission of sharing by the sharing means of an image of a window that has received an operation to be activated. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the confirmation screen is displayed when information indicating that sharing by the sharing unit is not permitted is stored. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus including a sharing unit that allows a plurality of client terminals to share a specified display image,
A specific step of identifying the active window;
A designation step of designating an image of an active window as the display image;
A determination step of determining, when the display image is specified in the specification step, a display image that is an image of the specified active window as a display image shared by the sharing unit;
Including
The method for controlling an information processing apparatus, wherein the sharing means causes a display image, which is an image of the active window determined in the determining step, to be shared by the plurality of client terminals. A program that can be executed by an information processing apparatus including a sharing unit that allows a plurality of client terminals to share a specified display image,
The information processing apparatus;
A specific means of identifying the active window;
Designation means for designating an image of an active window as the display image;
When the display image is designated by the designation unit, the display image that is the image of the designated active window is caused to function as a determination unit that determines the display image to be shared by the sharing unit,
The program for an information processing apparatus, wherein the sharing means causes a display image, which is an image of the active window determined by the determining means, to be shared by the plurality of client terminals. An information processing system including an information processing apparatus including a sharing unit that allows a plurality of client terminals to share a specified display image, and a conference server,
A specific means of identifying the active window;
Designation means for designating an image of an active window as the display image;
A determining unit that determines a display image that is an image of the specified active window as a display image shared by the sharing unit when the display image is specified by the specifying unit;
With
The information processing system characterized in that the sharing means causes the plurality of client terminals to share a display image that is an image of the active window determined by the determining means.

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