JP2018042268A - Communication device, method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication system, a communication device, and a program that improve visibility of an image displayed on a display device.SOLUTION: A communication device includes: arrangement information setting means that sets arrangement information specifying a display method of an image; and display control means that causes a plurality of display devices to display the image with reference to the arrangement information. The display control means causes a first display device to display captured images of its own site and another site, and causes a second display device to display an image provided by an image providing device in its own site or the other site.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication system that performs video and audio communication, and more particularly to a communication system, communication apparatus, and program that perform video and audio mutual communication between a plurality of sites.

  In recent years, with the spread of networks capable of high-speed data communication such as the Internet, video conferencing is being used in which video and audio are mutually distributed between a plurality of remote locations to hold a conference.

  As an embodiment of a communication system that realizes such a video conference, Patent Document 1 displays a captured image of another site on a display device of its own site, and a document image used in a conference or the like on the display device. Disclosed is a content distribution apparatus for display.

  However, since the content distribution apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 displays the captured image and the document image of another base on the same display device screen, when the display area of one image is enlarged, the display of the other image is displayed. There is a problem in that the area is reduced, and the visibility of these images is lowered.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a communication system, a communication device, and a program that improve the visibility of an image displayed on a display device.

  The communication apparatus of the present invention includes arrangement information setting means for setting arrangement information that defines an image display method, and display control means for displaying an image on a plurality of display devices with reference to the arrangement information. Displays the captured images of the local site and other sites on the first display device, and causes the second display device to display images provided by the image providing device of the local site or the other site.

  The communication device of the present invention can improve the visibility of the image displayed on the display device by adopting the above configuration.

The figure which shows one Embodiment of the communication system of this invention. The figure which shows one Embodiment of the hardware block diagram of the communication apparatus 10a. The figure which shows one Embodiment of the function structure of the communication apparatus 10a. The flowchart which shows the detection process of the display apparatus which the communication apparatus of this invention performs at the time of starting. The figure which shows one Embodiment of a display system and arrangement | positioning information table when 1 display apparatus of an electricity supply state is connected to the communication apparatus 10a. The figure which shows one Embodiment of a display system and arrangement | positioning information table when 2 display apparatuses of an energized state are connected to the communication apparatus 10a. The figure which shows one Embodiment of the screen of the display apparatus based on the screen allocation and arrangement | positioning information shown in FIG. The figure which shows another embodiment of a display system and arrangement | positioning information table when the display apparatus of 2 of an electricity supply state is connected to the communication apparatus 10a. The figure which shows one Embodiment of the screen of the display apparatus based on the screen allocation and arrangement | positioning information shown in FIG. The flowchart which shows the detection process of the display apparatus performed after the communication apparatus of this invention starts.

  Hereinafter, although this invention is demonstrated with embodiment, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned later.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a communication system of the present invention. The communication system 100 includes communication devices 10a to 10h, display devices 20a to 20h, 22a to 22h, image providing devices 30a to 30h, and a communication management device 40.

  The communication devices 10a to 10h communicate images and sound with each other's communication devices 10a to 10h, and display images on the display devices 20a to 20h and 22a to 22h connected to the communication devices 10a to 10h. It is a device that displays and outputs sound. The communication devices 10a to 10h transmit the image and sound of the local site to the communication management device 40 via the router 50 and the network 60. In addition, the communication devices 10a to 10h receive images of other bases from the communication management device 40, display images of their own bases and images of other bases on the display devices 20a to 20h and 22a to 22h, and receive voices of other bases. Output.

  In the present embodiment, the communication devices 10a to 10h output images to the display devices 20a to 20h and 22a to 22h by wired communication. However, in other embodiments, the communication devices 10a to 10h may output images to the display device by wireless communication. Good. In this embodiment, two display devices are connected to one communication device. However, in another embodiment, three or more display devices may be connected to one communication device. In still another embodiment, one or more display devices may be built in the communication device and may be compatible with dual display.

  The image providing devices 30a to 30h are devices that provide images to the connected communication devices 10a to 10h. The image providing devices 30a to 30h provide the communication devices 10a to 10h with images displayed on the display devices of the image providing devices 30a to 30h. The images provided by the image providing devices 30a to 30h include, for example, document images created using document creation software, spreadsheet software, presentation software, the desktop screens of the image providing devices 30a to 30h, and UIs of application programs. Various images such as (User Interface) are included. In FIG. 1, a desktop personal computer is described as being interconnected with communication devices 10a to 10h as image providing devices 30a to 30h. However, as the image providing devices 30a to 30h, in addition to a desktop PC, Notebook-type PCs, tablet PCs such as iPad (registered trademark), smart phones equipped with iPhone (registered trademark), Android (registered trademark), and the like can also be preferably used.

  The communication management device 40 is a device that manages data communication of the communication system 100. The communication management device 40 establishes a session of the communication devices 10a to 10h between a plurality of bases and relays images and sounds of the communication devices 10a to 10h.

  FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a hardware configuration diagram of the communication device 10a. Hereinafter, the hardware configuration of the communication device 10a will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the hardware configuration of the other communication devices 10b to 10h is the same as that of the communication device 10a, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  The communication device 10a includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 202, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 203, an SSD (Solid State Drive) 204, and a media drive 206. The These devices are connected via a data bus 209.

  The CPU 201 is a processor that controls the overall operation of the communication device 10a. The ROM 202 is a storage device that stores the program of the present invention. The RAM 203 is a storage device that provides an execution space for the program of the present invention. The communication device 10a includes an assembler, a C, a C ++, and a Java (registered) under the management of an OS such as a WINDOWS (registered trademark) series, a Mac (registered trademark) OS (Operating System), a UNIX (registered trademark), and a LINUX (registered trademark). Trademarks), JavaScript (registered trademark), PERL, RUBY, PYTHON, etc., the program of the present invention described in a program language is expanded in the RAM 203 and executed, thereby realizing each functional means described later on the communication device 10a. To do.

  The SSD 204 includes a flash memory that stores various data such as images and sounds, and a nonvolatile memory (not shown) such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM), and controls reading or writing of various data to the flash memory. . The media drive 206 is a device into which a recording medium 205 such as a flash memory can be inserted, and controls reading or writing of data with respect to the recording medium 205.

  Further, the communication device 10a includes an operation button 207, a power switch 208, a network interface (I / F) 210, an image sensor I / F 212, an audio input / output I / F 215, a display device I / F 216, and a display. A device I / F 217 and an external device I / F 218 are included. These devices are connected via a data bus 209.

  The operation button 207 is an input device for selecting a communication device at another site for establishing a session and performing various settings. The power switch 208 is a switch for switching ON / OFF of the power supply of the communication device 10a. The network I / F 210 is an interface that provides connection with the router 50 and performs data communication via the network 60.

  The image sensor I / F 212 is an interface for connecting a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 211 that captures an image of a subject and generates an image, and controls the CCD 211 to generate an image. In the present embodiment, a CCD is employed as the image sensor, but other image sensors such as CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) may be employed.

  The audio input / output I / F 215 is an interface for connecting the microphone 213 and the speaker 214, and inputs / outputs an audio signal between the microphone 213 and the speaker 214. The display device I / F 216 is an interface for connecting the display device 20a, and outputs an image to the display device 20a. The display device I / F 217 is an interface for connecting the display device 22a, and outputs an image to the display device 22a.

  The display devices 20a and 22a are display devices that display various images output from the communication device 10a. The external device I / F 218 is an interface for connecting the image providing device 30a, and receives an image from the image providing device 30a.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a functional configuration of the communication device 10a. Hereinafter, the functional configuration of the communication device 10a will be described with reference to FIG. The functional configurations of the other communication devices 10b to 10h are the same as those of the communication device 10a, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  The communication device 10a includes a control unit 300, a transmission / reception unit 302, an operation reception unit 304, and an imaging unit 306.

  The control unit 300 is a functional unit that performs overall control of processing executed by the communication device 10a. The control unit 300 executes various processes using functional means described later.

  The transmission / reception unit 302 is a functional unit that communicates with the communication management device 40 or the image providing device 30a, and is realized by the network I / F 210 and the external device I / F 218.

  The operation reception unit 304 is a functional unit that receives various operation instructions from the user. For example, when the user turns on the power switch 208, a power-on instruction is issued. When receiving the instruction, the operation reception unit 304 turns on the power of the communication device 10a. Further, when the user changes the display method of the display devices 20a to 20h and 22a to 22h by the operation button 207, an instruction to change the display method is issued. When the operation accepting unit 304 receives the instruction, the operation accepting unit 304 instructs the arrangement information setting unit 314 to display the display method specified by the user (such as “VIEW_MULTI” and “SHARED_MULTI”) and the setting information (hereinafter referred to as the display method of the display device). , “Display method setting information”). Note that the display method of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  The imaging unit 306 is a functional unit that images a subject and generates an image, and is realized by the CCD 211 and the imaging element I / F 212. The imaging unit 306 generates a captured image when the communication device 10a is activated.

  Further, the communication device 10a includes a memory control unit 308, a storage unit 310, an arrangement information setting unit 314, a display control unit 316, a display device detection unit 318, a voice input unit 320, and a voice output unit 322. Consists of including.

  The memory control unit 308 is means for controlling the storage unit 310. The memory control unit 308 stores various data in the storage unit 310 and reads out various data stored in the storage unit 310.

  The arrangement information setting unit 314 is a functional unit that sets arrangement information and display method setting information that define the display method of images displayed on the display devices 20a to 20h and 22a to 22h. The arrangement information setting unit 314 sets arrangement information in the arrangement information table 312 of the storage unit 310. Further, the arrangement information setting unit 314 stores the display method setting information in the storage unit 310.

  The display control unit 316 is a functional unit that controls the display devices 20a to 20h and 22a to 22h. The display control unit 316 uses the display method setting information stored in the storage unit 310 and the arrangement information registered in the arrangement information table 312 to specify an image to be displayed on the display device and to display a predetermined screen. According to the split, the image is displayed on the display devices 20a and 22a.

  The images displayed on the display devices 20a and 22a include an image captured by the imaging unit 306 of the communication device 10a to 10h at the local site or the remote site (hereinafter referred to as “captured image”), and the local site or the remote site. Images provided by the image providing devices 30a to 30h.

  The voice input unit 320 is a functional unit that detects a voice such as a user's speech and generates a voice signal. The voice input unit 320 converts the user's voice into a voice signal, measures the strength of the voice signal, and detects the user's speech when the strength is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. The audio output unit 322 is a functional unit that converts an audio signal into sound and outputs the sound.

  The display device detection unit 318 is means for detecting a display device in an energized state connected to the communication device 10a. The display device detection unit 318 detects the energization state of the display device connected to the display device I / F 216, 217 by a graphic driver that is a device driver of the display device, and counts the number of display devices in the energization state. In the present embodiment, the number of energized display devices is counted using an API function and graphic driver provided by the WINDOWS (registered trademark) OS.

  When the communication device 10a is powered on, the control unit 300 executes a display device detection process, which will be described later, and causes the imaging unit 306 to generate a captured image. When the image providing devices 30a to 30h are connected to the communication devices 10a to 10h, the control unit 300 displays a menu screen on the image providing devices 30a to 30h, thereby enabling image provision.

  The control unit 300 requests the communication management device 40 to establish a session with a communication device at another site in accordance with a user instruction. When the session is established, the control unit 300 transmits the captured image of the local site generated by the imaging unit 306 and the image provided by the image providing device 30a to the communication device of another site via the communication management device 40. In addition, when receiving an image from a communication device at another site, the control unit 300 displays the image on the display devices 20a and 22a. In addition, when the image providing devices 30a to 30h are connected to the communication devices 10a to 10h, when the user selects a sharing start button on the menu screen displayed on the image providing device, the image providing devices 30a to 30h. An image is acquired from 30h.

  When the control unit 300 detects the user's utterance, the control unit 300 adds information indicating that the user is speaking (hereinafter referred to as “utterance information”) to the captured image and transmits the information to the communication management device 40. When the control unit 300 receives a captured image to which utterance information is added from another base, the control unit 300 changes the arrangement information in the arrangement information table 312 so that the captured image is displayed in a predetermined display area of the display devices 20a and 22a. .

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing display device detection processing executed by the communication device of the present invention at startup. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 4, a display device detection process executed when the communication device 10a is powered on will be described.

  The process of FIG. 4 starts when the communication device 10a is turned on in step S400. In step S401, the display device detection unit 318 initializes a variable (ACTIVE) secured in the RAM 203 with zero. In step S402, the display device detection unit 318 counts the number of energized display devices among the display devices connected to the communication device 10a, and sets the number as a variable (ACTIVE). In step S403, the arrangement information setting unit 314 determines whether the value of the variable (ACTIVE) is zero. When the value of the variable (ACTIVE) is 0 (yes), the process returns to step S402. On the other hand, when the value of the variable (ACTIVE) is not 0 (no), the process branches to step S404.

  In step S404, the arrangement information setting unit 314 determines the variable (ACTIVE), and when the value of the variable (ACTIVE) is 1, that is, when the energized 1 display device is connected, the process is stepped. The process branches to S405. In step S405, the arrangement information setting unit 314 sets the arrangement information when one display device as shown in FIG. 5 is connected in the arrangement information table, and the process ends in step S407.

  On the other hand, when the value of the variable (ACTIVE) is 2, that is, when the energized 2 display device is connected, the process branches to step S406. In step S406, the arrangement information setting unit 314 sets the arrangement information when the two display devices as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 are connected to the arrangement information table, and the process ends in step S407.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a display method and an arrangement information table when one energized display device is connected to the communication device 10a. Hereinafter, the screen allocation 500 and the arrangement information table 502 of the display device when the energized one display device is connected to the communication device 10a will be described with reference to FIG.

  A screen layout 500 indicates a screen layout of a display device connected to the communication device 10a. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the display area of the display device is divided into four, and the area of the display area 1 is larger than the areas of the other display areas 2 to 4.

  In the arrangement information table 502, as arrangement information when one energized display device is connected to the communication device 10a, the display method of the image displayed on the display device and the display area of the display device are displayed. The image identification information is registered in association with each other.

  There are “VIEW_MULTI” and “SHARED_MULTI” as display methods of this embodiment. “VIEW_MULTI” indicates a method in which the communication devices 10a to 10h display captured images of the local site and other sites. “SHARED_MULTI” indicates a method for displaying images provided by the image providing devices 30a to 30h in addition to the captured images of the local site and the remote site. In the present embodiment, these display methods are designated by the user and stored in the storage unit 310 as display method setting information.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, when the display method is “VIEW_MULTI”, the captured image of the other base is displayed in the display area 1, and the captured image of the own base is displayed in the display area 2. When the display method is “SHARED_MULTI”, the document image is displayed in the display area 1, the captured image of the other base is displayed in the display area 2, and the captured image of the own base is displayed in the display area 3. .

  In another embodiment, instead of switching the display methods “VIEW_MULTI” and “SHARED_MULTI” by a user command as in this embodiment, the communication devices 10a to 10h have started providing images by the image providing devices 30a to 30h. This may be detected and the display method may be switched.

  Specifically, the communication devices 10a to 10h detect, for example, an explicit notification from the image providing devices 30a to 30h indicating the start of communication or the start of image provision at a specific application port, and the display method is “VIEW_MULTI”. To “SHARED_MULTI” automatically. When the image provision from the image providing devices 30a to 30h is completed or interrupted, the communication devices 10a to 10h switch the display method from “SHARED_MULTI” to “VIEW_MULTI”. Thereby, the operation by the user can be omitted and stream processing of the provided image can be made efficient.

  More specifically, when the transmission / reception unit 302 of the communication devices 10a to 10h receives an image from the image providing devices 30a to 30h, the control unit 300 generates an image provision start event to notify that the image provision by the image providing device has started. Issue. Upon detecting the image provision start event, the arrangement information setting unit 314 sets the display method setting information to “SHARED_MULTI”. Then, the display control unit 316 refers to the arrangement information table and displays the document image and the captured image on the display devices 20a and 20b according to the arrangement information associated with the display method setting information “SHARED_MULTI”.

  When the image providing by the image providing devices 30a to 30h is stopped, the control unit 300 issues an image providing stop event for notifying that the image providing by the image providing device has been stopped. Upon detecting the image provision stop event, the arrangement information setting unit 314 changes the display method setting information from “SHARED_MULTI” to “VIEW_MULTI”. Then, the display control unit 316 refers to the arrangement information table and displays the captured image on the display devices 20a and 20b according to the arrangement information associated with the display method setting information “VIEW_MULTI”.

  In this embodiment, the screen of the display device is divided into four display areas. However, in other embodiments, the screen may be divided into three or five or more display areas. Further, the arrangement information of the present embodiment is arrangement information when an image is shared at two locations, but the present invention can also share an image at three or more locations.

  When the image is shared among three or more bases, when the display method “VIEW_MULTI” is designated, a photographed image of another base that the user should pay attention to, that is, a photographed image of the base where the speech is detected is displayed in the display area 1. Thus, the arrangement information can be changed, and the captured image of the base where the user is speaking can be displayed in the display area 1.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a display method and an arrangement information table when the energized display device 2 is connected to the communication device 10a. Hereinafter, the screen allocation 600 and 602 and the arrangement information table 604 of the display device when the energized display device 2 is connected to the communication device 10a will be described with reference to FIG.

  The screen layout 600 is a screen layout of the first display device connected to the communication device 10a. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the display area of the display device is divided into four, and the area of the display area 1 is larger than the areas of the other display areas 2 to 4. The screen layout 602 is a screen layout of the second display device connected to the communication device 10a, and is composed of one display area.

  The arrangement information table 604 includes a display method of images displayed on the first display device and the second display device as arrangement information when the two display devices in the energized state are connected to the communication device 10a. The identification information of the image displayed in the display area of the display device is registered in association with it.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, when the display method is “VIEW_MULTI”, a captured image of another base is displayed in the display area 1 of the first display device, and the display area 2 of the first display device is automatically displayed. A captured image of the base is displayed. On the other hand, no image is displayed in the display area 1 of the second display device.

  When the display method is “SHARED_MULTI”, the captured image of the other base is displayed in the display area 1 of the first display device, and the captured image of the local base is displayed in the display area 2 of the first display device. . On the other hand, the material image is displayed in the display area 1 of the second display device.

  In this embodiment, the screen of the display device is divided into four display areas. However, in other embodiments, the screen may be divided into three or five or more display areas. Further, the arrangement information of the present embodiment is arrangement information when an image is shared at two locations, but the present invention can also share an image at three or more locations. When sharing an image among three or more bases, a captured image of another base that the user should pay attention to, that is, a captured image of the base where the speech is detected is displayed in the display area 1 of the first display device. The arrangement information can be changed, and the captured image of the base where the user is speaking can be displayed in the display area.

  In the present embodiment, the captured images of the local site and other sites are displayed on the first display device, and the images such as the material images provided by the image providing devices 30a to 30h are displayed on the second display device. The visibility of the image can be improved.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the screen of the display device based on the screen layout and arrangement information shown in FIG. A screen 700 and a screen 706 are a screen of the first display device and a screen of the second display device when the display method “VIEW_MULTI” is selected. A display area 702 of the screen 700 displays a captured image of another base, and a display area 704 displays a captured image of the local base. No image is displayed on the screen 706.

  A screen 710 and a screen 716 are a screen of the first display device and a screen of the second display device when the display method “SHARED_MULTI” is selected. A display area 712 of the screen 710 displays a captured image of another base, and a display area 714 displays a captured image of the local base. A material image is displayed on the screen 716.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the display method and the arrangement information table when the energized 2 display device is connected to the communication device 10a. Hereinafter, the screen allocation 800 and 802 and the arrangement information table 804 of the display device when the energized two display devices are connected to the communication device 10a will be described with reference to FIG.

  The screen layout 800 is a screen layout of the first display device connected to the communication device 10a. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the display area of the display device is equally divided into four. The screen layout 802 is a screen layout of the second display device connected to the communication device 10a, and is composed of one display area. In this embodiment, the screen of the display device is divided into four display areas. However, in other embodiments, the screen may be divided into three or five or more display areas.

  The arrangement information table 804 includes a display method of images displayed on the first display apparatus and the second display apparatus as arrangement information when the two energized display apparatuses are connected to the communication apparatus 10a. The identification information of the image displayed in the display area of the display device is registered in association with it.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, when the display method is “VIEW_MULTI”, the captured image of the local site is displayed in the display area 1 of the first display device, and the other is displayed in the display area 1 of the second display device. A captured image of the base is displayed.

  When the display method is “SHARED_MULTI”, the captured image of the other base is displayed in the display area 1 of the first display device, and the captured image of the local base is displayed in the display area 2 of the first display device. . On the other hand, the material image is displayed in the display area 2 of the second display device.

  The arrangement information of the present embodiment is arrangement information when an image is shared at two sites, but the present invention can also share an image at three or more sites. In this case, when the display method “VIEW_MULTI” is designated, the layout information is displayed so that the captured image of the other site that the user should pay attention to, that is, the captured image of the site where the utterance is detected is displayed on the second display device. , The captured image of the location where the user is speaking can be displayed on the second display device, and the captured images of other locations can be displayed on the first display device.

  In the present embodiment, the captured image is displayed on the first display device, and the image such as the document image provided by the image providing device is displayed on the second display device. Therefore, the visibility of the image can be improved. In addition, since the captured image of the other base to be noted is displayed on the display device configured by one display area, the visibility of the image can be improved.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the screen of the display device based on the screen layout and arrangement information shown in FIG. A screen 900 and a screen 906 are a screen of the first display device and a screen of the second display device when the display method “VIEW_MULTI” is selected. A captured image of the local site is displayed in the display area 902 of the screen 900, and a captured image of another site is displayed on the screen 906.

  Screens 910 and 916 are the screens of the first display device and the second display device when the display method “SHARED_MULTI” is selected. A display area 912 of the screen 910 displays a captured image of another base, and a display area 914 displays a captured image of the local base. A material image is displayed on the screen 916.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing display device detection processing executed after activation by the communication device of the present invention. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 10, a display device detection process executed after the communication device 10 a is activated will be described.

  The processing in FIG. 10 starts from step S1000, and in step S1001, the display device detection unit 318 detects an energization change event issued by the OS of the communication device 10a detecting the energization states of the display devices 20a to 20h and 22a to 22h. It is determined whether or not it has been received. When the energization change event has not been received (no), the process of step S1001 is repeated. On the other hand, if an energization change event is received (yes), the process branches to step S1002.

  In step S <b> 1002, the display device detection unit 318 initializes a variable (ACTIVE) secured in the RAM 203 with 0. In step S1003, the display device detection unit 318 counts the number of energized display devices among the display devices connected to the communication device 10a, and sets the number as a variable (ACTIVE). In step S1004, the arrangement information setting unit 314 determines whether the value of the variable (ACTIVE) is zero. If the value of the variable (ACTIVE) is 0 (yes), the process returns to step S1003. On the other hand, when the value of the variable (ACTIVE) is not 0 (no), the process branches to step S1005.

  In step S1005, the arrangement information setting unit 314 determines the value of the variable (ACTIVE). When the value of the variable (ACTIVE) is 1, that is, when the energized 1 display device is connected, the processing is performed. Branches to step S1006. In step S1006, the arrangement information setting unit 314 sets arrangement information when one display device as shown in FIG. 5 is connected in the arrangement information table, and the process ends in step S1008.

  On the other hand, when the value of the variable (ACTIVE) is 2, that is, when the energized 2 display device is connected, the process branches to step S1007. In step S1007, the arrangement information setting unit 314 sets arrangement information when two display devices as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 are connected to the arrangement information table, and the process ends in step S1008.

  Through the processing described above, the communication device 10a can detect a display device that has been energized by connecting the display device to the communication device 10a after startup or by turning on the power of the display device. An image can be displayed.

  Although the present embodiment has been described so far, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the constituent elements of the present embodiment are changed or deleted, or the constituent elements of the present embodiment are changed to other configurations. It can be changed within a range that can be conceived by those skilled in the art, such as adding an element, and any aspect is included in the scope of the present invention as long as the effects of the present invention are exhibited.

  The program of the present invention that realizes the above-described functional means can be stored and distributed on a device-readable recording medium such as a hard disk device, CD-ROM, MO, flexible disk, EEPROM, EPROM, or other devices are possible. Can be transmitted over a network in various formats.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10a-10h ... Communication apparatus, 20a-20h ... Display apparatus, 22a-22h ... Display apparatus, 30a-30h ... Image provision apparatus, 40 ... Communication management apparatus, 50 ... Router, 60 ... Network, 100 ... Communication system

US Pat. No. 6,760,749

Claims (9)

A communication device that performs image and audio communication,
Storage means for storing arrangement information defining an image display method;
Arrangement information setting means for setting arrangement information in the storage means;
Display control means for displaying images on a plurality of display devices with reference to the arrangement information,
The display control means causes the first display device to display captured images of the local site and the remote site, and causes the second display device to display an image provided by the local site or the remote site image providing device. . The communication device
The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising display device detection means for detecting an energized display device.   The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the display device detection unit detects an energized state of the display device when the communication device is activated or after the communication device is activated. A communication system including a communication device that performs image and sound communication, and an image providing device that provides an image to the communication device,
The communication device
Storage means for storing arrangement information defining an image display method;
Arrangement information setting means for setting arrangement information in the storage means;
Display control means for displaying the image on a plurality of display devices with reference to the arrangement information,
The display control means causes the first display device to display captured images of its own base and other bases, and causes the second display device to display images provided by the image providing device of the local base or other bases. . The communication device
The communication system according to claim 4, further comprising display device detection means for detecting a display device in an energized state.   The communication system according to claim 5, wherein the display device detection unit detects an energized state of the display device when the communication device is activated or after activation. A program for causing the communication device to execute a method executed by a communication device that performs image and sound communication,
Setting the arrangement information in the storage means, the arrangement information defining the display method of the image;
A step of displaying the captured image of the local site and the other site on the first display device with reference to the arrangement information and displaying the image provided by the image providing device of the local site or the other site on the second display device. A device-executable program for causing the communication device to execute.   The program according to claim 7, further causing the communication device to execute a step of detecting an energized display device.   The program according to claim 8, wherein the step of detecting the energized display device is executed when the communication device is activated or after activation.