JP2560447B2 - Multipoint video conference system - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a video conference system, and more particularly, to a simultaneous video conference between multiple remote points by using a communication line and audio / image display means. And a multipoint video conference system.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in this type of video conference system, the system line connection between remote points is a one-to-one fixed connection, and the image system image band compression transmission device transmits image band compression transmission of the other side via a digital communication line. The device is fixedly connected to each other, and the voice-based voice conferencing device and the handwritten image-based electronic blackboard control device are also fixedly connected to the other party's voice conferencing device and the electronic blackboard control device via communication lines. That is, the line connection is a point-to-point connection and a fixed connection.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the case of the conventional video conference system described above, since the fixed connection between the two points is impossible, the simultaneous conference cannot be performed in the video conference system of three points or more, and the problem is limited to the conference between the two points. There is. In addition, since the communication line is a fixed connection, it is very difficult to connect and switch the line connection with other video conference systems other than the two points, and at the time of switching, the entire network is greatly affected.
There is a problem that there is a risk of disconnection of the line to which terminals other than the video conference system are connected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a multipoint video conference system which solves the above-mentioned problems, enables simultaneous video conferences at three or more points, and facilitates line switching connection operation.

[Means for solving problems]

The multipoint video conference system of the present invention comprises a plurality of video conference systems capable of two-way communication and a line switching device for selecting, switching, branching, and combining video conference signals. A camera device for inputting a video signal, an image band compression transmission device for transmitting an image signal input by the camera device to a remote place using a digital communication line, and a voice conference device having an echo canceller for suppressing howling. , An electronic blackboard control device for transmitting handwritten input image data to a remote place using a communication line, a display device for displaying handwritten image data and human scenery data, and a microphone / speaker for inputting / outputting voice The line switching device has a device for band-compressing video signals such as human scene materials from each video conference system. Select the Tal signal-switching-branches,
A digital line switching device that selectively receives and receives any other party's video system and a voice signal / handwritten image data from each video conference system is selected / switched / branched / combined, and at the same time a voice system / handwritten image system between multiple points is created. Each of the video conference systems is characterized by having a switching request operation device for performing switching control of the line switching device.

〔Example〕

 Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, the video conference system 1 includes a camera device 101 that can control and image a person scene material or the like as a panoramic image or a close-up image using a preset remote controller or a manual mode, and an image signal from the camera device 101. An image band compression transmission device 103 for receiving a band-compressed digital signal while converting it into a digital signal, band-compressing it, and transmitting it to a video conference system at a remote place using a digital communication line 10. Alternatively, a display device 102 for displaying the other person's scene material,
Microphone 104 for inputting voice, speaker 105 for outputting voice of the other party, microphone 104 and speaker 105
A voice conferencing apparatus 106 that has a built-in echo canceller that suppresses howling due to acoustic coupling between the two and allows two-way simultaneous communication with the other party, and a writing pad placed on a table or a writing board placed on the floor or wall. A so-called handwriting input device 107, a display device 108 for displaying handwritten images of its own station and the other party, and an electronic blackboard control device 109 for transmitting and receiving handwritten image signals between remote locations using a communication line. , Line switching device 2
And a switching request operation device 110 for switching control of the.

The line switching device 2 selects, switches, and branches the digital signal transmitted from the image compression signal input / output terminal 111 of the image band compression transmission device 103 of the video conference system by using the digital communication line 10, and selects any other person. A digital line switching device 201 that selectively receives a video system digital signal such as a scene material and an audio signal transmitted from an audio signal input / output terminal 112 of an audio conference device 106 of a video conference system are selected, switched, branched, and combined, At the same time, select / switch / branch / combine the voice line switching device 202 for combining and receiving voice signals between multiple points and the handwriting image signal transmitted from the handwriting image signal input / output terminal 113 of the electronic blackboard controller 109 of the video conference system. At the same time, it is provided with a voice line switching device 203 for receiving a handwritten image signal between multiple points by combining.

The digital line switching device 201 is connected to a plurality of digital signal input / output terminals for applying video system digital signals such as person scene materials from a plurality of video conference systems, and a switching request operation device 110 of a plurality of video conference systems. There are a plurality of switching control terminals to which the switching request signal from the switching request signal input / output terminal 114 is added.

The voice line switching devices 202 and 203 include a plurality of voice signal input / output terminals to which voice signals or handwritten image signals from a plurality of video conference systems are added, and a plurality of switch request signals from a plurality of each video conference system. There is a switching control terminal.

Referring to FIG. 2 (a), the digital line switching device 201
, A plurality of video digital signals sent from each video conference system are connected to the digital signal input terminal 20.
The signal is added to 9,210 and sent to the digital signal conversion circuit 204, where all digital signals in the digital communication line are converted into digital signals of a single polarity. The digital signals of each single polarity are digital signal branch circuits 205, 20
It is sent to 6 and branched into a plurality of single-polarity digital signals. All of the branched single-polarity digital signals are sent to the digital signal selection switching circuit 207, and are sent by a plurality of video conference systems to the switching control terminals 213 and 214 and the switching request signal is applied to any one of them.
Two unipolar digital signals are selected.

The selected single-polarity digital signal is sent to the digital signal conversion circuit 208, converted into the digital signal in the original digital communication line, and then output to the digital signal output terminal.
It is sent to 211, 212 and sent to each video conference system.

Referring to FIG. 2 (b), in the audio line switching device 202, a plurality of audio signals sent from each video conference system are added to the audio signal input terminals 220 and 221, and sent to the level adjusting circuit 215. Everything is adjusted to a certain level here. The level-adjusted audio signals are sent to audio signal branch circuits 216 and 217, respectively, and each is branched and divided into a plurality of audio signals. All the branched and distributed audio signals are sent to the audio signal selection / coupling switching circuit 218. The switching request signal sent from each video conference system and applied to the switching control terminals 224 and 225 causes the audio signal selection / coupling switching circuit 21.
Optional audio signals of all the audio signals sent to 8 are selectively combined and sent to the level adjusting circuit 219.
Each audio signal is adjusted to the line level by the level adjusting circuit 219 and then sent to the audio signal output terminals 222 and 223 and sent to each video conference system.

Referring to FIG. 2 (c), in the audio line switching device 203, a plurality of handwritten image signals sent from each video conference system are added to the audio signal input terminals 231, 232 and sent to the level adjusting circuit 226. All are adjusted to a certain level here. The level-adjusted handwritten image signals are sent to handwritten image signal branch circuits 227 and 228, respectively, and branched and distributed into a plurality of handwritten image signals. All the branched and handwritten image signals are sent to the handwritten image signal selection / coupling switching circuit 229. By a switching request signal sent from each video conference system and applied to the switching control terminals 235 and 236, arbitrary handwritten image signals among all the handwritten image signals sent to the handwritten image signal selective combination switching circuit 229 are selectively combined. It is sent to the level adjustment circuit 230. Each handwritten image signal is adjusted to the line level by the level adjustment circuit 230 and then sent to the audio signal output terminals 233 and 234 and sent to each video conference system.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the multipoint video conference system according to the present invention, the other side screen can be easily selected and received by the line switching device and the switching request operation device attached to each video conference system. Since the signals can be selectively combined and received, simultaneous video conferences at three or more points are possible, and the line switching operation is very easy, and even when the line is switched, it does not adversely affect other than the line to which the video conference system is connected. There is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a multipoint video conference system according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a line switching device. 1 …… Video conference system, 2 …… Line switching device, 10 ……
Digital communication line, 101 ... Camera device, 102 ... Display device, 103 ... Image band compression transmission device, 104 ... Microphone, 105 ... Speaker, 106 ... Audio conference device, 107 ...
… Handwriting input device, 108 …… Display device, 109 …… Electronic blackboard controller, 110 …… Switch request operation device, 111 …… Image compression signal input / output terminal, 112 …… Voice signal input / output terminal, 113…
… Handwritten image signal input / output terminal, 114 …… Switching request signal input / output terminal, 201 …… Digital line switching device, 202, 203 …… Voice line switching device, 204 …… Digital signal conversion circuit, 205, 2
06 …… Digital signal branch circuit, 207 …… Digital signal selection switching circuit, 208 …… Digital signal conversion circuit, 209, 210
...... Digital signal input terminal, 211,212 ...... Digital signal output terminal, 213,214 ...... Switch control terminal, 215 ...... Level adjustment circuit, 216,217 ...... Voice signal branch circuit, 218 ...... Voice signal selective coupling switching circuit, 219 ...... Level adjustment circuit, 220, 221 ……
Audio signal input terminal, 222,223 …… Audio signal output terminal, 224,2
25 …… Switch control terminal, 226 …… Level adjustment circuit, 227,228…
… Handwritten image signal branch circuit, 229 …… Handwritten image signal selection / coupling switching circuit, 230 …… Level adjustment circuit, 231, 232 …… Voice signal input terminal, 233, 234 …… Voice signal output terminal, 235, 236…
... Switch control terminal.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of video conference systems capable of bidirectional communication, and a line switching device for selecting, switching, branching, and coupling video conference signals, each of the video conference systems being a camera device and the camera device. An image band compression transmission device for transmitting the image signal input in step 2 using a digital communication line, a voice conferencing device with an echo canceller that suppresses howling, and handwritten input image data using a communication line. An electronic blackboard control device for transmission, a display device, and a microphone / speaker device for inputting / outputting voice are provided, and the line switching device is a digital signal obtained by band-compressing a video system signal from each video conference system. From a digital line switching device that selects / switches / branches, selects and receives a predetermined partner video system, and from each video conference system It has a voice line switching device that selects, switches, branches, and joins voice signals and handwritten image data, and jointly receives voice-based handwritten image systems between multiple points. Each video conference system controls switching of the line switching device. A multi-point video conference system having a switching request operation device for performing.