JP3047259B2 - Speaker automatic selection device of electronic conference system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic conference system and, more particularly, to an automatic speaker selecting apparatus for equalizing the speaking opportunities of participants.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a speaker automatic selection device of a conventional electronic conference system. In the figure, 1a-
Reference numeral 1c denotes a microphone installed on the conference table, and reference numeral 2 denotes a speaker selecting means, which has the following.

[0003] Reference numeral 2a denotes sound level calculating means for detecting and outputting sound levels of sound signals from the microphones 1a to 1c. Reference numeral 2b denotes a speaker microphone number determination unit that obtains the highest utterance level from the pronunciation level from the pronunciation level calculation unit 2a, and selects and outputs the microphone number as the speaker microphone number.

[0004] Reference numeral 2c denotes a speaker voice emphasizing means. When a speaker microphone number is inputted, a voice signal from the microphones 1a to 1c corresponding to the microphone number is emphasized as a voice signal of the selected speaker, and other voice signals are input. The speech signal of the participant is suppressed as the speech signal of the speech suppressor.

The speaker selecting means 2 also has a function of selecting a sound from a microphone by a speaker selection signal from a console (not shown).

Reference numeral 3 denotes a voice detecting means for detecting the voice signal from the speaker selecting means 2 by performing a filtering process or the like and outputting the detected voice signal to the voice output means 4.

Reference numeral 5 denotes an image output means for displaying an image of the other party on the screen 7 and outputting an image from the photographing camera 6 via the communication control unit 8.

The speaker automatic selection device of the conventional electronic conference system configured as described above has microphones 1a to 1c installed in front of each participant, and displays each participant on the other side on the screen 7. It was common for a moderator in front of the screen 7 to operate the front console to make each participant speak. In the case of such a system, control of long-time speech or speech of only a specific person can be determined only by the moderator in front of the console, and the speeches of the participants can be equalized. When there is no moderator, the speaker selecting means 2 selects the microphone having the largest audio signal input from the microphones 1a to 1c, and transmits the audio signal to the other party.

[0009]

In the above-described electronic conference system, when there is no presenter or an operator for equalizing the speech, the microphone which receives the largest audio signal from the microphone is selected. Therefore, if a specific participant is loud when discussing, only the audio signal from the microphone in front of that participant will be selected, so only the specific speaker's voice will be transmitted There was a problem that the participants' statements were biased.

[0010] Further, from the viewpoint of the other party, a specific speaker has been speaking for a long time, and opinions from other participants are not transmitted. There was a problem that there was a concern.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a speaker automatic system of an electronic conference system which can allocate a speech opportunity to all participants without biasing the speech to a specific participant. The aim is to obtain a selection device.

[0012]

According to the present invention, there is provided an automatic speaker selecting apparatus for an electronic conference system, wherein microphones provided with microphone numbers are provided correspondingly to each participant of the conference. When speaking to the microphone to be spoken, one speaker is selected from all participants, the voice signal of the microphone number corresponding to the selected speaker is emphasized, and the microphone numbers corresponding to other participants are highlighted. In the speaker automatic selection device of the electronic conference system having the speaker selection means for suppressing the voice signal of the speaker as the voice signal of the speech suppressor, the speech allowable time and the speech suppression time for each conference participant are separately set for each microphone number. When the speaker selection means selects the speaker's microphone number, it is determined that the speech is started, and the allowable time for the microphone number is read from the memory and set in the counting means. During the continuation of the speaker's microphone number, the count value set in the counting means is subtracted every time a unit time elapses, and when the count value reaches zero, the speech suppression time determination means counts. When a numerical value zero arrival signal is supplied, a speech time monitoring means for generating a speech stop signal and supplying it to the speech suppressor canceling means, and a microphone number of the speaker when the speech time monitoring means determines that speech is started. The speech suppression time for each microphone number of all the participants except for the microphone number is read from the memory, and the read speech suppression time for each of the read microphone numbers is individually set in a plurality of counting means for individually counting. During the continuation of the microphone number, the count value set in the plurality of counting means is subtracted each time the unit time elapses, and when the count value of any of the plurality of counting means becomes zero, the count value becomes zero. Before arrival signal An utterance suppression time determining means for supplying to the utterance time monitoring means and storing each count value of the plurality of counting means at the time of termination of the utterance microphone number in the memory for each corresponding mic number; When the speech stop signal is supplied from the monitoring means, the participant of the microphone number corresponding to the counting means having the smallest count value among the count values of the plurality of counting means in the speech suppression time determination means is suppressed. A speech suppressor canceling means for supplying a control signal designated as a canceler to the speech suppressor voice suppressing means, and a speech signal from a microphone provided corresponding to each participant of the conference to input the speech selector When the control signal for designating a participant of a certain microphone number as a speech suppression canceller is supplied from the speech suppression canceling means when outputting to the means, the mask of the designated speech suppression canceling person is supplied. The input voice signal from the microphone with the microphone number is output as it is, and the input voice signal from the microphone with the microphone number of the other participant is suppressed.

[0013]

According to the present invention, microphones provided with microphone numbers are provided correspondingly to each participant of the conference, and when each participant speaks to the corresponding microphone, one person from all the participants participates. Of the microphone number corresponding to the selected speaker, and the voice signal of the microphone number corresponding to the other participants is suppressed as the voice signal of the speech suppressor. In the speaker automatic selection device of the electronic conference system having the means, the memory is preliminarily stored in the memory for each of the microphone numbers corresponding to the speech allowable time and the speech suppression time for each conference participant. The utterance time monitoring means determines that the utterance starts when the utterer selection means selects the utterance's microphone number, reads the utterance allowable time of the microphone number from the memory, sets it in the counting means, and sets the utterance's microphone. During the continuation of the number, the count value set in the counting means is subtracted every time a unit time elapses, and when the count value reaches zero, the count suppression zero determination signal is supplied from the speech suppression time determination means. , A speech stop signal is generated and supplied to the speech suppressor canceling means.

When the utterance time monitoring means determines that the utterance has started, the utterance suppression time determination means reads the utterance suppression time for each microphone number of all the participants except the microphone number of the utterer from the memory. The read-out suppression time for each microphone number is individually set in a plurality of counting means for individually counting, and during the continuation of the speaker's microphone number, the count value set in the plurality of counting means is set to a unit time. When the count value of any of the plurality of counting means becomes zero, a count value zero arrival signal is supplied to the speech time monitoring means, and the end time of the microphone number of the speaker is subtracted. Are stored in the memory for each corresponding microphone number.

When the utterance stop signal is supplied from the utterance time monitoring means, the utterance suppressor releasing means has the smallest count value among the count values of the plurality of counting means in the utterance suppression time determination means. A control signal for designating the participant of the microphone number corresponding to the counting means as the speech suppression canceller is supplied to the speech suppression person voice suppression means. The speech suppressor voice suppressing means, when inputting a voice signal from a microphone provided corresponding to each participant of the conference and outputting it to the speaker selecting means, a microphone provided from the speech suppressor canceling means. When supplied with a control signal designating the participant of the number as the speech suppression releaser, the input audio signal from the microphone of the microphone number of the specified speech suppression releaser is output as it is, and the microphone numbers of the other participants are output. The input audio signal from the microphone is suppressed and not output.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before describing the embodiments, the terms "allowable speech time" and "speech suppression time" used in the present invention will be explained. The “speaking allowable time” is the maximum time that a participant is allowed to continue speaking when a participant is given an opportunity to speak at the conference, and is assigned to each conference participant before the conference starts. . Therefore, in general, the total value of the speech permissible time for each conference participant is the estimated time from the start to the end of the conference. Note that the allowable speech time may be equally allocated to all the conference participants, or may be allocated as different times. The speech allowable time assigned to each person is stored in a memory in advance before the start of the conference. Then, when a conference starts and a participant starts speaking, the speaking allowable time of the participant is read from the memory, and is sequentially subtracted every unit time (for example, one minute). When the result of the subtraction becomes zero. A speech stop signal is generated, and the speech of the participant is suppressed.

[0017] "Speech suppression time" is also assigned to each person who participates in the conference.
The time during which the user's own speech is suppressed in order to hear all the speeches of the other participants B, C,... Is the speech inhibition time of A. Therefore, when the permissible speech time of each person participating in the conference is determined, the sum of the permissible speech times of all the participants except the self becomes the permissible speech time of that person. The speech deterrence time of each person participating in the conference is also stored in the memory before the conference starts. For example, the conference participants are A, B, and C, and the permissible speech time is 25 minutes for A, 20 minutes for B, and 1 for C.
Assuming 5 minutes, the speech deterrence time is 20 + 15 = 35 for A
Minute, B is 25 + 15 = 40 minutes, and C is 25 + 20 = 45 minutes. Then, the conference is started. For example, when A first starts speaking, the speaking suppression times of B and C are read from the memory, and are subtracted each time the unit time elapses. Then, when the subtraction result of either B or C becomes zero, the speech suppression state of the person who has become zero is released, and this person is given a chance to speak next.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a speaker automatic selection device of the electronic conference system of the present invention. In the figure, 1a-
1c and 2 to 8 are the same as those in FIG. Reference numeral 10 denotes a memory in which, before the start of the conference, the speech allowable time and the speech suppression time assigned to each conference participant according to the scheduled conference time are stored for each microphone number corresponding to each participant. During a conference, when a certain person starts to speak, the permissible speech time of this speaker is read out and set in the speech time monitoring means 12, and at the same time, the speech suppression time of another participant is read out and the speech suppression time determination means is read out. 13 is set. At the end of the utterance of the utterer, the utterance suppression time of another participant remaining as a result of subtracting the utterance time of the utterer is stored in the memory 10 from the utterance suppression time determination unit 13 as an updated value.

Numeral 11 denotes a speech suppressor's voice suppressing means, which suppresses the voice of the speech suppressor when the voice signal from the microphones 1a to 1c is input and output to the speaker selecting means 2. It has a function to do. Specifically, when a control signal designating a participant of a certain microphone number as a speech suppression canceller is supplied from the speech suppression canceller, the input voice from the microphone of the microphone number of the designated speech cancellation canceller is supplied. The signal is output as it is, and the input voice signal from the microphone of the microphone number of the other participants (including the previous speaker) is suppressed so as not to be output.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a speaking time monitoring means. When the speaking person selecting means 2 selects a microphone number of the speaking person, it is determined that speaking is started, and the speaking allowable time of the microphone number is stored in the memory 1.
0 is read and set to the built-in timer, and while the microphone number of the same speaker is selected, the allowable time of the speaker set in the built-in timer is decremented every time a unit time elapses. Then, the timer value during the subtraction is monitored for approaching and reaching zero, and when the timer value of the speaking allowable time of the speaker reaches zero, the speech suppression time determining means 13
Then, when a zero arrival signal of the timer value of the speech suppression time of any of the other conference participants is supplied, the speech stop signal is output to the speech suppression person canceling means 14.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a speech deterrence time determination means. When one of the conference participants starts speaking, the microphone number of the speaker is read, and the other participants (listening to the speaker) except for the microphone number are read. ) Is set to a built-in timer group including a plurality of timers each of which can set a utterance suppression time corresponding to each microphone number of the same speaker, and while the microphone number of the same speaker is selected, the built-in timer group is set. The utterance suppression time of each person listening to the set speaker is subtracted every unit time. Then, it is determined whether or not any of the values of the built-in timer group during the subtraction (that is, any speech suppression time of the person who is listening) has become zero. In order to give an opportunity to speak, a timer zero arrival signal is supplied to the speaking time monitoring means 12 to have the person who is currently speaking output a speech stop signal. When the utterance suppression time determination means 13 determines that the utterance of the speaker has ended, the value of the built-in timer group remaining after the subtraction processing (the remaining utterance suppression time of each person who has been listening to the speaker until now) ) Is stored in the memory 10 again.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a speech deterrent canceling means. When a speech stop signal is input from the speech time monitoring means 12, a participant who is given the next opportunity to speak out of a plurality of participants whose speech has been deterred until then. Is output to the utterance suppression person voice suppression means 11.
As a result, the current speaker becomes a speech suppressor, and its pronunciation is suppressed. As a method for the utterance suppression person releasing means 14 to specify the utterance suppression release person, when the utterance stop signal is input from the utterance time monitoring means 12, first, the utterance suppression time determination means 1
The control unit reads the speech suppression time of the timer group No. 3 and outputs a control signal for giving the next speech opportunity to the participant of the microphone number corresponding to the timer value having the shortest speech suppression time. However, if only one person has the timer value with the shortest speech suppression time, the next speaker will be automatically determined, but if there are multiple people, the device will be able to speak equally to multiple people. Output a control signal that gives an opportunity. Then, when one of the plurality is determined as the next speaker according to the opinion of the participant, the remaining persons are again in the state of the speech suppressor, and the speech is permitted at the next opportunity.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining details of the speech time monitoring means and the speech suppression time determination means of FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 12a denotes a start-of-speech determination unit. When the microphone number of the speaker selected by the speaker selection unit 2 is input, it is determined that the start of the speech is made.

Reference numeral 12b denotes a speech allowable time setting means. When the speech start judgment means 12a judges that the speech has started,
Memory 1 stores the allowable speech time corresponding to the speaker's microphone number
From 0, the reading timer 12c is set. Here, the timer 12c is used as counting means (subtractor).

Reference numeral 12d denotes a first subtracting means, which decrements the speech time of the timer 12c every time a unit time elapses when the speech allowable time is set in the timer 12c.

Reference numeral 12e denotes a utterance time determination means, and as a result of subtracting the utterance allowable time of the timer 12c,
When the timer value of 2c reaches zero (that is, when the current allowable time of the speaker becomes zero), one of the timer values of the timer group 13c in the utterance suppression time determination means 13 reaches zero. Then, when the speech suppression time of one of the plurality of speech suppressors reaches zero, a speech stop signal is output.

Reference numeral 13a denotes first speech suppression time setting means. When the speech start determination means 12a of the speech time monitoring means 12 determines that speech has started, the microphone number of the speaker is read, and other speech numbers except for the microphone number are read. The utterance suppression times corresponding to the microphone numbers of all the participants are read from the memory 10, and the read utterance suppression times are set in the timers of the timer group 13b corresponding to the microphone numbers. Therefore, the timer group 13b includes one timer which is one less than the number of all participants, and is used as a counting means (subtractor).

Reference numeral 13c denotes a second subtraction means, which starts the utterance of the speaker and sets the utterance suppression time in the timer group 13b, and subtracts each utterance suppression time of the timer group 13b every time the unit time elapses. I do. The second subtraction means 13
If the speech suppression time of any participant of the timer group 13b becomes zero during the subtraction processing by c, a timer zero arrival signal is sent from the timer group 13b to give this participant a chance to speak. It is supplied to the judgment means 12e so that the person who is currently speaking outputs a speech stop signal.

Reference numeral 13d denotes second utterance suppression time setting means. At the time when the microphone number of the same utterer input up to that time is completed, each of the timer groups 13b remaining after the subtraction processing by the second subtraction means 13c is set. The timer value (that is, each remaining speech suppression time) is set (stored) in the memory 10 again.

The operation of the speaker automatic selection device of the electronic conference system configured as described above will be described below.
In this embodiment, one participant of this electronic conference is A, B, and C, and the permissible speech time is 25 for A.
Minutes, B is 20 minutes, C is 15 minutes, and the speech suppression time is 3 for A
A case where 5 minutes, B is 40 minutes, and C is 45 minutes will be described. It is assumed that the speech allowable time and the speech suppression time of each person are stored in the memory 10 before the conference starts.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of FIGS. It is assumed that the microphone number used by the conference participant has been set in advance by the participant in the speaker microphone number determination unit 2b and the speech suppression unit voice suppression unit 11.

First, when a conference participant starts speaking, the speech suppressor voice suppressing means 11 inputs the voice signal from the microphones 1a to 1c, and if the microphone number of the speech suppressor is not input, the speech is left as it is. (In the initial state, the microphone number of the speech suppressor is not input). Thereafter, when the speech suppression canceler (that is, the next speaker) is designated by the speech suppressor canceling means 14, the input voice signal from the microphone of the designated person is output to the speaker selecting means 2, but the other speech signals are output. It operates so that the input audio signal from the microphone of the participant is suppressed and not output.

The speaker selecting means 2 detects the sounding level of the sound signal from the microphones 1a to 1c by the sounding level calculating means 2a, and the microphone number is selected by the speaker microphone number determining means 2b as the speaker microphone number. The speaker voice emphasizing means 2c sets the microphones 1a to 1c corresponding to the speaker microphone numbers.
Is emphasized as the selected speaker's voice signal, and the voice signal of another participant is suppressed as the voice signal of the speech suppressor. At the same time, the speaker microphone number determining means 2b outputs the determined microphone number of the speaker to the speaking time monitoring means 12.

Next, the utterance start judging means 12a in the utterance time monitoring means 12 allows the utterer to make an utterance depending on whether or not the utterer microphone number judging means 2b of the utterer selecting means 2 has output the microphone number of the utterer. It is determined whether the person is a person or a speech deterrent person (S11 in FIG. 4). When the speaker is determined to be the speaker, the process proceeds to S12, and when the speaker is determined to be the speaker, the process ends.

When the utterance start determining means 12a determines that the utterance starts due to the input of the microphone number, the utterance allowable time setting means 12b reads the utterance microphone number of the utterer selection means 2 and reads the utterance corresponding to the microphone number. The permissible time is read from the memory 10 and set in the timer 12c.

At the same time as the above setting, the first utterance suppression time setting means 13a in the utterance suppression time determination means 13 determines the utterance microphone number of the utterance selection means 2 when the utterance start determination means 12a determines that the utterance has started. And reads the speech suppression time of the other microphone numbers except the microphone number.
Each of the timers b is set to a timer (S12 in FIG. 3). In this example, in S12, the speech permitted time 25 minutes of A who first speaks is set to the timer 12c, and the other participants B
Is set to the timer group 13b, respectively.

With the setting in S12, the speech time monitoring means 12 determines that the speech time is ready to be monitored, and instructs to start monitoring the speech time (S13 in FIG. 3).

Then, the first subtraction means 12d in the speech time monitoring means 12 subtracts the permissible speech time of the speaker set in the timer 12c every unit time (S1 in FIG. 3).
4). Similarly, the second subtraction means 13c in the utterance suppression time determination means 13 subtracts the utterance suppression time of another participant set for each timer of the timer group 13b every time the unit time elapses (S15 in FIG. 3).

Next, the utterance time determining means 12e in the utterance time monitoring means 12 has a predetermined value (for example, three minutes of the utterance discontinuation) indicating that the timer value of one of the timer 12c and the timer group 13b is approaching. Previous value)
Is determined (S16 in FIG. 3). If the determination result does not indicate that the utterance cutoff time is approaching, the process returns to S14, and the process of subtracting the utterance allowable time and the utterance suppression time is performed by the loop of S14, S15, and S16 until the utterance stop time is reached. . Then, when it is time to approach the utterance cutoff time, the screen 7 serving as a display unit displays an advance notice that the utterance cutoff time is approaching (S17 in FIG. 3). And S14A and S1
At 5A, the speech allowable time and the speech suppression time are subtracted, and S1 is performed.
Move to 8.

In S18 of FIG. 3, the speech time determination means 12e determines whether the timer value of either the timer 12c or the timer group 13b has become zero and the speech stop time has been reached. If the result of this determination has not reached the utterance cutoff time, the process returns to S14A, where S14A, S14
By the loop processing of 15A and S18, subtraction processing of the speech allowable time and the speech suppression time is performed until the speech stop time is reached.

The utterance time determination means 12e is adapted to perform the processing in S18 of FIG.
In, when it is determined that the speech stop time has been reached,
A message termination is displayed on the screen 7 and a speech stop signal is output to the speech suppressor releasing means 14 (S in FIG. 3).
19).

When the utterance stop signal is input, the utterance suppressor canceling means 14 outputs the timer group 1 of the utterance suppression time determination means 13.
3b, the speech suppression time is read as the microphone number of the speech suppression canceller who selects the next microphone number of the timer with the shortest speech suppression time (that is, the next speaker). 11 is output. In this example, the utterance allowable time of A is 25 minutes, and the utterance stop signal is generated after the lapse of 25 minutes, so that the utterance suppression times set at the beginning of B and C for 40 minutes and 45 minutes are: At this time, 40-25 = 15 minutes and 45-25 = 20 minutes, respectively. Therefore, B having the smaller timer value is selected as the next speaker.

When the microphone number of the speech-suppressing person (the next speaker, B in the above example) is input from the speech-suppressing person canceling means 14, the speech-suppressing person's voice suppressing means 11 outputs the microphone number corresponding to the microphone number. Is output to the sound level calculating means 2a of the speaker selecting means 2, and the input voice signals from the microphones of the microphone numbers of the other participants are suppressed and are not output.

By doing so, the sounding level calculating means 2a detects the sounding level of only the sound signal B of which speech has been suppressed, and the speaker microphone number determining means 2b determines the sounding level. Assuming that the pronunciation level is the highest, the microphone number of B is output to the speaker emphasizing means 2c, and the voices of the other participants C and the previous speaker A are suppressed. That is, the speaker is switched (S20 in FIG. 3).

Then, the second utterance suppression time setting means 13d in the utterance suppression time determination means 13 outputs the remaining timer values of the timer group 13b (B is 15 minutes in the above example, C is 20).
) Is stored in the memory 10 in association with the microphone numbers B and C as a new utterance suppression time, and the utterance of the next participant is awaited (S21 in FIG. 3).

When the speaker finishes the speech before reaching the speech cutoff time, for example, it is assumed that the speech is completed in 20 minutes without extinguishing the allowed speech time of 25 minutes to which A is assigned. In this case, the remaining 5 minutes of the allowed speech time of A are B and C.
, The timer group 13
subtract 5 minutes from each remaining timer value of b.
The value after the minute subtraction is stored in the memory 10. In this example, B,
The remaining speech suppression time of C is 15-5 = 10 minutes, 20-5
= 15 minutes is stored in the memory 10. After the storage processing in the memory 10, 5
The value of the minute is reset to zero, and the allowed speech time of A becomes zero. Then, after waiting for the next participant's remark, S11 is again performed.
Steps S21 to S21 are repeated.

According to the flowchart of FIG. 3, the television receiver (or the screen) is used to stop the utterance before the end of the utterance, stating that the utterable time of the utterer will soon be zero.
Thus, the speaker is warned in advance, so that the speaker is not suddenly terminated.

[0048]

As described above, according to the present invention, microphones provided with microphone numbers are provided correspondingly to the participants of the conference, and when each participant speaks to the corresponding microphone, One speaker is selected from all participants, the voice signal of the microphone number corresponding to the selected speaker is emphasized, and the voice signal of the microphone number corresponding to the other participants is the voice signal of the speech suppressor. In the speaker automatic selection device of the electronic conference system having the speaker selection means for suppressing as described above, the speech allowable time and the speech suppression time for each conference participant are previously stored in the memory by the microphone number corresponding to each participant. During the speech of the speaker, the permissible speech time of the speaker read from the memory and the speech suppression time of other participants listening to the speech are subtracted every unit time, and this subtraction is performed. As a result, when the utterance allowable time of the utterer becomes zero, and when the utterance suppression time of any of the other participants becomes zero, the voice signal of the utterer until then is suppressed, The process of emphasizing the audio signal of the participant having the minimum value among the remaining participant suppression times of the other participant is automatically performed as the next participant. Is not biased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a speaker automatic selection device of an electronic conference system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating details of a speech time monitoring unit and a speech suppression time determination unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a speaker automatic selection device of a conventional electronic conference system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a to 1c microphone 2 speaker selection means 2a sounding level calculation means 2b speaker microphone number determination means 2c speaker voice emphasis means 3 voice detection means 4 voice output means 5 video output means 6 photographing camera 7 screen 8 communication control unit 10 memory 11 Speech Suppressor Voice Suppressing Means 12 Speech Time Monitoring Means 13 Speech Suppression Time Judgment Means 14 Speech Suppressor Release Means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04M 3/42-3/58 H04R 3/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] [Claim 1] My respectively corresponding to each of the participants of the conference
Granted microphone metric number is provided, when each participant to speak toward the corresponding microphone, one person from all participants
Speaker and select the corresponding speaker for this selected speaker.
To emphasize the sound signal of the microphone number, corresponding to the other participants Ma
In a speaker automatic selection device of an electronic conference system having speaker selection means for suppressing a voice signal of a speech number as a voice signal of a speech suppressor, a microphone number corresponding to a speech allowable time and a speech suppression time corresponding to each conference participant in advance. Separately stored memories, and the speaker selecting means determines that the speaker starts when the speaker's microphone number is selected, and sets the allowable speech time of the microphone number from the memory to the counting means, and sets the speaker During the continuation of the microphone number, the count value set in the counting means is subtracted every time a unit time elapses, and when the count value reaches zero, a count value zero arrival signal is output from the speech suppression time determination means. When supplied, the utterance time monitoring means for generating a utterance stop signal and supplying the utterance stop signal to the utterance suppressor canceling means, and when the utterance time monitoring means determines that the utterance is started, Reading out the speech suppression time for each microphone number of all the participants except for the microphone number of the other person from the memory, and setting the readout suppression time for each of the read microphone numbers individually in a plurality of counting means. During the continuation of the speaker's microphone number, the count value set in the plurality of counting means is subtracted each time a unit time elapses, and when the count value of any of the plurality of counting means becomes zero. Supplying a count value reaching signal to the utterance time monitoring means, and storing the count values of the plurality of counting means at the time of termination of the utterance microphone number in the memory for each corresponding microphone number. When the utterance stop signal is supplied from the utterance time monitoring means, the utterance time monitoring means corresponds to the counting means having the smallest count value among the count values of the plurality of counting means in the utterance suppression time determination means. Speech suppressor canceling means for supplying a control signal designating the participant of the microphone number as the speech suppressor canceller to the speech suppressor speech suppressing means, and audio signals from the microphones provided for each of the conference participants When the control signal for designating the participant of a certain microphone number as the speech suppression canceller is supplied from the speech suppression person canceling means when the The input speech signal from the microphone of the canceler's microphone number is output as it is, and the input speech signal from the microphone of the other participant's microphone number is suppressed and is not output. Speaker automatic selection device of the electronic conference system.