JP3078827B2 - Multimedia communication method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a multimedia communication method and apparatus for performing communication by combining various media such as images, sounds, and data.

(Problems to be Solved by Conventional Techniques and Inventions) In recent years, with the commercialization of communication services using ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Communication Network), AV (Audio Visual) services using digital lines such as ISDN have attracted attention. Along with this, multimedia communication devices such as various video telephone devices and video conference systems are becoming widespread.

The conventional multimedia communication apparatus has a problem that it is not possible to automatically create a communication management report and output it to manage communication charges, past communication histories, and the like.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a multimedia communication method that automatically creates a communication management report, outputs the communication management report, and manages communication charges and past communication history and the like. It is intended to provide a device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, a multimedia communication method according to the present invention is a multimedia communication method for performing communication of images, voices, and data. A storage step of storing a communication history including, the image, sound based on the communication history stored by the storage step,
It is characterized by comprising a creating step of creating a communication management report managed for each data and each medium, and an output step of outputting the communication management report created by the creating step.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, a multimedia communication device of the present invention is a multimedia communication device that performs communication of images, voices, and data, and stores a communication history including information of a used medium for each communication. Storage means, the image based on the communication history stored by the storage means,
It is characterized by having a creating means for creating a communication management report managed for each of the media, such as voice, data, and each, and an output means for outputting the communication management report created by the creating means.

(Operation) A communication history including information on a used medium is stored for each communication, and a communication management report managed for each medium is created based on the stored communication history. The output communication management report is output.

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a multimedia communication apparatus according to the present invention, in which 1 is a multimedia communication apparatus, 2 is a handset (transmitter / receiver) which is an audio input / output means of the apparatus 1, and It is connected to the control unit 3. The audio control unit 3 encodes various transmission audio signals and decodes a received audio signal, and an on / off detection unit that detects whether the handset 2 is in an on-hook state or an off-hook state. / Off-hook detection unit, and a voice interface unit that performs processing for generating various tones such as a dial tone, a ring tone, a busy tone, and a ring tone. Reference numeral 4 denotes a data terminal for performing data communication, which is connected to the data control unit 5. The data control unit 5 transmits and receives data to and from the data terminal 4. Reference numeral 6 denotes a camera, which is an image input unit of the apparatus 1. Reference numeral 7 denotes a display unit that displays an input image from the camera 6, a received image received via the line 14, an operation screen, and the like. , And an image control unit 8. The image control unit 8 includes an image encoding / decoding unit that encodes a transmission image signal and decodes a reception image signal, and a video interface unit that performs processing such as switching and split display of the screen of the display unit 7. It consists of. Reference numeral 9 denotes an operation unit such as a keyboard and a touch panel for performing input for overall control of the apparatus 1, and a system control unit.
Connected to 10. The system control unit 10 includes a CPU, ROM, RA
M, and an auxiliary storage device.
It monitors or executes various application programs. The system control unit 10 is a storage unit that collects and stores communication histories for various media as described below,
And a creation means for creating a communication management report managed for each type of media based on the collected and managed communication history. An output unit (output means) 11 for outputting the communication management report created by the system control unit 10 is connected to the system control unit 10. Further, the audio control unit 3, the data control unit 5, the image control unit 8, and the display unit 7
Are connected to the system control unit 10, respectively. The audio control unit 3, the data control unit 5, and the image control unit 8 are connected to the demultiplexing unit 12, respectively. This demultiplexer
Numeral 12 multiplexes the audio signal from the audio control unit 3, the data from the data control unit 5, and the image signal from the image control unit 8, and separates the reception frame received from the line 14 into each medium. is there. This demultiplexing unit 12
It is connected to a line interface unit 13 that controls a line according to a user network interface, and this line interface unit 13 is connected to ISDN via a line 14.

Next, a communication history processing procedure when communication is performed in the multimedia communication device 1 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. First, the communication history is collected by the system control unit 10 in step 1, and the communication history is stored in the auxiliary storage device or the like in the next step 2. The communication history referred to here is, for example, information such as a communication number, a communication time, a communication time, a partner terminal number, a partner terminal abbreviation, a used medium, a communication fee, and the like.

Next, a processing procedure for outputting a communication management report according to an instruction from the operation unit 9 by an operator, etc.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When there is a communication management report output request, the system control unit 10 determines in step 3 whether or not processing for creating a communication management report has been performed for all communication histories. In steps 5, 6, and 7, processing for creating a communication management report is performed on the unprocessed communication history. The communication management report created here enables management for each type of media communication. If the communication is voice communication, the process for creating a voice communication management report is performed in step 5; If the process for creating the data communication management report is performed in step 6 and the process for creating the image communication management report is performed in step 7 if the process is image communication, the process returns to step 3. As a matter of course, the communication may be multimedia communication. In this case, a corresponding process is selected from the three processes of Steps 5 to 7 and the process is performed.

If the answer to step 3 is affirmative (Yes), that is, if a process for creating a communication management report has been performed for all communication histories, in step 4 the communication management managed by the output unit 11 for each type of media is performed. The report is output, and the process ends.

In the above-described embodiment, the operation of classifying the communication management report for each type of media is performed at the time of creating the communication management report. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be performed when collecting and storing the communication history.

Further, the present invention does not limit the format of the output communication management report. For example, as in the above-described embodiment, a communication management report can be separately output for each media unit, or all media can be collectively managed. The communication management report may be output without being divided for each medium in the format.

Further, in the above embodiment, media are classified into three types of image / audio / data. However, audio can be further subdivided into speech / 3.1kHz audio / 7kHz audio. -Various classifications such as still images are possible.

As described above, the multimedia communication apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a storage unit that collects and stores a communication history for each communication of various media, and a storage unit that collects and stores the communication history for each of various media based on the communication history collected and stored by the storage unit. And a means for generating a communication management report managed by the communication unit, and an output means for outputting the communication management report generated by the generating means.

Therefore, a communication management report managed for each medium is automatically created, and by outputting this, it is possible to manage communication charges such as calculating the total communication cost and the communication cost for each medium. Become.

Further, since the past communication history can be easily referred to, it is possible to improve the convenience in performing communication.

Further, when the telephone has an answering machine function, it is possible to leave a call record when the operator is absent by outputting a communication management report.

(Effect of the Invention) As described in detail above, according to the multimedia communication method and apparatus of the present invention, a communication history including information on a used medium is stored for each communication, and based on the stored communication history. Since it is possible to create a communication management report managed for each image, sound, data and each media,
There is a unique effect that communication of images, sounds, and data can be managed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a multimedia communication apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a communication history processing procedure when there is communication in the apparatus. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for outputting a communication management report in the apparatus. 1 ... Multimedia communication device, 10 ... System control unit (storage means and creation means), 11 ... Output unit (output means).

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A multimedia communication method for performing communication of images, voices, and data, wherein a storage step of storing a communication history including information of a used medium for each communication, and a communication stored by the storage step Based on a history, said image, sound, data, a creation step of creating a communication management report managed for each media, and an output step of outputting the communication management report created by the creation step, Multimedia communication method. 2. A multimedia communication device for performing communication of each of image, sound, and data, wherein said storage means stores a communication history including information of a used medium for each communication, and a communication stored by said storage means. The image, sound, data, based on the history, a creating means for creating a communication management report managed for each medium, and output means for outputting the communication management report created by the creating means, Multimedia communication device.