JP3598509B2 - Terminal device and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial applications]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal device suitable for controlling personal computers connected to each other via a telephone line and a control method therefor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art There has been proposed a conference system in which a plurality of personal computers are connected to each other via a network to configure a conference system so that persons located at distant places can hold a conference at the same time. In this conference system, when audio is input via a microphone, the audio signal is A / D converted and transmitted to another personal computer via a network. Alternatively, when image data such as a still image or a moving image is input, this image signal is A / D converted and transmitted to another personal computer via a network.
[0003]
In this manner, in this conference system, multimedia data such as audio, still images, and moving images can be simultaneously transmitted to other personal computers via a network, and a plurality of remote parties can hold a conference at the same time. .
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, conventional systems not only require expensive hardware such as a video input device to input multimedia data, but also transmit multimedia data of each participant to all other participants. To do so, we needed a very fast network. As a result, there is a problem that the system becomes expensive.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and enables multimedia data to be artificially transmitted through a network, thereby realizing a lower-cost conference system. Things.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A method of controlling a terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device is connected via a network and mutually transmits and receives character data, wherein image data or voice data corresponding to a predetermined character is stored. When data is input, character data is transmitted to another terminal via the network, and when character data is transmitted from another terminal device via the network, the character data is received, and the input character data, or The received character data is output, characters are displayed, and it is determined whether or not predetermined characters included in the displayed characters are displayed. If the character is determined to be displayed, read out image data or audio data is stored, to output characteristics To.
[0007]
The predetermined character set in advance is “laughing”, and the image data and the voice data can be image data corresponding to the image of “laughing face” and voice data corresponding to the sound of “laughing voice”. .
[0008]
The predetermined character set in advance is “applause”, and the audio data can be audio data corresponding to the sound of “applause” .
[0009]
5. The terminal device according to claim 4, wherein the terminal device is connected via a network and mutually transmits and receives character data, wherein the terminal device stores image data or audio data corresponding to a predetermined character (for example, the ROM 18 of FIG. ), Input means for inputting character data (for example, keyboard 11 in FIG. 2), and transmitting means for transmitting character data to another terminal via a network when character data is input by the input means (for example, FIG. 3). Steps S6 and S7), receiving means (for example, step S2 in FIG. 3) for receiving character data transmitted from another terminal device via the network, and input character data or received character data. Output means for outputting characters (for example, steps S6, S7, S9, S11, S11 in FIG. 3) 2) a determining unit (for example, steps S8 and S10 in FIG. 3) for determining whether a predetermined character included in the output characters is output. When it is determined that a predetermined character set in advance is output, image data or audio data stored in the storage unit is read and output .
[0010]
A display means (for example, steps S6, S7, S11, S12 in FIG. 3) for displaying at least one of the character data input from the input means or the character data received by the receiving means and an image corresponding to the image data is further provided. Can be provided.
[0011]
[Action]
In the terminal device control method and the terminal device having the above configuration, when predetermined character data set in advance is input or received, image data or audio data stored in advance is read out, Is output. Therefore, each terminal device only needs to transmit and receive character data, and does not need to transmit and receive image data and audio data. Accordingly, the network may be relatively slow, and an inexpensive conference system can be realized.
[0012]
【Example】
FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a conference system to which a control method of a terminal device according to the present invention is applied. In this embodiment, a plurality of (four) personal computers 1-1 to 1-4 as terminal devices are mutually connected via a network 2 such as a normal analog telephone line.
[0013]
The personal computer 1-1 is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the CPU 17 executes various processes in accordance with the programs stored in the ROM 18, and stores data and the like necessary for executing the various processes in the RAM 19 as appropriate. The modem 16 is connected to the network 2, receives data transmitted from the network 2, and outputs the data to the CPU 17 via the interface 15. The CPU 17 outputs the input character data to the monitor 13 via the interface 15 and displays the same.
[0014]
A keyboard 11 is connected to the interface 15. When a character key 11 </ b> A of the keyboard 11 is operated, character data corresponding to the operated character key is input and output and displayed on the monitor 13 via the interface 15. In addition, the data is transmitted to the network 2 via the modem 16. The keyboard 11 includes a clapping button 11B. When the clapping button 11B is operated, character data corresponding to the character “applause” is displayed on the monitor 13 and transmitted to the network 2 via the modem 16. It has been made. The data transmitted to the network 2 is further transmitted to other personal computers 1-2 to 1-4.
[0015]
The mouse 15 is connected to the interface 15, and various instructions can be input to the CPU 17 by indicating a predetermined display position on the monitor 13.
[0016]
In this embodiment, the voice data of the sound of "applause", the voice data of the sound of "laughing", and the image data of the "laughing face" are stored in the ROM 18 in advance. , The image data is output and displayed on the monitor 13, and the audio data is output to the speaker 14.
[0017]
Although not shown, the personal computers 1-2 to 1-4 have the same configuration as the personal computer 1-1.
[0018]
Each of the personal computers 1-1 to 1-4 stores a program for executing the processing shown in FIG. The operation of the conference system will now be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The process shown in FIG. 3 is started when the power is turned on in each of the personal computers 1-1 to 1-4.
[0019]
First, in step S1, it is determined whether a predetermined input has been made from the keyboard 11. If there is no input from the keyboard 11, the process proceeds to step S2, where it is determined whether or not text data has been input from another personal computer via the network 2. If no text data has been input from the network 2, the process returns to step S1.
[0020]
If it is determined in step S1 that some input has been made from the keyboard 11, the process proceeds to step S3, where it is determined whether the input corresponds to the operation of the applause button 11B. If it is determined in step S3 that the applause button 11B has not been operated, the process proceeds to step S4, where it is determined whether the character key 11A has been operated. If it is determined that the character key 11A has not been operated, it means that another key has been operated. In this case, the process proceeds to step S5, and processing corresponding to the operated key is executed. You. When the process is completed, the process returns to step S1.
[0021]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that the applause button 11B of the keyboard 11 has been operated, the process proceeds to step S6, in which the character of "applause" is displayed on the monitor 13 and the character data of "applause" is displayed on the modem 16. To the network 2 via the network 2, and further output from the network 2 to other personal computers 1-2 to 1-4.
[0022]
The other personal computers 1-2 to 1-4 receive the character data of "applause" in step S2.
[0023]
On the other hand, when it is determined in step S4 that the character key 11A of the keyboard 11 has been operated, the process proceeds to step S7, in which character data corresponding to the operated character key is output to the monitor 13 for display. The data is output to other personal computers 1-2 to 1-4 via the modem 16 and the network 2. This character data is received in the other personal computers 1-2 to 1-4 in step S2.
[0024]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that text data has been input from another personal computer 1-2 through 1-4 via the network 2, this is received, and the flow advances to step S12 to correspond to the text data. The characters are output to the monitor 13 and displayed. For example, when the applause button 11B of any one of the other personal computers 1-2 to 1-4 is operated, the character “applause” is displayed on the monitor 13. Further, when the character keys 11A of the keyboard 11 of the personal computers 1-2 to 1-4 are operated, the character corresponding to the operated character key is displayed on the monitor 13.
[0025]
After the processing of steps S6, S7, and S12, the process proceeds to step S8, where it is determined whether the character currently displayed on the monitor 13 is the character of "applause". If it is determined that the character "applause" has been displayed, the process proceeds to step S9, and a clap sound reproduction process is executed. That is, the CPU 17 reads the clapping sound data stored in the ROM 18, outputs this to the speaker 14, and emits the sound. Thus, when the applause button 11B is operated, not only the character of “applause” is displayed on the monitor 13 but also a sound such as “crackling” is output from the speaker 14.
[0026]
This applies not only to the personal computer 1-1 but also to the other personal computers 1-2 to 1-4. That is, when the applause button 11B is operated on a predetermined personal computer, the character of "applause" and the sound of "crackling" are output not only to the personal computer but also to other personal computers.
[0027]
If it is determined in step S8 that the character of "applause" is not displayed, the process proceeds to step S10, and it is determined whether or not the character currently displayed on the monitor 13 is the character of "laughing". When it is determined that the character “laugh” is displayed, the process proceeds to step S11, and the laughter reproduction process and the laughter face reproduction process are executed. That is, the CPU 17 reads out the laughing voice data stored in the ROM 18, outputs the laughing voice data to the speaker 14, emits the sound, reads out the laughing face image data stored in the ROM 18, outputs the laughing face image data to the monitor 13, and displays it. .
[0028]
Therefore, when a character "laugh" is input from a predetermined personal computer, the character is displayed on its own monitor 13, and this character data is transmitted to another personal computer via the network 2 and displayed. In all the personal computers, a laughing voice is emitted and a laughing face is displayed.
[0029]
If it is determined in step S10 that the character "laugh" is not displayed, the process returns to step S1, and the subsequent processing is repeatedly executed.
[0030]
FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the operation of the conference system when the applause button 11B is operated. That is, when the applause button 11B is operated on the personal computer 1-1, the character data of "applause" is transmitted to the other personal computers 1-2 to 1-4 via the network 2, and the character of "applause" is displayed on the monitor. Is displayed. As a result, not only the speaker of the personal computer 1-1 but also the speakers of the personal computers 1-2 to 1-4 output clapping sounds such as "crackling".
[0031]
The network can use a normal analog telephone line. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a conference system is established between personal computers 1-1 to 1-3 located in Japan, the United States, and Chile. Can be configured. Also in this case, for example, when the character "laugh" is input in Chile, the character is displayed not only on the monitor of the personal computer in Chile but also on the personal computers in Japan and the United States. Since these characters include the character "laugh", the laughter is emitted from the speakers of the personal computers in each country, and the image of the laughing face is displayed.
[0032]
In this embodiment, the image data of the laughing face and the voice data of the laughing voice are not actually transmitted, but only the character data is actually transmitted via the network 2. Therefore, unlike the case where image data and audio data are actually transmitted, not only the amount of transmitted data is suppressed from increasing, but also expensive hardware such as a video input device is not required. For this reason, a normal analog telephone line can be used also as the network 2, and a low-cost conference system can be realized.
[0033]
In the above embodiment, the characters "applause" and "laughing" are set and registered in advance, but other characters may be stored together with the corresponding image data or audio data. Is also possible. Furthermore, the characters may correspond to any language, such as English and French, instead of Japanese. Further, it is also possible to use a terminal device other than a personal computer.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the terminal device control method and the terminal device of the present invention, image data or audio data corresponding to a predetermined character is stored, and when character data is input , the character data is transmitted via a network. To the terminal, receive when character data is transmitted from another terminal device via the network, output the input character data, or the received character data, display the character, display It is determined whether or not a predetermined character set in advance included in the set character is displayed. If it is determined that the predetermined character set in advance is displayed, the stored character is stored. reads out the image data or audio data have, since the outputs, similarly to the case of transmitting a pseudo multimedia data at a low cost It is possible to realize the conference system.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conference system to which a control method of a terminal device according to the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a personal computer 1-1 in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a processing example of the personal computer in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation when a clap button is operated.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a geographically separated conference system.
[Explanation of symbols]
1-1 to 1-4 Personal computer 2 Network 11 Keyboard 11A Character key 11B Applause button 12 Mouse 13 Monitor 14 Speaker 16 Modem 17 CPU
18 ROM
19 RAM

Claims (5)

In a control method of a terminal device connected via a network and mutually exchanging character data,
Store image data or audio data corresponding to a predetermined character,
When the character data is input, transmits the character data to the other terminal via the network,
When the character data has been transmitted from the other terminal device via the network, receive this,
Outputting the input character data or the received character data to display characters,
It is determined whether or not the predetermined character included in the displayed character is displayed, which is set in advance.
A method for controlling a terminal device, wherein, when it is determined that the predetermined character set in advance is being displayed, the stored image data or audio data is read and output . The predetermined character set in advance is “laughing”, and the image data and the voice data are image data corresponding to the image of “laughing face” and voice data corresponding to the sound of “laughing voice” < The method of controlling a terminal device according to claim 1, wherein: The terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined character set in advance is "applause", and the audio data is audio data corresponding to a sound of "applause". How to control the device. In a terminal device connected via a network and mutually exchanging character data,
Storage means for storing image data or audio data corresponding to a predetermined character,
Input means for inputting the character data,
When the character data is input by the input means, transmitting means for transmitting the character data to the other terminal via the network,
Receiving means for receiving the character data transmitted from the other terminal device via the network,
Output means for outputting a character which is the input character data or the received character data,
Determining means for determining whether or not the predetermined character set in advance is included in the output character; and
The output unit reads out and outputs the image data or the audio data stored in the storage unit when it is determined that the predetermined character set in advance is output. A terminal device comprising: 5. A display device for displaying at least one of the character data input from the input device or the character data received by the receiving device and an image corresponding to the image data. A terminal device according to claim 1.

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