JP3604734B2 - Communication device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention relates to communication equipment which is utilized to make a videoconference, etc. between the points with the communication line.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the importance of the effectiveness of a video conference terminal using a communication line has been emphasized from the viewpoint of reducing business trip costs and effectively utilizing time. In addition to the point-to-point function between two points, a multipoint video conference device having a multipoint function that enables simultaneous conferences between a plurality of points has been developed.
[0003]
This multipoint video conference device generally realizes multipoint communication using a multipoint control device (MCU). However, recently, an MCU is not used, and a plurality of information channels are transmitted to different video conference terminals. Devices that realize multipoint communication by connecting and connecting these information channels in a loop or bus shape have been developed.
[0004]
In such a video conference system, when displaying on the display unit, at the time of point-to-point, (1) the received image is displayed on the full screen, or (2) the received image is displayed graphically on the entire screen. A display mode such as displaying a window on the top, (3) displaying a self-image and a received image in combination on a graphic image, and the like, and further changing the initial settings can be performed. At the time of multipoint, in addition to the point-to-point case, the number of received images to be displayed can be increased.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional multipoint video conference apparatus described above, when each received point displays an image, the display position of each image is set to a position determined by the initial setting, regardless of the connection state between the points. Was displayed. In other words, just by looking at the window of the image from each point displayed on the display unit, it is possible to know who is connected, but what kind of loop connection state or how I couldn't tell if the bus was connected properly.
[0006]
In addition, such a problem occurs not only in a video conference apparatus but also in a general telephone conference in which only an audio is communicated without communicating an image.
[0007]
The present invention is the light of the conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a communication equipment having a function of displaying as seen connection state between each point.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a communication device according to the present invention includes: a determination unit configured to determine a connection order of a plurality of communication terminals; a reception unit configured to receive image data from the plurality of communication terminals; Display control means for displaying on a display device, wherein the display control means determines display positions of the plurality of images according to the connection order.
[0009]
In the communication device described above, it is preferable that, in response to the disconnection of any one of the plurality of terminals, the display control unit display that the terminal is disconnected.
[0010]
In the above-described communication device, it is preferable that the connection relationship is graphically displayed by the display means.
[0011]
In the above-described communication device, the connection relationship may be a connection connected in a bus shape.
[0012]
Further, in the above-described communication device, the connection relation may be a relation connected in a ring shape.
[0016]
【Example】
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0017]
Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a multipoint video conference system according to an embodiment of the communication equipment of the present invention.
[0018]
This multipoint video conference device is an image input means of the present device, a camera 1 for inputting a self-portrait, a drawing, etc., an input image from the camera 1, a plurality of received images from a multipoint partner, and various A display unit 2 for displaying a graphic screen and the like, and a video input / output interface unit 3 connected thereto are provided.
[0019]
The video input / output interface unit 3 includes a video input interface unit 3a that performs switching of image input means according to an instruction from the system control unit 10, input filtering, AD conversion, image size conversion, image format conversion, and the like, and a video input interface unit. The video output interface unit 3b performs inverse conversion of 3a, output filtering, display window size control of an output image according to an instruction of the system control unit 10, and the like.
[0020]
The video encoding / decoding unit 4 is connected to the video input / output interface unit 3. The video encoding / decoding unit 4 is based on ITU (International Telecommunication Union) -TS Recommendation H.264. In accordance with H.261, it performs a coding process of a transmission image signal and a decoding process of a reception image signal, and includes a video coding unit 4a and a video decoding unit 4b.
[0021]
Further, the present apparatus has a handset 5 as voice input / output means and a microphone / speaker 6 as another voice input / output means, to which a voice input / output interface unit 7 is connected.
[0022]
The voice input / output interface unit 7 includes an echo canceling process for canceling an echo when the handset 5 and the microphone / speaker 6 are used, a tone generating process for a dial tone, a ring tone, a busy tone, a ring tone, and the like, a system control unit. The voice input / output means is switched by the instruction of No. 10. The audio encoding / decoding unit 8 is connected to the audio input / output interface unit 7.
[0023]
The voice encoding / decoding unit 8 is configured to transmit 64 kbps PCM A-law, 64 kbps PCM μ-law, 64 kbps / 56 kbps / 48 kbps SB-ADPCM, 32 kbps ADPCM, 16 kbps (eg, APC-AB), etc., according to an instruction from the system control unit 10. It has a function of encoding a transmitted audio signal or decoding a received audio signal in accordance with an encoding / decoding algorithm, and is composed of an audio encoding unit 8a and an audio decoding unit 8b.
[0024]
Further, an operation unit 9 is provided in the present apparatus, and the operation unit 9 includes a keyboard, a touch panel, a mouse, and the like used for inputting control information for performing overall control of the apparatus.
[0025]
The system control unit 10 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an auxiliary storage device, and the like, monitors the status of each unit, controls the entire device, creates an operation / display screen according to the status, executes an application program, and the like. Do.
[0026]
The video encoding / decoding unit 4 and the audio encoding / decoding unit 8 are connected to the demultiplexing / multiplexing unit 11. The demultiplexer 11 multiplexes the audio signal from the audio encoder 8a, the image signal from the video encoder 4a, and the control signal from the system controller 10 in transmission frame units according to the ITU-TS-H221 recommendation. In addition, the multi-point control unit 11a has a function of separating a received frame into each medium of a constituent unit and notifying each unit.
[0027]
When multiplexing data at a plurality of points in one information channel to realize multipoint communication, the multipoint control unit 11a inserts the own terminal data into the own terminal data area in the reception frame, and transmits the transmission frame. , And separates data at a plurality of points in the received frame as data for each point.
[0028]
The demultiplexer 11 is connected to a communication line 13 via a line interface 12. Here, the line interface unit 12 has a function of controlling the line according to the ISDN user network interface.
[0029]
The window arrangement control unit 10a, which is a feature of the present invention, is provided in the system control unit 10, and the connected terminal position detection unit 11a-1 is provided in the multipoint control unit 11a.
[0030]
Here, the connection terminal position detection unit 11a-1 detects, from a communication frame received through a communication channel, a position where each video conference terminal is connected in a line loop connection or a bus connection. Things.
[0031]
The window arrangement control unit 10a controls the arrangement of the display window of the received image and the transmission image displayed on the monitor according to the connection terminal position detected by the connection terminal position detection unit 11a-1.
[0032]
The operation of the multipoint video conference device according to the present embodiment will be described.
[0033]
An input image from the camera 1 is input to the video encoding unit 4a via the video input interface unit 3a. Also, the input voice from the handset 5 or the microphone / speaker 6 is input to the voice encoding unit 8a via the voice input / output interface unit 7. The input image encoded by the video encoding unit 4a, the input audio encoded by the audio encoding unit 8a, and the control signal from the system control unit 10 are multiplexed by the demultiplexing unit 11 in transmission frame units. It is transmitted to the communication line 13 via the line interface unit 12.
[0034]
Next, the frame received from the communication line 13 is separated into an image signal, an audio signal, and a control signal by the demultiplexing unit 11 via the line interface unit 12, and is separated into the video decoding unit 4b, the audio decoding unit 8b, and the system control unit. Enter part 10. The received image decoded by the video decoding unit 4b is displayed on the display unit 2 via the video output interface unit 3b, and the received audio decoded by the audio decoding unit 8b is transmitted via the audio input / output interface unit 7 to the handset 5 or the microphone / microphone. Output to the speaker 6.
[0035]
The multipoint control unit 11a multiplexes data at a plurality of points in one information channel to realize multipoint communication. And multiplexes the data as a transmission frame, and separates the data at a plurality of points in the received frame into data for each point so that data processing can be performed independently for each point.
[0036]
The connected terminal position detecting unit 11a-1 detects in the received frame which position in the loop connection or the bus connection each terminal is connected to, and outputs it to the system control unit 10. In the system control unit 10, the terminal position information received from the connected terminal position detection unit 11a-1 is processed by the window arrangement control unit 10a, the window display position of each connected point is set, and this is output as a video. It issues a command to the interface unit 3b.
[0037]
The video output interface unit 3b displays an image of each point on the display unit 2 based on the window display position of each point determined by the window arrangement control unit 10a.
[0038]
In the display method of the display unit 2, at the time of point-to-point, (1) the received image is displayed on the entire screen, (2) the entire screen is displayed as a graphic, and the received image is displayed as a window thereon. And (3) a display mode and a window size such as displaying a self-image and a received image in combination on a graphic image by input from the operation unit 9 via the system control unit 10. Initial settings can be changed.
[0039]
At the time of multipoint, in addition to the point-to-point case, the number of received images to be displayed can be increased, and the display window of each point is automatically displayed so that the line connection status of the connected terminal can be understood. Adjust the placement of this to show it.
[0040]
Further, in this embodiment, the window arrangement control unit 10a is provided in the system control unit 10 and is shown as being realized by software. However, as another method, it is needless to say that it is realized by a completely independent hardware circuit. It is.
[0041]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a connection state at the time of loop communication between five points, where two information channels (B channels) of the ISDN basic interface are connected to different video conference terminals, and these information channels are looped. A video conference between five locations has been realized by connecting to
[0042]
In this case, the own terminal is the A terminal, the E terminal is connected to the B1 channel of the A terminal, and the B terminal is connected to the B2 channel of the A terminal. Then, the A terminal receives data of the D terminal and the E terminal through the B1 channel, and receives data of the B terminal and the C terminal through the B2 channel.
[0043]
Next, an example of a calling method at the time of multipoint communication will be described.
[0044]
First, there is a chair terminal (here, terminal B). The chair terminal calls the first terminal from the B1 channel. At this time, the telephone numbers of a plurality of points to be communicated are arranged in the order of connection, and the telephone number of the chair terminal is placed at the end, and these data together with the loop communication command between the five points are transferred to the user area of the D channel packet. Send using.
[0045]
The C terminal that has received the data from the B terminal on the B1 channel recognizes that the communication is the loop communication between five points, and searches for the telephone number of itself (the C terminal) from the telephone number string that follows. Then, a call is made to the telephone number terminal following the own telephone number using the B2 channel. Each terminal repeats the B1 channel call and the B2 channel call upon reception, and the multipoint connection operation ends when the fifth terminal (A terminal in this case) calls the chair terminal.
[0046]
The connection terminal position detection unit 11a-1 will be described. First, each terminal stores the telephone number of the other terminal transmitted in the first multipoint connection sequence. Then, when transmitting the data, the telephone number of the own terminal is put in the header so as to know which telephone number terminal the user is (see FIG. 3). The connection terminal position detection unit 11a-1 recognizes the telephone number in this header, compares the telephone number stored in the multipoint connection sequence with the telephone number stored, and detects which terminal the received data is from. The recognition signal is output to the window arrangement control unit 10a.
[0047]
The window arrangement control unit 10a will be described. The position of the telephone number of the own terminal is compared with the telephone number of the other terminal stored in the telephone number sequence at the time of the multipoint connection sequence, and the terminal of each telephone number is compared with B / C / D / E is associated with the terminal position.
[0048]
By receiving a signal indicating which telephone number terminal the received data belongs to from the connected terminal position detecting unit 11a-1, the window arrangement control unit 10a determines which terminal of B / C / D / E the received data is. A control signal indicating whether to display the position is sent to the video output interface unit 3b.
[0049]
FIG. 3 shows an example of a frame configuration for recognizing the connection position of each terminal by the connection terminal position detection unit 11a-1. Here, the message format in the case of using the non-ITU-TS standard command message (BAS (111) [31]) in the escape table in the default frame structure of the ITU-TS-H221 recommendation is shown. I have.
[0050]
The first byte indicates an escape table non-ITU-TS standard command message,
(B0, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7) = (1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1)
It becomes.
[0051]
The second byte indicates the number of bytes (maximum value 255) following the third byte. The third and fourth bytes indicate a country code, and the fifth and sixth bytes indicate a provider number. However, the third byte is Recommendation T. According to 35, 4, 5, and 6 bytes are designated for each country. The seventh byte is a “point-to-point communication command” meaning point-to-point communication, the eighth byte is a “B terminal (E terminal in the case of a B2 channel) telephone number”, and the ninth byte is a “C terminal”. (D terminal for B2 channel) telephone number ". Actual data such as video and audio is received by a predetermined B (E) terminal data area and C (D) terminal data area in the B channel data area.
[0052]
As described above, in FIG. 3, as a method of recognizing the connection position of each connected terminal, a non-ITU-TS standard command message is used in the escape table from the provisions of the ITU-TS-H221 recommendation frame structure. The example of the case of realizing is shown. In addition to this, recognition of the connection position at the time of multipoint communication can be realized by using the user area of the D channel packet.
[0053]
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the display unit 2. 2, the B / C / D / E terminals are displayed in the clockwise direction from the lower left so that the connection state in FIG. 2 can be understood. By displaying in this manner, it is possible to know at a glance that the B1 channel of the own terminal is connected to the E terminal and the B2 channel is connected to the B terminal.
[0054]
As a result, it is possible to know in advance which terminal should be called when the own terminal is accidentally disconnected and it is necessary to reconnect itself. Next, a case where the D terminal is disconnected will be described.
[0055]
When the D terminal is disconnected, the B2 channel of the C terminal and the B1 channel of the E terminal are also disconnected, so the C terminal and the E terminal recognize that the D terminal has been disconnected (FIG. 5). The A terminal recognizes the disconnection of the D terminal from the data received from the E terminal, and the B terminal recognizes the disconnection of the D terminal from the data received from the C terminal (FIG. 6). Each terminal that knows the disconnection of the D terminal displays the outer frame of the D terminal being displayed in a dotted line so that the terminal operator can recognize the disconnection of the D terminal (see FIG. 7).
[0056]
As a result, it is easy to cope with multipoint reconnection after disconnection of the D terminal. For example, if the disconnection is an erroneous disconnection, the terminals on both sides of the disconnected terminal may re-call the disconnected terminal, or the disconnecting terminal may wait until calling the terminals on both sides again. Also, if the disconnection is a formal disconnection, a multipoint connection is made again between the remaining terminals, and at that time, from the superior terminal of the disconnection terminal (the next terminal in the counterclockwise direction) to the poor terminal It is possible to make a call to the side terminal or take a connection procedure according to the instruction of the chair terminal.
[0057]
Further, although the video conference apparatus has been described in the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a device that performs a telephone conference using only voice. In such a case, a dedicated display for displaying the connection relationship may be provided in each terminal.
[0058]
Further, in the present embodiment, the display as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 is performed. However, the display is not limited to this, and another display such as the display as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 is performed. Is also good. The point is that the connection status of each terminal need only be known.
[0059]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the terminal operator can know the connection status between the terminals only by looking at the display unit.
[0060]
Therefore, when the user accidentally disconnects the line, it is possible to know in advance which terminal the user should reconnect to. Also, when another terminal accidentally disconnects the line, it is possible to know which terminal should call the disconnected terminal. In addition, when someone intentionally disconnects (leaves a call), it is possible to know who needs to repeat the call, eg, to recreate a subsequent multipoint video conference. That is, when a terminal disconnection occurs during multipoint communication, it is easy to take measures for subsequent multipoint reconnection.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a multipoint video conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a connection state during loop communication between five points.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a frame configuration for recognizing a connection terminal position.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of a display unit 2.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a line connection state when a D terminal is disconnected.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a frame configuration for recognizing a connection terminal position.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a display unit when a D terminal is disconnected.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 1 camera 2 display unit 3 video input / output interface unit 3a video input interface unit 3b video output interface unit 4 video encoding / decoding unit 4a video encoding unit 4b video decoding unit 5 handset 6 microphone / speaker 7 audio input / output interface unit 8 audio Encoding / decoding unit 8a Audio encoding unit 8b Audio decoding unit 9 Operation unit 10 System control unit 10a Window arrangement control unit 11 Demultiplexing / multiplexing unit 11a Multipoint control unit 11a-1 Connected terminal position detection unit 12 Line interface unit 13 Communication line

Claims (5)

Determining means for determining the connection order of the plurality of communication terminals;
Receiving means for receiving image data from the plurality of communication terminals,
Display control means for simultaneously displaying a plurality of received images on a display device,
The communication device, wherein the display control means determines display positions of the plurality of images according to the connection order . 2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in response to a disconnection of any one of the plurality of terminals, the display control unit displays that the terminal has been disconnected. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection relation is graphically displayed by the display unit. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection relationship is a connection connected in a bus shape. The communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection relationship is a connection connected in a ring shape.

Images