JPH01185059A - System for conference communication - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce lines to transfer conference information mainly such as a voice between a conference device terminal and a switching device by setting the up line of a bidirectional multiple connecting means each time a speaking request is generated from each conference terminal. CONSTITUTION:That a simultaneously speaking person is one person in an ordinary conference is paid attention to, a competing control is executed for each speaking request, and the up line of the bidirectional multiple connecting means is set to one conference terminal to be decided for each decision. Namely, the conference information transmitted from a conference information transmitting means 54 of a conference device terminal 50 is switched by a line switching means 41 of a digital switching device 40 and transmitted to each conference terminal 60. Each conference terminal 60 receives the conference information by each conference information receiving means 63. Thus, the number of lines to transfer the conference information between the conference device terminal and digital switching device can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a conference communication system using a digital switching device.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional conference communication system. In the figure, 30 is a conference device, 30a is an addition means, 30b is a distribution means, 31 is an exchange device, and 32 is a conference terminal.

Between the conference device 30 and the switching device 31, lines for the maximum number of terminals participating in the conference are set in advance, and each time a conference is held, the switching device 31 is activated from the conference device 30 or the conference terminal 32. , performs line settings between the conference device 30 and the conference terminal 32.

The conference terminal 32 has a one-to-one relationship with the conference device 30 through the exchange device 31.
The audio information transmitted from each conference terminal 32 is superimposed by an adding means 30a in the conference device 30, and distributed to each terminal 32 via an exchange device 31 by a distribution means 30b.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Such conventional conference communication systems have the following drawbacks.

■Multiple lines are required between conference equipment and exchange equipment.

■The number of terminals that can participate in a conference depends on the number of input lines of the conference device,
and the number of lines set between the conference device and the switching device.

■In order to compensate for the drawback of ■ above, if you set up many lines,
In the case of small group meetings, equipment is not utilized effectively.

An object of the present invention is to provide an economical conference communication system that does not limit the number of conference participants by utilizing the packet switching function of a digital switching device and the bidirectional multiple connection function of circuit switching.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention allows a digital switching device to transmit the same information from one terminal (hereinafter referred to as terminal A) to any plurality of terminals. Since it is used with a bidirectional multiple connection function that allows information to be transmitted from one terminal to the terminal A, this will be explained below.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a digital switching device having a bidirectional multiple connection function. In the figure, 1 is an incoming data highway, 2 is an outgoing data highway, 3 is a time switch that switches the time slot position of the data highway, 4 is a demultiplexer, and 5 is a timer that stores the contents of the time slot on the data highway. slot memory, 6
1 is a read control memory that outputs the read address of the time slot memory 5, 7 is a control device that controls the content written to the read control memory 6, 8 is a clock, and 9 is a terminal. Time switch 3 is time slot memory 5
The time switch 3 and the control device 7 constitute a digital switching device.

Further, IS indicates the signal format on the input data highway 1, and 2S indicates the signal format on the output data highway 2.

#1 to #N (N is an arbitrary integer) indicate the time slot positions in the signal format on the data highway, and A to N are the information contents at the respective time slot positions.

Information from the terminal 9 is multiplexed onto the input data highway 1 by the demultiplexer 4 . At this time, information from each terminal is multiplexed into each time slot on the data highway. That is, the transmission information of the terminal with address #1 on the demultiplexer 4 is sequentially transmitted in the #1 time slot on the large data highway 1, and the transmission information of the terminal with address #2 is sequentially transmitted in the #2 time slot. It becomes multiplexed. The multiplexed state is as seen in the signal format IS.

Information on each time slot position on the input data highway 1 is sequentially written into the time slot memory 5 according to the clock 8. That is, if I is any integer from among the integers l to N, the information content of terminal #I is written to the address #I of the time slot memory 5.

On the other hand, the read address of the time slot memory 5 is
specified by the read content from the read control memory 6,
The read contents from the read control memory 6 are clocked by the clock 8.
According to #1. #2. .......

They are sequentially designated and read out in the order of #N.

Here, if the control device 7 is controlled and an arbitrary integer from 1 to N is set to J, then #J is set to the address #K of the read control memory 6, and #J is set to the address #K of the read control memory 6. If #K is written to an address other than #, the contents of output data highway 2 will be written as K in the time slot position other than #, as seen in signal format 2S.
J is read out at the time slot position.

The output data highway 2 is sequentially demultiplexed by the demultiplexer 4 in the order of time slot positions in a manner opposite to the multiplexing described above. That is, #1 on outgoing data highway 2
The information on the time slot position is sequentially separated on the demultiplexer 4 to the terminal with address #1, and the information on the time slot position #2 is sequentially separated on the terminal with address #2. Therefore, the information sent from the terminal # is transmitted to all other terminals, and the information sent from the terminal #J is transmitted to the terminal #.

That is, by controlling the control device 7 and assuming that an arbitrary integer among the integers l to N is J, address #K of the read control memory 6 is set to #J, and address # of the read control memory 6 is set to other than #. If you write #J to the address of #, terminal 9 of
Information can be transmitted in broadcast format to other terminals using the uplink (in the diagram, from the terminal to the demultiplexer) transmission path, and the downlink (in the diagram, from the demultiplexer to the terminal) transmission path to other terminals. ) from the terminal 9 of #J to the terminal 9 of # using the transmission path.
information can be transmitted to.

In this way, #J is set to address #K of read control memory 6.
By writing , it is possible to make multiple connections and reverse communication possible on the same line.

Here, since # is an arbitrary integer, all terminals can serve as broadcast-type service providing terminals. Further, since #J is also an arbitrary integer, it is possible to receive information from any one terminal while providing a broadcast type service.

Based on the above, the operating principle of the present invention will be explained below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the operating principle of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 40 denotes a digital switching device, which has means having a bidirectional multiple connection function as a line switching means 41, as described above with reference to FIG. 5, and a multiple connection control signal receiving means 42. , a packet switching means 43,
have.

Here, the multiple access control signal receiving means 42 functions as equivalent to the control device 7 in FIG.

50 is a conference device terminal, which corresponds to one of the terminals 9 (the terminal marked with #) in FIG. and conference terminal device 50
comprises a conference information input means 51, a conference information addition means 52, a conference information reception means 53, a conference information transmission means 54, a transmission right conflict processing means 55, a transmission right request signal reception means 56, and a multiple access control signal transmission means 57. have.

Reference numeral 60 denotes a conference terminal that participates in the conference, and in FIG. 5, it corresponds to the remaining terminals among the terminals 9 excluding (the terminal indicated by #). The conference terminal 60 has a transmission right request signal transmitting means 61, a conference information transmitting means 62, and a conference information transmitting/receiving means 63. Further, the conference terminal 60 is divided into a conference terminal 60a that allows speaking and a conference terminal 60b that does not allow speaking, and may further include a conference terminal 60c for one-to-one connection.

Here, the conference terminal 60a that is allowed to speak is one terminal that is specifically allowed to speak from among multiple terminals that wish to speak, and the conference terminal 60b that is not permitted to speak is the remaining terminal that is not permitted to speak. It is a terminal. The conference terminal 60c with one-to-one connection is, for example, a terminal that corresponds to a person who proposes an agenda during a meeting (who often has the opportunity to speak). 50 and l
These are terminals connected in a pair-to-l relationship. Note that the conference device terminal 50 corresponds to a moderator in a conference.

[Effect]

In FIG. 1, prior to conference communication, conference terminals 60 participating in the conference and conference device terminals 50 are connected to the digital switching device 4.
Multiple connections are made using line switching means (bidirectional multiple connection means) 41 at 0. That is, the contents of a read control memory (not shown) in the line switching means 41 are set as in the read control memory 6 of FIG. 5. Here, # corresponds to the subscriber number of the conference device terminal 50, as described above.

In such a state, the conference terminal 60 with a request to speak
The transmission right request signal is transmitted in the form of a packet to the conference device terminal 50 via the packet switching means 43 by the transmitting means 6■. In the conference device terminal 50, the transmission right request signal receiving means 5
By receiving the transmission right request signal at step 6, a plurality of conference terminals having transmission requests are known, and the processing means 55 performs competition control for transmission rights, and determines one conference terminal to be permitted to transmit.

The multiple connection control signal transmitting means 57 controls to set up an uplink of the two-way multiple connection means so that the conference terminal determined in this way and the conference device terminal 50 are connected through the two-way multiple connection means 41. The signal is transmitted from the transmitting means 57. In the digital switching device 40, the multiple connection control signal receiving means 42 receives the multiple connection control signal and sets up the uplink of the bidirectional multiple connection means 41. That is, to explain using FIG. 5, if the subscriber number of the connected transmission-permitted conference terminal is #J, #J is written as the content at address #K of the read control memory 6. After setting up the line,
The transmission-permitted conference terminal 60a transmits the conference information using the conference information transmitting means 62.

The conference information is transmitted to the conference device terminal 50 according to the line settings of the digital exchange device 41, received by the conference information receiving means 53 of the conference device terminal 50, and sent back to the digital exchange device 40 by the conference information transmitting means 54.

At this time, in the conference device terminal 50, an operation may be added in which the conference information input by the conference information input means 51 is added to the conference information received from the conference terminal 60a by the conference information addition means 52. Usually, there is a moderator of the conference at the location where the conference device terminal 50 is installed, so in this case, the moderator and the
One of the conference participants at the location where each conference terminal 60 is installed (that is, the transmission-permitted conference terminal 60a) can speak at the same time.

Furthermore, at this time, if there is a conference terminal 60c connected to the conference device terminal 50 using a subscriber line W for IMI connection different from the subscriber NIAM for bidirectional multiple connection, conference information is transmitted from the conference terminal 60c. An operation of inputting and adding the conference information received by the receiving means 53 to the conference information adding means 52 is added.

In this case, as mentioned earlier, there is an agenda proposer who spends a lot of time speaking on the conference terminal 60c for l-to-l connection, so
In the end, three people can speak at the same time: the conference moderator on the conference device terminal 50, the conference participant on the speaking-permitted conference terminal 60a, and the topic proposer on the conference terminal 60c for one-to-one connection. become.

The conference information transmitted in this manner from the conference information transmitting means 54 of the conference device terminal 50 is transmitted to the digital switching device 40.
is exchanged by the line switching means 41 and transmitted to each conference terminal 60. Each conference terminal 60 has its conference information receiving means 6
3, the conference information is received.

The conference progresses by repeating the above operations every time a request for speaking occurs at each conference terminal. The above is a detailed description of the present invention.

As explained above, focusing on the fact that there is only one speaker at the same time in a normal conference, contention control is performed every time there is a request to speak, and the uplink of the bidirectional multiple connection means is connected to one conference terminal. The main feature of the present invention is that the line settings are performed each time a decision is made, and the number of lines for transferring conference information between the conference equipment terminal and the digital switching equipment does not depend on the number of conference participants. This is different from technology.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment shown in the figure is an embodiment in which a digital switching device compatible with I5DN (Integrated Digital Service Network) is used.

In FIG. 2, 50 is a conference device terminal, 502 is a CPU
, 503 is a transmission right conflict processing unit, 504 is a storage unit, 505
is an input/output device control unit, 507 is a ROM, and 508 is a RAM
, 509 is ISDN basic ink face (2B+D)
Communication control unit, 510 is a conference information addition unit, 511 is D/A
(digital-to-analog) conversion section, 512 is an A/D (
513 is a display with a keyboard, 514 is a speaker, 515 is a microphone, 40
401, 402, 403, and 404 are l5D digital switching devices that have bidirectional multiple connection means and are compatible with l5DN.
N basic interface subscriber line, 60 is a conference terminal, 6
22 is l5DN basic interface (2B+D) communication control unit, 624 is CPU, 625 is ROM, 626 is RA
M, 627 is a storage section, 628 is an input/output device control section, 62
9 is a speaker, 630 is a microphone, 631 is a display with a keyboard, 632 is an A/D (analog-digital) converter, and 633 is a D/A (digital-analog) converter.

As is well known, the l5DN basic interface has two 64 (kb/s) B channels and one 16 (kb/s) D channel on one physical line, and the B channel is circuit switched. The D channel is used for packet switching and signaling functions (transmission and reception of signals such as call origination and response) to digital switching equipment.

In this embodiment, the transmission right request signal is transmitted using the D channel packet, the conference information is transmitted using the B channel line, and the multiple access control signal is transmitted using the D channel signal function. l5DN
In the I interface, two B channels and one D channel are multiplexed into one physical line, so each terminal device's I5DN basic interface (2B+D
) The communication control units 509 and 622 transmit and receive conference information, a transmission right request signal, and a multiplex concubine control signal.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. First, in order to establish multiple connection with the conference terminals 60, the conference device terminal 50 sends the subscriber numbers of the plurality of conference terminals 60 participating in the conference to the digital switching device 40 using the D channel signal function.

Digital switching device 40 receives a plurality of subscriber numbers;
The address corresponding to the subscriber number of the conference equipment terminal (
(corresponding to #K in FIG. 5) is written. By this writing, multiple connection of the B channel line from the conference device terminal 50 to the conference terminal 60 is performed.

In this state, the conference terminal device 50 waits for the transmission right request signal from each conference terminal 60 to arrive.

Each conference terminal 60 learns of the transmission request by pressing a specific key on the keyboard-equipped display 631, and sends a transmission right request signal to the conference device terminal 50 in the form of a D channel packet. The conference device terminal 50 receives transmission right request signals from a plurality of conference terminals 60 in the form of D channel packets, and selects one conference terminal to be permitted to transmit. The selection algorithm is: 1) Set the conference terminal that sent the received transmission right request signal first.

■Record past transmission history and select the conference terminal with the least number of transmissions.

■Select the conference terminal that was sent just before.

and so on.

The conference device terminal 50 sends the subscriber number of the selected conference terminal 60 to the digital exchange device 40 using the D channel signal function. The subscriber number can be known from the caller ID (caller identification number) added to the D channel packet used to send the transmission right request signal. The digital switching device 40 writes the address corresponding to the received subscriber number as the write content to the address corresponding to the subscriber number of the conference device terminal 50 in the read control memory. In other words, if explained using FIG.
Write #J to #K of the read control memory shown in the figure. Here, # is an address corresponding to the subscriber number of the conference device terminal 50, and #J is an address corresponding to the subscriber number of the conference terminal 60 selected by the contention control algorithm.

By this writing, the selected conference terminal 60 and conference device terminal 50 can be connected in the upstream direction using the B channel line that was multiple-connected (however, only in the downstream direction) using the above method. After the line setting is completed, the conference device terminal 50 notifies the selected conference terminal 60 of permission to transmit conference information using a D channel packet. Conference terminal 60 transmits conference information to digital switching device 40 on the B channel. Since the B channel line has been set up using the method described above, it is transmitted to the conference device terminal 50 and looped back in the down direction of the same B channel.

Here, an operation may be added in which conference information such as audio input through the microphone 515 of the conference device terminal 50 is added. Furthermore, here, connect another B that is not used for multiple connections.
Using the channel, the conference device terminal 50 and the conference terminal 60
In some cases, an operation is added in which the two B channel contents are individually connected on a one-to-one basis and the contents of these two B channels are added within the conference device terminal 50.

Since there are two B channels in the I5DN basic interface, three people can speak simultaneously, including input from the conference device terminal 50, using one physical interface. The conference information sent from the conference terminal 50 to the digital switching device 40 is multiplexed by the multiple connection means of the digital switching device 40 and sent to each conference terminal 60 in a broadcast manner.

Here, the details of the 15DN basic interface (2B+D) are summarized as follows.

D channel packet: Transmission right request signal (exchange control signal) 81 channel line: Conference information (bidirectional multiple connection) 82 channel line: Conference information (1-to-1 connection) The flowchart shown in Figure. Third
There is no need to explain the diagram again.

The conference information is mainly audio, but since the B channel has a speed of 64 (kb/s), you can divide the line or use the free audio time to transmit images such as videos and still images. It is also possible to send the signal as a facsimile signal.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the present invention, each time a speaking request is generated from each conference terminal, the uplink of the bidirectional multiple connection means is set up, so conference information such as audio mainly between the conference device terminals and the switching device is transmitted. Only one line is required to transfer the information, making it possible to construct an economical system.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the number of conference participants can be up to the maximum number of terminals accommodated by the switching device, so there is virtually no limit to the number of conference participants.

Therefore, it is most effective for conference formats where conference participants do not gather in a conference room but each person uses a conference terminal on a desk, or for conference formats where there are many listeners, such as a panel discussion.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the operating principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing the flow of operation of an embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 4 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional example of a conference communication system, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a digital switching device equipped with a bidirectional multiple connection function. Explanation of symbols 40... Digital switching device, 41... Line switching means (bidirectional multiple connection means), 43... Packet switching means, 50... Conference device terminal, 60... Conference terminal agent Patent attorney Akio Namiki Agent Patent attorney Kiyoshi Matsuzaki π4 Figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) The same information can be transmitted from one terminal (hereinafter referred to as terminal A) to any plurality of terminals, and from any one of the plurality of terminals to the terminal A. In a digital switching device that is equipped with a bidirectional multiple connection means capable of transmitting information and performs circuit switching, and is also equipped with a packet switching means and performs packet switching, the terminal A is a conference device terminal, and the terminal A is excluded. In a conference communication system that performs conference communication using a plurality of arbitrary terminals as conference terminals participating in the conference, the conference device terminal receives transmission right request signals from the plurality of conference terminals via the packet switching means. a transmitting right request signal receiving means; and a transmitting right conflict processing means for determining one conference terminal to which a transmitting right is to be granted from among the transmitting right request signals when competing transmitting right request signals from a plurality of conference terminals are received. , a multiple connection control signal is created so that the conference equipment terminal can receive conference information from a specific conference terminal to which it has been decided to grant transmission rights (hereinafter referred to as a speaking permission terminal), and multiple connection control signal transmitting means for transmitting to the bidirectional multiple connection means; conference information receiving means for receiving conference information from the speech permission terminal via the two-way multiple connection means; and conference information receiving means for receiving the received conference information. conference information transmitting means for transmitting to the conference terminals via the two-way multiple connection means, the packet means transmitting a transmission right request signal to each of the conference terminals for requesting the right to transmit the conference information. a transmission right request signal transmitting means for transmitting a transmission right request signal to the conference apparatus terminal via the bidirectional multiple connection means, a conference information transmitting means for transmitting conference information to the conference apparatus terminal via the bidirectional multiple connection means; A conference communication system for performing conference communication, comprising: conference information receiving means for receiving conference information transmitted from the conference device terminal via means. 2) In the conference communication system according to claim 1, a conference information input means is added to the conference device terminal, and the information inputted by the conference information input means is added to the information received by the conference information reception means. A conference communication system further comprising: conference information adding means for outputting to the conference information transmitting means. 3) The conference communication system according to claim 2, wherein the conference information adding means further comprises means for adding information from conference terminals received via a one-to-one individual line. Communications system.