JPH02292982A - Video conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a video conference among terminals of different encoding systems by decoding the signal outputted from a video conference terminal of the transmitter side in the same encoding system as that of the conference terminal of the transmitter side and at the same time encoding the signal in the same encoding system as that of the receiver side. CONSTITUTION:A video conference terminal 2 encodes the video and voice signals received from a camera 31 and a microphone 33 by a prescribed encoding system via a video encoding part 32 and a voice encoding part 34 and multiplexing these encoded signals via a signal processing part 39. Then the multiplexed signals are sent to a video conference connecting device 1 of a different type via an interface 40 and a communication network 20. The signals received by the device 1 are inputted to a CODEC 24 via an interface 21 and separated into the video and voice signals. These two types of signals are decoded by a decoding part 24b in the same system as that of the terminal 2. These decoded video and voice signals are inputted to a CODEC 25 of the same encoding system as a TV terminal 8 of the receiver side via an input/output signal line 27 and a video/voice control part 30 and encoded and multiplexed in the same encoding system as that of the terminal 8 to be inputted to the terminal 8. The signals inputted to the terminal 8 are multiplexed by the part 39 and inputted to a monitor 35 and a speaker 37 via the decoding parts 36 and 38.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a video conference system, and particularly to a video conference system that connects video conference terminals using different encoding systems.

[Prior Art] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional video conference system, and in the figure (121). (122) is, for example, a video conference terminal whose image encoding method is a motion compensated interframe encoding method and whose audio encoding method is an orthogonal transform method, (131)
, (132) is, for example, a video conference terminal whose image encoding method is a motion compensation vector quantization method and whose audio encoding method is an adaptive predictive coding method.

For example, (141) and (142) are video conference terminals using adaptive predictive coding, (3 1 1), (3
1 2). (3 1 3) is a bidirectional digital transmission path.

In addition to the above-mentioned encoding methods, there are other encoding methods such as pulse code modulation, delta modulation, band division encoding, and variable speed encoding. Any encoding method may be used as long as it is an encoding method.

Next, the operation will be explained.

When the video conference terminal (1 2 1) transmits, the video conference terminal (1 2 1) encodes the video signal using the motion compensated interframe coding method, and also encodes the audio signal using the orthogonal transform method. The image signal and audio signal thus obtained are sent to a bidirectional digital transmission path (3 1 1).

Then, the encoded image signal and audio signal are decoded using the same method and reproduced into video and audio at the video conference terminal (1 2 2) on the receiving side.

Also, a video conference terminal (131). (132) and (1 4 1). Image signals and audio signals are transmitted and received in the same manner between (1 4 2).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventional video conference systems are configured as described above, so even if video conference terminals with different encoding systems are connected via a digital transmission path and a video conference is held, the encoding There was a problem in that it was not possible to conduct video conferences due to differences in formats and other reasons.

In addition, if a person who already owns a video conference terminal but is unable to hold a video conference due to the difference in encoding method, one person must prepare a video conference terminal with the same encoding method as the other person. There was a problem that it could not be realized and it was extremely uneconomical.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a video conference system that can conduct a video conference between video conference terminals using different encoding systems.

[Several Steps to Solve the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a selection means for selecting a plurality of video conference terminals with different encoding systems and a signal sent from the video conference terminal on the transmitting side. and a decoding means that decodes the signal using the same method as the video conference terminal that sent the signal, and an encoding device that encodes the decoded signal using the same method as the receiving video conference terminal that is sending the signal. The present invention is characterized by comprising: a heterogeneous television conference terminal connection device comprising: and a transmission line connecting the plurality of television conference terminals to the heterogeneous television conference terminal connection device.

[Operation] Based on the above-described configuration, the video conference system according to the present invention transmits a signal encoded in a predetermined method and sent from the video conference terminal on the transmitting side to the television on the transmitting side using a different type of video conference terminal connecting device. The decoded signal is decoded using the same method as the conference terminal, and the decoded signal is encoded using the same encoding method as the receiving video conference terminal and sent to the receiving video conference terminal. Then, the video conference terminal on the receiving side decodes and reproduces the encoded signal.

[Example] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, (1) is a heterogeneous video conference terminal connection device that connects video conference terminals with different encoding systems, and (2)
to (19) are video conference terminals, (2) to (7) are video conference terminals, (8) to (13) are video conference terminals, and (14) to (19) are television conference terminals. Each conference terminal has a different encoding method. And (20) is a communication network that connects the video conference terminal and the different types of video conference terminal connection devices.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the heterogeneous video conference terminal connection device (1).

In the figure (21), (22). (23) is an interface unit as a selection means; (24) . (25)
, (2B) are encoding decoders (hereinafter referred to as codecs) for each encoding method, (2 7) . (28),
(29) is a video signal input/output line; (30) is a video/audio control section.

The codec (24) includes an encoding section (24a) and a decoding section (24b"), and similarly the codec (24) includes an encoding section (24a) and a decoding section (24b").
5). (26) also includes an encoding section and a decoding section.

Moreover, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a video conference terminal (2).

In the figure, (31) is a camera;
is connected to a video encoding section (32) that encodes the video signal. Furthermore, (33) is a microphone, and the microphone (33) is an audio signal encoder (3) that encodes an audio signal.
4) is connected to.

(35) is a monitor for playing back video, and the monitor (35) is connected to a video decoding unit (36) for decoding the encoded video signal. The speaker (37) is connected to an audio decoding section (38) that decodes the encoded audio signal.

Furthermore, a video encoding section (32) and an audio encoding section (34)
), video decoding unit (3 6), audio decoding unit (38)
is connected to a signal processing section (39), and the signal processing section (39) is connected to an interface (4o).

Next, the operation of the present invention will be explained.

The video conference terminal (2) encodes video signals and audio signals output from a camera (31) and a microphone (33) using a video encoding unit (32) and an audio encoding unit (34) using a predetermined encoding method. (For example, the image encoding method is a motion compensated interframe encoding method, and the audio encoding method is an orthogonal transformation method.) The encoded video signal and audio signal are processed by the signal processing unit (3
9).

The multiplexed signal is then sent to the interface (40).
It is sent from the terminal via the communication network (20) to the heterogeneous video conference terminal connecting device (1).

The signal input to the heterogeneous video conference terminal connection device (1) is then input to the codec (24) via the interface (21).

Furthermore, the signal input to the codec (24) is separated into a video signal and an audio signal, and the signal is sent to the video conference terminal (24) on the transmitting side.
) is decoded by the decoding unit (2 4 b) using the same method.

The decoded video signal and audio signal then pass through the video and audio input/output signal line (27) to the video and audio control unit (30).
) and uses the same encoding method as the video conference terminal on the receiving side (let's say it's video conference terminal (8)) (for example, the image encoding method is motion compensation vector quantization, and the audio encoding method is adaptive predictive encoding. The video signal is input to the codec (25) of the video/audio input/output signal line (28).

Then, the video signal and audio signal input to the codec (25) are encoded using the same encoding method (the image encoding method is a motion compensation vector) as the video conference terminal (8) on the receiving side by the encoding unit (25a) The signal is encoded and multiplexed using the quantization method and the audio encoding method (adaptive predictive coding method), and is input from the interface (22) through the communication network (20) to the receiving side video conference terminal (8). .

Furthermore, the multiplexed image/audio signals input to the receiving side video conference terminal (8) are sent to the interface section (40).
is input to the signal processing unit (39), and the signal processing unit (39)
9), the multiplexed signals are separated.

Then, the separated encoded video signal is sent to the video decoding unit (3).
6), and the image is displayed on the monitor (35).

Further, the separated encoded audio signal is sent to the audio decoding unit (38
) and generates sound from the speaker (37).

Thereafter, image signals and audio signals are transmitted and received between the video conference terminals in the same manner as described above.

In the above-described embodiment, the heterogeneous video conference terminal connection device (1) was equipped with three codecs, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the device may be equipped with codecs compatible with a large number of encoding methods. In this way, connections between video conference terminals with different encoding systems can be further expanded, and existing video conference terminals can be used effectively.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the heterogeneous video conference terminal connection device encodes the signal output from the video conference terminal on the transmitting side using the same encoding method as the video conference terminal on the transmitting side. Since the configuration is configured to decode using the same encoding method as that of the receiving side, it is possible to connect video conference terminals with different encoding methods, and to connect video conference terminals with different encoding methods. This has the effect of allowing video conferences to be held.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a video conference system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a device for connecting different types of video conference terminals, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the video conference terminal. 4 are block diagrams showing the configuration of a conventional video conference system. In the figure, (1) is a connection device for different types of video conference terminals, (2) to (19) and (1 2 1), (122), .
(131). (132). (141). (1 4
2) is a video conference terminal, (20) is a communication network, (21)
．． (22), (23) are selection means, (2 4
a). (2 5 a). (2 6 a) is an encoding unit, (24b), (25b) . (26b) is a decoding unit. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or corresponding parts. 27-29: B* (Kametsu voice input/output f) f issue Kisen Mei I! Tele σ party! #Ku Karashu 1 #y 7 nose group diagram of 1 #t A 8 Figure 3 at the end of the TV conference petition

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plurality of video conference terminals with different encoding systems, a selection means for selecting a signal transmitted from the video conference terminal on the transmitting side, and a decoding means for decoding the signal using the same method as the video conference terminal that transmitted the signal. and an encoding means that encodes the decoded signal using the same method as the receiving side video conference terminal to which the decoded signal is to be transmitted, and a heterogeneous video conference terminal that connects the plurality of video conference terminals. The heterogeneous video conference terminal connection device is equipped with a transmission path that connects to the terminal connection device, and the heterogeneous video conference terminal connection device transmits a signal encoded in a predetermined method and sent out from the video conference terminal on the transmitting side using the same method as the video conference terminal on the transmitting side. A video conference system characterized in that the decoded signal is decoded using the same encoding method as that of the video conference terminal on the receiving end, and the encoded signal is sent to the video conference terminal on the receiving end. .