JPH04122186A - Video conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain quick revision of designation of zoom and changeover from a remote scene pattern to a zoom pattern for one frame period by synthesizing small pictures outputted from a picture reduction device and selecting the synthesized picture or a picture from a video camera with a selector circuit. CONSTITUTION:Each picture inputted from video cameras 1a-1f and picture reduction circuits 2a-2f is reduced respectively longitudinally and laterally to 1/2. A picture synthesis circuit 2 throws away 1/6 each of the left and right sides of the reduced picture sent from the picture reduction circuits 2a-2f, synthesizes the remaining picture parts from 6 patterns into one picture and sends the result to a selector circuit 4. The selector circuit 4 selects the picture to be sent from the pictures from the video cameras 1a-1f and the picture synthesis circuit 3 to a picture CODECs 5a, 5b. Thus, changeover between a remote scene pattern and a zoom pattern and changeover of a zoom object pattern is implemented momentarily for one frame period.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

This invention is a technology that can transmit video images, audio, calligraphy, and pictures bidirectionally through a line, and hold conferences between remote locations.
This invention relates to an improvement of a V (television) conference system.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the configuration of a video switching section in a conventional TV conference system. IIa and 11b are video cameras for distant views, and llc is a movable video camera for zooming. Reference numeral 12 denotes an image synthesis circuit, which is connected to the video cameras J2g and Ilb, and extracts unnecessary upper and lower 1
The center half of each image is combined in real time and converted into a single image. The output of the image synthesis circuit 12 is the video camera 11a, 11
It is input to the selector circuit 13 together with the output of b. The selector circuit 13 is controlled by the control IE+4.
Select two video signals from the input signals,
Output to image codecs (GODEC) 15a and 15b. The above images C0DECI5a and +5b compress the code amount of the video signal input from the selector circuit 13 so that it can be transmitted over the line interface (1/F
) + Go to 7. Further, the code sent from the other party's terminal through the line 1/FI7 is decoded and returned to a video signal, which is displayed on the displays 16a and 16b. The audio C0DECI 9 digitizes and encodes the audio signal from the microphone IO, while decoding the audio code,
It is converted into an analog signal and output to the speaker 20. Above line 1
7P17 is image C0DEC+5a, 15b, audio C0
The DECl 9 is connected to the control unit 14 and the communication line 18, and multiplexes the image code coming from the image CODEC 15a, 15b, the audio code coming from the audio CODEC 19, and the control code coming from the control unit 14, and converts it into a transmission signal. , transmit the transmission signal to the other party through the communication line 18, and convert the transmission signal transmitted from the other party into image code, audio code,
Separate into control codes and convert each into image C0DECI 5a
I 5b, audio C0DEC+ 9, passed to the control unit 14. FIG. 5 shows video cameras 11a, 1lb, 11c, displays 16g, + in a conventional TV conference system.
This is an example of the arrangement of 6b. The following explanation is based on the assumption that the equipment configurations on both sides of the conference are the same, but they do not necessarily have to be the same configuration. Further, in this example, the meeting is held with 12 people, 6 on each side, and there is no limit to the number of attendees. The distant view video camera lla photographs the attendees on the left side, and the distant view video camera llb photographs the attendees on the right side, so that the two cameras cover the entirety of the conference attendees. The movable zoom video camera Ilc has pan, tilt, and zoom functions. Focusing can be controlled externally. This video camera Ilc is used when transmitting a specific person during a meeting, such as someone who is speaking, to the other party using zoom. Displays +6a and +6b display images transmitted from the other party's system as shown in Figure 6 (a).
, displayed as shown in (b). On the other party's display, the image of the video camera lla is shown on the left side, and the image of the video camera Ilb is shown on the right side. When a zoom instruction is given by an operation from the user's side or the other party's side, the control unit 14 outputs a control signal to the video camera LLC for zooming, causes it to perform panning, tilting, etc., and selects an image to be transmitted to the selector circuit 13. 6(b), and select the two screens shown in FIG. 6(b) as the transmission screen, the distant view screen and the zoom screen. At this time, the control section 14
Wait for the operation of the video camera llc, wait until the operation is completely completed, and then switch images.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

As described above, in the TV conference system, when switching from the distant view screen to the zoom screen and switching the zoom target, the zoom image is transferred to the distant view video camera II.
Since it is obtained using a movable video camera LLC that is separate from A and FLB, there is a time lag between selecting the zoom screen and switching to the actual zoomed screen, which has the disadvantage of causing a great sense of discomfort. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a TV conference system that can instantly switch between a distant view screen and a zoom screen, and switch a zoom target screen.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the TV conference system of the present invention includes a plurality of video cameras that convert images into video signals, receives video signals output from each of the video cameras, and generates an image represented by each video signal. a plurality of image reduction devices that output signals representing small images obtained by reducing the size of the image;
an image synthesis circuit that receives signals from the plurality of image reduction devices and outputs a signal representing one screen or a plurality of screens synthesized from the small images reduced by the image reduction devices; a selector circuit that is connected to the camera and selects a predetermined image from among the images represented by the signals sent from the image synthesis circuit and the plurality of video cameras; a display; and a selector circuit that compresses the video signal received from the selector circuit; An image video codec that encodes the encoded signal, expands the encoded signal, decodes it into a video signal, and outputs it to the display, a microphone that converts audio to an audio signal and outputs it, and a speaker that converts the audio signal to audio. an audio codec that compresses and encodes the audio signal received from the microphone and outputs it, decodes the encoded code into an audio signal and outputs it to a speaker; a line I/F that multiplexes a voice signal and a control code and transmits the same to the line, receives the multiplexed code from the line and separates it into individual codes, the selector circuit, the image codec, and the voice It is characterized by comprising a control device that controls the codec and the line I/F.

[Effect]

According to the TV conference system configured as described above, the image reduction device receives the video signal output from the video camera and outputs a signal representing a small screen obtained by reducing the image. The image synthesis circuit outputs a signal representing one screen or a plurality of screens obtained by combining the small images reduced by the image reduction device. Based on the control signal from the control device, the selector circuit selects a predetermined screen from among the synthesized screen from the image synthesis circuit and the screen sent from the video camera, and sends a video signal representing this screen to the image C0DEC, This image C0DEC is obtained by compressing and encoding the video signal representing this screen.
Send to /F. Line 1/P multiplexes the compression-encoded audio signal, compression-encoded video signal, and control code from the audio C0DEC, sends it out to the line, and sends it to the other party's T.
Send to V-Conference System. By controlling the selection of images in the selector circuit and the method of compositing images in the image composition circuit by the control device, switching between the distant view screen and the zoom screen,
You can switch the zoom target screen. Therefore, it is possible to switch between the distant view screen and the zoom screen and to switch the zoom target screen much more quickly than when using a zoom operation using a conventional zoom video camera.

【Example】

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to illustrated embodiments. FIG. 2 shows a video camera la, 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
This is an example of the arrangement of the displays 8a, 8b and the displays 8a, 8b. Video camera I a, l b,..., I
Each video camera f is placed in front of each participant in the conference, and a video camera is placed corresponding to each person, and the viewing angle of each video camera is adjustable. Adjust the angle of view so that the camera covers the subject. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the above embodiment. Video cameras 1a, 1b, 1c, ld, Ie,
As shown in FIG. 2, 1 f is placed in front of each person attending the meeting, and each person is photographed at an angle of view equivalent to a zoom. Each video camera] a, 1 b, ., I
f operates with external synchronization, and all video cameras are synchronously connected. Image reduction circuit 2a, 2b, 2c,
..., 2f are video cameras la, Ib, l, respectively.
c, . . . are connected to If. Above video camera 1
a, l b,..., If image reduction circuit 2a
, 2b, . . . , 2f are each reduced to 1/2 both vertically and horizontally. This reduced image is sent to the image synthesis circuit 3. This image synthesis circuit 3 further discards 1/6 of the left and right parts of the reduced images sent from the image reduction circuits 2 a, 2 b, . . . , 2 f, and synthesizes the remaining parts to create The two screens are combined into one image and sent to the selector circuit 4. The selector circuit 4 is connected to the tr from the video camera Ia and the image synthesis circuit 3, and is controlled by the control device 6.
An image to be transmitted is selected from among the images sent from 1f and the image synthesis circuit 3, and is input to the image C0DECs 5a and 5b. The above images C0DEC5a and 5b are encoded from the input images and sent to the other party's TV through line 1/F7.
Transmit to conference system. Also, the code sent from the other party's TV conference system is sent to the image C through line 1/F7.
The 0DECs 5a and 5b receive the signal, decode it, convert it into a video signal, and output it to the displays 8a and 8b. The video images taken by the video cameras Ia, 1b, . . . lf are combined as shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b). During normal transmission, the composite screen for three people on the left and right output from the image composition circuit 3 is shown in Figure 6 (
As shown in a), it is displayed on the left and right displays 8a and 8b. On the other hand, at the time of zoom transmission, as shown in FIG. 6(b), images of six attendees or images of three people in two rows, top and bottom, are combined by the image synthesis circuit 3, resulting in one image C0DEC5.
The output from the video camera that is not combined is encoded with another image C0DEC5b and transmitted. In this way, the image reduction devices 2 a, 2 b, . . . , 2
The small images output from Switching from the screen to the zoom screen is
This can be done quickly within one frame period. In addition, even if there are many participants in a conference, by preparing as many video cameras as there are participants and adding a selector circuit between the image synthesis circuit and the video cameras, it is possible to You can select a name, combine the images, and send it. Note that the audio signal from the microphone 10 is compressed and encoded by the audio C0DEC9 and sent to the line r/F7. Line I
/F7 multiplexes a compression-encoded video signal, a compression-encoded audio signal, and a control code, and sends the multiplexed signal to the line 18. In addition, the line r/F7 separates the multiplexed signal sent from the line 18 into a compression-encoded video signal, a compression-encoded audio signal, and a control code, and converts each into an image signal. It outputs to the GODECs 5a and 5b, the audio CODEC 9, and the control device 6. And images GODEC5a, '5b
The video signal decoded by the display 8a, 8
b, an image is displayed, and an audio signal decoded by the audio C0DEC9 is input manually to the speaker 20, and audio is output.

【Effect of the invention】

As is clear from the above, the TV conference system of the present invention reduces images output from each video camera using each reduction device, inputs signals representing the reduced images to an image synthesis circuit, and synthesizes them into one screen. Or, while creating multiple screens, the selector circuit is controlled by the control device to select images from the image synthesis circuit and arbitrary images from the multiple video cameras, so the distant view screen and zoom Switching between screens and zoom target screens can be instantaneously performed within one frame period.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the video camera and display of the above embodiment, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing screen composition of the above embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the video camera and display of the above embodiment. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a conventional example, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the arrangement of a video camera and a display in the conventional example, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing image composition in the conventional example. la, lb, lc, 1d, Ie, Ir-video camera,
2a2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f - image reduction circuit, 3
・Image synthesis circuit, 4...Selector circuit, 5 a, 5
b... Image C0DEC16... Control device, 7...
Line I/F, 9...Audio C0DEC0

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of video cameras that convert images into video signals, and a plurality of video cameras that each receive the video signal output from each of the video cameras and output a signal representing a small image obtained by reducing the image represented by each video signal. an image reduction device; an image synthesis circuit that receives signals from the plurality of image reduction devices and outputs a signal representing one screen or a plurality of screens synthesized from small images reduced by the image reduction devices; a selector circuit that is connected to the circuit and the plurality of video cameras and selects a predetermined image from among the images represented by the signals sent from the image synthesis circuit and the plurality of video cameras; a display; and a selector circuit that receives signals from the selector circuit. An image video codec that compresses and encodes a video signal while also expanding the encoded signal, decoding it into a video signal, and outputting it to a display; a microphone that converts audio into an audio signal and outputs it; and an audio signal. an audio codec that compresses and encodes the audio signal received from the microphone and outputs it, and decodes the encoded code into an audio signal and outputs it to the speaker; and an audio codec that compresses and encodes the audio signal received from the microphone and outputs it to the speaker. a line interface that multiplexes a signal, a compression-encoded audio signal, and a control code and transmits the same to a line, receives the multiplexed code from the line and separates it into individual codes; and the selector circuit. A TV conference system comprising a control device that controls an image codec, an audio codec, and a line interface.