JPH04298146A - Inter-multi-point communication controller for video conference - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize inter-multi-point communication controller for a video conference in which a line utility charge is shared automatically to video conference terminals taking part in the video conference. CONSTITUTION:Line utility charge information offered from a communication network is collated with a video conference terminal taking part in the video conference is stored in a data storage section 8 as a communication recording data, the data is outputted to an external device via a data output section 9 or a required communication recording data for the operation input section is designated and displayed on a display section. Thus, the inter-multi-point communication controller for the video conference is realized, in which the charge distribution calculation processing in the inter-multi-point video conference that the payment is due to each point video conference terminal is independently collected and processed.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to a multipoint communication control device for a video conference that controls a multipoint video conference using a communication network such as an integrated service digital network (hereinafter referred to as an ISDN network). be.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional multipoint communication control device for video conferencing. In the figure, 1 is a basic interface unit (hereinafter referred to as basic I/F) that interfaces 2B+D signals with the ISDN network (not shown).
2 is the 4H0, 2 between the ISDN network and
This is a primary group speed interface section (hereinafter referred to as a primary group speed I/F section) that interfaces the 4B signals.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a transmission control unit connected to the primary speed I/F unit 2, which separates/combines video data and audio data for each video conference terminal at each point connected via the ISDN network. be. 4 is a video processing section that processes the video data separated by the transmission control section 3, and 5 is an audio processing section that also processes audio data. A system control section 6 is connected to the basic I/F section 1 and controls each of these sections.

Next, the operation will be explained. Incoming call control for a video conference terminal requesting the holding of a video conference is performed via the basic I/F unit 1 via the ISDN network (2B+D). Further, call control to the video conference terminals at each location convened for the video conference is also performed via the basic I/F unit 1. Through these call controls, the video conference terminals at each point participating in the video conference are connected to the video conference multipoint communication control device.

[0005] Conference data from the video conference terminals at each connected point is sent to the video conference multipoint communication control device via the ISDN network (4H0/24B), and its primary rate I/ It is received by F section 2. Primary group velocity I
The /F unit 2 separates the received data into conference data for each video conference terminal at each location, and transfers the conference data to the transmission control unit 3.

Each transmission control section 3 separates the received conference data into video data and audio data, and sends the video data to the video processing section 4 and the audio data to the audio processing section 5, respectively. The video processing section 4 switches the sent video data and sends it back to the transmission control section 3 for each point. In parallel, the audio processing section 5 decodes and mixes the sent audio data for each point and sends it back to the transmission control section 3.

[0007] These video data and audio data are synthesized by the transmission control section 3, and then sent to the IS from the primary speed I/F section 2.
It is transmitted to the video conference terminals at each location via the DN network (4H0/24B). The system control section 6 controls each of these sections.

[0008] As a document describing the technology related to such a conventional multipoint communication control device for video conferencing, for example, "Mitsubishi Electric Technical Report" Vol. 64 No. 12 (19
There are papers such as ``Multipoint Video Conferencing System'' published on pages 69-74 of 1990).

[0009]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] Since the conventional multipoint communication control device for video conferencing is configured as described above, when a multipoint video conference network is constructed using an ISDN network in a company, etc. Most of the line usage fees are charged to the multipoint communication control equipment for video conferences, and in order to distribute them to the video conference terminals at each location, telecommunication carriers such as Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation have to pay the line usage fees. There was a problem in that the process had to be done manually by obtaining details of usage fees and comparing them with meeting records.

[0010] This invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is a multi-point video conference system in which line usage charges can be automatically allocated to video conference terminals participating in the video conference. The purpose is to obtain a communication control device.

[0011]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A multipoint communication control device for video conferencing according to the invention as set forth in claim 1 verifies line usage fee information provided from a communication network with video conference terminals participating in the video conference. A data storage section that stores the verified line usage fee information as communication record data, and a data output section that outputs the accumulated communication record data to an external device are added.

[0012] The multipoint communication control device for video conferencing according to the invention according to claim 2 also includes a data collation unit that collates the line usage charge information provided from the communication network with the video conference terminals participating in the video conference. , a data storage unit that stores the verified line usage charge information as communication record data, an operation input unit that specifies the extraction of predetermined communication record data from the accumulated communication record data, and a data storage unit that stores the specified communication record data. This system is equipped with a data output section for extracting data from the section, and a display section for displaying the extracted communication record data.

[0013]

[Operation] The data storage unit in the invention as claimed in claim 1 stores, as communication record data, line usage fee information provided by the communication network and collated by the data collation unit with the video conference terminals that participated in the video conference. By outputting this data to an external device via the data output unit, we have realized a multipoint communication control device for video conferencing that can automatically allocate line usage fees to the video conference terminals participating in the video conference. do.

[0014] Furthermore, in the data output unit of the invention as claimed in claim 2, the line usage fee information provided from the communication network is collated with the video conference terminals that participated in the video conference and is stored as communication record data. From the data storage department,
Multi-point to video conference system that can automatically allocate line usage charges to video conference terminals participating in the video conference by extracting communication record data specified on the operation input section and displaying it on the display section. Realize a communication control device.

[0015]

[Example] Example 1. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the invention according to claim 1. In the figure, 1 is the basic I/F
2 is a primary speed I/F unit, 3 is a transmission control unit, 4 is a video processing unit, and 5 is an audio processing unit, which are the same or equivalent parts as those of the conventional ones with the same reference numerals in FIG. Therefore, detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0016] Reference numeral 7 denotes a system control unit corresponding to the one designated by the reference numeral 6 in FIG. It is different from that in that it also functions as a data matching unit that matches the video conference terminals that participated in the video conference.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a data storage unit that stores the line usage charge information collated by the system control unit 7 as communication record data, and 9 stores the communication record data accumulated in this data storage unit in a personal computer (not shown). This is a data output unit that outputs to external equipment such as a computer.

Next, the operation will be explained. Call control between video conference terminals at each location is performed using ISDN as in the conventional case.
This is done via the basic I/F unit 1 via the network (2B+D),
Through this call control, the video conference terminals at each location are connected to the video conference multipoint communication control device.

Conference data from the video conference terminals at each location is sent to the video conference multipoint communication control device via the ISDN network (4H0/24B), and as in the conventional case, the transmission control unit 3, It is processed by the video processing section 4, the audio processing section 5, etc. The processed conference data is sent to the ISD from the primary speed I/F unit 2 of the multipoint communication control device for video conferencing.
It is transmitted to the video conference terminals at each location via the N network (4H0/24B).

[0020] When the video conference ends, the video conference multipoint communication control device is connected to the ISDN network (2B+D
) will send you the line usage fee information for the video conference. Line usage fee information provided from this ISDN network (2B+D) is extracted by the basic I/F section 1 and sent to the system control section 7, which also functions as a data verification section.

The system control unit 7 compares the received line usage fee information with the video conference terminals at each location that participated in the video conference, and then stores it in the data storage unit 8 as communication record data.

The communication record data stored in the data storage section 8 is retrieved and processed as necessary via the data output section 9 by an external device such as a personal computer connected to the data output section 9.

Example 2. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the invention as claimed in claim 2, and the same parts as in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanation. In the figure, 1
Reference numeral 0 designates a data output unit that is different from the one designated by reference numeral 9 in FIG. 1 in that it retrieves designated communication record data from the data storage unit 8 according to input items.

Reference numeral 11 denotes an operation input section for inputting, to the data output section 10, an item for specifying communication record data to be retrieved from among the communication record data stored in the data storage section 8. Reference numeral 12 denotes a display section that displays communication record data retrieved from the data storage section 8 by the data output section 10 into which items are input from the operation input section 11.

Next, the operation will be explained. As in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the data storage unit 8 stores communication records of line usage fee information that has been verified by the system control unit 7 with the video conference terminals at each location that participated in the video conference. It is stored as data.

[0026] In order to display necessary communication record data on the display unit 12 from among the communication record data stored in the data storage unit 8, the operator operates the operation input unit 11 to specify the communication record data to be retrieved. The following items are input to the data output section 10. The data output section 10 retrieves the corresponding communication record data from the data storage section 8 according to the input items, and sends it to the display section 12 for display.

[0027]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the explanation in claim 1, the line usage charge information provided from the communication network is compared with the video conference terminal that participated in the video conference, and the information is used as communication record data. Since the communication record data is stored in the data storage unit and outputted to an external device via the data output unit, it can be used in multipoint video conferences where the video conference terminals at each location are responsible for payment. This has the effect of providing a multipoint communication control device for video conferences that can independently collect and process fee distribution calculation processing using its external equipment.

Further, according to the second aspect of the invention, the line usage fee information provided from the communication network is checked against the video conference terminals that participated in the video conference, and the information is stored in the data storage unit as communication record data. The communication record data specified by the operation input unit is retrieved from the data storage unit and displayed on the display unit, so that the communication record data specified by the operation input unit is retrieved from the data storage unit and displayed on the display unit. This has the effect of providing a multipoint communication control device for a video conference that can display data necessary for fee distribution calculation processing in a video conference on the display unit.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a multipoint communication control device for video conferencing according to an embodiment of the invention as set forth in claim 1;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the invention according to claim 2.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional multipoint communication control device for video conferencing.

[Explanation of symbols]

7 Data collation unit (system control unit) 8 Data storage unit 9, 10 Data output unit 11 Operation input unit 12 Display unit

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: When a request to hold a video conference is received from a video conference terminal, the video conference terminals participating in the video conference are called, connected to each video conference terminal via a communication network, and transmitted from each video conference terminal. A multipoint communication control device for a video conference that controls a video conference between multiple points by processing sent video data and audio data and distributing it to each of the video conference terminals, provided from the communication network. a data collation unit that collates the line usage fee information that is sent to the video conference terminal that participated in the video conference; a data storage unit that stores the line usage fee information collated by the data collation unit as communication record data; What is claimed is: 1. A multipoint communication control device for a video conference, comprising: a data output section that outputs communication record data stored in a data storage section to an external device. 2. When a request to hold a video conference is received from a video conference terminal, the video conference terminals participating in the video conference are called, connected to each video conference terminal via a communication network, and transmitted from each video conference terminal. A multipoint communication control device for a video conference that controls a video conference between multiple points by processing sent video data and audio data and distributing it to each of the video conference terminals, provided from the communication network. a data collation unit that collates the line usage fee information that is sent to the video conference terminal that participated in the video conference; a data storage unit that stores the line usage fee information collated by the data collation unit as communication record data; an operation input section for specifying the extraction of predetermined communication record data from the communication record data accumulated in the data storage section; and a data output section for extracting the communication record data specified by the operation input section from the data accumulation section. 1. A multipoint communication control device for a video conference, comprising: a display unit that displays communication record data taken out by the data output unit.