JPH05130599A - Television conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To arrange a camera in the center of a monitor of multi-screen constitution so as to match the lines of sight of the monitor and a camera with each other. CONSTITUTION:This system consists of a camera device 1 for inputting an image, a multi-screen monitor 2 which displays the image on plural monitors, an image transmitter 3 which encodes and decodes a video signal, and a multi- screen monitor controller 5 which monitors and controls the encoded video signal. The inside of the multi-screen monitor controller 5 consists of a video division part 7 which divides data of one screen, a filter circuit part 8 which displays divided video data of one screen on the monitors together, and a video switching part 6 which controls the parts 8-, 9 into operating states or through states. Thus, the television conference system which provides a feeling of presence is structured.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video conference system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows, for example, a catalog V-C9517.
FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing the conventional video conference system shown in FIG. 4F, in which FIG.
Reference numeral 3 is an image transmission device, and 4 is a line.

Next, the operation will be described. In the video conference system as shown in FIG. 5, the camera device 1 for transmitting the image of the conference attendee to the communication partner is set on the monitor 2 for displaying the image of the communication partner. A conference attendee looking directly at the monitor 2 is photographed by the camera device 1. The video signal is input to the image transmission device 3 and encoded. Then, it is transmitted through the line 4. The video signal of the communication partner transmitted through the line 4 is input to the image transmission device 3. The decoded video signal is displayed on the monitor 2.

[0004]

Since the conventional video conference system is configured as described above, there is a problem that the conference attendees looking at the monitor screen cannot see the line of sight of the communication partner.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to obtain a system capable of conducting a conference in which a line of sight with a communication partner can be set even when the monitor is directly looking at the video conference. I am trying.

[0006]

In the video conference system according to the present invention, a camera device is arranged between multi-screen monitors.

[0007]

In the video conference system according to the present invention, the direction in which the attendees of the conference look at the monitor and the direction of the camera are the same.

[0008]

EXAMPLES Example 1. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, 1 is a camera device, 2 is a multi-screen monitor, 3 is an image transmission device, 4 is a line,
Reference numeral 5 is a multi-screen control device, 6, 7 and 8 are parts of 5, 6 is a video switching unit, 7 is a video dividing unit, and 8 is a filter circuit unit.

Next, the operation will be described. In the video conference system as shown in FIG. 3, the camera device 1 is set at the center position of the multi-screen monitor 2. Attendee # 1 of the conference sees the image on the multi-screen monitor 2 and at the same time is photographed by the camera device 1 and the image signal is input to the image transmission device 3. The signal is encoded and transmitted on line 4. The signal transmitted through the line 4 is input to the image transmission device. The decoded video signal is input to the multi-screen monitor control unit 5.
Video splitting unit 7 so that one screen can be configured with multiple monitors
The image is divided by the filter circuit unit 8. The image is input to each monitor of the multi-screen monitor and the image is displayed. Further, the image switching section 6 is not used at this time.

Embodiment 2. In the above embodiment, the camera device 1, the multi-screen monitor 2 and the multi-screen monitor control device 5 of FIG. 1 are integrated.

Embodiment 3. In the above embodiment, the case where the communication partner is one-to-one is shown, but it may be used in the case of a multipoint conference. Hereinafter, a modified example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 2, 1 is a camera device, 2 is a multi-screen monitor, 3 is an image transmission device, 4 is a line, 5 is a multi-screen control device, and 6, 7 and 8 are part of 5.
Is an image switching unit, 7 is an image dividing unit, and 8 is a filter circuit unit.

Next, the operation will be described. In the video conference room as shown in FIG. 3, the camera device 1 is set at the central position of the multi-screen monitor 2. Attendees of the conference see the multi-screen monitor 2 and at the same time, are photographed by the camera device 1, and the video signal is input to the image transmission device 3. The signal is encoded and transmitted on line 4. Signals transmitted from a plurality of communication partners via the line 4 are input to the image transmission device 3. Each decoded video signal is input to the multi-screen monitor controller 5. For example, when displaying images of each of a plurality of communication partners on the multi-screen monitor 2, the video switching unit 6 is operated so that the images of each communication partner can be configured on each monitor of the multi-screen monitor. The video division unit 7 and the filter circuit unit 8 are controlled to be through.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the camera device is arranged in the multi-screen which constitutes one screen by a plurality of monitors, the line of sight of the camera and the line of sight of the monitor can be made to coincide with each other, which makes the image realistic. A video conference system can be built.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a video conference system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a video conference system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a layout diagram showing a video conference system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional video conference system.

FIG. 5 is a layout diagram showing a conventional video conference system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 camera device 2 multi-screen monitor 3 image transmission device 4 line 5 multi-screen control device 6 video switching unit 7 video dividing unit 8 filter circuit unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A video conferencing system, comprising: a video division unit for dividing an image of a received communication partner into a matrix form; and a filter circuit unit for compositely displaying the divided images on a plurality of monitors to form one screen. Communicates by looking at the camera placed in the center of the multi-screen screen in a video conference, with the equipped multi-screen monitor control device, the multi-screen monitors arranged in a matrix, and the camera device placed between the monitors. A video conferencing system that matches your line of sight with the other party. 2. The video conference system according to claim 1, wherein a device in which a multi-screen monitor, a camera device, and a multi-screen monitor control device are integrated is used. 3. The video conference system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of image transmission devices are connected to display images of a plurality of communication partners, and one screen is selected from the plurality of communication partners. A video conferencing system having a switching control unit for displaying on.