JPH05327708A - Multi-medium communication conference equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep the secrecy of the data contents by protecting the data produced in a directory for each conference and also to ensure the effective use of a memory by preventing the storage of the undesired data in regard of a multi-medium communication conference equipment. CONSTITUTION:A system control part 7 produces the diretories where the medium data are stored for each conference in response to the conferences respectively. Thus the data stored in these directories can be transmitted and received between the terminals only in a conference mode where the conference corresponding to the relevant directory is carried out. As a result, the data stored in a conference directory are never transferred between the terminal that have no relation with the conference. Thus the medium data can be protected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multimedia communication conferencing apparatus, and more particularly to a multimedia communication conferencing apparatus for conducting a conference while exchanging voice data, image data, handwritten input data and the like between remote parties via a communication line. ..

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, there has been multimedia communication in which various types of information (media) such as voice, image or characters are combined or switched to perform communication. In particular,
In recent years, a multimedia communication conferencing apparatus for performing a remote conference between remote parties by this multimedia communication is being developed.

Conventionally, as this kind of multimedia communication conference apparatus, there is one described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-6192, and image data input from each medium such as a scanner or a video camera is stored in the apparatus. By creating a directory in the directory management unit according to the attribute information such as content and type, accumulating the created directory in the storage device, converting the attribute information of the image data into a database, and managing the attribute information in a unified manner, It was possible to search the image data by the attribute information.

[0004]

As described above, the conventional multimedia communication conference apparatus creates a directory for image data input from each medium in accordance with attribute information such as content and type, and stores the directory in the directory. The corresponding data was stored and managed. So, for example,
When one communication conference device is used in a plurality of conferences, a directory can be created for each conference and the data for each conference can be easily managed in directory units.

However, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional example, when transmitting / receiving the data in the directory to / from a terminal unrelated to the conference, other conference data etc. are mixed in one directory. There was a risk of being remembered. In addition, since there was no means to protect the data in the past, even a person who is not qualified to rewrite the data in the directory of a certain conference can easily modify it, resulting in the loss of the data contents. There was a problem that the contents changed. In particular, in the case of transmitting data to the other conference terminal in advance, if the content of the conference material differs between the conference terminals at the time of holding the conference, the progress of the conference will be hindered.

Further, if the data in the directory remains unerased even after the conference, the memory cannot be used effectively. Therefore, it may be deleted immediately after the meeting ends, but depending on the data contents, it may be necessary to browse for a certain period of time, and it is very troublesome for the operator to manage the data storage period by himself. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional problems, and protects the data in the directory created for each conference, maintains the confidentiality of the data contents, and accumulates unnecessary data. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multimedia communication conferencing apparatus capable of preventing the above and effectively utilizing the memory.

[0008]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In a multimedia communication conferencing apparatus for conducting a conference while communicating between mutual conference terminals using a plurality of media such as voice data, image data or handwritten input data, 1
Directory creating means for creating a conference directory for storing the various media data related to each conference unit, and the conference directory only when the conference corresponding to the created directory is in the conference mode. A first data communication means for communicating data in the conference data, and transmitting and receiving the data in the conference directory only in the conference mode.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, one conference is provided in a multimedia communication conference apparatus for conducting a conference while communicating between mutual conference terminals using a plurality of media such as voice data, image data or handwritten input data. A directory creating means for creating a conference directory for storing the various media data related to each unit; and a communication for communicating the data in the created directory only between the participants of the conference corresponding to the directory. The data communication means of No. 2 is provided, and communication of the various media data stored in the directory related to the conference is performed only between the conference participants during the conference.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2.
In the multimedia communication conference apparatus described, when writing data to the directory created for each conference,
It is characterized in that a predetermined secret code input is required.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the multimedia communication conference apparatus according to the first, second or third aspect, data lifetime setting means for setting a lifetime of the various media data to be stored in the created directory, and the setting. Equipped with a data erasing unit that monitors the passage of the specified lifetime and erases the data after the period has elapsed, and the data can be held and viewed in memory only during the lifetime of the conference data set according to the content of the conference. The feature is that the data is automatically erased after the lapse of the period.

[0011]

According to the present invention, a directory for storing various media data is created for each conference, and the data in the directory can be communicated only in the conference mode in which the conference corresponding to the directory is held. By doing so, data is not transmitted and received between terminals unrelated to the conference, the data in the directory is protected, and the confidentiality of the data content can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a directory for storing various media data is created for each conference, and the data is transmitted and received only between the conference participants corresponding to the directory, so that the data is protected. It is possible to prevent accumulation of necessary data. According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the data is written in the directory created for each conference, a predetermined secret code is required, so that the conference data can be rewritten only by a specific person, and the accumulated data is stored. The protected data is protected and unnecessary data can be prevented from being accumulated.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the duration of the media data is set, and the data is automatically deleted after the expiration of the duration, so that the browsing period can be set according to the importance of each data. Since the data is automatically erased after the lapse of the period, the memory can be effectively used and the confidentiality of the data can be maintained.

[0014]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described below based on examples.
First, the configuration will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multimedia communication conference apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a coding example of a user / user information element in a SETUP message. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an operation unit for inputting a telephone number of a destination using a key input device such as a ten-key pad or a display, or displaying data in an image memory on a display to give an instruction. Reference numeral 2 denotes a tablet, which detects a contacted portion with a dedicated pen and inputs position information thereof to input data such as handwritten characters. A display unit 3 is composed of a CRT or LCD for displaying images and a display control section for controlling those image displays. The display control section controls enlargement / reduction of display contents, multi-window control, etc. Perform screen control.
Reference numeral 4 is a video camera for inputting moving image data. Reference numeral 5 is a scanner, for example, CCD (Charge Couple)
ed Device) is used to read a document for each line and output it as image data. Reference numeral 6 denotes an encoding / decoding unit, which is a CCITT system that standardizes handwritten character data input from a tablet for telewriting.
Recommendation T. MH, MR, M used for facsimile communication or the like for encoding / decoding by the method shown in 150, or image data such as a document input from the scanner 5
It encodes / decodes into MR or the like, and also encodes / decodes video data input from a video camera. A system control unit 7 controls the entire multimedia communication conference apparatus according to this embodiment based on various programs. 8 is a RAM (Random Access)
Memory) stores various data necessary for controlling the multimedia communication conferencing apparatus. 9 is a ROM (Read
Only memory) stores the control program of this apparatus. Reference numeral 10 denotes a memory, which is configured by a storage device such as a hard disk, in which a directory for each conference is created, and image data, handwriting input data, and the like as conference materials are stored in the directory. A communication control unit 11 is connected to the line 12 to communicate with the conference terminal of the other party, converts an analog voice into a digital signal, and vice versa, a voice codec, a speaker 13 or a built-in telephone set shown in the handset 14. It has various functions such as sending and receiving various data and controlling voice communication using the built-in telephone.

The multimedia communication conferencing apparatus according to the present embodiment is configured as described above and is used for a plurality of meetings, so that the material data for the meetings is managed in the directory created for each meeting. Is desirable.
Therefore, as an example of the management means of such conference material data, as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-6192, the material data regarding one conference is managed in one directory. , Conference participants,
That is, the convenience of data management for the operator of the conference device is improved. However, according to the management means of the above publication example,
It has been pointed out that there is a risk of accidentally writing data to another conference directory or changing the data contents. In particular, when the material data is transmitted in advance to the device that participates in the conference before the conference is started, the data in the conference directory may be arbitrarily changed by another device. It interferes with the progress.

Further, the necessity of protecting the conference material data is
The same is true after the end of the conference, and it is necessary to protect the confidentiality of the data contents in the directory after use. Therefore, the inventors of the present invention enable the data in the directory for the conference to be transmitted and received only during the conference, that is, during the communication in the conference mode, or only between the conference participants during the conference. Make it possible to send and receive data in the directory, require password input when rewriting data in the directory,
By setting the duration of the media data related to each conference after the conference ends and automatically deleting the data after the expiration of the lifetime, it was found that the above problems can be solved without hindering the progress of the conference. It was

Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 1. In the case of the embodiment according to the invention of claim 1, FIG.
As shown in, when transmitting / receiving the conference material data between the terminals of the conference participants, it is determined in step 100 whether or not the conference mode is set. Information is transmitted together with the transmission data, and the reception side stores the reception data in the directory of the conference name (step 101).

When the conference material data is transmitted / received before the conference is started, the conference mode is first set, and the conference name information is also transmitted so that the conference directory data is stored in the conference directory of the other conference terminal device in advance. Data can be accumulated. As described above, since the conference material data transmitted / received between the conference terminals is stored and managed in the directory corresponding to one conference, the conference material data cannot be transmitted / received between the conference terminals unrelated to the conference, and the data cannot be transmitted. In addition to being protected, the confidentiality of the data content can be improved.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 2. For example, when the communication conference apparatus is connected to the ISDN line, it is possible to use two B channels independently and simultaneously communicate with two destinations. Therefore, while a conference is being held on one B channel, the other B channel may be used to receive data from the other party unrelated to the conference. At this time, if the other party unrelated to the conference sends data by designating a directory in which the conference is held, the conference material data and the data unrelated to the conference are stored in one directory. Will be mixed, and a problem will occur.

Therefore, in the embodiment according to the second aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4, when conference communication is performed using one B channel in step 200, the other B channel is received. If there is a call, step 201
First, it is determined whether or not the directory for the conference currently being performed is designated. If a directory different from the conference is designated here, the data is received in the directory designated in step 202.

If the conference directory is designated in step 201, it is determined in step 203 whether the calling party is a conference participant. If the conference directory is not a conference participant, data unrelated to the conference is collected. Are mixed in the directory, the communication is rejected in step 204.
If the calling party is a conference participant in step 203, there is no possibility that data will be mixed, so in step 205 the data is received in the current conference directory.

As described above, during the current conference, the data in the directory for the conference can be communicated only with the conference participants, and the directory can be designated by other persons who are not involved in the conference. Even if you try to make a communication, the communication will be refused. Here, the conference name is sent in the user-user information element in the SETUP message (call setting indicating calling and receiving) when the D channel is called. FIG. 2 shows a coding example of the user-user information element in this SETUP message.

Whether or not the calling side is a conference participant is determined by, for example, registering the conference participant's telephone number or terminal identifier in the RAM 8 of its own terminal in advance and making a call from the other party. It may be identified by collating the sent telephone number or terminal identifier, etc. In addition to this, set a password for the conference different from the conference name and check by checking this content. You can

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 3. When a single conference device is used by a plurality of people, it is important that anyone can easily view the conference materials and the conference results. However, if anyone can easily rewrite the contents such as the conference materials and the results of the conference, there is a possibility that a trouble may occur by arbitrarily changing the contents of the conference.

Therefore, the data in the conference directory can be freely read, but the data can be written in the directory so that the password cannot be written unless the password is known only to a specific person. As a result, only the specific person in charge of the meeting who knows the password can add or change the data, so that the content of the meeting material data can be properly maintained and the modification can be prevented. it can.

The password for writing is the conference name,
That is, it is registered in the RAM 8 in association with the directory name. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, at the time of writing the data to the conference directory in step 300, for example, a password input using the keyboard of the operation unit 1 is required.

Then, in step 301, it is judged whether or not the input password matches the password registered in the RAM 8 in advance. If the password does not match, a person who is not qualified to write data tries to write. Therefore, the writing is rejected in step 302. If the passwords match in step 301, it is determined that the person has data writing qualification,
In step 303, writing of data to the conference directory is executed.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 4. When one conference device is used in a plurality of conferences, if a directory is created for each conference, a plurality of directories will exist. At this time, if the data contents of the directory are kept held even after the conference is over, the memory becomes full immediately and the convenience deteriorates. Therefore, it is desirable to erase the data in the directory as soon as possible after the meeting. However, if multiple people view the meeting results,
A certain browsing period is required.

Therefore, regarding the duration of the data, the duration is set for each piece of data in consideration of the content of the conference, the number of people to browse, etc., and the data is input in association with the conference. Remembered. Then, by a timer or the like built in the system control unit 7 or the like, it is constantly monitored whether or not the lifetime has passed, and when the lifetime has passed, the data is automatically erased.

Looking at this in the flow chart of FIG. 6, first, in step 400, the person in charge of the conferencing apparatus sets the expiration date according to the data in the conference directory. Then, in step 401, it is monitored whether or not the set data lifetime has expired, and if it has expired, the data content is erased in step 402. In this step 402, if the conference is to be held regularly and the user wants to keep the directory itself, it is possible to delete only the data contents. Of course, if the conference is a one-time use and the directory is unnecessary, the conference directory can be deleted together with the data.

As described above, the conference material data after the conference is automatically and promptly deleted after the predetermined browsing period, so that the memory can be efficiently used and the conference contents can be stored. By keeping it unnecessarily, the confidentiality of its contents can be maintained.

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a directory for storing various media data for each conference is created, and a conference corresponding to the directory is performed in the conference mode. Only because the data in the directory can be communicated, the data in the directory is transmitted and received only between the other terminals in the conference, and the data is not transmitted and received between terminals not related to the conference, so the data is protected. Therefore, the confidentiality of the data content can be improved.

According to the invention described in claim 2, a directory for storing various media data for each conference is created,
Since the data can be transmitted and received only between the conference participants corresponding to the directory, the data is protected and unnecessary accumulation of data can be prevented. According to the invention described in claim 3, since a predetermined secret code is required when writing data to the directory created for each conference, rewriting of conference data can be performed only by a specific person. It is possible to protect the accumulated data and prevent unnecessary accumulation of data.

According to the invention described in claim 4, since the duration of the media data is set and the data is automatically deleted after the expiration of the duration, the browsing period should be provided according to the importance of the data. Since the data is automatically erased after the lapse of the period, the memory can be effectively used and the confidentiality of the data can be maintained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multimedia communication conference apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a coding example of a user-user information element in a SETUP message.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 1.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 2;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 3.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an operation of an embodiment according to the invention described in claim 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Operation part 2 Tablet 3 Display unit 4 Video camera 5 Scanner 6 Encoding / decoding part 7 System control part 8 RAM 9 ROM 10 Memory 11 Communication control part 12 Line 13 Speaker 14 Handset

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A multimedia communication conferencing apparatus for conducting a conference while communicating between mutual conference terminals using a plurality of media such as voice data, image data, or handwritten input data. Directory creating means for creating a conference directory for storing various media data, and communication of data in the conference directory only in a conference mode in which a conference corresponding to the created directory is held. 1. A multimedia communication conferencing apparatus comprising: 1) data communication means, and transmitting / receiving data in the conference directory only in a conference mode. 2. A multimedia communication conferencing apparatus for conducting a conference while communicating between mutual conference terminals using a plurality of media such as voice data, image data or handwritten input data. Directory creating means for creating a conference directory for storing various media data, and second data communication means for communicating the data in the created directory only between the participants of the conference corresponding to the directory. A multimedia conferencing apparatus, characterized in that, while a conference is being held, communication of the various media data stored in a directory related to the conference is performed only between the conference participants. 3. The multimedia communication conferencing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined secret code is required when writing data in the directory created for each meeting. Conference equipment. 4. The multimedia communication conferencing apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, and a data lifetime setting means for setting a lifetime of the various media data to be stored in the created directory, and the set lifetime. It is equipped with a data erasing unit that monitors the progress of the period and erases the data after the period has elapsed.The data is retained in the memory and can be viewed only during the duration of the conference data set according to the content of the conference. A multimedia communication conferencing apparatus characterized in that data is automatically deleted after a lapse of time.