JPH06105044A - Telewriting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a telewriting device capable of configurating a telephone conference system, etc., appropriately even without using a specific center controller. CONSTITUTION:This device is equipped with circuits 3, 11 capable of transmitting/receiving an audio signal, a plotting signal, and command information. contacts RLi, RLi which perform the switching of modes such as a reception-only mode, a transmission/reception feasible mode, a free-talk mode and a control circuit 8, and the control circuit 8 switches the mode to an operating mode appropriately by performing the on/off control of the contacts RLi, RLi corresponding to the command information sent from a master side device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telewriting device capable of transmitting and receiving a voice signal and a drawing signal at the same time, and more particularly, to a voice conference system by connecting a plurality of the same devices without using a center control device. The present invention relates to a telewriting device capable of constructing the etc.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional telewriting device, for example, a handwriting communication terminal exists. This device includes a communication controller 2 connected to a telephone line 1 for controlling transmission / reception of signals in a band of 300 Hz to 3.4 kHz, a telephone 3 connected to the telephone line 1 via the communication controller 2, and a dedicated pen. A drawing tablet 4 for inputting handwritten information using the LCD, a liquid crystal display unit 5 for displaying drawing signals from the communication line 1, the drawing tablet 4 and the like, and a facsimile unit for transmitting and receiving an A4 size document via the communication control unit 2. 6, a memory 7 for storing a control program and the like, and a CP for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus
U8 and (see FIG. 2). It should be noted that this device is capable of drawing, erasing, markers, drawing accumulation batch transmission, etc. in accordance with the recommendation of T150 of CCITT.

Next, an example of an operation procedure in the case of using the two handwritten communication terminals having the above-mentioned configuration and having some meetings between the parties will be described. First, the facsimile section 6 reads a drawing or the like to be examined by the parties, and the facsimile original is transmitted to the other party's device via the telephone line 1. This facsimile manuscript is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 5 of the other party's handwriting communication terminal, and the same screen is also displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 5 of the user himself. On the drawing tablet 4, necessary additions and corrections are made to the facsimile document.

Since the writing / correction on the drawing tablet 4 performed by the device on one side is displayed on the liquid crystal display section 5 of both handwriting communication terminals, both sides always refer to the same screen, and accordingly It is possible to achieve a smooth meeting. Next, a case will be described in which a voice conference system is realized by using a plurality of handwritten communication terminals. In this case, a telephone conference system cannot be constructed by simply connecting a plurality of handwritten communication terminals via the telephone line 1. Therefore, it is necessary to connect the center control device to the master side handwritten communication terminals. There is.

In this center control device, it is necessary to construct a network by connecting handwritten communication terminals at multiple points with a telephone line and to control traffic for communication between the master side and each slave side. . That is, the center control device, for example, unilaterally transmits a master side drawing signal or audio signal to all slave side terminals, or establishes a full-duplex communication line between the master side terminal and a specific slave side terminal. Therefore, it is necessary to perform processing such as forming and causing the remaining slave terminals to receive the communication contents between them.

[0006]

As described above, although the conventional handwritten communication terminal exerts great power for one-to-one bidirectional communication, a plurality of devices are connected to construct a telephone conference system. In this case, there is a problem that a center control device is required separately. Therefore, the telephone conference system requires the cost of the center control device (for example, about several million yen) in addition to the cost of each handwritten communication terminal, which has a drawback that the price becomes extremely high as a whole. It was

Further, since the center control device cannot control even the internal circuits of the slave side devices, there is a problem that the slave side terminal cannot be regulated to walk alone.
To give a concrete example, if the slave device mistakenly performs a drawing operation in a mode in which the slave device receives only audio signals, only the LCD screen of that terminal displays the liquid crystal of another terminal. There is a problem that it will be different from the screen and it will be difficult to proceed smoothly with subsequent meetings.

In the above description, a voice conference system is taken as an example, but the same applies to an information communication system between a company and a home that uses a plurality of devices, and a learning guidance system between a private school and a home. Problems arise. The present invention has been made in view of this problem, and an object thereof is to provide a telewriting device capable of appropriately constructing a conference call system or the like without using a special center control device. To do.

[0009]

To achieve the above object, a telewriting apparatus according to the present invention includes a signal receiving means for receiving and restoring a voice signal and a drawing signal via a communication line, and a voice signal. In a telewriting device including a drawing signal transmitted through a communication line and a signal transmitting unit that restores the drawing signal to be transmitted in the self device, the device operates when each device is connected by the communication line,
Initial processing means for recognizing whether the self-device is the master-side device or the slave-side device, and for recognizing the individual number assigned to the self-device, and operating when the initial processing means recognizes the device as the slave-side device. , Prohibits the operation of the signal transmitting means of the self device, recognizes various information transmitted from the master side device after this, and restores this if it is a voice signal or a drawing signal. Means and command receiving means for operating when the reception-only means recognizes the command information transmitted from the master side device, and for restoring the operation of the signal transmitting means in accordance with the content of each recognized command information. And command information with the individual number added if necessary, when the initial processing means recognizes that the device is the master side device. A command transmission means for transmitting to all slave devices operating by the command transmitting means comprises characteristically a signal transmitting and receiving means for performing signal transmission and reception processing according to the just transmitted command.

[0010]

The signal receiving means receives and restores the audio signal and the drawing signal via the communication line. Specifically, for example, a speaker is used to restore the audio signal, and a liquid crystal screen is used to restore the drawing signal. The communication line corresponds to, for example, a general telephone line or a two-line dedicated line.

The signal transmitting means transmits the voice signal and the drawing signal via the communication line, and restores the drawing signal to be transmitted by the self device. Specifically, for example, a microphone or drawing tablet is used to capture audio signals or drawing signals,
This signal is transmitted through the communication line by the band division multiplexing method. Further, the drawing signal is restored to the liquid crystal screen of the self device.

The initial processing means operates when each device is connected by a communication line, that is, in an initial state. Then, it recognizes whether the self-device is the master-side device or the slave-side device, and also recognizes the individual number assigned to the self-device. The reception-only means operates only in the device recognized as the slave side device by the initial processing means. Then, while prohibiting the operation of the signal transmitting means of the self-device, it recognizes various information transmitted from the master-side device thereafter, and restores this if it is a voice signal or a drawing signal.

That is, in the slave side device, the transmission of the audio signal and the drawing signal is initially prohibited, and the slave side device is in a mode of only receiving the audio signal, the drawing signal, or the command information transmitted from the master side device. The command response means operates when the reception only means recognizes the command information transmitted from the master side device, and restores the operation of the signal transmission means according to the content of each recognized command information. That is, depending on the content of the command information, the audio signal or the drawing signal is transmitted through the communication line, or the drawing signal to be transmitted is restored to the liquid crystal screen of the self device.

The command transmitting means operates only in the device recognized as the master side device by the initial processing means. Then, the command information to which the individual number is added is transmitted to the slave side device as necessary. Although the content of the command information is not particularly limited, for example, a command that establishes a communication line of an audio signal and a drawing signal only between the master side device and a specific slave side device or between a pair of slave side devices is applicable. And
In such a case, in order to specify the slave device,
Use commands with individual numbers.

The signal transmission / reception means operates after the command transmission means to perform signal transmission / reception processing according to the command just transmitted. In this way, in this telewriting device, the master side device and the slave side device are appropriately set in the initial state, and after that, the system operates according to the command information transmitted from the master side device, so that a special external device A voice conference system or the like can be constructed without the need for.

[0016]

The present invention will be described in more detail based on the following examples. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a characteristic portion of a telewriting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram thereof. This telewriting device is similar to the conventional device in schematic components, and includes a communication control unit 2 and a telephone 3.
, Drawing tablet 4, liquid crystal display unit 5, and facsimile unit 6
The communication control unit 2 is characterized by a specific configuration.

The communication control unit 2 is a circuit that controls communication when a voice signal, a drawing signal, or a command is transmitted / received to / from the telephone line 1, and is configured as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the communication control unit 2 includes the buffer amplifiers 9 _-1 , 9 _-2 connected to the telephone line 1 and a band stop filter (band stop filter) connected between the buffer amplifier 9 and the telephone 3. elimination filter) 10 _-1 , 10 _-2 ,
A modem section 11 for interfacing a signal on the telephone line 1 side with a signal on the CPU 8 side, and a band pass filter connected between the modem section 11 and the telephone line 1.
12 _-1 , 12 _-2 and contacts RL ₁ , RL ₂ , RL ₁ ′, RL ₂ ′ that control ON / OFF of the circuit connection. The contacts RL ₁ , RL ₂ , RL ₁ ′, R
L ₂ 'is shown schematically for the purpose of explaining the circuit operation, and may not necessarily be a hardware contact point.

In the telephone line 1, the voice signal, the drawing signal and the command are transmitted by the band division multiplexing method, and the frequency distribution thereof is illustrated in FIG. That is,
300 to 1600 Hz and 1900 to 3400 Hz are bands for audio signals, and 1600 to 1900 Hz are bands for drawing signals and commands. Filters 10 and 12
Is for selecting only a necessary signal from the multiplex signals, and the band stop filter 10 is a filter for blocking a drawing signal and a command.
Reference numeral 2 is a filter that passes only the drawing signal and the command.

Next, a telephone conference system using a plurality of telewriting devices having the above construction will be described. The plurality of telewriting devices are respectively connected to the telephone line 1, and at this time, it is determined whether the device is a master device or a slave device. Specifically, in each telewriting device, master / slave settings are made by hardware processing using a DIP switch or software processing from a setting screen.

The slave side device can also be set by command processing from the master side device. In other words, the master side device selects "conference call" from the mode setting menu, and when each slave side device is individually called to establish a line, a master declaration command for each partner device and a unique device Send an individual number and.
Upon receiving the master declaration command or the like, the partner device recognizes that it is in the conference call mode, sets itself as the slave device, and registers the individual number assigned to itself. The individual number determined in this way is not changed until each device is reset.

When the above initial operation is completed, the contacts RL ₁ and RL ₁ ′ of each slave side device are in the ON state, and the contacts RL ₂ and RL ₂ ′ are in the OFF state. That is, each slave side device is in the "receive only mode", and when a voice signal or a drawing signal is transmitted from the master side device, this is restored using the telephone 4 or the liquid crystal display unit 5, When the command information is sent, the contents can be grasped.

On the other hand, all the contacts of the master side device are in the ON state when the initial operation is completed, and therefore various commands can be transmitted to the slave side device to proceed with the conference. . Here, the command is
For example, set all slave devices to "receive only mode"
To be set (hereinafter, referred to as command 1), to set a specific slave side device to the “transmission / reception possible mode” (hereinafter, referred to as command 2), and only the drawing signal is transmitted for all slave side devices. Those that are set to "Free Talk Mode" that is prohibited (hereinafter referred to as command 3)
Etc.

As described above, all the slave side devices are in the "receive only mode" when the system is started up. Then, the master side device next transmits the "command 2" to which each individual number is added to each slave side device via the telephone line 1. Each slave device recognizes this command, but if the individual number added to the command and the individual number registered in the self device do not match, the state of "receive only mode" is maintained, and vice versa. If the numbers match, the contacts RL ₂ and RL ₂ ′ are turned on according to “command 2”.
Change to N state, and the self-device is in "sending and receiving mode"
Change to. Therefore, thereafter, signals are transmitted and received between the master side device and a specific slave side device, and the other slave side devices are in a state of recognizing the communication contents by the telephone 3 and the liquid crystal display unit 5. When the master side device transmits two types of individual numbers, the master side device and the two slave side devices are in a state of participating in the conference, and the remaining slave side devices transmit the communication contents between the three parties. Telephone 3 and liquid crystal display 5
It will be in the state to recognize with.

Further, the master side device transmits "command 3" to the telephone line at an appropriate timing. Then, each slave side device recognizes the command and contacts RL ₂
To the ON state. Therefore, all the devices are changed to the "free talk mode" so that they can freely speak. Therefore, the slave side device that wants to actively participate in the conference may, for example, establish a “transmission / reception enabled mode” with a specific slave side device, that is, with respect to its own device and a certain specific device. The master side device can speak so as to send "command 2". If the master side device transmits "command 2" to which two kinds of individual numbers are added in response to this utterance, the proceeding of the conference according to the utterance can be achieved.

[0025]

As described above, in the telewriting device according to the present invention, the master side device and the slave side device are appropriately set in the initial state, and thereafter, according to the command information transmitted from the master side device. Since the system operates, it is possible to construct a voice conference system and the like without requiring a special external device.

That is, since no special external device is required, the cost is very low, and the system operates smoothly based on the command information transmitted / received, so that an ideal multi-communication system is constructed. Become.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a characteristic portion of a telewriting device that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the entire telewriting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a frequency distribution of a signal transmitted via a telephone line.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 telephone line 2 communication control unit 3 telephone 4 drawing tablet 5 liquid crystal display unit 6 facsimile unit 7 memory 8 CPU 9 buffer amplifier 10 band stop filter 11 modem unit 12 band pass filter RL _i contact

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location // H04M 3/56 H04N 7/15 8943-5C

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A signal receiving means for receiving and restoring a voice signal and a drawing signal through a communication line, and transmitting a voice signal and a drawing signal through the communication line, and also for restoring a drawing signal to be transmitted by a self device. In a telewriting device equipped with a signal transmitting means for operating, when each device is connected by a communication line, the device operates to recognize whether the device is a master device or a slave device, and an individual number assigned to the device. And an initial processing means for recognizing that the slave side device is operated by the initial processing means to prohibit the operation of the signal transmitting means of the self device and to transmit from the master side device thereafter. Receiving-only means for recognizing various information that is received and restoring it if it is a voice signal or a drawing signal, and this receiving-only means is a device on the master side. Command response means that operates when the command information transmitted from the device is recognized and restores the operation of the signal transmission means according to the content of each command information that is recognized, and the master side device by the initial processing means. If it is recognized, it operates, and if necessary, the command transmitting means for transmitting the command information to which the individual number is added to all the slave side devices, and the command transmitting means that operates after this command transmitting means and transmits now. A telewriting device, comprising: a signal transmitting / receiving unit that performs a signal transmitting / receiving process according to command information.