JPH06303606A - Video conference terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save trouble of redialing to an opposite terminal equipment, to attain high convenience and to make the terminal equipment efficient by automatically allocating a line channel having been used for communication with an opposite party video conference terminal equipment to an opposite video conference terminal equipment in a busy state when the communication with the opposite part video conference terminal equipment is finished after the state of making communication with plural video conference terminal equipments. CONSTITUTION:The terminal equipment is provided with a system control section 1, a terminal control section 2, an ISDN interface 3, a call control section 4, a multiplexer/demultiplexer section 6 and a data control section 8 to make communication with other video conference terminal equipment via an ISDN and also provided with a communication management section 5 monitoring the allocation of a line channel of a concerned terminal equipment having a communication information table 9 storing information relating to the communication with a destination and with a communication control section 7 utilizing the communication with an opposite terminal equipment in a busy state when there is any idle line channel, and when an idle channel takes place at the start of communication, the user makes setting of desiring the increase of the line channel, then the opposite terminal equipment in a busy state is dialed automatically.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video conference terminal using ISDN as a transmission line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, against the backdrop of the sophistication and diversification of information communication, an integrated service digital network (Integrated Se) which provides various services such as voice, data, and image by integrating them is provided.
The concept of rvices Digital Network (ISDN) was born,
Communication utilizing the high speed and high reliability of ISDN is increasing.

A conventional video conference terminal will be described below.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional video conference terminal. In FIG. 2, 15B is a video conference terminal constituted by each part surrounded by a solid line, 1 is a system control unit for controlling the whole, 2 is a terminal control unit for controlling the operation of the own video conference terminal 15B, and 3 is an ISDN 12. ISDN interface for sending and receiving data, 4 is another video conference terminal A
13, a call control unit for controlling the control of a call with another video conference terminal B14 through the ISDN interface 3, 6 is a multiplexing for simultaneously transmitting data such as video and audio on the line, or a multiplexing received from the line Multiplexing / separating unit for separating the converted video / audio data, 8 is a monitor device 10
And a data control unit for controlling video / audio data output to the handset 11. The operation of the conventional video conference terminal will be described below.

The operation when the own video conference terminal 15B communicates with the other video conference terminals A13 and B14 will be described.

The ISDN interface 3 controls the connection of the B channel with the other video conference terminal A 13 via the ISDN 12. After connecting, H.24 via B channel
The mode initialization procedure based on 2 is activated. In the mode initialization procedure, the synchronization is established by controlling the FAS (frame synchronization signal) in the multiplexed frame, and after the synchronization is established, the BAS in the multiplexed frame contains the command BAS code audio / transfer rate capability, data / data By setting the video capability, the capability is exchanged with the other video conference terminal A13, and in consideration of the capabilities of the own video conference terminal 15B and the other video conference terminal A13, the command BAS code is used to select an appropriate operation mode. Switch to and start data communication.

When the own video conference terminal 15B is also communicating with another video conference terminal A13 and is also communicating with another video conference terminal B14, the same procedure is performed to start communication.

Here, the own video conference terminal 15B communicates with the other video conference terminal A13 by the number of channels which is the greatest common divisor of the number of line channels held by both terminals by default, and with the other video conference terminal B14. Then, my own video conference terminal 15
Maximum commitment of the remaining number of line channels that B has by default minus the number of lines used for communication with other video conference terminals A13 and the number of line channels that other video conference terminals B14 have by default Communicate on a number of channels.

When the own video conference terminal 15B ends the communication with the other video conference terminal A13 or the other video conference terminal B14, the other video conference terminal A13, via the ISDN12,
Alternatively, the communication is ended by controlling the disconnection of the B channel with the other video conference terminal B14.

[0010]

However, in the video conference terminal shown in the above-mentioned conventional example, when conducting a video conference at a plurality of points at the same time, the video conference terminal does not have an adequate number of line channels. Although it is possible to communicate with the partner video conference terminal by the number of circuit channels that is the greatest common divisor of the number of line channels that both terminals have by default, when communicating with another video conference terminal, the own video conference terminal and the partner video conference terminal can be used. There may occur a case where the conference terminal cannot perform communication with the number of line channels which is the greatest common divisor of the number of line channels held by default.

When the communication with the video conference terminal at a certain point is terminated in this state, the line channel used for communication with the video conference terminal at the certain point is newly connected with another video conference terminal. There is a problem in that the line channel held by the own terminal cannot be effectively used because it is not used until the communication is started.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide a video conference terminal which effectively utilizes a line channel, is highly convenient, and is efficient.

[0013]

In order to solve the above problems and to achieve the object, the present invention has a line of its own terminal which has a communication information table for storing information on communication with the other party in a conventional video conference terminal. A communication management unit that monitors the channel allocation status and a communication control unit that is used to communicate with the other terminal that is in communication if there are unused line channels are added. By making a setting to increase the number of channels, a call is automatically made to the partner terminal in communication.

[0014]

According to the present invention, when the user makes a setting for his / her video conference terminal to use for communication with the partner terminal during communication if there is a free channel available at the start of communication, a free channel occurs. It is possible to automatically make a call to the other terminal and add a line channel to the other party.

[0015]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a video conference terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 5
Is a communication management unit that monitors the allocation status of the line channel of its own terminal, 7 is a communication control unit that is used for communication with the partner terminal in communication if there is an unused line channel, 9
Is the number of line channels held by the own video conference terminal 15A set by the terminal control unit 2, the maximum number of line channels with which the communication partner terminal can communicate, and the number of line channels used by the own terminal to communicate with the partner terminal. 15A is a video conference terminal of the present invention having a configuration in which the above-mentioned respective units 5, 7, and 9 are newly added to the configuration of the conventional example.

Table 1 shows the number of line channels held by the own video conference terminal 15A set by the terminal control unit 2, the maximum number of line channels with which the communication partner terminal can communicate, and the own terminal with the partner terminal. The communication information table 9 in the communication management part 5 which stores the number of line channels used for communication is shown.

[0017]

[Table 1]

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be explained using (Table 1).

The operation when the own video conference terminal 15A communicates with the other video conference terminal A13 and the other video conference terminal B14 will be described.

As shown in (Table 1), the own video conference terminal 15
Consider a case in which the number of line channels owned by A is 6B, the maximum number of line channels available for communication by the other video conference terminal A13 is 4B, and the maximum number of line channels available for communication by the other video conference terminal B14 is 6B.

First, the user sets the number of line channels (6B) held by the own video conference terminal 15A in the communication information table 9 in the communication management unit 5 through the terminal control unit 2.

If an idle channel is generated and a line channel is requested to be added to the communication with the other party, communication is performed in advance through the terminal control unit 2 before making a call to the other video conference terminal A13. The communication information table 9 in the management unit 5 is set.

Next, when the user calls the other video conference terminal A13, the own video conference terminal 15A executes the following procedure.

The ISDN interface 3 controls the connection of the B channel with the other video conference terminal A 13 via the ISDN 12. At the time of B channel connection control, the number (“987-6543”) of the other video conference terminal A is read through the call control unit 4 and stored in the area of the partner number of the communication management number # 1 in the communication information table 9.

After the connection is completed, the H.264 signal is transmitted via the B channel. 24
The mode initialization procedure based on 2 is activated. In the mode initialization procedure, the synchronization is established by controlling the FAS (frame synchronization signal) in the multiplexed frame, and after the synchronization is established, the BAS in the multiplexed frame contains the command BAS code audio / transfer rate capability, data / data By setting the video capability, the capability is exchanged with the other video conference terminal A13, and in consideration of the capabilities of the own video conference terminal 15A and the other video conference terminal A13, the command BAS code is used to select an appropriate operation mode. Switch to and start data communication.

H. During the 242 capacity exchange sequence,
The maximum number of line channels with which the other video conference terminal A13 can communicate is read and stored in the communication information table 9 in the communication management unit 5. In this case, 4B is stored in the area of the maximum number of communicable line channels of the communication management number # 1 in the communication information table 9. Also, the number of line channels used by the own video conference terminal 15A to communicate with other video conference terminals A13.
(4B) is also stored in the area of the number of used channel channels of the communication management number # 1 in the communication information table 9.

When the own video conference terminal 15A also starts communication with the other video conference terminal A13 and then also communicates with the other video conference terminal B14, the same procedure as above is performed and the communication is started.

Here, the own video conference terminal 15A communicates with the other video conference terminal A13 by the number of channels (4B) which is the greatest common divisor of the number of line channels held by both terminals by default, and the other video conference terminal B14. In communication with, the number of line channels (6B) that own video conference terminal 15A has by default
Maximum commitment of the remaining number of line channels (2B) after subtracting the number of lines (4B) used for communication with other video conference terminal A13 from the number of line channels (6B) held by other video conference terminal B14 by default Communication is performed with the number of channels (2B).

When the own video conference terminal 15A terminates communication with the other video conference terminal A13 or the other video conference terminal B14, the other video conference terminal A13,
Alternatively, the communication is ended by controlling the disconnection of the B channel with the other video conference terminal B14.

If the own video conference terminal 15A disconnects the communication with the other video conference terminal A13 while communicating with the other video conference terminal A13 and the other video conference terminal B14, the other video conference terminal A13
The line channel (for 4B) used for communication with 13 becomes unused.

When the communication with the other video conference terminal A13 is disconnected, the communication control unit 5 is notified through the call control unit 4, and when an empty channel is generated in the communication information table 9, the communication with the other party is performed. Detects whether the setting that requires addition of a line channel is made.

When a request for adding a line channel has been set, the communication management unit 5 determines the maximum number of communication-enabled line channels (6) of the communication management number # 2 in the communication information table 9.
B), number of used line channels (2B), partner number "876-543"
2 ”and the maximum number of communication-enabled line channels (6B) held by the own terminal are read and notified to the communication control unit 7. If the request to add a line channel is not set, the communication management unit 5 does not know what. There isn't.

In the communication control unit 7, the own video conference terminal 15A
Detects the number of remaining line channels that the
(For 4B), the other party number to the call control unit 4 is "876-5432"
The ISDN interface 3 is used to notify the other video conference terminal B14 and H.264 again. By performing the capacity exchange sequence of 242, the operation mode is changed and the communication with the capacity of the line channel number of 6B is started.

[0034]

As described above, when the video conference terminal according to the present invention is in communication with a plurality of video conference terminals and terminates communication with a partner video conference terminal, communication with that terminal is performed. By automatically assigning the line channel used for the communication to the communication with the other party's video conference terminal in communication, it is possible to save the trouble of re-calling to the other party's terminal, resulting in great convenience. It is possible to provide an efficient video conference terminal.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional video conference terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... System control unit, 2 ... Terminal control unit, 3 ... ISD
N interface, 4 ... Call control unit, 5 ... Communication management unit, 6 ... Multiplexing / separating unit, 7 ... Communication control unit, 8 ... Data control unit, 9 ... Communication information table, 10 ... Monitor device, 11 ... Handset, 12 ... ISDN, 13 ... Other video conference terminal A, 14 ... Other video conference terminal B, 15A ...
The video conference terminal of the present invention, 15B ... Conventional video conference terminal.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ISDN interface for connecting to an ISDN, a call control unit for controlling control of a call to one or a plurality of destination terminals through the ISDN interface, and data such as video and audio on the line at the same time. A multiplexing / separating unit that performs multiplexing for transmission or separation of multiplexed video / audio data received from a line,
If there is a communication management unit that monitors the line channel allocation of the own terminal that has a communication information table that stores information about communication with the other party, and a line channel that is not used,
A communication control unit used for communication with a partner terminal in a communication state, a data control unit controlling video / audio data, and a terminal control unit controlling operation of the own video conference terminal,
A video conference terminal, comprising: a system control unit for controlling the entire system, and automatically calling a partner terminal during communication.