JPH0630408A - Video conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an image input device from being driven by a malfunction and to suppress the presentation of unnecessary information by regulating the prescribed operation of a terminal equipment as necessary. CONSTITUTION:An operation switch 16 is directly or remotely operated, a motor arranged in an original setting plate 13 is driven, a rubber rollers 14, 15 are rotated to move an original set up on the plate 13 in the A or B direction, and a required part of the original is fetched from a camera part 11. When an operation inhibition switch 4 is depressed as necessary in the case of holding a conference with a remote plate by means of this video conference system, the control of a camera 1 in a present from an opposite station can be inhibited. Simultaneously the operation of the camera 1 is inhibited and the inhibited state is displayed on a monitor. Consequently the presentation of unnecessary data can be prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote control system for an image input device in a video conference for holding a conference between remote points.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional example of a video conference system will be described with reference to FIG. In the video conference, since the conference is held between remote points, the states of both sides must be communicated to each other. Therefore, a person camera 201 that captures the attendees of the conference of the own station, a still image input device 202 such as a document camera, the minutes data of the conference is accumulated, or the video information edited in advance to be sent to the other station is reproduced. VTR 20 to do
3, operation unit 2 consisting of keyboard, digitizer, etc.
04, a main monitor 205 that displays a moving image from the other station,
A terminal device such as a sub monitor 206, a microphone 207, and a speaker 208 that displays an image of its own station or an image of a document camera is used. The respective devices are controlled by the control unit 200 so that these devices can operate. Information from the own station and the partner station is transmitted via the communication interface unit 209 and the line 210.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of essential parts of the conventional example shown in FIG. A control signal 211 for controlling the platform of the human camera 201 is sent from the control unit 200 to the human camera 201. On the other hand, from the person camera 201 to the control unit 200, the video information and the platform position information 2
12 is sent. Further, video information 213 is sent from the document camera 202 to the control unit 200. Further, video information 214 is transmitted between the VTR 203 and the control unit 200.

[0004]

Among the terminal devices in the video conference system as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, for example, with respect to a person camera, one capable of remotely controlling zooming, orientation, etc. has been proposed. However, the receiving side can be controlled over the physical range of movement of the camera platform of the transmitting side, and parts that the receiving side does not want to see may be transmitted within the camera's field of view.

Regarding the document camera, it has been proposed not to remotely control the operation of the document camera, but in some cases, the camera section or the document placing table can be freely operated in order to enable the remote control. It was not suggested.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a video conference system which is easy to operate for conference participants and which has been subjected to processing for erroneous operation.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the problems conventionally held and to achieve the above object, the present invention is a video conference system capable of executing a conference between remote points. And a plurality of terminal devices that enable real-time communication, etc., a control unit that allows the terminal devices to be operated between the remote points, and an operation restriction unit that restricts a predetermined operation of the remotely operable terminal devices. Consists of

Further, it is constituted by a display means capable of displaying that the predetermined operation is restricted by the operation restricting means.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is an image input device 1.
A document camera 2 and a motor 2. Although only one motor 2 is shown here for simplification of description, a zoom motor (not shown) provided inside the camera unit 11 (see FIG. 2) of the document camera 1 or a motor not shown. Motor for auto-focusing, an iris motor (not shown), a motor for driving rubber rollers 14 and 15 (see FIG. 2) for moving a document described later, or a camera section of an image input device (not shown). It may be a swing driving motor or the like. Reference numeral 3 is a motor drive circuit for driving the motor, and 4 is a switch for restricting remote operation of the document camera 1.

An example of the document camera 1 in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 is an illumination for irradiating a document (not shown) placed on the document placing table 13 with light, 11 is a camera unit, and 12 is a column for supporting the camera unit 11. 14,
Reference numeral 15 is a rubber roller slightly looking out from the surface of the document table 13. In this embodiment, the document table 1 is operated by operating the operation switch 16 or by remote control.
By driving a motor (not shown) provided inside 3 to rotate the rubber rollers 14 and 15, the document (not shown) placed on the document table 13 is moved in the direction A or B in the figure. The desired part of the document is taken in from the camera section 11.

When a conference is held with a remote place using the video conference system having the configuration shown in FIG. 1, if the operation prohibiting switch 4 is operated as necessary, the other station cannot control the document camera of the own station. . At the same time, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, the operation of the document camera 1 is prohibited (S1), and the state is displayed on the monitor (S2).

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the operation prohibiting switch 4'of the document camera 1'is provided in the control section 100. This operation prohibiting switch 4'may be a dedicated independent switch like the operation prohibiting switch 4 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 or may be operated by an input operation from a keyboard.

Also, the display on the monitor may not be unconditionally displayed when prohibited, but may be displayed only when an operation of the prohibited document camera is attempted. A flowchart of the operation at this time is shown in FIG. When the operation of the document camera is confirmed (SS1), it is determined whether it is the document camera of the own station or the document camera of the partner station (SS2), and if this is the own station, it is executed (SS3) and the partner station If it is determined, it is determined whether the operation of the document camera of the partner station is prohibited (S
S4). If the operation is not prohibited here, the process returns to SS3 and is executed as it is. When the operation is prohibited, it is displayed that the document camera is in the operation prohibited state (SS5).

As described above, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to know whether or not the document camera cannot be operated by operating the document camera, but it can be operated by operating the keyboard or the like completely independently of this. It is also possible to display on the monitor whether or not it is possible. In any case, by displaying the operation prohibition on the monitor in this way, the operator can obtain information on whether the operation is inoperable, cancel the inoperability as necessary, or set a new setting. can do.

Although the operation of the other party is prohibited in this embodiment, if it is necessary to prevent the erroneous operation of the conference attendees of the own station, the operation of the own station is performed. May be separately provided, or the operation on the local station side may be restricted by interlocking with the operation of the switch 4 (4 ′).

Further, in the above-described embodiment, only the prohibition of the operation of the document camera has been described. However, the operation of another terminal device such as a general VTR is prohibited instead of the document camera and the attendees of the conference are photographed. It can also be used to control the platform, focus, iris, zoom, etc. of a person camera. Taking a person camera as an example, if there are parts that you do not want to shoot, or if there are meeting attendees (such as an advisor sitting next to you and giving instructions) that you do not want to shoot, , The operation prohibition switch may be operated so that the person camera cannot be operated from the partner station. Further, in this case, it is possible not only to prohibit the operation but also to operate only in a certain fixed range. For example, a limited operation command and an operation range (tilt angle, pan angle) may be specified from the keyboard. The operation at this time will be described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8.

FIG. 6 shows a camera for photographing a person used in a video conference or the like. The camera 17 is tiltably supported by a platform 18, and is operated in a pan direction or a tilt direction by a control signal from the control unit 100 of the video conference system. In order to enable this operation, the platform 18 includes a base 19 that supports the pan head 18, a pan direction operation table 20 that is rotatably supported by the base 19, and a tilt direction that is attached to an upper surface of the pan direction operation table 20. Actuation table 2
1. A camera mounting plate 46 rotatably mounted on the tilt direction operation table 21 is provided. The camera 17 is fixed to the mounting plate 46.

FIG. 7 is a schematic mechanical view of the pan-direction operating table 20 for operating the pan head in FIG. 6, particularly in the pan direction, and FIG. 8 shows the pan head particularly in the tilt direction. FIG. 3 is a schematic mechanical view of a tilt direction operating table 21 for moving the tilt direction operating table 21.

In FIG. 7, 22 is a motor, 23 is a worm gear press-fitted into a rotating shaft (not shown) of the motor 22, 24 is a helical gear meshing with the worm gear 23,
Reference numeral 5 is a worm gear that rotates integrally with the helical gear 24, and reference numeral 26 is a rotary shaft that is configured integrally with the helical gear 24 and the worm gear 25. 27 is the bearing of the shaft 26,
Reference numeral 28 is a disk that rotates integrally with the shaft 26 and is provided with a large number of slits 29. Reference numeral 30 denotes a transmissive photointerrupter, and the slit 29 transmits or shields the transmitted light of the photointerrupter 30 as the disk 28 rotates, thereby detecting the signal and transmitting the signal to a counter (not shown). is doing. Reference numeral 31 is a shaft that is erected on the base 19, 32 is a helical gear that meshes with the worm gear 25, and is fixed to the shaft 19. That is, base 1
The 9, shaft 31, and helical gear 32 are integrally formed. Reference numeral 33 is a micro switch, which is a pan-direction operating table 2
When 0 rotates in the pan direction as described later, the helical gear 32
A cam pin (not shown) that is planted on the lower surface of the micro switch 33 operates the micro switch 33. As a result, the pan-direction operation limit position of the pan-direction operation table 20 is detected. The micro switch 33 can also be used to set the initial position.

In the above structure, when the motor 22 is driven in response to the control signal from the control unit 100 (see FIG. 1), the rotational force thereof is the worm gear 23, the helical gear 24,
It is transmitted to the worm gear 25 and the helical gear 32. On the other hand, the helical gear 32 is immovable because it is formed integrally with the base 19, and as a result, the pan direction operating table 20
Will rotate about the helical gear 32.
At this time, the cam switch (not shown) is operated by the micro switch 33, so that the initial position and the operation limit position of the pan-direction operation table 20 can be known. Further, since the rotation angle of the pan direction working table 20 can be known from the signal transmitted from the photo interrupter 30, the rotation angle of the pan direction working table 20 can be controlled by this information.

FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory view of the tilt direction operation table 21 attached to the pan direction operation table 20 as described above. In FIG. 8, 34 is a motor and 35 is a motor 3.
4 is a spur gear that is press-fitted into a rotating shaft (not shown), 36 is a spur gear that meshes with the spur gear 35, and 37 is a worm gear that rotates integrally with the spur gear 36. Both ends of the worm gear 37 are connected to the bearing portion 4 of the tilt direction operation table 21.
8 is rotatably supported. Further, 38 is a helical gear that meshes with the worm gear 37, and 39 is a helical gear 37.
And a bevel gear 40 that meshes with the bevel gear 39, and a cam pin 49 is planted on one side. The cam pin 49 is configured to actuate the micro switch 50 in accordance with the rotation of the bevel gear 40, and thereby actuates the camera mounting plate 46, to which the camera 17 (FIG. 6) is mounted, which will be described later, in the tilt direction. The initial position or the operation limit position can be known. 41 is a bevel gear 4
0, a shaft that rotates integrally with 0; 42, a bearing that rotatably supports the shaft 41 provided on the tilt direction operation table;
Is a disk that rotates integrally with the shaft 41, and has many slits 4
4 are provided. Reference numeral 51 denotes a transmissive photo interrupter, and the slit 44 transmits or shields the transmitted light of the photo interrupter 51 in accordance with the rotation of the disk 43, thereby detecting the signal and transmitting the signal to a counter (not shown). ing. Reference numeral 45 denotes an oval cam fixed to both ends of the shaft 41, and engages with a cam groove 47 provided in the camera mounting plate 46. Reference numeral 52 denotes a shaft that rotatably supports the camera mounting plate 46.

In the above structure, when the motor 34 is driven in response to a control signal from the control unit 100 (see FIG. 1), the rotational force thereof is spur gear 35, spur gear 36, worm gear 37, helical gear 38, bevel. It is transmitted to the gear 39, the bevel gear 40, the shaft 41, and the oval cams 45, 45. On the other hand, since the oval cam 45 is engaged with the cam grooves 47, 47, the camera mounting plate 46 is actuated in the tilt direction about the shaft portion 52 by the pivotal movement of the oval cam 45. At this time, the initial position and the operation limit position of the camera mounting plate 46 can be known by the micro switch 50.
Further, since the rotation angle of the camera mounting plate 46 can be known from the signal transmitted from the photo interrupter 51, the rotation angle can be controlled based on this information.

As described above, by using the camera platform of this embodiment, the camera 17 can freely move in the pan direction or the tilt direction, and can be controlled by operating the keyboard as described above. .

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the operation control means is provided and the predetermined operation of the terminal device is restricted as necessary, even if an erroneous operation is performed, the terminal device (image input device) does not operate and unnecessary information is not provided. Absent. This also eliminates discomfort for conference participants.

Further, the conference participants can know that the predetermined operation is restricted, and it becomes easy to newly set the new operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a document camera in the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a display operation on a monitor.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a main part of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the display operation on the monitor.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a person camera and a platform in the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic mechanism diagram of a pan-direction actuating table of a platform.

FIG. 8 is a schematic mechanism diagram of a tilt direction operation table of the platform.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional video conference system.

10 is an explanatory view of a main part of the conventional example shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Document Camera 1'Document Camera 2 Motor 3 Motor Drive Unit 4 Operation Prohibition Switch 4'Operation Prohibition Switch 17 Portrait Camera 18 Head

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A video conferencing system capable of executing a conference between remote points, comprising: a plurality of terminal devices capable of real-time communication of video, audio, etc., and operating the terminal device between the remote points. A video conference system, comprising: a control unit configured to: and an operation regulation unit configured to regulate a predetermined operation of the remotely operable terminal device. 2. The video conference system according to claim 1, wherein the remotely controllable terminal device is an image input device. 3. A video conferencing system capable of executing a conference between remote points, comprising: a plurality of terminal devices capable of real-time communication of video, audio, etc., and operating the terminal device between the remote points. Control means for controlling the predetermined operation of the terminal device that can be remotely operated, and display means for displaying that the predetermined operation is restricted by the operation restriction means. Video conferencing system characterized by 4. The video conference system according to claim 3, wherein the display by the display means is selectively executed.