JPH07170508A - Video conference terminal equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the video conference terminal equipment with high convenience in which efficient video conference communication is attained without setting a channel for terminal equipment data in a communication channel when a connected data communication terminal equipment is in communication unable state. CONSTITUTION:A video conference terminal equipment 16A making communication with a terminal equipment of an opposite party via a public digital line network is provided with a voice control section 7, a moving picture control section 8, a still picture control section 9, a data communication control section 10, a multiplexer/ demultiplexer section 12, a line interface section 13, a call control section 11, and a data terminal equipment 14. The data terminal equipment control section 14 monitors whether or not a data communication terminal equipment 5 is available of communication with its own video conference terminal equipment 16A. When the control section 14 detects a communication enable state of the data communication terminal equipment 5, the multiplexer/demultiplexer section 12 sets an LSD use channel (channel for terminal equipment data), and when the control section 14 detects a communication unable state of the data communication terminal equipment 5, the multiplexer/demultiplexer section 12 releases the LSD use channel.

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 connected to each other via a public digital line network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional video conference terminal will be described below. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional video conference terminal. In FIG. 3, 16B is a video conference terminal composed of each part surrounded by a solid line, 1 is a microphone, 2 is a speaker, 3 is a camera for shooting the image of the own side, 4 is an image from the other party or the own side A monitor for displaying the image of 5 is a data communication terminal for performing file transfer and data communication, and 6 is a key operation unit for inputting a telephone number and the like, 7
Is a voice control unit that compresses / encodes and decompresses / decodes voice data, 8 is a moving image control unit that compresses / encodes / decompresses / decodes moving image data, and 9 compresses / decompresses still image data.
Still image control unit for encoding, decompressing and decoding, 10 is a data communication control unit for controlling communication with the connected data communication terminal 5, and 11 is a line for controlling a call with another video conference terminal. A call control unit that controls through the interface unit 13, a multiplexing unit 12 for simultaneously transmitting data such as video / audio on the line and a multiplexing unit for separating the multiplexed data such as video / audio received from the line. The / separating unit 13 is a line interface unit for transmitting / receiving data to / from the public digital line network 15.

Further, FIG. 4 shows CCITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee) Recommendation H.264. FIG. 221 is a diagram showing a multiplexing frame structure defined by 221 (frame structure of 64 kbps to 1920 kbps channel in audiovisual teleservice), and Table 1 shows the BAS code (bit rate allocation code) defined in CCITT recommendation. It is a numerical table.

[0004]

[Table 1]

The operation of the conventional video conference apparatus configured as described above will be described below. The operation of the conventional video conference apparatus relating to LSD (low-speed data) communication in the video conference will be described. When the subscriber number of the partner terminal is set by the key operation unit 6 and the call key is pressed, the call controller 11 establishes a communication channel connection with the partner terminal via the line interface unit 13 through the public digital network 15.

After the connection is completed, H.264 is transmitted through the communication channel. Two
The frame synchronization is established based on 42, and after the synchronization is established, B
The terminal capability is exchanged with the partner terminal by using the audio / transfer rate capability and the data / video capability in the AS code. After that, when transmitting the terminal data from the data communication terminal 5 to the partner terminal, the data communication control unit 10 notifies the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 12 of the start of data transfer. And multiple /
The separation unit 12 transmits an LSD / MLP command corresponding to the communication rate of the data communication terminal 5 to the partner terminal via the line interface unit 13 by the BAS code shown in FIG. , And then, considering the capabilities of the own terminal and the other terminal, command BA
Switch to the appropriate operating mode using the S code.

After the LSD channel, that is, the terminal data channel is set in the communication channel, the data from the data communication terminal 5 is transmitted to the partner terminal. The data from the data communication terminal 5 is fetched by the data communication control unit 10, the terminal data is multiplexed by the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 12, and then transmitted through the line interface unit 13.

When receiving data from the partner terminal, the multiplexed data from the partner terminal is received by the multiplexer / demultiplexer 12 via the line interface unit 13, and after the terminal data is separated, the data is transmitted. It is transferred to the communication control unit 10 and then output to the data communication terminal 5.

[0009]

However, in the video conference terminal 16B shown in the above-mentioned conventional example, the data communication terminal 5 is not connected to the codec device or the power is off so that communication cannot be performed. Even when in the state, there is a problem that the LSD channel (terminal data channel) is set in the communication channel, and the communication channel is not effectively used.

An object of the present invention is to provide a convenient and efficient video conference in which the terminal data channel is not set in the communication channel when the connected data communication terminal is in the incommunicable state. It is to provide a video conference terminal that enables communication.

[0011]

A video conference terminal according to the present invention comprises a line interface section for connecting to a public digital line network, and a call control section for controlling a call with a partner terminal through the line interface section. , A voice control unit that compresses / encodes / decompresses / decodes voice data, a moving image control unit that compresses / encodes / decompresses / decodes moving image data, and a compression / encoding / decompression / decompression of still image data
A still image control unit for decoding, a data communication control unit for controlling communication between the connected data communication terminals, and multiplexing for simultaneously sending data such as video / audio on the line, and It is provided with a multiplexer / demultiplexer for separating the multiplexed video / audio data received from the line and a data terminal controller for detecting whether or not the data communication terminal is in a communicable state. When the data terminal control unit detects the communicable state of the data communication terminal, the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit sets the terminal data channel, and the data terminal control unit makes the data communication terminal incommunicable state. The multiplexer / demultiplexer is configured to release the terminal data channel when the signal is detected.

[0012]

According to the structure of the present invention, the data terminal control unit detects whether the data communication terminal connected to the data communication control unit is in the communicable state, and detects the communicable state. Sometimes the multiplexer / demultiplexer sets the terminal data channel, and when the incommunicable state is detected, the multiplexer / demultiplexer releases the terminal data channel. The terminal data channel is not set in the communication channel when it is in an impossible state, and efficient video conference communication becomes possible.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video conference terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. 16A is a video conference terminal composed of each part surrounded by a solid line, 1 is a microphone, 2 is a speaker,
Reference numeral 3 is a camera for shooting the image of the user's side, 4 is a monitor for displaying the image from the other party or the image of the user's side, 5 is a data communication terminal for performing file transfer, data communication, etc.
6 is a key operation unit for inputting a telephone number and the like, 7 is a voice control unit for compressing / encoding and decompressing / decoding voice data, and 8 is compressing / encoding and decompressing / decoding moving image data. A moving image control unit 9, a still image control unit for compressing / encoding and decompressing / decoding still image data, 10 a data communication control unit for controlling communication with the connected data communication terminal 5, 11 Is a call control unit for controlling control of calls with other video conference terminals through the line interface unit 13, and 12 is multiplexing for simultaneously transmitting data such as video and audio on the line and multiplexing received from the line. Multiplexing / separating unit for separating data such as video and audio,
Reference numeral 13 is a line interface unit for transmitting and receiving data to and from the public digital line network 15, and 14 is a data communication terminal 5 connected to the data communication control unit 10 and a video conference terminal 16A.
It is a data terminal control unit that monitors whether or not communication with is possible.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the data terminal control unit 14 when the video conference terminal 16A is connected to the data communication terminal 5 by the EIA standard RS-232-C. Here, the DTR signal line is the data communication terminal 5
Is a signal line used to notify the data communication control unit 10 of the status, and indicates that the DTR signal line is in a communicable state when the DTR signal line is on, and is in a communicable state when the DTR signal line is off. Indicates that there is. Using this DTR signal line, the data terminal control unit 14 determines whether or not communication with the data communication terminal 5 is possible.

The operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. First, a process of starting the video conference communication with the partner terminal (that is, NO in step S1 of FIG. 2) will be described. The data communication control unit 10 inquires with the data terminal control unit 14 whether communication with the data communication terminal 5 is possible.

As shown in FIG. 2, the data terminal control unit 14 monitors the state of the data communication terminal 5 before the start of communication (step S2) and returns the result to the data communication control unit 10. The result can be communicated (steps S3, S
4) In the case of, from the data communication control unit 10 to the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 12
To H. In the capability exchange sequence of 242, the BAS code notified to the other terminal is notified that the LSD capability is included. Then, similarly to the conventional example, after the connection is completed, H.264 communication is performed through the communication channel. The frame synchronization is established based on 242, and after the synchronization is established, the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 12 transmits the data / video capability corresponding to the communication rate of the data communication terminal 5 to the partner terminal via the line interface unit 13 by the BAS code. , Then, considering the capabilities of the own terminal and the other terminal, the command BAS code is used to switch to an appropriate operation mode, the LSD channel (terminal data channel) is set, and the data communication control unit 10 is used. The data terminal control unit 14 is notified.

The result is that communication is not possible (steps S5, S).
6) In the case of, from the data communication control unit 10 to the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 12
To H. In the capability exchange sequence of 242, the BAS code notified to the partner terminal is notified that the LSD capability is not included. Then, frame synchronization is established in the same manner as above, and after the synchronization is established, the multiplexer / demultiplexer 12 does not include the data / video capability in the BAS code and the line interface 1
3 to the other terminal, and then the command BAS code is used to switch to an appropriate operation mode in consideration of the capabilities of the own terminal and the other terminal.

The process when the video conference communication is being performed with the partner terminal (that is, YES in step S1 of FIG. 2) will be described. First, the operation when terminal data communication is performed, that is, when the LSD channel is set will be described. Data terminal control unit 1
As shown in FIG. 2, 4 monitors whether the DTR signal line is turned off (steps S7 and S8). When it is turned off, the data terminal control unit 14 notifies the data communication control unit 10 that the data communication terminal 5 cannot communicate (step S9).

The data communication control unit 10 has a function of H.264. The capability exchange sequence of 242 is redone, and the LSD is used as the BAS code.
The multiplexer / separator 12 notifies the other terminal of the data / video capability and releases the LSD channel by the same procedure as described above. After that, the data terminal control unit 14 is notified of the LSD channel release via the data communication control unit 10.

Next, the operation when the terminal data communication is not performed, that is, when the LSD channel is not set will be described. The data terminal controller 14 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (4), it is monitored whether the DTR signal line is turned on (step S10). If turned on, the data terminal control unit 14 notifies the data communication control unit 10 that the data communication terminal 5 can communicate (step S11).

The data communication control unit 10 includes a multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 1
2 to H.2. The capability exchange sequence of 242 is redone to notify that the BAS code to be notified to the partner terminal includes the LSD capability. Then, the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 12 notifies the other terminal of the data / video capability corresponding to the communication rate of the data communication terminal 5 in the same manner as described above, and in consideration of the capabilities of the own terminal and the other terminal, the command BAS The operation mode is switched by using the code and the LSD channel is set. Then, the data terminal control unit 14 is notified of the LSD channel setting via the data communication control unit 10.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the state of the data communication terminal 5 is monitored by the data terminal control unit 14, and when the communicable state of the data communication terminal 5 is detected, the multiplexing / demultiplexing is performed. The unit 12 sets the LSD channel, and when the data communication terminal 5 detects the incommunicable state, the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit 12 releases the LSD channel. As a result, the LSD channel is not set in the communication channel when the data communication terminal 5 is in the incommunicable state, and the highly convenient and efficient video conference communication can be performed.

[0023]

In the video conference terminal of the present invention, the data terminal control unit detects whether or not the data communication terminal connected to the data communication control unit can communicate.
When the communicable state is detected, the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit sets the terminal data channel, and when the communicable state is detected, the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit releases the terminal data channel. . As a result, the terminal data channel is not set in the communication channel when the data communication terminal is in an incommunicable state, which enables convenient and efficient video conference communication.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the data terminal control unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional video conference terminal.

FIG. 4 CCITT Recommendation H. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a multiplexing frame structure defined by H.221.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 data communication terminal 7 voice control unit 8 video control unit 9 still image control unit 10 data communication control unit 11 call control unit 12 multiplex / demultiplexing unit 13 line interface unit 14 data terminal control unit 15 public digital line network 16A video conference terminal

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A line interface unit for connecting to a public digital line network, and a call control unit for controlling the control of a call with a partner terminal through the line interface unit.
A voice control unit that compresses / encodes and decompresses / decodes audio data, a moving image control unit that compresses / encodes / decompresses / decodes moving image data, and a compression / encoding / decompression / decoding of still image data. The still image control unit, the data communication control unit that controls communication between the connected data communication terminals, and the multiplexing for sending data such as video and audio simultaneously on the line, and from the line A multiplexer / separator for separating the received multiplexed video / audio data
A data terminal control unit that detects whether or not the data communication terminal is in a communicable state, and the multiplexing / demultiplexing unit is a terminal when the data terminal control unit detects a communicable state of the data communication terminal. A television set so that the data channel is set, and the multiplexer / demultiplexer releases the terminal data channel when the data terminal control unit detects an incommunicable state of the data communication terminal. Conference terminal.