JPH07202887A - Distributed conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the distributed conference system in which a participant takes part in the conference on its own seat without visiting to a conference room, participants take part in the conference even when they are resident at three points or over and unofficial contact is made between specific participants during the conference. CONSTITUTION:The system employs plural conference terminal equipments 4 and a conference server 60 processing multi-media information including video and audio signals. A video signal, an audio signal and a data signal from plural conference terminal equipments 40 are edit-processed by the conference server 60 to send the result to the conference terminal equipments 40 again. Specific media among plural media are used for unofficial communication and the communication from specific conference terminal equipments is unofficial to form the distributed conference system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is a distributed system in which a conference terminal for handling multimedia information such as video, audio and data is connected via a communication line, and a plurality of conference participants hold a communication conference between multiple points. The present invention relates to a conference system, and in particular, to a distributed conference system capable of exchanging opinions and collecting questionnaires in addition to public communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional remote conference system is mainly of a type in which a conference room between two points is connected via a wide area network. This system configuration is as shown in FIG. 7, and is a camera 10- that can image a plurality of participants and display their images.
3 and a television 10-4, a communication having a video system including a microphone 10-1 and a speaker 10-2 for capturing and reproducing the utterances of a plurality of participants, and a remote control device for controlling these elements. Basically, the terminal device 10 is connected to the wide area network 30. Camera 10-
The participant can be captured by 3 and the participant of the other party can be displayed on the television 10-4, and the opinions and the discussion can be performed by using the microphone 10-1 and the speaker 10-2. This allows you to hold a immersive conference even when you are far away, saving you the cost and time of attending the conference. It is also possible to use the electronic blackboard system 10-5 as an auxiliary device to display a drawing written on the electronic blackboard on the television (not shown) of the other electronic blackboard system. Further, by using the facsimile 10-6, the materials for the conference can be transmitted. In this way, even if the systems are connected via the wide area network 30 and are separated from each other, a conference can be held.

[0003]

One of the problems with such a conventional teleconferencing system is that it must be assembled in a conference room during a conference. There is usually only one such conference room per business establishment, and the living room and conference room are separated,
The management of the conference room and the exchange of keys are troublesome, and it is inconvenient as compared with the case of using the telephone to hold a conference from a distance. It is also difficult for participants from three or more business sites to attend the conference at the same time.

Another problem is that the conference speech is limited to the public speech. During the meeting, there are times when you want to consult with each other without the knowledge of others. In such a case, it was possible to take a method such as writing on a paper and handing it to a conventional conference where all members gathered together, but such a method cannot be taken in the conventional remote conference system. In the case of a panel session, all the members gathered together, and in the conventional case, the panelists were speaking and the floor participants were listening.If the floor participants had any questions to the panelists, a paper was used as a questionnaire. It was sent to the moderator through the staff at the venue, and the moderator selected and introduced it to the meeting. The conventional remote conference system does not have such a method.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate such problems and allow the conference participants to participate in the conference by themselves without gathering in the conference room. Even when there are conference participants at three or more points, the number of participants is limited. A distributed conferencing system that allows participants to attend meetings without being interrupted, enables private contact between specific participants during the meeting, and allows floor participants to privately send questions during panel sessions. It is to be realized.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, a conference server and a plurality of conference terminals are used, and video signals, audio signals, and data signals from the plurality of conference terminals are edited by the conference server. A distributed conferencing system that retransmits to a conference terminal is configured, a specific one of a plurality of media is used for private communication, and communication from a specific conference terminal is private.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the conference participants can participate in the conference by themselves without gathering in the conference room, and the conference can be held without restricting the number of participants even if there are conference participants at three or more points. Also, during a meeting, private contact can be made between specific participants, and another specific participant can always send questions privately.

[0008]

First, a distributed conference system in which the present invention is implemented will be described. The basic configuration of the distributed conference system is shown in FIG. The components of the distributed conference system are a conference server 60, a conference terminal 40, and a communication network 300 such as a wide area network or a premises network connecting them.

A broadband IS is used as a wide area network of the communication network 300.
A DN network or the like is an ATM-LAN or ST as a local network.
M multimedia LAN etc. can be used.

The conference terminal 40 includes a video system including a camera 41-3 and a terminal device 42, and a microphone 41-1.
And a conference terminal control device 44.

The video from the camera 41-3 and the voice from the microphone 41-1 are sent to the conference server 60 via the conference terminal control unit 44. In the conference server 60, a plurality of video signals are combined into one screen image, the audio signal is attenuated by its own voice, and the audio level of another person is adjusted to perform the combination.
It is sent to the conference terminal 40 again, and is reproduced by the speaker 41-2 and the terminal device 42 through the conference terminal control device 44. This allows the conference participants to listen to other participants' voices and see the video.

The terminal device 42 can be specifically realized by a personal computer or a workstation. Since the personal computer or workstation has a video board for displaying an image, the image sent from the conference server 60 via the conference terminal control device 44 can be displayed in the window on the screen. The terminal device 42 also has a function of designating the distribution destination of the multimedia information together with the call control unit 44-5, and constitutes a terminal designating means.

Besides, there are an electronic blackboard / digitizer 41-5 and a facsimile 41-6 as options of peripheral devices, which are used for transmitting and receiving digital image information and still images.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the conference terminal control device 44. The line interface unit 44-1 is a video transmission / reception unit 44.
-2, the video signal from the voice transceiver 44-3, the voice signal from the voice transceiver 44-3, the call control data from the call controller 44-5, and the data from the data transceiver 44-4 are received, multiplexed, and passed through the communication network 300. And transmits it to the conference server 60. On the contrary, the signal from the conference server 60 is received via the communication network 300, and each signal is separated and the video transmitting / receiving unit 44-2, the audio transmitting / receiving unit 44-3, the call control unit 44-5, and the data transmitting / receiving unit 44 are separated. -4.

The video transmission / reception unit 44-2 is connected to the video board built in the terminal device 42 and the camera 41-3, and digitizes the NTSC signal from the camera 41-3 and sends it to the line interface unit 44-1. ing. Further, the signal from the line interface unit 44-1 is converted into an analog signal and sent to the video board built in the terminal and the camera 41-3.

The voice transmitting / receiving unit 44-3 is the microphone 4
The audio signals of 1-1 and the speaker 41-2 are encoded / decoded to perform transmission / reception processing with the line interface unit 44-1.

The data transmitting / receiving unit 44-4 is connected to the terminal device 42, and can send the data from the terminal device 42 to the conference server 60 or send the data stored in the conference server 60 to the terminal device 42. it can.

The call control unit 44-5 supports control / monitoring of the line interface unit 44-1 and connection control of lines such as voice, data and video. The control unit 44-6 passes through the control highway 44-7, the video transmission / reception unit 44-2, the voice transmission / reception unit 44-3, the call control unit 44-5, the data transmission / reception unit 4
4-4 are connected to each other and manage each of them, and also have an interface with the terminal device 42 to perform a cooperative operation with the terminal device 42.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the conference server 60. The conference server 60 includes a service control system 61 and a status monitoring terminal 62. The service control system 61 receives the video signal, the audio signal, the data, and the call control data from the conference terminal 40, multiplexes them, displays them in a fixed format having a plurality of windows, and transmits them again to the conference terminal 40 through the communication network 300. The status monitoring terminal 62 is connected to the communication network 300 via the service control system 61 and manages the operation of the system. The conference server 60 uses the service control system 61 and the status monitoring terminal 62 to realize an information exchange function, exchange public information that is commonly distributed to a plurality of conference terminals 42, and exchange information between specific conference terminals 42. Exchanges can be processed separately.

The structure of the service control system 61 is shown in FIG. The service control system 61 includes modules M1 to M
n, each line L1 to Ln or each conference terminal 4
The same modules M1 to Mn are prepared for each 0.

The function of the service control system 61 is line 1
A description will be given along with the module M1 of (L1). The line interface unit 610-1 includes a video processing unit 611-1, an audio processing unit 612-1, a data processing unit 614, and a call control unit 61.
The video signal, the audio signal, the data, and the call control data are received from 3-1 and multiplexed and transmitted to the network 300. On the contrary, a signal is received from the network 300 and separated, and the video processing unit 611-1, the audio processing unit 612-1, the data processing unit 614, and the call control unit 613-1 are connected to the video signal, the audio signal, the data, and the call control unit. Pass the information.

The video processing unit 611-1 receives the input video signal from the line interface unit 610-1 on the other lines L2 to L.
After synchronizing with n, the image is output to the image highway 618, and images are selected / combined from a plurality of images flowing therethrough under the control of the control unit 615, and again the network 300 via the line interface unit 610-1. Send to. 1 screen, 2 screens, 4 by the selective combining function of the image processing unit 611-1.
Images such as screens and 9 screens can be combined. Eg 2
In case of screen, it is composed of full screen and small screen. 4 screens,
In the case of 9 screens, the screens are as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b) described later.

The voice processing unit 612-1 decodes the input voice signal from the line interface unit 610-1 and outputs it to the voice highway 617. Then, in response to an instruction from the control unit 615 via the control highway 619, selected voice addition such as N-1 addition for adding only the own voice and addition and encoding are performed, and the line interface unit 610-1 is again used.
To the network 300 via. Since there is a difference in the delay between audio and video, the audio is delayed by a fixed amount so that it does not look unnatural on the terminal.

The call controller 613-1 controls / monitors the line interface 610-1 and controls call setting. The connection between the call control unit 613-1 and the control unit 615 is performed via the control highway 619. The control unit 615 controls / monitors the entire inside of the service control system 61 via the control highway 619. It also interfaces with the status monitoring terminal 62.

These operations are performed for other lines, line 2 to line n.
The same applies to the modules (M2 to Mn) of (L2 to Ln). The line interfaces 610-2 to 610-n in the respective line modules M2 to Mn are similar to the line interface 610-1 of the module M1. The image processing units 611-2 to 611 to n are the same as the image processing unit 611-1 of the module M1 and are the audio processing units 612-2 to 612-6.
12-n is the same as the voice processing unit 612-1 of the module M1, and the call control units 613-2 to 613-n are the module M.
The call control unit 613-1 has the same function.

Further, the data processing unit 614 receives the packet data from any of the line interface units 610-1 to 610-n via the data highway and stores the packet data,
The data is again sent to the conference terminal 40 via the network 300 via any of the line interface units 610-1 to 610-n via the data highway.

FIG. 5 shows a display example of the screen of the terminal device 42.
The example in which the images of individual conference participants are displayed is shown. Depending on the number of participants, the screen of the terminal device 42 is shown in FIG.
As shown in the image 42-1 shown in FIG.
Nine divisions can be made as shown in the image 42-2 shown in (b). It is also possible to open the window 42-3 in a part of the screen and use the window 42-3 as text to individually send information to the participants and use it as e-mail, for example.

FIG. 6 shows the connection configuration of the remote conference system. The conference terminal 40 includes the panel conference terminals 40-1 to 40-.
4 and floor conference terminals 40-5 to 40-8. The panel conference terminals 40-1 to 40-4 are constantly connected to the conference server 60 by bidirectional connections 301 to 304, and can transmit and receive voice, moving images, data and the like. The users of the panel conference terminals 40-1 to 40-4 are panel participants and can always speak during the conference, and their appearances are normally displayed on the divided screens 42-1 and 42-2. The conference terminal 40 of the moderator is the panel conference terminal 40-
Must be 1-40-4.

The floor conference terminals 40-5 to 40-8 are constantly connected to the conference server 60 via a downward one-way broadcast connection 310, and can receive the voice and the moving image to see and hear the contents of the conference. . In addition to this one-way connection 310, a two-way connection 320 is also prepared. If necessary, this two-way connection 320
The conference server 60 and floor conference terminals 40-5 to 40-8
You can send and receive data, voice, and movies between them.

The conference server 60 and the two-way connection 320 constitute a questionnaire exchange means, and the MC of the floor conference terminals 40-5 to 40-8 transmits the questionnaire information using multimedia from the users. It is possible to concentrate on the specific panel conference terminals 40-1 to 40-4 which are the terminals. As a result, floor conference terminals 40-5 to 40 of floor participants
From -8, the voice of the floor participant's remark can be transmitted to the panelist and the moderator via the conference server 60 together with the video of the speaker. However, the users of the floor conference terminals 40-5 to 40-8 can appear on the screen only while speaking. Further, all communication from the floor conference terminals 40-5 to 40-8 is closed, and the floor participant's remarks are once made by the panel conference terminal 40.
It is only disclosed after it is received at -1 to 40-4.

Next, the procedure of operation in the embodiment of the present invention will be described. A connection is always set between the panel conference terminals 40-1 to 40-4 and the conference server 60.
The panelists create texts on the terminal devices 42 of the panel conference terminals 40-1 to 40-4, add the destination address to the communication, specify the other terminal, and use the text communication function during the meeting. Text can be sent and received between panelists. This content of communication is not disclosed to participants other than the parties concerned. Therefore, it is possible to talk in secret without any influence on the public conference, and it is possible to carry out related discussions in parallel in addition to the discussions at the public place.

If necessary, a multicast address (address of a preset subgroup) may be used as a destination address to simultaneously transmit to a plurality of persons in one transmission operation, or a broadcast address may be used. , It is also possible to send to everyone with one sending operation. Further, by adding a destination address to the medium to be used, voices other than text, moving images, facsimile 41-6,
A digitizer 41-5 can also be used.

In the case of a floor participant, since the communication of voice and moving images can be viewed only by the parties, it is possible to compose a message more easily than composing a text by using the voice or moving image. It is possible to obtain the effect of being able to contact with the same secret. The floor participant uses the terminal device 42 to display the multimedia text using audio and moving images.
Created, and once recorded in the storage device of the data processing unit 614 and sent to the terminal device 42 of the other participant. Further, it is possible to easily send a picture or drawing by using the facsimile 41-6 and the digitizer 41-5, and explain that it is difficult to explain without the picture or drawing.

The function corresponding to the question and answer in the panel session can be implemented by such a method. In the conventional panel session where all members came together, the panelists had discussions and the audience listened. The moderator conducts the meeting, and the moderator sometimes picks up questions from the audience. Questions may be collected by temporarily interrupting the conference and collecting questions from the venue, or by having the audience fill out the questions on a form and gather them to the moderator through a staff member. In this embodiment, the floor participant sends the question content to the moderator or paneler participant using the text communication function or the like, and the moderator or paneler participant knows the question content on the screen of the terminal device 42 and judges the content. Introduce the question contents when appropriate. The content of this question will not be announced until it is introduced by the moderator or panelists, so it does not hinder the progress of the conference.
At this time, if there is a part that is not understood in the collected questions, the moderator or panel participant can create the text of the inquiry and use the text communication function to respond with the questioner and correct the contents, No more getting in the way of meetings by picking up questions like this.

The content of the question is displayed in an easy-to-understand form on the screen of the terminal device of the moderator or panelist participant. The question includes items such as (1) reference number, (2) reception time, (3) sender name, sender terminal address, (4) answer applicant, (5) title, and (6) question content.

The terminal device 42 of the moderator or panelist participant
There is a window 42-3 for displaying the status on the screen of, and when a question is received, the guidance of "text reception" is displayed there. The moderator or panel participant can read the question text by opening the text window 42-3.

Although the case where questions are collected during the meeting has been described above, a questionnaire can be sent to the moderator or panelist before the meeting. If the prospective participants are unable to take time at the time of holding the conference, a questionnaire can be sent to the moderator or panelist from the time the conference information is distributed until the conference is held. As a result, the moderator or panel participant can store the question contents obtained in advance in the conference terminal 40 and introduce it during the conference. Even if there are questions that could not be introduced during the meeting, they can be answered after the fact, at the discretion of the moderator or panelists.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.
For example, various modifications such as a system in which functions such as editing and combining of multimedia information are distributed to the conference terminal 40 and the conference server 60 is omitted can be considered.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since a specific one of a plurality of media is used for private communication and communication from a specific conference terminal is closed to configure a distributed conference system, conference participants do not gather in the conference room. You can participate in the conference on your own and even if there are conference participants at three or more points, you can hold the conference without limiting the number of participants. In addition, during the meeting, private contact can be made between specific participants, and specific participants can always send questions privately. As a result, the usage range and functions of the distributed conference system can be significantly improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration of a distributed conference system in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 2 is a configuration of a conference terminal control device of a conference terminal in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 3 is a configuration of a conference server of a distributed conference system in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 4 is a configuration of a service control system of a distributed conference system in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 5 is a display example of a screen on a conference terminal in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 6 is an example of a connection configuration of conference terminals in a distributed conference system in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 7 shows a configuration of a conventional remote conference system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 300 communication network 40 conference terminal 40-1 to 40-4 panel conference terminal 40-5 to 40-8 floor conference terminal 41-1 microphone 41-2 speaker 41-3 camera 41-5 digitizer 41-6 facsimile 42 terminal device 44 Conference terminal control device 60 Conference server 61 Service control system 62 Status monitoring terminal

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Kazuo Unemoto 1-6, 1-chome, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Nihon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of conference terminals that handle multimedia information including at least video and audio are connected via a communication network, and a plurality of conference participants use the plurality of conference terminals to hold a communication conference between multiple points. In the distributed conference system to be performed, at least one of the multimedia information between a terminal designating unit that designates another conference terminal from one of the plurality of conference terminals and a conference terminal designated by the terminal designating unit. A distributed conferencing system, comprising: an information exchanging means for exchanging information using one piece of information, and exchanging opinions privately between specific conference participants during a conference. 2. The distributed conferencing system according to claim 1, wherein the information exchanging means exchanges information using text data created by the conference terminal. 3. The distribution according to claim 1, wherein the information exchanging means exchanges information by using other media information including a voice and a moving image together with the text data created by the conference terminal. Conference system. 4. The plurality of conference terminals comprises a panel conference terminal for panelists who can freely speak, and a floor conference terminal for floor participants whose speech is restricted. , A specific terminal among the panel conference terminals is designated from the floor conference terminal, the information exchange means, a predetermined questionnaire regarding the conference from the floor conference terminal to the specific terminal in the multimedia information The distributed conferencing system according to claim 1, further comprising: a questionnaire transmitting means for transmitting using at least one piece of information. 5. The distributed conference system according to claim 4, wherein the questionnaire transmission means transmits the questionnaire using text data created by the floor conference terminal. 6. The information exchanging means further comprises means for inquiring the floor conference terminal which has transmitted the questionnaire about the contents of the questionnaire corresponding to the contents of the questionnaire transmitted by the questionnaire transmitting means. The distributed conferencing system according to claim 4, further comprising: 7. The specific terminal comprises display means for centrally displaying the questionnaire transmitted from the floor conference terminal by the questionnaire transmitting means together with related information of the questionnaire. 4. The distributed conference system described in 4. 8. The specific terminal displays a questionnaire selection unit for selecting an arbitrary questionnaire from the questionnaires displayed on the display unit, and the contents of the questionnaire selected by the questionnaire selection unit. The distributed conferencing system according to claim 4, further comprising means for transmitting the information to a conference terminal of another conference participant and disclosing it. 9. The floor conference terminal comprises means for transmitting the questionnaire to a specific one of the paneler conference terminals before the conference is held, and the specific terminal is provided at an appropriate time during the conference. 5. The distributed conferencing system according to claim 4, further comprising means for transmitting to a conference terminal of another conference participant and disclosing it. 10. The specific terminal creates a questionnaire that could not be answered during a meeting or an answer to a question using at least one piece of the multimedia information, and then creates the questionnaire after the meeting ends. The distributed conference system according to claim 4, wherein the distributed conference system is transmitted to the floor conference terminal that has been sent or the panel conference terminal that asked the question.