JPH07236128A - Multi-position conference controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a natural remote conference capable of changing a visual point by providing a multi-position conference controller with an arrangement information storing part for storing the seat arrangement information of conference participators and plural picture generating parts for synthesizing the personal pictures of respective participator in accordance with the arrangement information and commands from respective conference terminals and generating pictures. CONSTITUTION:Personal picture data sent from respective conference terminals A, B...X through communication processing parts la, 1b,...1x are developed by respective decoders 2a, 2b,...2x in corresponding picture processing means Pa, Pb,...Px. All or a part of the developed pictures are arranged in a display memory in accordance with the participator's seat arrangement information stored in the arrangement information storing part 4 and control commands from the terminals A, B,...X and coded by respective encoders 5a, 5b,...5x and synthesized pictures are transmitted from the processing parts 1a, 1b,...1x to their corresponding terminals A, B,...X.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is connected to a plurality of conference terminals such as video conference terminals and video telephone devices, and arranges a plurality of person images sent from the respective conference terminals on a single screen. , A multipoint conference control device for transmitting to each conference terminal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a multipoint conferencing system in which conference terminals existing at a plurality of points are connected to each other to realize a conference, whether or not all the person's images are displayed in the same arrangement for all the conference terminals, Alternatively, it is configured to display an image of only a specific person such as a speaker.

FIG. 5 shows a screen display example of the former multipoint conference system. As shown in this figure, in the former system, the arrangement of the person images A, B, C, D is displayed in a common pattern in all the conference terminals A, B ... X.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a conventional multipoint conference control apparatus based on the display system shown in FIG. In this figure, 11a, 11b ... 11x are communication processing units which are connected to the respective conference terminals A, B ... X to transmit / receive image information. 12a, 12b ... 12x are decoders,
The image data received by the communication processing units 11a, 11b ... 11x is expanded.

An image generation unit 13 is common to the conference terminals A, B ... X, and includes decoders 12a, 12b ... 12x.
After properly processing the image developed by, the person images of a plurality of conference participants are combined and placed in the display memory. Reference numeral 14 denotes an encoder, which encodes the image generated by the image generation unit 13 and which is used by the communication processing units 11a, 11b, ...
It sends to each conference terminal A, B ... X via 11x.

In the multipoint conference control apparatus having such a conventional configuration, the data-compressed person image information sent from a specific conference terminal, for example, the conference terminal A, is transmitted to the communication processing unit 11.
It is sent to the decoder 12a via a and is developed into an image in the memory. The developed image is reduced to an appropriate size by the image generation unit 13 as needed, and the conference terminal B
... X is combined with the person image sent from X and is again sent to each conference terminal A, B ... X via encoder 14.

[0007]

However, in the case of the display system according to the above-mentioned conventional configuration, each conference terminal A, B
When all the participants of X are displayed, there is a problem that the display area per person on the screen becomes smaller as the number of participants increases, and in some cases it becomes impossible to identify the person.

Further, in the latter case of the method of selectively displaying only the speaker in the conference or only a specific person,
Even if you look at the screen, it is not possible to determine the layout of the people, that is, which person corresponds to which conference terminal, so it is not possible to grasp the atmosphere of the entire conference, and the natural conference form is impaired. There was a problem such as becoming.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and allows conference participants to change their viewpoints from a conference terminal, and to create a natural layout while imagining seat arrangements as in an actual conference. An object of the present invention is to provide a multipoint conference control device capable of holding a remote conference in a form.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, in a multipoint conference control apparatus of the present invention, all the person images of conference participants connected to a plurality of conference terminals and sent from each conference terminal. Or, in a multipoint conference control device that arranges a part on the screen and sends it to each conference terminal, a placement information storage unit that stores seat placement information of each conference participant, and a participant stored in the placement information storage unit. An image generation section is provided which combines and displays in the display memory the person images of a plurality of conference participants based on the seat arrangement information and the control command sent from each of the conference terminals, and is configured to transmit to each conference terminal. is doing.

As a specific example thereof, a communication processing unit which individually corresponds to a plurality of conference terminals and is connected to the conference terminals to transmit and receive image information, and a decoder which expands the image data received by the communication processing unit. , All or part of the image developed by this decoder based on the participant seat placement information stored in the placement information storage unit and the person images of a plurality of conference participants based on the control command sent from each conference terminal It is possible to have an image generation unit that combines the above and arranges them in the display memory, and an encoder that encodes the image generated by this image generation unit.

In the above structure, preferably, the image generation unit of each image processing unit is configured to be able to select and change the display size of the person image to be transmitted to the conference terminal according to the control command from the corresponding conference terminal. And

[0013]

According to the above construction, the person image data sent from each conference terminal via the communication processing unit is expanded by the decoder of the corresponding image processing means, and all or a part of the expanded image is stored in the arrangement information. According to the participant seat arrangement information stored in the section and the control command from the conference terminal, the arrangement is performed in the display memory, the encoder is encoded again, and the composite image is transmitted from the communication processing unit to the corresponding conference terminal. Therefore, the conference participants can change the viewpoint from the conference terminal, and it becomes possible to realize a more natural remote conference while imagining the seating arrangement as in the actual conference.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a connection configuration of a multipoint conference system to which a multipoint conference control device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. As shown in this figure, the conference terminals A, B ... X are connected to the multipoint conference control apparatus S via lines 6a, 6b ... 6x, and the conference terminals A, 6b. The image of B ... X and the image processed by the device S are transmitted and received.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the apparatus S of this embodiment. In this figure, Pa, Pb ... Px are image processing means and are respectively provided corresponding to a plurality of conference terminals, and the image processing means Pa, Pb ... Px are respectively communication processing units 1a, 1b. ... 1x, decoders 2a, 2b
2x, image generation units 3a, 3b ... 3x, and encoders 5a, 5b ... 5x. Reference numeral 4 denotes a layout information storage unit that stores seat layout information of conference participants.

The communication processing units 1a, 1b ... 1x are connected to the conference terminals A, B ... X via lines, respectively.
Communication control is performed between the corresponding conference terminals A, B ... X,
Send and receive image information. Each of the decoders 2a, 2b ... 2x develops the person image coded data sent from the conference terminals A, B ... X via the corresponding communication processing units 1a, 1b ... 1x into an image.

The image generators 3a, 3b ... 3x are decoders 2.
a, 2b ... 2x based on the participant seat layout information stored in the layout information storage unit 4 and a control command sent from each conference terminal A, B ... X. The person images of the conference participants are combined and arranged in the display memory. The encoders 5a, 5b ... 5x are for encoding the images generated by the image generators 3a, 3b ... 3x, and the image information encoded by the encoders 5a, 5b ... 5x is the communication processing units 1a, 1b. ... is transmitted to the corresponding conference terminals A, B, ... X via 1x.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for visually explaining the seat arrangement information. In the example shown in this figure, the conference participants A,
B, C, D, E, F ... X set up an environment where a conference is held around a round table. In this case, the seat arrangement information describes the order of the conference participants as A → B → C → D → E → F → ... → X.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described by taking the case where the participant A pays attention to the participant B as an example. In this case,
The corresponding control command is transmitted from the conference terminal A. This command is sent to the image generation unit 3a via the communication control unit 1a.

When the image generator 3a receives the command,
Decoders 2a and 2b of the corresponding image processing means Pa, Pb ... Px according to the seat arrangement information shown in FIG.
When inputting image information from 2x and displaying three persons, for example, as shown in FIG. 4 (A), the arrangement is such that the participant B is in the center, the participant D is on the right side, and the participant E is on the left side. Generate a composite image. When displaying five persons, as shown in FIG. 4B, the participant F is added to the right end of the participant D and the participant C is added to the left end.

In this way, the image generating units Pa, Pb ... P
The image generated by x corresponds to the corresponding encoder 5
a, 5b ... 5x, and again the communication processing units 1a, 1
It is sent to the conference terminals A, B ... X via b ... 1x and displayed on each conference terminal A, B ... X.

Further, in the multipoint conference control device configured and operating as described above, each image processing means Pa, Pb
The Px image generation units 3a, 3b, ... 3x can be configured so that a person image to be transmitted to the conference terminal can be selected and the display size can be changed according to a control command from the corresponding conference terminal. In this case, the types of commands include changing the viewpoint and zooming.

In order to make such zooming and the size of each person image uniform, an image reduction or enlargement process may be involved in image generation, but these processes are also performed in the image generation units Pa, Pb ... Px. Configure to do in. Note that the image reduction method is not related to the present invention and will not be described.

In the above embodiment, an environment in which a plurality of conference participants hold a conference around a round table is set as an example of the seat arrangement information, but other than this, a plurality of conference participants face each other. Arrangements such as a facing type and a rectangular type that surrounds a corner table and attaches to a seat are also possible. In the case of the facing type or the rectangular type, the same display as in the case of the round table can be performed, except for the limitation that a person placed on one side in the horizontal direction can be displayed. Further, these seat layout information can be set fixedly or before the meeting, and can be changed to the most preferred layout during the meeting as needed.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, the arrangement information storage unit for storing the seat arrangement information of the conference participants and the person image of each participant in accordance with the arrangement information and the instruction from the conference terminal. By providing an image generation unit for arranging and sending back the images generated by the image generation unit to each conference terminal, conference participants can change the viewpoint from the conference terminal, and image the seat arrangement as in the actual conference. However, a more natural remote conference can be realized.

According to the second aspect, since the image generation unit is configured to be able to select and change the display size of the person image to be transmitted to the conference terminal according to the control command from the corresponding conference terminal, it is possible to perform zooming and each The sizes of the person images can be made uniform, and the presence of the conference can be more effectively enhanced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a connection configuration of a multipoint conference system to which a multipoint conference control device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the device of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram visually explaining seat arrangement information.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of a conference terminal according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of a conference terminal according to a conventional method.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional multipoint conference control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a, 1b ... 1x Communication processing section 2a, 2b ... 2x Decoder 3a, 3b ... 3x Image generation section 4 Arrangement information storage section 5a, 5b ... 5x Encoder Pa, Pb ... Px image processing means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A multipoint conference control device which is connected to a plurality of conference terminals, arranges all or a part of a person image of a conference participant sent from each conference terminal on a screen, and transmits to each conference terminal. In, a plurality of conference participations are performed based on a placement information storage unit that stores seat placement information of each conference participant, participant seat placement information stored in the placement information storage unit, and a control command sent from each conference terminal. A multipoint conference control device, comprising: an image generation unit for arranging a person image of a person in combination in a display memory, and transmitting the image to each conference terminal. 2. The multipoint conference control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image generation unit is configured to be capable of selecting and changing the display size of a person image to be transmitted to the conference terminal according to a control command from the corresponding conference terminal. .