JPH07236129A - Television conference device having file transferring function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To smooth the advancement of a television conference by transferring data to the opposite side of the conference by automatic connection prior to the start of the conference. CONSTITUTION:When an automatic connection transfer mode for a system control part 15 is selected through an operation part 10, a specific sub-address for forced termination is added and the opposite side is called. When the sub- address is detected on the terminating side, a picture file receiving state is set up and both terminals are mutually connected. On the receiving side, transferred data are stored and managed in a storing/reproducing part 11. Thereby even if a called party is absent, data can be distributed to the called side prior to the start of a conference and the conference can be advanced while collating the data, so that the conference can be smoothly advanced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a file for forcibly requesting a connection from its own terminal to another terminal when the other terminal is absent, and transferring in advance still image data and moving image data from the own terminal to the other terminal. The present invention relates to a video conference device having a transfer function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional still image transmission apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-160889. This apparatus is intended for a still image transmission apparatus having a conference, and a sequence number management unit is used. By assigning sequence numbers to the screens that are stored in the order in which they were sent and received, the purpose is to enable smooth communication conferences using screen files. As described above, the conventional still image transmission device transmits and receives during a conference and does not have a function of transmitting in advance even if the other party is absent before the conference.

Regarding the moving image data, as a conventional technique having a moving image storing / reproducing means, for example, "Prototype of a personal computer with a built-in videophone function based on an open architecture" (The Institute of Image Electronics Engineers, Vol. 22, No. 4, 199).
3 pp355-367), but it does not describe file transfer of moving image data, and is a technology that has never existed before.

[0004]

As described above, in the conventional video conference apparatus, the material (still image) is suddenly distributed (transmitted) during the video conference. Other means had to be used to distribute the preliminary materials to facilitate the meeting. It is inefficient to distribute the materials (still images) prepared for the video conference in another form.

Before the start of the conference, a still image file created in advance is distributed as a pre-material for the conference to give the attendees an opportunity to see the material in advance. If you can proceed with the meeting while watching, it will be very advantageous for smooth progress. The same is true for video files.

[0006]

The present invention is intended to solve these problems and is a television having a function of displaying still image data or moving image data and transferring the data using an ISDN line. In a conference device, image data creating means created by data captured by a camera or input means, image transfer means for transferring the image data created by the image data creating means, and the image data for each file unit And a file management means for reading or writing to and from the other terminal, forcibly connecting to the other terminal even when the other terminal is absent, and the image data is transferred from the own terminal to the storage device of the other terminal in advance by the image transfer means. By doing so, it has a file transfer function that displays both images sent to the other terminal side at the same time and holds a conference. That provide video conferencing equipment.

Further, regarding the moving image data including the audio signal data, the video and the audio signal reproduced from the own terminal are transmitted to the other terminals even during the conference, and the moving image data is displayed at the same time for the conference. A video conference device having a file transfer function according to claim 1.

[0008]

In a video conferencing apparatus in which a transmission channel is divided into speeds suitable for audio, video and data media using an ISDN line and multiplexed communication is performed, the video conferencing terminal on the originating side is on the ISDN line. The identification code output using the subaddress can be transmitted to the video conference terminal on the called side. The identification code has at least a normal conference mode and an automatic connection transfer mode for automatically connecting and transferring still image data and moving image data. When the receiving video conference terminal receives the identification code from the calling video conference terminal, the receiving video conference terminal is connected in the video conference mode or the automatic connection mode according to the identification code.

Each mode will be described.

In the video conference mode, when an incoming call is notified to the called terminal, the called terminal is connected by the operator's will, and audio, video and data can be bidirectionally communicated. When still image data is transferred in this state,
The transferred still image data is simultaneously displayed on the caller side terminal and the callee side terminal, and the conference can be advanced while watching the same still image. When the terminal on the calling side reproduces the moving image file, the video and audio are also transmitted to the terminal on the called side, and the conference can be advanced while watching the terminals on the calling side and the called side at the same time.

In the automatic connection mode, a connection is automatically established when an incoming call is notified to the receiving terminal. When there is transfer of still image data or moving image data from the terminal on the transmission side, it is received and stored in the storage device. Also, the transferred files can be displayed and viewed on both terminals at the same time during the video conference. In such an automatic connection mode, it has a function to create still image or moving image data, a function to manage it as a file, and a function to transfer the file to the video conferencing device of the other party. After the connection is established, a still image file or a moving image file created in advance is transferred before the conference starts, and the conference material is transferred to the other terminal. Therefore, since the conference material can be accessed from each terminal without transferring the data during the video conference, the conference is held while both parties see the material.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video conference apparatus having a file transfer function, which is connected to an ISDN interface of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an operation of a calling side of the video conference apparatus having a file transfer function of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the called side of the video conference apparatus having the file transfer function of the present invention. In FIG. 1, in the video conference apparatus having the file transfer function of the present invention, 1 is an interface unit for ISDN for transmitting video, audio, and data and signals for communication control multiplexed, and 2 is an audio signal, Video / data signal multiplexer / demultiplexer, 3 is an audio codec for encoding / decoding an audio signal, 5 is a microphone, 4 is a speaker, 7 is a monitor displaying a partner image or self image, and 8 is A camera, 6 is a video codec that encodes and decodes a video signal, 9 is a still image codec that captures a video signal from the camera and encodes a still image, and 11 is a storage / playback that decodes a still image file Parts 10 are operation parts operated by the user. Reference numeral 12 is a storage / reproduction / sending unit for digitally storing / reproducing / sending a video signal and audio signal, a still image file stored in the storage / reproducing unit 11 and the storage / reproducing / sending unit 12, and a moving image file is a data communication control unit 13 Via the other party's video conference device. Reference numeral 14 is a communication control unit that controls communication with the other device by performing call control and the like. These are controlled by the system control unit 15, and the user can operate them via the operation unit 10.

Regarding the still image file and moving image file transfer function, TTC standard "Still image video transmission system for ISDN"
JJ-41.10).

An operation of automatically connecting and transferring a still image file and a moving image file to the video conference apparatus thus configured will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG.
An operator (not shown) selects the automatic connection transfer mode from the operation unit 10 when making a call (101) and inputs the address (telephone number) of the other party (103). When the automatic connection transfer mode is selected in this way, the present system makes a call (104) with "A" added as the specific subaddress for forced call reception in the fifth digit of the subaddress. In FIG. 3, the receiving side detects that there is a compulsory connection request, which is'A 'in the 10th digit of the subaddress (202), and enters a receiving state of a still image file or a moving image file. When both terminals are thus connected (106), a still image file or a moving image file is transferred from the calling side to the called side (1
07). On the called side, the aforementioned file transferred from the calling side is stored and managed in the storage / playback unit 11 (203).
Therefore, since the data on the calling side is transferred to the called side, the same file can be accessed at each terminal. The callee can see the data before the conference.

When used in the conference mode, the conference mode is selected to make a call. In this case, no special value is set for the sub address. In addition, voice and video can be bidirectionally communicated to enable a normal video conference.

In this state, when the still image file is transferred, the still image is displayed at the same time as the calling side and the called side. When the moving image file is reproduced, the reproduced image is transmitted to the other party. You can proceed with the conference while simultaneously viewing the same still image files and moving image files transferred in the automatic connection transfer mode.

[0017]

As described above, the present invention comprises a function of creating a still image or moving image file, a function of managing it as a file, and a function of transferring the file to the video conference apparatus of the other party. Even if you are absent, you can automatically connect and transfer the still image and moving image files, so you can distribute the still image files and moving image files created in advance before the meeting as materials for the meeting. Therefore, during the video conference, a smooth conference can be held while displaying the material on each terminal and viewing both materials.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video conference apparatus having a file transfer function connected to an ISDN interface of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the calling side of the video conference apparatus having the file transfer function of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation on the called side of the video conference apparatus having the file transfer function of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ISDN interface 2 multiplexer / separator 3 audio codec 4 speaker 5 microphone 6 video codec 7 monitor 8 camera 9 still image codec 10 operation unit 11 storage / playback unit 12 storage / playback / transmission unit 13 data communication control unit 14 communication control unit 15 system Control unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A video conferencing apparatus having a function of displaying images and transferring files of image data and the like, image data creating means, image transfer means for transferring the image data created by the image data creating means, and A file management unit for managing image data, forcibly connects to the other terminal even when the other terminal is absent, and transfers the image data from the own terminal to the storage device of the other terminal in advance by the image transfer unit. A video conferencing apparatus having a file transfer function, in which a conference is held by simultaneously displaying both images sent to the other terminal side. 2. With regard to moving image data including audio signal data, a video and audio signal reproduced from its own terminal are transmitted to another terminal even during a conference, and the moving image data is displayed at the same time for the conference. The video conference apparatus having the file transfer function according to claim 1. 3. The means for forcibly connecting to the partner terminal comprises:
The video conference apparatus having a file transfer function according to claim 1, wherein the video conference is performed using a subaddress of the ISDN line.