JPH07322229A - Video conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain smooth operation of a conference by devising the system such that a voice signal of a terminal equipment approved of an utterance right by a chair man is heard by conference participants but a voice signal of a terminal equipment whose utterance right is not approved by the chair man is not heard by the conference participants so as to avoid duplication in voice utterance. CONSTITUTION:Upon the receipt of an utterance allowance primitive from a screen control module 32a, an utterance inhibit message is sent to a member whose utterance is at present allowed via a communication control module 32c. Then an utterance permission message is sent to a member whose utterance is allowed via the module 32c. When a user clocks a 'Yes' button on a chair man right request dialog, a chair man right movement primitive is informed to a multi-point control module 32b and switch a mode of the module 32a into the member mode thereby revising display on an image monitor 12 from chair man display into member display. A voice of a terminal equipment receiving an utterance right by the chair man is heard by the conference participants but a voice of a terminal equipment whose utterance right is not approved by the chair man is not heard by the conference participants.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video conference system for connecting a plurality of remote points to conduct a video conference (or video conference).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Video and audio services such as videophones and videoconferencing systems using digital lines have attracted attention, and service regulations, protocol regulations, and multimedia multiplexing frame structure regulations have been defined in ITU-T (former CCITT). ) Announced as Recommendation H series.

A video conferencing system for conducting video conferencing (or video conferencing) between remote multiple points includes a system configuration using an MCU (multipoint connection control unit) and an MC.
There are configurations that do not use U.

In the configuration using MCU, all terminals are MC
Connected to U, the MCU synthesizes the voice received from each terminal and sends it to each terminal. The MCU also synthesizes the video received from each terminal into one screen and sends it to each terminal, or sends the video from one point (or one designated point) with the highest audio level to each terminal.

In a configuration that does not use an MCU, each terminal is connected in a ring shape by a communication line, and each terminal adds the video / audio information generated by itself to the video / audio information received from the adjacent terminal to another adjacent terminal. Output to the terminal. Audio information is generally
The voice information received from the adjacent terminal is voice-synthesized with the voice information generated by itself, and the voice information is output to another adjacent terminal.

[0006]

In the conventional video conferencing system that does not use the MCU, the voices at each point are synthesized and transmitted, so that if two or more people talk at the same time,
The voice becomes difficult to hear.

[0007] Of course, even in the system in which the voices generated by the conference participants are synthesized and transmitted to each terminal even when the MCU is used, similarly, when two or more persons talk at the same time, it becomes difficult to hear the voices.

An object of the present invention is to provide a video conference system which does not cause such inconvenience.

[0009]

A video conference system according to the present invention is a mode setting means for setting a terminal participating in a conference to one of a chair mode and a member mode, and a terminal serving as a chair speaks to another terminal. To give the voice of the member's terminal to another terminal, and to hear the voice of the member's terminal to the other terminal. It is characterized by having means which does not exist.

[0010]

By the above means, the terminal acting as the chairman can manage the speaking right of another terminal. That is, the voice of the terminal to which the chair gave the speaking right can be heard by other conference participants, and
It is possible to prevent other conference participants from hearing the voice of the terminal from which the chair took the right to speak.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a video conference terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 10 is a camera for photographing a user, 12 is an image monitor for displaying a self-portrait, a received image and an operation screen, and 14 is an ITU-T recommendation H.264. In accordance with H.261, an image encoding / decoding circuit that encodes an image signal to be transmitted and decodes the received encoded video data,
The output of the camera 10 is converted into a predetermined transmission format (for example, CIF or QCIF) and supplied to the image encoding / decoding circuit 16, and the image encoding / decoding circuit 16 is also supplied.
This is an image interface for converting the received image decoded by the above into a display format and outputting it to the image monitor 12. The image interface 16 also has a function of selecting and combining an input image and a received image from the camera 10 and displaying the images separately.

Reference numeral 18 is a handset for voice communication, 20 is a microphone for voice input, 22 is a speaker for voice output, 2
Reference numeral 4 is a voice encoding / decoding circuit (voice codec) that encodes a voice signal to be transmitted and decodes a received encoded voice signal. 26 is the handset 1
8, a voice interface between the microphone 20 and the speaker 22 and the voice encoding / decoding circuit 24.

The voice interface 26 is an on / off hook detecting process for detecting on-hook and off-hook of the handset 18, an echo canceling process for canceling an echo when the microphone 20 and the speaker 22 are used, and
It also performs tone generation processing such as dial tones, ring tones, busy tones, and ring tones.

28 is a data terminal for inputting / outputting, displaying and processing data, and 30 is a data interface of the data terminal 28.

Reference numeral 32 is a well-known device such as a CPU, ROM, RAM, auxiliary storage device, etc., and a system control circuit for controlling the whole, and 34 is a system control circuit 32 for a user to input a predetermined instruction. An operation device (for example, a numeric keypad, a keyboard, a touch panel, and / or a mouse).

Reference numeral 36 is a line interface for controlling the line in accordance with the ISDN user / network interface protocol of the ISDN line, and 38 is the line interface 3
6 is supplied to the image coding / decoding circuit 14, the audio coding / decoding circuit 24, the data interface 30 and the system control circuit 32 in accordance with the contents of the received information, and the image coding / decoding circuit 14 is also supplied. The encoded image data from the audio codec, the encoded audio data from the audio encoding / decoding circuit 24, the data from the data interface 30 and the control command from the system control circuit 32 are multiplexed for each transmission frame and supplied to the line interface 36. It is a demultiplexing and multiplexing circuit.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the internal structure of the audio encoding / decoding circuit 24. 40 is 64 kb
ps PCM A-law codec, 42 is 64 kb
psPCM μ-law codec, 44 is 16 kbp
s (for example, APC-AB) codec, 46 is 48 kb
ps 7 kHz SB-ADPCM codec, 48 is a codec switching circuit for selecting a codec to be used for transmission and reception from the codecs 40, 42, 44 and 46 under the control of the system control circuit 32, and 50 is a transmission voice Transmit mute circuit to mute by
Reference numeral 52 is a reception mute circuit that mutes the reception voice as necessary.

FIG. 3 shows a software configuration of the system control circuit 32. 32a indicates the user on the image monitor 12.
Screen control module for displaying various windows and dialog boxes for the interface, 3
2b is a multipoint control module for controlling a multipoint conference, 3
Reference numeral 2c is a communication control module that executes D channel call control, in-channel synchronization, capability exchange, mode switching, and the like. In this embodiment, an existing window display system is used for the user interface of the image monitor 12.

FIG. 4 shows modules 32a, 32b and 32.
The exchange of events between c is shown. An event called a primitive is used between the screen control module 32a and the multipoint control module 32b.
An event called a message is used between 2b and the communication control module 32c.

FIG. 5 shows an overall configuration diagram of a video conference system constructed by connecting the communication terminals shown in FIG. 1 to each other through an ISDN line. The conference participants (terminals thereof) are classified into a chair and a member. One of the conference participants is the chair and the other participants are members. The chair can control the members' speaking rights. The right to speak is the right to allow other participants to hear the voice of a conference participant. The chair specifies which member has the say. The terminal that is the chair operates in chair mode and the terminal that is a member operates in member mode. In FIG. 5, the terminal at point A is in chair mode and the terminals at points B, C and D are in member mode. Each terminal is connected to an MCU (multipoint connection control unit) via an ISDN network.

6 and 7 show the basic screen structure of the image monitor 12, FIG. 6 shows the chair mode screen, and FIG. 7 shows the member mode screen. Reference numeral 60 denotes a speaker window for displaying an image of a speaker, a menu window 62 for displaying various buttons on the right side thereof, and icons of all conference participants (points A, B, C, D) on the lower side thereof. A participant icon display portion 64 to be displayed is arranged. At the lower right of the speaker window 60, a conference end button 66 (FIG. 6) to be pressed at the end of the conference is arranged in the chair mode, and in the member mode, a message to be pressed when the member requests the chair to speak. A request button 68 (FIG. 7) is arranged.

In the chairperson mode, the icons of the conference participants displayed in the participant icon display section 64 have three display levels: normal display, pressed display and blinking display.
In member mode, there are two display levels, normal display and highlighted display.

8 to 12 show various dialog boxes displayed on the screen of the image monitor 12 in an overlapping manner. 8 is a chair right request dialog, FIG. 9 is a chair right transfer dialog, FIG. 10 is a chair right transfer refusal dialog, FIG. 11 is a meeting end dialog, and FIG. 12 is a chair right request standby dialog.

With reference to FIGS. 13 to 20, the communication operation in this embodiment having the above configuration will be described in detail.

FIGS. 13 to 16 are control flowcharts for designating a speaker. Here, it is assumed that the chair has always the right to speak and that voice can always be heard on another terminal. In addition, members other than the chairperson can hear the voice of one person who has the permission of the chairperson, from another terminal.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the operation of the screen control module 32a in the member mode.

Whether the user has pressed the utterance request button 68 of the image monitor 12 (S1), has received the utterance permission primitive from the multipoint control module 32b (S4), and has received the utterance prohibition primitive from the multipoint control module 32.
It is repeatedly checked whether it is received from b (S7).

When the user presses the utterance request button 68 of the image monitor 12 (S1), the utterance request primitive is notified to the multipoint control module 32b (S2), and the utterance request button 68 is set to the pressed display state (S3). ). As a result, the user is informed that the chair terminal is requesting to speak.

When the speech permission primitive is received from the multipoint control module 32b (S4), the speech request button 68 is displayed normally (S5), and the participant icon display section 6 is displayed.
The icon of the home point of 4 is highlighted (S6). This notifies the user that the floor has been obtained.

When the speech prohibition primitive is received from the multipoint control module 32b (S7), the icon of the own point of the participant icon display section 64 is displayed normally (S7).
8). As a result, the user is notified that the speaking right is lost.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the screen control module 32a in the chairperson mode.

Whether a speech request primitive has been received from the multipoint control module 32b (S11), and whether any icon in the participant icon display section 64 has been pressed (S11).
13) is repeatedly checked.

When the utterance request primitive is received from the multipoint control module 32b (S11), in order to notify the user that there is a utterance request from the member, in the participant icon display portion 64 of the member who has requested the utterance. The icon is displayed in blinking (S12).

When one of the icons in the participant icon display section 64 is pressed (S13), the pressed member icon is displayed in the pressed state (S14), and the other member icons are displayed in the normal state ( In S15), the multipoint control module 32b is notified of the speech permission primitive for the corresponding member (S16).

FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing the operation of the multipoint control module 32b in the member mode.

At the start of the conference, the transmission mute circuit 50 turns on the transmission mute to interrupt the voice transmission of the terminal itself.
The reception mute circuit 52 turns off the reception mute so that the received voice can be heard. Further, the H.264 communication of the communication control module 32c. The video transmission mode of the 242 protocol is turned off and the transmission of the self-portrait is stopped (S21).

Next, whether a speech request primitive is received from the screen control module 32a (S22), a speech prohibition message is received from the chairman terminal via the communication control module 32c (S24), and a speech permission message is communicated. It is repeatedly checked whether it is received from the chairman's terminal via the control module 32c (S27).

When the utterance request primitive is received from the screen control module 32a (S22), the utterance request message is transmitted to the chairman terminal via the communication control module 32c (S23).

When the speech prohibition message is received from the chairman terminal via the communication control module 32c (S24),
The transmission mute circuit 56 turns on the transmission mute to prevent the own voice from being transmitted (S25). Turn off the video transmission mode of the H.242 protocol to stop the transmission of the self-portrait (S2
5). Furthermore, the speech control primitive is notified to the screen control module 32a (S26).

When the speech permission message is received from the chairman terminal via the communication control module 32c (S27),
The transmission mute circuit 56 turns off the transmission mute so that its own voice is transmitted (S28), and the H.264 signal of the communication control module 32c is transmitted. The video transmission mode of the 242 protocol is turned on and the self-portrait is transmitted (S28). Furthermore, the speak permission primitive is set to the screen control module 32a.
(S29).

FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing the operation of the multipoint control module 32b in the chairperson mode.

First, when the multipoint conference is started, the transmission mute circuit 50 turns off the transmission mute, and the reception mute circuit 5
In step 2, the reception mute is turned off (S31). The chair terminal can always transmit its own voice. Further, the H.264 communication of the communication control module 32c. The video transmission mode of the 242 protocol is turned on so that the self-portrait can always be transmitted (S31).

Whether the message request message is received from the member terminal via the communication control module 32c (S32),
And the message permission primitive to the screen control module 32a
It is repeatedly checked whether it is received from (S34).

When a message request message is received from the member terminal via the communication control module 32c (s3
2), the message request primitive is sent to the screen control module 32
A is notified (S33).

When the utterance permission primitive is received from the screen control module 32a (S34), the utterance prohibition message is transmitted to the member who is currently permitted to speak via the communication control module 32c (S35). And
Communication control module 32c for members who have allowed to speak
A speech permission message is transmitted via (S36).

17 to 20 show flowcharts of procedures for transferring the chair right. One of the conference participants can be the chair of the terminal. The terminal that convenes the meeting becomes the default chair, but the chair right can be transferred to another member during the meeting.

17 and 18 show an operation flowchart of the screen control module 32a as a whole.

It is checked whether the terminal is in the chair mode or the member mode (S41). If the mode is the chair mode, the process proceeds to S42. If the mode is the member mode, the process proceeds to S51.

In the chair mode (S41), when the chair right request primitive is received from the multipoint control module 32b (S42), the chair right request dialog shown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the image monitor 12 (S43) and S41. Return to.

When the user clicks the "Yes" button in the chair right request dialog shown in FIG. 8 (S44), the chairman right transfer primitive is notified to the multipoint control module 32b (S45), and the mode of the screen control module 32a is changed. Switching to the member mode, the display on the image monitor 12 is changed from the chairperson display shown in FIG. 6 to the member display shown in FIG. 7 (S46). Then, the process returns to S41.

When the user clicks the "No" button in the chair right request dialog shown in FIG. 8 (S47), the chair right transfer refusal primitive is sent to the multipoint control module 32.
b is notified (S48).

Since the conference end button 66 of the image monitor 12 is clicked (S49), the conference end primitive is notified to the multipoint control module 32b and the conference is terminated (S50).

In the member mode (S41), when the user clicks the chair right request button on the button menu 62 of the image monitor 12 (S51), the chair right request primitive is notified to the multipoint control module 32b ( S
52), the chairman right request waiting dialog shown in FIG. 12 is displayed on the image monitor 12 (S53). Then, the process returns to S41.

When the chair right transfer primitive is received from the multipoint control module 32b (S54), the chair right transfer dialog shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the image monitor 12 (S5).
5) When the user presses the "OK" button, the screen control module 32a is switched to the chairperson mode, and the display on the image monitor 12 is changed from the member display shown in FIG. 7 to the chairperson display shown in FIG. 6 ( S56). And S41
Return to.

When a chair right transfer refusal primitive is received from the multipoint control module 32b (S57), FIG.
A chair right transfer refusal dialog shown in is displayed on the image monitor 12 (S58), and when the user presses the "OK" button, the process proceeds to S41.

When the conference end primitive is received from the multipoint control module 32b (S59), the conference end dialog shown in FIG. 11 is displayed on the image monitor 12 and the conference is ended when the user presses the "OK" button (S6).
0).

19 and 20 show an operation flowchart of the multipoint control module 32b as a whole.

It is checked whether the terminal is in the chair mode or the member mode (S71). If the mode is the chair mode, the process proceeds to S72. If the mode is the member mode, the process proceeds to S81.

In the chair mode (S71), when the chair right request primitive is received from the screen control module 32a (S72), the chair right request message is transmitted to the chair terminal through the communication control module 32c (S7).
3). Then, the process returns to S71.

When the chair right transfer message is received from the chair terminal via the communication control module 32c (S74),
The screen control module 32a is notified of the chair right transfer primitive (S75), and the multipoint control module 32b is changed from the member mode to the chair mode (S76). Then, the process returns to S71.

When the chair right transfer refusal message is received from the chair terminal via the communication control module 32c (S7).
7), Screen transfer module 3
2a is notified (S78). Then, the process returns to S71.

When the conference end message is received from the chairman's terminal through the communication control module 32c (S79), the conference end primitive is notified to the screen control module 32a and the conference is terminated (S80).

In the member mode (S71), when the chair right request message is received from the member terminal via the communication control module 32c (S81), the chair right request primitive is notified to the screen control module 32a (S8).
2). Then, the process returns to S71.

When the chair right transfer primitive is received from the screen control module 32a (S83), the chair right transfer message is sent to the corresponding member terminal by the communication control module 32.
It transmits via c (S84), and multipoint control module 3
Change 2b from chair mode to member mode (S8)
5). Then, the process returns to S71.

When the chair right transfer refusal primitive is received from the screen control module 32a (S86), a chair right transfer refusal message is transmitted to the corresponding member terminal via the communication control module 32c (S87), and the process returns to S71.

Since the conference end primitive is received from the screen control module 32a (S88), the conference end message is sent to all member terminals to the communication control module 32c.
And the conference is ended (S89).

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the communication control of the voice and the video linked to the speaking right is performed by each terminal, but it goes without saying that the same control may be performed by the MCU (multipoint connection control unit).

[0070]

As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, the voice of the terminal to which the chair gives the speaking right can be heard by the conference participants, but the voice of the terminal from which the chair takes the speaking right. Will not be heard by conference participants. As a result, duplication of voice is eliminated, and the conference can proceed smoothly as the chairman wishes.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a video conference terminal of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a speech encoding / decoding circuit 24.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a characteristic module configuration of a system control circuit 32.

FIG. 4 is an event notification configuration between the modules shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a connection configuration of a multipoint video conference.

FIG. 6 is a display screen in a chair mode.

FIG. 7 is a display screen in member mode.

FIG. 8 is a chair right request dialog.

FIG. 9 is a chair right transfer dialog.

FIG. 10 is a dialog for refusing to move the chair.

FIG. 11 is a conference end dialog.

FIG. 12 is a chair right request waiting dialog.

FIG. 13 is an operation flowchart of the screen control module 32a in the member mode.

FIG. 14: Screen control module 3 in chair mode
It is an operation | movement flowchart of 2a.

FIG. 15 is an operation flowchart of the multipoint control module 32b in the member mode.

FIG. 16 is an operation flowchart of the multipoint control module 32b in the chairperson mode.

FIG. 17 is a part of an operation flowchart of the screen control module 32a.

FIG. 18 is a part of an operation flowchart of the screen control module 32a.

FIG. 19 is a part of an operation flowchart of the multipoint control module 32b.

FIG. 20 is a part of an operation flowchart of the multipoint control module 32b.

[Explanation of symbols]

10: camera 12: image monitor 14: image encoding / decoding circuit 16: image interface 18: handset 20: microphone 22: speaker 24: audio encoding / decoding circuit 26: audio interface 28: data terminal 30: data interface 32 : System control circuit 32a: Screen control module 32b: Multipoint control module 32c: Communication control module 34: Operating device 36: Line interface 38: Separation and multiplexing circuit 40: 64 kbps PCM A-law codec 42: 64 kbps PCM μ-law codec 44: 16 kbps (for example, APC-AB) codec 46: 48 kbps 7 kHz compatible SB-ADPCM codec 48: codec switching circuit 50: transmission mute circuit 52: reception mute circuit 60: Speaker window 62: Menu window 64: Participant icon display area 66: Conference end button 68: Statement request button

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A mode setting means for setting a terminal participating in a conference to one of a chair mode and a member mode, a means for giving a speaking right to a terminal which is a chair, and a terminal which is a chair for another A video conferencing system having means for depriving the terminal of the right to speak, means for allowing another terminal to hear the voice of the terminal that is the member, and means for not allowing the voice of the terminal that is the member to be heard by the other terminal. . 2. The video conferencing system according to claim 1, wherein an image of a terminal given a right to speak is displayed on another terminal. 3. The video conference system according to claim 1, further comprising means for transferring the chair right to another terminal.