JPH07336661A - Terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a terminal capable of improving the connection efficiency to each station. CONSTITUTION:When an inter-multi-spot video conference is performed by an inter-multi-spot video conference device, originating calls are performed from each participating station to an inter-multi-spot connection control part 116 and each station is connected. In the originating call operation from each station, each station successively designates the port numbers of the network interface part of the inter-multi-spot connection control part 116, for instance, 1, 2 and 3. The originating calls for the port of this designated number are successively performed till the connection to any port is completed. Concretely, the originating call for each port is continued for preliminarily set time. When the connection is not completed during the set time, the originating call for the next port is performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a terminal device for transmitting multimedia information such as moving images and sounds to multiple points via a digital line network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the ISDN line network has become widespread, and a video conference system using this digital line network has attracted attention. Although standardization is the key to the spread of communication systems, five recommendations for audiovisual systems such as videophones and conference systems are currently standardized. H. In 221, 64 Kbit / s to 192
A frame structure of 0 Kbit / s channel is defined. H. In H.230, the frame synchronization control signal and the notification signal are H.264. In 242, the interconnection procedure up to 2 Mbit / s is specified. H. 261 is PX64Kbi
The video coding method of t / s (P = 1 to 30) is H.264. Three
20 defines an audiovisual system and its equipment.

Next, a multipoint video conference system will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a multipoint connection control unit used in a conventional multipoint video conference system, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a connection form using the multipoint connection control unit of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the multipoint connection control unit 116 includes a plurality of multiplexing / separation units (hereinafter referred to as MUX / DMUX) 21 provided for each line. Each MUX / DMUX 21 transmits and receives a data signal via the corresponding network interface unit 26, and multiplexes or separates the transmitted data signal into a video signal, an audio signal, or the like.

Each network interface unit 26 performs an operation for achieving a necessary adaptation between the network and the terminal. A corresponding line is connected to each network interface unit 26. Each network interface unit 26 is controlled by the communication control unit 27. The communication control unit 27 manages network access and connection status with each station.

Image data transmitted from the image selection control unit 22 is given to each MUX / DMUX 21, and each MUX / DMUX 21 receives the image data.
The image data is given from the DMUX 21 to the image selection control unit 22. The image selection control unit 22 selects data to be distributed from the moving image data from each station.

Similarly, the audio data transmitted from the audio mixer 23 is given to each MUX / DMUX 21, and each MUX / DMUX 21 receives each MUX / DMUX 21.
Audio data is given from the UX / DMUX 21 to the audio mixer 23. The audio mixer 23 synthesizes audio data from each station.

Similarly, each MUX / DMUX 21 is provided with information data such as still image data and computer data transmitted from the corresponding data selection control section 24,
The information data is given to the data selection control unit 24 from each MUX / DMUX 21.

The image selection controller 22, the audio mixer 23, and the data selection controller 24 are controlled by the controller 25.

In a multipoint television system conference,
As shown in FIG. 6, the multipoint connection control unit 116 described above.
In this case, the local station, the A station, the B station, and the C station are connected to each other, and a star-shaped configuration is adopted as the connection configuration.

In such a connection configuration, the image of the partner station displayed on the monitor can be switched for a plurality of stations in a time-sharing manner, the stations that have spoken can be displayed one after another, or the partner station can be fixed without switching. Various methods are adopted.

[0012]

However, in the above-mentioned video conference system, when a conference between multiple points is started, each station makes a call to an empty port of the multipoint connection control unit 116, Each station is connected to the point-to-point connection control unit 116, but when the port of the call destination is already in use, it is necessary to make a call to another port again, and many calls are made until a call is made to an empty port. Point-to-point connection control unit 11
Connection with 6 is not completed. Therefore, there is a possibility that some stations cannot complete the connection with the multipoint control unit 116, and the connection efficiency is very low.

An object of the present invention is to provide a terminal device capable of improving the connection efficiency with each station.

[0014]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A terminal device connected to a communication control means having a plurality of connection parts for communicating information data to a plurality of stations via a line, the storage device storing specification information for specifying the connection part, and the connection. Communication means for making a call to the plurality of connection portions based on the designation information until a line is connected to the connection portion.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the terminal device according to the first aspect, the information data includes at least image data and audio data.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the terminal device according to the first aspect, the communication means switches the connection unit to make a call until a line is connected to the communication control means. To do.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a terminal device which is connected to communication control means having a plurality of connection parts so as to communicate information data to a plurality of stations via a line, and at least the communication control means. It is characterized in that it has an instruction means for giving a storage instruction of the connection part designation information and a control means for controlling the connection with the line in response to a call from the communication control means corresponding to the instruction of the instruction means.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the terminal device according to the fourth aspect, the instructing means further instruct information of a communication start time, and the call from the communication control means is automatically made at the communication time. Characterized by receiving.

[0019]

In the terminal device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the designation information for designating the connection portion is stored in the storage means, and the plurality of connection portions are called based on the designation information until a line is connected to the connection portion by the communication means. To do.

In the terminal device according to the second aspect, the information data includes at least image data and audio data.

In the terminal device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the communication means makes the call by switching the connection unit until the line is connected to the communication control means.

According to another aspect of the terminal device of the present invention, the instruction means gives the communication control means at least an instruction to store the connection part designation information, and the control means establishes a line according to the call from the communication control means corresponding to the instruction of the instruction means. Control connections.

In the terminal device according to the fifth aspect, the instructing means further instructs the information of the communication start time, and the call from the communication control means is automatically received at the communication time.

[0024]

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

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a multipoint video conference apparatus which is an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the multipoint video conference apparatus performs analog / digital conversion processing for efficiently connecting analog information to a digital communication network.
Codec unit 10 for performing digital-analog conversion processing
Equipped with 0.

A plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals are connected to the codec section 100, respectively. As the input terminal, the video camera 1 for photographing the attendees of the conference of the own station, the microphone 4, the pan / tilt / zoom control of the video camera 1 of the own station or the other station, the plural camera switching control, etc. There is an operation unit 5 for operating and other auxiliary input device terminals 6. The auxiliary input device terminal 6 includes a computer keyboard, a mouse, a still image input device, an image from a video camera, a computer screen, a still image / drawing image, or a sub-monitor for displaying an image of another auxiliary device.

Next, the codec section 100 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the codec section of the multipoint video conference apparatus of FIG.

The codec section 100 includes a video input / output section 101 and an audio input / output section 10 as shown in FIG.
2, computer unit 103, still image / drawing control unit 10
4, the auxiliary device control unit 105 and the communication control unit 107.

The video input / output unit 101 is an interface to a camera and a monitor, and includes an image processing unit having a function such as screen division.

The audio input / output unit 102 is an interface to a microphone and a speaker, and includes a voice processing unit having a function such as an echo canceller.

The computer section 103 is means for realizing applications such as a computer conference function in addition to the basic video conference.

The still image / drawing control unit 104 is means for controlling still image transmission and drawing functions.

The auxiliary equipment control section 105 is means for controlling other image processing apparatuses.

The video input / output unit 101 is connected to the video codec unit 110, and the video codec unit 110 performs redundancy compression encoding / decoding of the video signal.

The communication control unit 107 includes a mutual procedure control unit 10
8, network access and network signal control unit 109
Is a means for implementing functions such as end-to-end control to establish a common mode of signal and operation for proper operation of the terminal.

The audio input / output unit 102 is connected to the audio codec unit 111, and the audio codec unit 111, like the processing of the video codec unit 110,
Performs compression / decoding processing on audio signals.

A delay circuit 112 is connected to the audio codec section 111, and the delay circuit 112 corrects the delay in the video codec section 111 in order to obtain lip sync.

The computer unit 103, the still image / drawing control unit 104 and the auxiliary device control unit 105 are connected to the data port 1
It is connected to the multiplex transmission unit 113 via 06. A video codec unit 110, a delay circuit 112, and a mutual procedure control unit 108 are connected to the multiplex transmission unit 11 together with the data port 106.

The multiplexing transmission unit 113 multiplexes a video signal, an audio signal and a control signal into one bit string and transmits it, or separates the received bit string into a multimedia signal.

The multiplexing transmission unit 113 is provided in the network signal control unit 10
9 is connected to the network interface unit 114 together with the network interface unit 114, and the network interface unit 114 performs necessary adaptation between the network 115 including a telecommunication line and the terminal.

The network 115 is connected to the multipoint connection control unit 116, and the multipoint connection control unit 116 comprises means for connecting the multipoints so that they can communicate with each other. The multipoint connection control unit 116 is a multipoint connection control unit 116 shown in FIG.
The network interface unit 26 is provided with a plurality of ports used for connecting to a station, and each port has a number registered in advance. Each port number is registered in advance in the registration unit (not shown) of each station.

Next, the operation of the multipoint video conference apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a connection example of the multipoint video conference apparatus of FIG.

When a multipoint video conference is held by the multipoint video conference device, as shown in FIG. 3, each participating station first makes a call to the multipoint connection control unit 116 to connect each station. . In the call originating operation from each station, each station uses the network interface unit 26 of the multipoint connection control unit 116.
The port numbers, such as 1, 2, and 3, are sequentially designated, and the call to the port having the designated number is sequentially performed until the connection with any port is completed. In particular,
The call to each port continues for a preset time, and if the connection is not completed during this time, the call to the next port is made.

Therefore, since each station sequentially makes a call to the port number of the network interface unit 26 registered in advance, it is not necessary to make a call while confirming which port is an empty port. The connection with the point-to-point connection control unit 116 can be performed with high efficiency, and the conference can be smoothly started.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a connection example of the multipoint video conference apparatus in the second embodiment.

The multipoint video conference apparatus of this embodiment has the same configuration as that of the multipoint video conference apparatus of the first embodiment, and the communication control unit 27 of the multipoint connection control unit 116 has
First, the conference start time and the calling procedure indicating which station is called from which port of which network interface unit 26 is registered from the operation unit 5 of the terminal device.

When the time reaches the start time of the multipoint video conference, first, as shown in FIG. 4, the multipoint connection control unit 11 is started.
A call is automatically made to the corresponding station from the communication control unit 27 of No. 6 through the port of the network interface unit 26 registered in advance, and the port of the network interface unit 26 is connected to the corresponding station. Can be

Therefore, since the communication control unit 27 of the multipoint connection control unit 116 automatically makes a call to the corresponding station via the port of the network interface unit 26 registered in advance, which port is used? It is not necessary to make a call while checking whether the port is free, and the multipoint connection control unit 1
The connection with 16 can be made with higher efficiency.

By dividing the ports of the network interface unit 26 into some groups in advance and using these ports for each group, a plurality of multipoint video conferences can be held.

[0051]

As described above, according to the terminal device of the first or second aspect, the storage unit stores the designation information for designating the connection unit, and the communication unit connects the line to the connection unit. Until this is done, a call is made to a plurality of connection units based on the designation information, so that the connection efficiency with each station can be improved.

According to the terminal device of the third aspect, since the communication means makes the call by switching the connecting portion until the line is connected to the communication control means, the connection efficiency with each station can be further improved. .

According to the terminal device of the fourth aspect, the instruction means gives the communication control means at least an instruction to store the connection part designation information, and the control means follows the call from the communication control means corresponding to the instruction of the instruction means. It controls the connection with the line,
The connection efficiency with each station can be improved.

According to the terminal device of the fifth aspect, the instruction means further instructs the information of the communication start time, and the call from the communication control means is automatically received at the communication time. The time and effort required can be saved and the connection efficiency with each station can be further improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multipoint video conference apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a codec section of the multipoint video conference apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a connection example of the multipoint video conference apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a connection example of a multipoint video conference apparatus in the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multipoint connection control unit used in a conventional multipoint video conference system.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a connection form using the multipoint connection control unit of FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 26 network interface unit 27 communication control unit 100 codec unit 116 multipoint connection control unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A terminal device connected to a communication control means having a plurality of connecting parts for communicating information data to a plurality of stations via a line, and storing specification information designating the connecting parts. A terminal device comprising: a means and a communication means for making a call to the plurality of connection units based on the designation information until a line is connected to the connection unit. 2. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the information data includes at least image data and audio data. 3. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit switches the connection unit to make a call until a line is connected to the communication control unit. 4. A terminal device connected to a communication control means having a plurality of connection parts for communicating information data to a plurality of stations via a line, wherein the communication control means stores at least connection part designation information. A terminal device comprising: instruction means for giving an instruction; and control means for controlling connection with a line in response to a call from the communication control means corresponding to the instruction of the instruction means. 5. The terminal device according to claim 4, wherein said instructing means further instruct information of a communication start time, and automatically receives a call from said communication control means at said communication time.