JPH0740707B2 - Telecommunications conference equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is used for a telecommunications conference device. In particular, the present invention relates to a multi-speaker identification transmission processing method for identifying a speaker and notifying a listener of each ground in a telecommunications conference apparatus in which a plurality of caller terminals are connected by a communication line.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, a telecommunications conference device that uses a telephone to talk with a plurality of callers simultaneously has been put into practical use. An example of such a device is introduced in "Relay Device for Teleconference" by Shimada et al., Research Institute of Telecommunications Research Institute, Volume 1.34, No. 4, page 195.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, the conventional telecommunications conference apparatus has the following problems in speaker identification and voting.

(A) Since the voices of multiple people are simultaneously emitted from a single handset or loudspeaker, it seems that the talkers who speak in different places seem to speak in the same place, and it is not clear who is speaking. It is difficult to identify a person other than the characteristic caller.

(B) When the number of callers is small, the talker can identify the talker by speaking after giving the name and affiliation, but this is different from the atmosphere of a general conference. Furthermore, when the number of parties is large, it is more difficult to identify the sender in a voice conference.

(C) At a telecom conference, voices and images will be used to vote when voting, but it is impossible to respect privacy by secret ballot because it is clear who agreed and who opposed. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and provide a telecommunications conference device capable of easily identifying a calling party with a simple configuration.

[Means for solving problems]

The telecommunications conference apparatus of the present invention is a communication conference between a plurality of n caller terminals and one or a plurality of the plurality n of caller terminals, respectively. A plurality of transfer processing circuits for relaying the call, each of the plurality n of caller terminals sends a talker identification code for identifying the caller terminal, and a transmitter from another caller terminal. In a telecommunications conferencing device including a means for processing a speaker identification code, the speaker identification code has a plurality of n speaker terminals, and at least n in which different bit positions are effective.
Is a code of bits, and each of the plurality of transfer processing circuits
A means for aligning the bit phases of the speaker identification code from the caller terminal connected to the transmission processing circuit and the speaker identification code transmitted from another transmission processing circuit, and all transmissions with the same bit phase. A means for performing a bitwise OR operation on the speaker identification code, a means for performing an exclusive OR operation between the result of this OR operation and each of all the speaker identification codes, and this exclusive logic And a means for transmitting the result of the speech operation to the caller terminal and other transfer processing circuits which are the objects of the operation.

[Work]

In the telecommunications conference apparatus of the present invention,
By generating a speaker identification code in which a bit position peculiar to the caller terminal is generated, it is possible to know the caller terminal that is talking on another caller terminal. Since this speaker identification code has a different effective bit position for each caller terminal, the code logical sum of all the speaker identifications is used to transmit and transmit the same number of bits as the number n of caller terminals. The process of speaker identification can be performed. It is also possible to increase the number of bits of the sender identification code to be larger than n so that the caller terminal can be added later. Further, it is possible to vote according to the number of effective bits of the speaker identification code. Further, by taking an exclusive logical talk between the output code of the means for performing the OR operation and the speaker identification code from each caller terminal, and returning the operation result to each caller terminal, the direction of reception The valid bit of the received transmitter identification code can be invalidated before transmission, and the valid bit can be prevented from circulating on the line.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a telecommunications conference apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The transmission processing circuit 1-1 and the transmission processing circuit 1-2 are connected via a digital line. The transmission processing circuit 1-1 accommodates the caller terminals 2-2 and 2-3, and the transmission processing circuit 1-2 accommodates the caller terminals 2-1 and 2-4.

Caller numbers 1 to 4 are assigned to the caller terminals 2-1, 2-2, 2-3 and 2-4 in this order.
"1000", "0100", and
"0010" and "0001" are transmitted.

The transmission processing circuits 1-1 and 1-2 obtain the logical sum of the transmitter identification codes that have arrived via the accommodated caller terminal and digital line, and calculate this value through a straight line or a digital line. Caller terminals 2-1, 2-2, 2-
3 and 2-4. Therefore, each caller terminal 2
In -1, 2-2, 2-3 and 2-4, the speaker can be identified from the state of each bit of the speaker identification code.

Here, there is a possibility that due to the delay time of the digital line, the bit with the sender identification code circulates around this digital line while being valid, and this bit is always valid. In order to prevent this, the transmission processing circuits 1-1 and 1-2 invalidate the bit in the incoming direction and return it.

About this, all caller terminals 2-1, 2-2, 2
A case where -3 and 2-4 simultaneously transmit will be described as an example. Caller terminals 2-1, 2-2, 2-3 and 2-4
Are the speaker identification codes "1000" and "010", respectively.
"0", "0010" and "0001" are output.

Here, attention is paid to the transmission processing circuit 1-1. Transmission processing circuit 1
-1 indicates "010" from each of the caller terminals 2-2 and 2-3.
"0" and "0010" arrive, and the transmission processing circuit 1-2 outputs "100".
1 ”arrives. The transmission processing circuit takes the logical sum of these to generate "1111". The exclusive OR of this and each speaker identification code is calculated, and "1011", "1101" and "0110" are transmitted to the caller terminals 2-2, 2-3 and the digital line, respectively. Therefore, the caller terminal 2-
In 2 and 2-3, it can be known that the other caller terminals are busy.

Similarly, the transmission processing circuit 1-2 includes the caller terminals 2-1 and 2-
4 and the transmitter identification code from the transmission processing circuit 1-1 are ORed to generate "1111", and the caller terminal 2-
1 and 2-4 and the transmission processing circuit 1-1, respectively,
Outputs 11 ”,“ 1110 ”and“ 1001 ”. Therefore, the caller terminals 2-1 and 2-4 can know that another caller terminal is busy, and the caller terminals 2-2 and 2-3 are available.
Can be informed that the caller terminals 2-1 and 2-4 are busy.

In the above description, the case where all the caller terminals 2-1 to 2-4 simultaneously talk is described as an example, but similarly, when there is a talker terminal that does not talk to each talker terminal, It is possible to know the caller terminal that is talking on the terminal.

For example, when only the caller terminal 2-3 is busy, the transfer processing circuit 1-1 causes the caller terminals 2-2, 2-3 and the digital line to receive "0010", "0000" and "00", respectively.
10 ”is sent out. Further, the transmission processing circuit 1-2 sends out "0010", "0010" and "0000" to the caller terminals 2-1, 2-4 and the digital line, respectively. Therefore, the caller terminals 2-1, 2-2 and 2-4 can know that the caller terminal 2-3 is busy, and the caller terminal 2-3 is sent by another caller terminal. You can know that you are not talking.

In the above description, the case where the number of caller terminals is 4 has been described.
In general, a telecommunications conference device capable of accommodating a plurality of n caller terminals will be described below.

Table 1 shows an example of the format of the speaker identification code. Each caller terminal uses a speaker identification code in which only the bit position corresponding to the caller number is "1".

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a speaker identification code generating circuit.

The switch group 21 is composed of n switches, and one end of each switch is installed. The other end of each switch is
It is connected to the 5V power supply through the individual pull-up resistors of the resistor group 22 and is also connected to the parallel / serial conversion circuit 23. The parallel-serial conversion circuit 23 is connected to one input of the AND circuit 24. A clock signal is supplied to the parallel-serial conversion circuit 23, and a command signal is supplied to the other input of the AND circuit 24.

For example, when the caller number is set to "3", the third switch in the switch group 21 is opened and all others are closed. As a result, the switch group 21 and the resistor group 22 can obtain a parallel logic signal of "0010 ... 00". Other caller numbers can be set as well. This setting is performed when registering the caller terminals that can participate in the conference. Once registered, this caller number is automatically assigned each time a conference is held. The parallel-serial conversion circuit 23 uses the clock signal to
The above parallel logic signal is converted into a serial code. When transmitting, the logic of the command signal input to the AND circuit 24 is set to "1". As a result, the speaker identification code is output from the logical circuit 24. Further, the speaker identification code is framed and sent to the digital line.

By using the voice detection signal as the sender as the command signal, the receiver can always know the current sender's number. Also, when using for voting in a meeting, the caller turns on the command signal and the chairman's receiving caller terminal
By providing a logic "1" in the talker identification code and a counter capable of counting the number of bits and accumulating and displaying the result as a voting result, a secret ballot can be performed in remote communication.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a main part of the transmission processing circuit.

The frame synchronization circuits 31-1 to 31-n are connected to the respective input terminals of the OR circuit 32. The output of the OR circuit 32 is supplied to the exclusive OR circuits 35-1 to 35-n via the shift register 33. The frame synchronization circuits 31-1 to 31-n are also connected to the shift registers 34-1 to 34-n, respectively. The shift registers 34-1 to 34-n are connected to the exclusive logical division circuits 35-1 to 35-n, respectively.

A serial transmitter identification code is input to each of the frame synchronization circuits 31-1 to 31-n from each caller terminal. The frame synchronization circuits 31-1 to 31-n synchronize the frames of the speaker identification code and align the phases of the speaker identification code. OR circuit
32 calculates the logical sum of all the speaker identification codes, and stores the output in the shift register 33 bit by bit. The shift registers 34-1 to 34-n temporarily store the speaker identification code from each caller terminal one bit at a time, and the shift register 33-1.
Output in synchronization with. Exclusive OR circuit 35-1 to 35-n
Takes the exclusive OR for each caller terminal and returns it to that caller terminal.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a speaker identification circuit for identifying the speaker terminal of the speaker in each speaker terminal.

Each output terminal of the series-parallel conversion circuit 41 is connected to each resistance of the resistance group 42 and each light emitting diode of the light emitting diode group 43. The serial-parallel conversion circuit 41 converts the input serial speaker identification code into parallel and outputs it. Thereby, the light emitting diode corresponding to "1" in the speaker identification code can be turned on.

In the above embodiments, the case where two transmission processing circuits are connected by a digital line and the transmission processing circuit accommodates the caller terminal has been described as an example, but a plurality of transmission processing circuits are arranged in a distributed manner. The present invention can be implemented in the same manner even when the terminal accommodates a plurality of caller terminals.

Also, the present invention can be similarly implemented by using an analog line as a data line by using an analog modem instead of the digital line. In-slot signal within 64 kbps (8 kbps) using digital lines currently on the market
The present invention can be similarly implemented by constructing a frame by using and transmitting a speaker identification code.

Table 2 shows the frame structure in the in-slot signal of the digital line.

In such a digital line, octets can be transmitted every 8 kbps for a 64 kbps transmission line. The sub-channel can be defined by the signal at each bit position, but the least significant bit of the octet defines the sub-channel of 8 kbps, and the least significant bit of consecutive 80 octets constitutes an 80-bit frame. This frame is composed of three parts: an 8-bit frame alignment signal FAS, an 8-bit bit rate allocation signal BAS and a 64-bit application channel AC. In this way, a frame can be formed by using the in-slot signal 8 kbps within 64 kbps, and the speaker identification code can be transmitted by using the application channel AC. Further, when the data signal is transmitted by using the analog modem as the digital signal, the present invention can be implemented by using the HDLC procedure as the framing method.

In the above description, the case of positive logic has been described, but the speaker identification code can be similarly generated with negative logic. Also, switch group
The present invention can be implemented in the same manner even if the caller number is set using the ROM, regardless of the configuration of the resistor group 21 and the resistor group 22.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the teleconferencing device of the present invention can identify the caller terminal that is transmitting a call from another caller terminal. In addition, it is easy to count the number of caller terminals that are in the middle of a call, and anonymous voting can be performed by using it for voting in a meeting. By using the telecommunications conference method and apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to hold a telecommunications conference in the same atmosphere as a general conference.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a remote communication conference apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a transmitter identification code generating circuit. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a main part of the transmission processing circuit. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a speaker identification circuit. 1-1, 1-2 ... Transmission processing circuit, 2-1 to 2-4 ...
Caller terminal, 21 …… Switch group, 22 …… Resistance group, 23 ……
Parallel-serial conversion circuit, 24 ... AND circuit, 31-1 to 31-n
...... Frame synchronization circuit, 32 …… OR circuit, 33 …… Shift register, 34-1 to 34-n …… Shift register, 35-
1 to 35-n ... Exclusive OR circuit, 41 ... Series-parallel conversion circuit, 42 ... Resistor group, 43 ... Light emitting diode group.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of n caller terminals and a plurality of one or more of the plurality of n caller terminals respectively connected to relay a communication conference between the plurality of n caller terminals. And a transmission processing circuit for transmitting a speaker identification code for identifying each of the plurality of caller terminals, and a speaker identification from another caller terminal. In the telecommunications conferencing device including a means for processing a code, the talker identification code is a code of at least n bits in which different bit positions are valid in the plurality n of caller terminals. Each circuit has means for aligning the bit phase of the speaker identification code from the caller terminal connected to the transfer processing circuit and the speaker identification code sent from the other transfer processing circuit, and the bit phase alignment. All Means for performing a bitwise OR operation on the speaker identification code; means for performing an exclusive OR operation between the result of this OR operation and each of the above speaker identification codes; And a means for sending the result of the logical logical talk operation to the caller terminal and other transfer processing circuits which are the objects of the operation, respectively. 2. The telecommunications conference apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing means includes means for displaying a speaker identification code from another caller terminal. 3. The telecommunications conferencing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for displaying includes a light emitting diode provided corresponding to a bit of the code. 4. The processing means includes means for accumulating the number of valid bits of a speaker identification code from another caller terminal to display a voting result (1).
A telecommunications conferencing device according to item.