JPH08317365A - Electronic conference device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the electronic conference device with work efficiency, operability and convenience improved by relating a graph obtd. by time- sequentially processing the state of conversation into the graph to voice data stored in a storage device and editing the voice data while using an input device. CONSTITUTION: The voice data are acquired from a communication line through communication equipment by communication control equipment 113. In this case, the voice data are stored in a second-order storage circuit 106 and further, the voice data stored in the device 106 are displayed in a conversation graph display area 11 by using a conversation display device 5. Then, the size of voice data occasionally stored in the device 106 and the name of a user are acquired on the conversation display device 5 and the voice data size is processed into a graph and displayed on the lowest side of the conversation graph display area 11. Then, the graph is displayed in the conversation graph display area 11 while using a voice storage controller 4 and the conversation display device 5, so that the state of conversation can be visually grasped. Further, the contents of conversation can be edited for preparing the minutes.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic conferencing apparatus in which a plurality of computer terminals are network-connected by a communication apparatus to transmit and receive voice data, image data, etc., and can hold a conference in real time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, communication technology in networks,
Also, with the remarkable development of computer equipment and peripheral equipment such as the speed of central processing unit, the drawing speed of image display device, and the high resolution of image input device, image information such as figures and characters and voice information are transmitted and received through the network. Electronic conferencing devices that allow users at remote places to have a conference have been put into practical use and are becoming widespread.

A conventional electronic conference device will be described below. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional electronic conference device, and FIG. 11 is a device configuration diagram showing a screen display example of the conventional electronic conference device. 10 and 11,
Reference numeral 101 is a general conventional electronic conferencing apparatus, and 102 is a conventional computer that performs arithmetic processing and various controls. Reference numeral 103 is an input device for selecting voices, images, characters and numerical values, coordinates and elements on the screen, 104 is a voice input device such as a microphone which is one of the input devices 103, 105 is a display device for displaying figures and characters, Reference numeral 106 denotes a secondary storage device such as a hard disk for storing input large-capacity data, programs, etc., 107 denotes a communication device for transmitting / receiving data between computers via a communication line 117, which will be described later, 10
Reference numeral 8 is an audio output device for outputting audio data and the like. or,
In the conventional computer 102, 109 is an input control unit that controls the input device 103, 110 is a voice input control unit that controls the voice input device 104, 111 is a screen display control unit that controls the display device 105, and 112 is a secondary storage. Data storage control means for controlling reading and writing of the device, 113
Is a communication control means for controlling the communication device 107, 114 is a voice output control means for outputting an analog voice to the voice output device 108, 115 is a central processing unit including a central processing unit for arbitrating and controlling the above-mentioned means. , 116 are main memory control means for temporarily storing the operating system, executed programs, data and the like. In FIG. 10, 117 is a communication line such as a public telephone network or a private line network, 118 is an image input device including a video device, a scanner device, etc., which is one of the input devices 103, 11
Reference numeral 9 denotes an image display area of the display device 105. Here, in FIG. 10, a plurality of users who are remote from each other are conducting an electronic conference via a communication line 117 by a network, and an example of a display screen of an image display area 119 of the display device 105 of one of them is shown. Is shown.

The operation of the electronic conferencing apparatus configured as described above will be described below. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the control of the conventional electronic conference device. First, reference numeral 118 is an image input device for taking in image data, and the image data and the voice data are acquired together with the voice input device 104, and the image data and the voice data are transmitted from the communication device 107 through a communication line to a computer device of another user. Transfer to. Similarly, the conventional computer 102 coupled by the communication device 107 receives and acquires image data and audio data from another conventional computer 102 using the communication device 107 (S21). Image input device 11
The image data acquired in 8 or the image data received by the communication device 107 is displayed in the image display area 119 of the display device 105 by the image display control unit 111 (S2).
2). Also, voice data acquired by the voice input device 104,
Alternatively, the voice data received by the communication device 107 is converted into voice by the voice output control unit 114, and then the voice output device 108.
Is output (S23). Above, until the meeting ends
The transmission and reception of the image data and the audio data are mutually transmitted and received through the communication line and repeated (S24).

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, there is no means for recording the contents of the meeting, and the user of the electronic conferencing apparatus cannot grasp the contents of the progress of the entire meeting, resulting in poor operability. Had the problem.
Further, even if a means for storing a voice is provided, the contents of the previous conversation cannot be easily taken out, that is, it takes a long time to take out the contents, and it is not practical in an electronic conference. Had. There is a problem that it is difficult to edit the contents of the meeting because the voice cannot be visually recognized.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and the audio data can be visually recognized on the display device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic conferencing device which is capable of recording / playing back and editing voice data and which is excellent in operability and convenience.

[0007]

In order to achieve this object, an electronic conferencing apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention provides a voice input device for inputting voice and an analog voice input from the voice input device. Voice encoding means for digitally encoding voice data; voice input means for controlling a voice input device; communication device for transmitting and receiving voice data and the like between computers; communication control means for controlling the communication device; A secondary storage device for storing voice data or the like input from the voice input device or received by the communication device, a voice storage control means for controlling recording / reading of voice data to / from the secondary storage device, figures, characters, etc. , A screen display control means for controlling the display device, a conversation display means for time-sequentially displaying voice data on the display device and displaying it on the display device, and a graph table on the screen. A voice editing means for editing the voiced audio data, a voice output means for demodulating the voice data into an analog voice, a voice output device for outputting the demodulated voice, and a central control for controlling arithmetic processing and various command processing. And an arithmetic processing unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electronic conferencing apparatus according to the first aspect, the voice editing means includes a voice data selecting means for selecting the voice data displayed in a graph.
Audio reproduction means for transferring the audio data selected by the display data selection means to the audio output means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electronic conferencing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the voice editing means designates a voice designation means for designating or a range of the voice data displayed in a graph, and the voice designation means. And a voice changing means capable of adding voice data to the voice data or deleting or editing the voice data designated by the range.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic conferencing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, the conversation display means has a large storage amount of each of the voice data displayed in a time series graph. Therefore, it has a configuration which is a display means for displaying in graph form.

Here, the voice encoding system is PCM.
ADPCM (adaptive difference PC) that performs encoding and compression encoding
M), etc. are used. As a result, the voice can be stored as digital data in the secondary storage device or the like, and editing work can be performed. Moreover, a dedicated line and a telephone line are used as communication lines.

[0012]

With this configuration, voice data or the like input from the voice input device or received by the communication device can be stored in the secondary storage device, and the conversation display means displays the voice data as a time series graph on the display device. As a result, the voice data displayed as a graph on the screen can be edited by the voice editing means. As a result, the user of the electronic conference device can associate the voice data stored in the storage device with the graph showing the conversation state in time series, and edit the voice data using the input device. The operability and convenience of the device can be improved. Especially, since you can visually understand the state of the previous conversation,
The progress of the conference can be smoothly promoted, and the progress and efficiency of the conference can be facilitated. Furthermore, since the voice editing means is provided with the display data selecting means for selecting the voice data graphically displayed on the screen and the voice reproducing means for reproducing the voice data selected by the display data selecting means, You can check the contents of the conversations you have exchanged and proceed with the meeting smoothly. Further, the voice editing means is provided with a designating means for designating data or a range, and a voice changing means capable of adding voice data to the designated voice data and deleting or editing the range-designated voice data. It can be used to change conversation contents and create minutes, and can greatly improve operability and convenience. Further, since the voice data is displayed as a graph according to the storage amount of the voice data, the range designation and the size of the contents can be visually recognized, and the operability can be improved.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An electronic conference apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration diagram of an electronic conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a device configuration diagram showing an example of a screen display of the electronic conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention. . 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 is an electronic conferencing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and 2 is a computer for performing arithmetic processing and various controls of the electronic conferencing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 103 is an input device, 104 is a voice input device,
Reference numeral 105 is a display device, 106 is a secondary storage device, 107 is a communication device, 108 is a voice output device, 109 is an input control unit, 110 is a voice input control unit, 111 is a screen display control unit, 112 is a data storage control unit, Reference numeral 113 is a communication control unit, 114 is a voice output control unit, 115 is a central processing unit, and 116 is a main memory control unit. In FIG. 10, 117 is a communication line, 118 is an image input device, and 119.
Is an image display area. Since these are the same as those in the conventional example shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof will be omitted. The difference from the conventional example is that the following configuration is provided. That is, 3 is a voice encoding means, 4 is a voice storage control means, 5 is a conversation display means, and 6 is a voice editing means. Here, the voice encoding means 3 has a function of digitally encoding analog voice input from the voice input device 104 into voice data. Further, the voice storage control means 4 controls the secondary storage device 106 such as writing and reading of digitally encoded voice data. The conversation display means 5 displays the digitally encoded voice data on the display device 105 as a time series graph. The voice editing means 6 has a function of editing voice data graphically displayed on the display device 105 as a conversation graph display area 11 described later.
Further, the image data of the user and the like are displayed in the image display area 119 of the display device 105. Reference numeral 11 denotes a conversation graph display area, in which voice data is displayed as a graph in time series on the display device in the conversation order of conference participants (users). Furthermore, 1
2 is a voice editing operation button displayed at the bottom of the conversation graph display area 11, 13 is a user's voice editing operation button 12
And a pointing input device that can specify voice data in the conversation graph display area 11, 14 is a pointing input cursor that moves the display device 105 in conjunction with the pointing input device 13, and voice data and the like can be selected on the screen of the display device 105. It is like this.

Next, the voice editing means will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the audio editing means in the electronic conference device according to the embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 6 is a voice editing means, 7 is a voice data selecting means for selecting the voice data graphically displayed on the screen, 8 is a voice reproducing means for reproducing the voice data selected by the display data selecting means, and 9 is voice data. Is a voice designating means for designating or specifying a range, and 10 is a voice changing means for adding voice data to the designated sound data, deleting the range-designated voice data, and editing. Here, each control unit is stored and executed as a program in the main storage device or the secondary storage device of the computer.

The structure of the network of the electronic conferencing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described below. FIG. 4 is a network configuration diagram of an electronic conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the electronic conferencing devices of one embodiment of the present invention are separated from each other by
It is assumed that user A, user B, and user C are using each. Here, there is an administrator who manages the image / audio data during the conference. Each user has a communication device 10 having a protocol for transmitting and receiving data in real time.
7 has the role and function that the administrator arranges the data sent by each user in real time in order by the content unit that each user said during the conference, and sends it to users other than the user who sent it. I have. Next, in each electronic conferencing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the communication apparatus 107 receives the data sent from the administrator, and the communication control unit 113 classifies the data into voice data and image data. The image data is displayed in the image display area 119 of the display device 105 by using the image display control means 111 as shown in FIG. As for the voice data, the voice is output to the voice output device 108 by using the voice output control means 114 as shown in FIG.

Next, the screen display of voice data will be described in detail below. FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram showing a storage state of audio data stored in the secondary storage device.
(B) is a schematic diagram showing a graphed example of audio data in the electronic conferencing apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an operation screen view of the screen display area of the electronic conference device according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5A, the voice data is stored in the secondary storage device 106 by using the voice storage control means 4 for each conversation unit of the users, that is, for each content unit of the utterance of each user during the conference. . Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, the voice data is graphed and displayed as a time series showing the storage amount of the voice data on the horizontal axis and the conversation order on the vertical axis. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, in addition to the conversation graph display area 11, there is a voice edit operation button 12 for playing, stopping, recording, fast-forwarding, rewinding, and deleting voice data, changing the insertion, etc. although not shown. However, it can be easily selected and designated by the pointing input cursor 14 or the like. Further, the voice data selected by the pointing input cursor 14 is enlarged and displayed at the lower part.

The operation method of the electronic conferencing apparatus displayed as above will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the voice storage control means 4 of the electronic conference device in the embodiment of the present invention. First, the voice data is acquired by the communication control means 113 from the communication line via the communication device (S1). Here, the voice data is stored in the secondary storage device 106 (S2). Furthermore, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the voice data stored in the secondary storage device 106 is displayed on the conversation graph display area 11 by using the conversation display means 5.
To be displayed.

Next, the conversation display means 5 will be described below. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a graph creating method of the electronic conference device according to the embodiment of the present invention. First, the voice data size and the user name stored in the secondary storage device 106 at any time are acquired (S3). The voice data size is graphed and displayed at the bottom of the conversation graph display area 11 (S4). For example, when the data of C3 in FIG. 5A is stored, the audio data size of C3 is graphed and displayed at the bottom of the audio display area. By displaying in the conversation graph display area 11 using the voice storage control means 4 and the conversation display means 5, the state of conversation can be visually grasped. In addition, the content of the conversation can be edited to create minutes.

Next, the voice editing means 6 for editing the content of the conversation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a voice data editing method for an electronic conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Using the pointing input device 13, the pointing input cursor 14 is moved to the graph to be edited in the conversation graph display area 11 and clicked to select which voice data is stored in the secondary storage device 106.
It is recognized whether it should be read from (S5). Next, the clicked data in the secondary storage device 106 is read (S
6). The read voice is output to the voice output device 108 using the voice output control means 114 (S7). It is determined whether any of the recording / playback buttons is pressed by the pointing input cursor 14 (S8). When the recording is pressed, the output voice data is transferred to the secondary storage device 1 of FIG.
When writing is continued in the recorded data storage area in 06 and the recording is released, the voice reproduction position data stores the position where the writing in the recorded data storage area is completed (S9). When the play button is pressed, the audio data is transferred from the audio reproduction position data to the audio output device 108, and the audio is output (S10). When the stop button is pressed or the audio reproduction position data is transferred, the data transfer is stopped (S11).
When the rewind is pressed, the audio reproduction position data is decremented little by little, and the process is continued until the stop is pressed (S12). When the fast forward is pressed, the voice reproduction position data is added little by little, and the process is continued until the stop is pressed (S11).

As described above, according to this embodiment, the voice data is displayed in the conversation graph display area of the display device by the voice encoding means, the voice storage control means, the conversation display means, and the voice editing means. It is possible to visually grasp the state of. Further, the voice editing means can reproduce the previous voice by the voice data selecting means for selecting the voice data graphically displayed on the screen and the voice reproducing means for reproducing the voice data selected by the display data selecting means. Further, a voice designating means for designating a voice data or a range can be added, and further voice data can be added to the designated voice data, or the voice data designated for a range can be deleted.
The voice data can be edited by the voice changing means that can be edited, and can be used for creating minutes etc. In this way, it is possible to extremely easily reproduce and edit the audio data, and improve convenience.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the electronic conference user associates the graph in which the conversation state is graphed in time series with the voice data stored in the storage device, and outputs the voice data using the input device. It is possible to realize an electronic conferencing apparatus that can be edited and has high operability and convenience. In particular, the audio data selection means and the audio reproduction means for reproducing the audio data selected by the display data selection means can visually and immediately reproduce the state of the previous conversation, thereby facilitating the progress of the conference. Therefore, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the proceeding of the conference, and it is possible to realize the electronic conference device having excellent convenience. Further, the voice editing means is provided with a designating means for designating data or a range, and a voice changing means capable of adding voice data to the designated voice data and deleting or editing the range-designated voice data. It can be used to change conversation contents and create minutes, and can greatly improve operability and convenience.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration diagram of an electronic conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a device configuration diagram showing a screen display example of an electronic conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration block diagram of a voice editing unit of the electronic conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a network configuration diagram of an electronic conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5A is a schematic diagram showing a storage state of voice data stored in a secondary storage device, and FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram showing a graphed example of voice data in the electronic conferencing device of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an operation screen diagram of a screen display area of the electronic conference device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the voice storage control means of the electronic conference device in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a graph creating method of an electronic conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a voice data editing method of an electronic conference device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional electronic conference device.

FIG. 11 is a device configuration diagram showing a configuration of a conventional electronic conference device.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing control of a conventional electronic conference device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 electronic conference device of one embodiment of the present invention 2 computer 3 voice encoding means 4 voice storage control means 5 conversation display means 6 voice editing means 7 voice data selecting means 8 voice reproducing means 9 voice specifying means 10 voice changing means 11 conversation Graph display area 12 Voice editing operation button 13 Pointing input device 14 Pointing input cursor 101 Conventional electronic conference device 102 Conventional computer 103 Input device 104 Voice input device 105 Display device 106 Secondary storage device 107 Communication device 108 Voice output device 109 Input Control means 110 Voice input control means 111 Screen display control means 112 Data storage control means 113 Communication control means 114 Voice output control means 115 Central processing means 116 Main storage control means 117 Communication line 118 Image input device 119 Image display area

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A voice input device for inputting voice, voice encoding means for digitally encoding the analog voice input from the voice input device into voice data, and voice input means for controlling the voice input device. A communication device that performs communication for transmitting and receiving voice data and the like between computers, a communication control unit that controls the communication device, and stores the voice data and the like input from the voice input device or received by the communication device. A secondary storage device to be placed, a voice storage control means for controlling the recording and reading of the voice data to and from the secondary storage device, a display device for displaying figures, characters, etc., and a screen display control for controlling the display device. Means, conversation display means for time-sequentially graphing the voice data on the display device and displaying the voice data on the display device, and the voice displayed as a graph on the screen. Audio editing means for editing the data, audio output means for demodulating the audio data into analog audio, audio output device for outputting the demodulated audio, and central control for controlling arithmetic processing and various command processing. An electronic conferencing apparatus comprising: an arithmetic processing unit. 2. The audio editing means for selecting the audio data displayed in a graph, and the audio reproducing means for transferring the audio data selected by the display data selecting means to the audio output means. The electronic conferencing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. A voice designating means for designating or specifying the range of the voice data displayed in a graph, the voice editing means,
The voice data can be added to the designated voice data, or the voice data designated by the range can be deleted,
3. The electronic conferencing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a voice changing unit capable of editing. 4. The conversation display means is a display means for displaying the respective voice data graphically displayed in a time series as a graph in accordance with the size of the storage amount. Electronic conferencing equipment.