JPH1066042A - Analog video phone system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an analog video phone system in which real time diagnostic control and interactive diagnostic control are attained while making communication. SOLUTION: A system control section 5 of a maintenance center makes an area assignment revision request to a multiplex control section 10 and makes a diagnostic command transmission request to a diagnosis control section 9 and makes an area assignment revision request to the multiplex control section 10. The diagnostic control section 9 receiving the diagnostic command transmission request makes a data transfer request to the multiplex control section 10 and receives a data transfer display request to make a diagnostic response reception request to the system control section 5. The multiplex control section 10 receiving the area assignment revision request to send a proper multiplex table number and a fact of diagnostic start and end through a control line and receives the diagnostic command by the data transfer request through a data line and data transfer is displayed on the diagnostic control section 9 by the reception of diagnostic response data so as to attain interactive diagnostic control in real time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an analog videophone system using a public analog line and having a multiplex transmission function of control, audio, video, and data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the ITU-T (ITU: International Telecommunication Union) has officially established an audio coding system, a video coding system, a still image coding system, a multiplexing system, a communication procedure, and the like for a video conference. Recommendations have been made, and accordingly, products conforming to the ITU-T recommendations have been released from various companies. However, the analog videophone system has not been internationally recommended by the ITU-T, and each company has released a product of its own specifications.

Hereinafter, a conventional analog videophone system will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a conventional analog videophone system, in which 1 is a handset for making a voice call, 2 is a camera for taking a self-portrait, 3 is a self-portrait of a local device,
Or a monitor that displays a moving image sent from the other device,
Reference numeral 4 denotes a personal computer connected to transfer shared blackboard data and file data. Reference numeral 5 denotes a system control unit which performs system management and interconnection control for communication with a partner device, 6 denotes an audio codec unit which performs encoding and decoding of audio data, and 7 denotes encoding and decoding of video data. And a PC interface control unit 8 for controlling the interface with the personal computer 4, and a diagnostic control unit 9a for performing a diagnostic control of the analog videophone system. Reference numeral 10a denotes a control, which is control information from the system control unit 5, and a voice codec unit 6.
Multiplexes audio, which is compressed data from the PC, video, which is compressed data from the moving image codec unit 7, and data from the PC interface control unit 8 in a unique frame format, and performs control, audio, video, A multiplexing control unit for separating data into data, 11a is a modem control unit for controlling a modem for modulating and demodulating a digital signal into an analog signal, 12 is a line control unit for controlling connection and disconnection of an analog line, and 13 is an analog line It is.

Conventionally, a method for performing a self-diagnosis from a remote location is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-64237.
The operation of diagnosing the analog videophone system when the above-described self-diagnosis method is applied to the conventional analog videophone system configured as shown in FIG. 5 will be described. The line control unit 12 controls connection of the line via the analog line 13. When the line is connected by the line controller 12, the modem controller 11a negotiates a communication mode such as a transmission rate, a data compression method, and an error correction method between the modems of the partner devices in order to perform digital data communication. Establish communication state. Thereafter, according to the communication mode, command data for diagnosis received from the modem control unit 11a is transferred to the diagnosis control unit 9a, and after diagnosing the device, response data of the diagnosis result is transmitted from the diagnosis control unit 9a to the modem control unit 9a. After being transferred to the unit 11a and performing necessary diagnosis, the line is cut by the line control unit 12.

[0005]

However, in the conventional self-diagnosis system, the real-time diagnosis control in the analog videophone communication state and the interactive video communication while performing the moving image and voice communication characteristic of the analog videophone are performed. There was a problem that the diagnostic control could not be performed.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide an analog videophone system capable of executing real-time diagnostic control and interactive diagnostic control.

[0007]

According to the present invention, a system control unit, a diagnosis control unit, and a multiplex control unit are provided to solve the above problems.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the system control unit on the maintenance center side for diagnosing the partner device includes means for performing system management and interconnection control for communicating with the partner device, and a multiplexing control unit. Means for making an area allocation change request and a request for transmitting a diagnostic command to the diagnostic control unit, and receiving and displaying a diagnostic response from the diagnostic control unit. Means for making an area allocation change request to the multiplexing control unit to return to the videophone communication state.

In the system control unit of the apparatus which receives the diagnosis according to the second aspect, means for performing system management and interconnection control for performing communication with the partner apparatus, and changing the area allocation from the multiplexing control unit. Means for making an area allocation change request to the multiplexing control unit by display and for making a request for receiving a diagnostic command to the diagnostic control unit; means for executing a diagnostic test of the device by receiving and displaying a diagnostic command from the diagnostic control unit; Means for making a request for transmission of a diagnostic response to the diagnostic control unit for transmitting the result of the test; and means for making a region allocation change request to the multiplexing control unit by displaying a region allocation change from the multiplexing control unit at the end of diagnosis. .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the diagnostic control unit on the maintenance center side that diagnoses the partner device performs a data transfer request to the multiplexing control unit in response to a diagnostic command transmission request from the system control unit; Means for receiving and displaying a diagnostic response to the system control unit by data transfer display from the control unit.

In the diagnostic control unit of the apparatus which receives the diagnosis according to the second aspect, after the diagnostic command reception request from the system control unit, the diagnostic command reception display to the system control unit by the data transfer display from the multiplexing control unit. And a means for making a data transfer request to the multiplexing control unit in response to a diagnostic response transmission request from the system control unit.

The multiplexing control unit of the maintenance center for diagnosing the partner device according to the first aspect includes means for demultiplexing control, audio, video, and data, and an area allocation change request from the system control unit. Means for transmitting a multiplexing table number and the start and end of the diagnosis which are compatible with the control, transmitting a diagnostic command as data in response to a data transfer request from the diagnostic control unit, and receiving the data of the diagnostic response. Means for performing data transfer display.

The multiplexing control unit on the side of the device which receives the diagnosis according to the second aspect includes a control, audio, video,
Means for performing demultiplexing of data, means for performing area allocation change display on the system control unit by receiving control of area allocation change, means for performing data transfer display on the diagnostic control unit by receiving data of a diagnostic command, Means for transmitting a diagnostic response as data in response to a data transfer request from the diagnostic control unit.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is directed to an analog videophone system at a maintenance center which has a multiplex transmission function of control, audio, video, and data and diagnoses a partner device. In addition to performing system management and interconnection control for communicating with the partner device, the multiplex control unit issues a region allocation change request and the diagnostic control unit transmits a diagnostic command transmission request, and a diagnostic response from the diagnostic control unit. By the reception display, if the diagnosis is to be performed continuously, the above process is repeated, and if the diagnosis is to be ended, a system control unit that issues a region allocation change request to the multiplex control unit to return to the previous videophone communication state, A data transfer request is made to the multiplexing control unit in response to a diagnostic command transmission request from the system control unit, and the data transfer request is displayed by the multiplexing control unit. A diagnostic control unit that receives and displays a diagnostic response to the system control unit, performs multiplexing and demultiplexing of control, audio, video, and data, and starts an appropriate multiplexing table number and diagnostics in response to an area allocation change request from the system control unit. And a multiplexing control unit for transmitting a diagnosis command as data in response to a data transfer request from the diagnostic control unit, transmitting a diagnostic command as data, and displaying a data transfer display to the diagnostic control unit upon receiving a diagnostic response data. It is provided with.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an analog videophone system having a control, audio, video, and data multiplex transmission function and receiving a diagnosis. Performs interconnection control for communication with the multiplexing control unit, issues a region allocation change request to the multiplexing control unit based on an area allocation change display from the multiplexing control unit, and issues a diagnostic command reception request to the diagnostic control unit to perform diagnostic control. A diagnostic test of the device is executed by receiving and displaying a diagnostic command from the unit, a diagnostic response transmission request is sent to the diagnostic control unit for transmitting the result of the diagnostic test, and an area allocation change display from the multiplexing control unit at the end of the diagnosis. A system control unit that issues a region allocation change request to the multiplexing control unit, and after the diagnostic command reception request from the system control unit, A diagnostic control unit that performs a diagnostic command reception display to the system control unit by a data transfer display from the control unit and makes a data transfer request to a multiplexing control unit by a diagnostic response transmission request from the system control unit; Performs demultiplexing of video and data, performs area allocation change display on the system control unit by receiving control of area allocation change, and displays data transfer display on the diagnostic control unit by reception of data of a diagnostic command. A multiplexing control unit for transmitting a diagnostic response as data in response to a data transfer request from the control unit.

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, real-time diagnosis control in a videophone communication state and interactive diagnosis control while performing communication of moving images and voices, which are characteristic of a videophone, are performed. This has the effect of providing an analog videophone system capable of performing the following.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an analog videophone system according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a handset for making a voice call;
Is a camera for taking a self-portrait, 3 is a monitor for displaying a self-portrait of the self-side device or a moving image sent from the partner device, and 4 is a personal computer connected to transfer shared blackboard data and file data. It is. Reference numeral 5 denotes a system control unit, which performs system management and interconnection control for communicating with a partner device. Then, the system control unit 5 on the maintenance center side that diagnoses the partner device.
Then, when the multiplexing control unit 10 issues an area allocation change request and the diagnostic control unit 9 sends a diagnostic command transmission request, and the diagnostic response reception display from the diagnostic control unit 9 continues diagnosis, the above process is repeated. When ending the diagnosis, the multiplexing control unit 10 is requested to change the area allocation in order to return to the previous videophone communication state. In addition, the system control unit 5 of the apparatus that receives the diagnosis issues a region allocation change request to the multiplexing control unit 10 based on the region allocation change display from the multiplexing control unit 10 and sends a diagnostic command reception request to the diagnosis control unit 9. Then, a diagnostic test of the device is executed by receiving and displaying a diagnostic command from the diagnostic control unit 9, a diagnostic response transmission request is made to the diagnostic control unit 9 to transmit the result of the diagnostic test to the maintenance center, and further, upon completion of the diagnosis, The multiplexing control unit 10 issues a region allocation change request to the multiplexing control unit 10 according to the region allocation change display. Reference numeral 6 denotes an audio codec for encoding and decoding audio data, 7 denotes a video codec for encoding and decoding video data and controls display of an image on the monitor 3, and 8 denotes a connection with the personal computer 4. It is a PC interface control unit that performs interface control. Reference numeral 9 denotes a diagnosis control unit. The diagnosis control unit 9 at the maintenance center that diagnoses the partner device issues a data transfer request to the multiplexing control unit 10 in response to a diagnosis command transmission request from the system control unit 5, and performs multiplexing. Control unit 1
A diagnostic response reception display is performed on the system control unit 5 by displaying the data transfer from 0. In addition, the diagnostic control unit 9 of the device receiving the diagnosis, after receiving the diagnostic command reception request from the system control unit, displays the reception of the diagnostic command to the system control unit by the data transfer display from the multiplexing control unit. Sends a data transfer request to the multiplexing control unit in response to a diagnostic response transmission request from. Reference numeral 10 denotes a multiplexing control unit, which is a control which is control information from the system control unit 5, an audio which is compressed data from the audio codec unit 6, a video and PC interface control unit which is compressed data from the video codec unit 7. 8 is multiplexed in a unique frame format, and is separated into control, audio, video, and data from a frame received from the other party. The multiplexing control unit 10 on the maintenance center side that diagnoses the partner device performs multiplexing and demultiplexing of control, audio, video, and data. The start and end of the diagnosis are transmitted by the control, a diagnostic command is transmitted as data in response to a data transfer request from the diagnostic control unit 9, and the data of the diagnostic response is displayed on the diagnostic control unit 9 by receiving the data of the diagnostic response. Also,
The multiplexing control unit 10 of the device to be diagnosed performs control, audio, video, and demultiplexing of data,
A region allocation change display is displayed on the system control unit 5 by receiving the control of the region allocation change, a data transfer display is performed on the diagnostic control unit 9 by receiving the data of the diagnostic command, and a diagnostic response is given by a data transfer request from the diagnostic control unit. Send with data. A modem control unit 11 for controlling a modem for modulating and demodulating a digital signal into an analog signal;
Reference numeral 12 denotes a line control unit that controls connection and disconnection of an analog line, and 13 denotes an analog line.

In the analog videophone system configured as described above, the operation of the apparatus for diagnosing the apparatus according to the first and second aspects will be described.

The line control unit 12 controls connection of the line via the analog line 13. When the line is connected by the line control unit 12, a telephone call as a normal analog telephone can be made using the handset 1. Here, after the conversation between the user and the person in charge of the maintenance center, if switching from the telephone to the videophone mode is instructed by either of them, digital data communication is performed, so that communication between the modem and the partner device is performed. The modem controller 11 exchanges communication modes such as a modulation method and a transmission rate, thereby establishing a communication state of digital data. Thereafter, the system control unit 5 assigns all transmission areas to controls, exchanges capabilities such as coding schemes for moving images and audio, and error correction procedures for data transmission, and then controls the transmission areas to control audio, video, and data. System control unit 5
Requests the multiplexing control unit 10 to change the area allocation with the multiplexing table number for the appropriate distribution as a parameter, and establishes the communication state of the videophone capable of transmitting moving images and audio.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a multiplexing table based on the multiplexing table number. In the above description, after the line connection and the communication state of the digital data are established, after the capability exchange is performed with the multiplexing content of the multiplexing table number 0,
This is equivalent to a transition to the videophone communication state with the multiplexing content of the multiplexing table number 7.

FIG. 3 shows a case where the diagnosis of the apparatus is performed between the user and the person in charge of the maintenance center in such a state.
Will be described according to the sequence diagram of FIG.

In the system control unit 5 on the maintenance center side,
The multiplexing control unit 10 instructs the multiplexing control unit 10 to issue a multiplexing table number 8 shown in FIG. 2 and an area allocation change request having the device diagnosis as a parameter, and then transmits the diagnostic command to the diagnosis control unit 9 as a parameter. Make a request. here,
Although the multiplex table number 8 is used, other multiplex contents can be used as long as the data area is secured. When the multiplexing control unit 10 receives the area allocation change request, the multiplexing table number and the device diagnosis are transmitted in the control area, and the frame multiplexed with the content of the transmitted multiplexing table number from the next frame is transmitted. Transmit. When the diagnostic control unit 9 receives the diagnostic command transmission request, the diagnostic command is transferred to the multiplexing control unit 10 by a data transfer request, and the multiplexing control unit 10 transmits the content of the data transfer request in the communication mode. The predetermined V. The data is transmitted to the partner device in the data area according to the error correction procedure such as 42.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the diagnostic command.
As shown in FIG. 4, the diagnostic commands are broadly divided into hardware tests, software tests, system settings, and the like, and the details of each test are added.

On the device side to be diagnosed, when the multiplexing control unit 10 detects the multiplexing table number 8 transmitted in the control area and the effect of the device diagnosis, the system control unit 5
Then, an area allocation change display having the multiplex table number 8 and the device diagnosis as parameters is performed.

When the system control unit 5 receives the area allocation change indication, the multiplexing control unit 10 sends the multiplexing table number 8
And a request for receiving a diagnostic command is sent to the diagnostic control unit 9, and the diagnostic control unit 9 waits for the reception of a diagnostic command transferred from the multiplexing control unit 10 in a data transfer display. When the multiplexing control unit 10 receives the area allocation change request, the multiplexing table number 8 is transmitted in the control area, and the next frame is transmitted in a frame multiplexed with the contents of the multiplexing table number, When the data of the diagnostic command transmitted in the data area thereafter is detected, the data of the diagnostic command is transferred to the diagnostic control unit 9 by the data transfer display, and the diagnostic control unit 9 further transmits the diagnostic content to the system control unit 5. Performs diagnostic command reception display with parameters that are easy to understand. The system control unit 5 executes a diagnostic test according to the content of the above-mentioned diagnostic command reception display, and sends a diagnostic response transmission request having the result as a parameter to the diagnostic control unit 9. When the diagnostic control unit 9 receives the diagnostic response transmission request, the diagnostic control unit 9 issues a data transfer request having the response data of the diagnostic result as a parameter to the multiplexing control unit 10, and the multiplexing control unit 10 stores the contents of the data transfer request in the data area. Is transmitted to the partner device.

When the data transmitted in the data area is received by the multiplexing control unit 10 on the maintenance center side, a data transfer display having the response data as a parameter is displayed on the diagnosis control unit 9. A diagnosis response reception display having parameters for making the contents of the diagnosis result more understandable is performed in the section 5.

In this way, the diagnostic control is performed between the analog video phone on the maintenance center side and the analog video phone to be diagnosed, and when the diagnostic control is to be continued, the above control contents are repeated. When ending the diagnostic control, to return to the previous videophone communication state,
The system control unit 5 issues an area allocation change request having the multiplexing table number 7 shown in FIG.
The multiplexing control unit 10 transmits the multiplexing table number in the control area, and transmits a frame multiplexed with the content of the transmitted multiplexing table number from the next frame.

On the device side to be diagnosed, the multiplexing control unit 1
When the multiplex table number 7 transmitted in the control area is detected as 0, the system control unit 5 performs an area allocation change display having the multiplex table number 7 as a parameter. When the area allocation change indication is received by the system control unit 5, an area allocation change request having the multiplex table number 7 as a parameter is instructed to the multiplex control unit 10, and the multiplex control unit 10 sets the multiplex table number to The frame is transmitted in the control area, and a frame multiplexed with the contents of the transmitted multiplexing table number is transmitted from the next frame, and returns to the previous videophone communication state.

[0029]

As described above, the present invention provides an analog video system capable of real-time diagnosis control in a videophone communication state and interactive diagnosis control while communicating moving images and voices, which are characteristic of a videophone. It can provide a phone system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an analog videophone system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a multiplexing table according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a diagnostic command according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a conventional analog video phone system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 handset 2 camera 3 monitor 4 personal computer 5 system control unit 6 audio codec unit 7 video codec unit 8 PC interface control unit 9, 9a diagnostic control unit 10, 10a multiplex control unit 11, 11a modem control unit 12 line control unit 13 Analog line

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A maintenance center side analog videophone system having a multiplex transmission function of control, audio, video and data, and diagnosing a partner device.
In addition to performing system management and interconnection control for communicating with the partner device, the multiplexing control unit issues a region allocation change request and a diagnostic control unit (described later) sends a diagnostic command transmission request. By the response reception display,
A system control unit that issues a region allocation change request to a multiplexing control unit (described later) to return to the previous videophone communication state when ending the diagnosis, and A diagnostic control unit that issues a data transfer request to the multiplexing control unit in response to a diagnostic command transmission request from the system control unit, and receives and displays a diagnostic response to the system control unit according to the data transfer display from the multiplexing control unit; Multiplexing and demultiplexing of video and data, and in response to an area allocation change request from the system control unit, a control unit transmits a multiplexing table number and start and end of diagnosis which are compatible with each other, and transfers data from the diagnosis control unit. A diagnostic command is transmitted as data in response to a request, and a data transfer table is transmitted to the diagnostic control unit upon receiving data of a diagnostic response. Analog videophone system; and a multiplexing control unit for performing. 2. An analog videophone system having a control, audio, video, and data multiplex transmission function and having a function of receiving a diagnosis, wherein the system is managed and an interconnection control for communicating with a partner device is performed. And a region allocation change request from the multiplexing control unit to the multiplexing control unit according to the region allocation change display, and a diagnostic command reception request to the diagnostic control unit. The diagnostic test is executed, a diagnostic response transmission request is sent to the diagnostic control unit to transmit the result of the diagnostic test, and the area allocation is changed to the multiplex control unit by the area allocation change display from the multiplex control unit when the diagnosis is completed. Requesting a system control unit and, after a diagnostic command reception request from the system control unit, displaying a data transfer display from the multiplexing control unit. The diagnostic control unit performs a diagnostic command reception display to the system control unit, and issues a data transfer request to a multiplexing control unit in response to a diagnostic response transmission request from the system control unit, and performs demultiplexing of control, audio, video, and data. At the same time, an area allocation change display is performed on the system control unit by receiving the control of the area allocation change, a data transfer display is performed on the diagnostic control unit by receiving the data of the diagnostic command, and a data transfer request is issued from the diagnostic control unit. An analog videophone system comprising: a multiplexing control unit that transmits a diagnostic response as data.