JPS6057757A - Conference voice control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To set an optimum voice system in matching with the acoustic condition of a conference room to be used by making a selective changeover of a voice input switch and a voice output switch in response to acoustic environment of a location where each speaker and each microphone are installed. CONSTITUTION:A voice system control section 1 consists of voice input amplifiers 11, 12, voice output amplifers 13, 14, a voice input switch 15, a voice output switch 16 and a loudspeaker communication control circuit 17. The loudspeaker communication control circuit 17 has a capability controlling that no howling is produced by a normal loudspeaker communication in using a meciophone 31 and a speaker 32 in a speaker microphone unit 3 are used, that is, the level where the voice reproduced by the speaker is collected again to the microphone and transmitted becomes a fixed level or below, and this capability is realized by the voice control or the like of a loudspeaker telephone set.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field to which the invention pertains) The present invention relates to a control system for the audio system of a communication terminal for video conferences.

(Prior Art) In a video conference system that conducts a conference using images and sounds, howling of sound μi caused by acoustic coupling between a microphone and a speaker used during the conference poses a problem. Conventional audio equipment uses a speaker-mic unit (for example, a public address telephone) that has a speaker and a microphone mounted in the same housing, and has a built-in audio control device that has the ability to control howling in such a state that it does not occur. . However, in this case, the audio is not output from the monitor on which the other conference participant is displayed, which creates an extremely unnatural feeling for the user, and also limits the number of people who can participate in the conference to a few people. There were drawbacks. As a solution to this problem, a method has been implemented that uses a speaker inside the monitor that displays the other conference participant and multiple external microphones, but in this case, it is necessary to reduce the amount of acoustic coupling between the microphone and the speaker. However, there was a drawback in that it was necessary to take sound-absorbing measures to the conference room, and a dedicated conference room had to be provided.

(Object of the Invention) In order to eliminate these drawbacks, the present invention is designed to enable optimal audio system settings to match the acoustic conditions of the conference room in use by switching the audio system setting conditions. The drawings will be explained in detail below.

(Structure and operation of the invention) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of an embodiment of the invention.

In Figure 1, these can be roughly divided into an audio system control section 1, an external microphone 24 (i=1.2, 3...),
It is composed of a speaker microphone unit 3 and a monitor 4.

The audio system control unit 1 includes audio input amplifiers 11 and 12,
Audio output amplifiers 13 and 14 and audio input switch]5
, an audio output switch 16 , and a loudspeaker control circuit 17
The audio input switch 15 and the audio output switch 16 have switching contacts 151, 152, and 161, respectively.
．． It is equipped with 162. Further, the speaker microphone unit 3 includes a microphone 31 and a speaker 32, and the monitor 4 includes internal monitor speakers (hereinafter referred to as external speakers) 41 and 42, respectively. Note that 101 and 1
02 is an audio output terminal and an audio input terminal.

Here, when the microphone 31 and speaker 32 in the speaker microphone unit 3 are used, the loudspeaker control circuit 17 is designed to prevent howling from occurring in normal loudspeaker calls, that is, the sound reproduced by the speaker is collected from the microphone again. It has the ability to control the level of the transmitted signal to be below a certain level, and is realized, for example, by voice control of a public address telephone. Therefore, when used in a place with a poor acoustic environment, the audio input switch 15 should be placed on the switching contact 152 side, and the audio output switch 16 should be placed on the switching contact 152 side.
By setting it to the 1 side, loudspeaker calls are possible. That is, the audio input from the conference room of the other party through the transmission line to the audio system control unit 1 is manually inputted from the audio input terminal 102 to the audio output switching device 16 via the loudspeaker control circuit 17. Since the audio output switch 16 is set on the switching contact 161 side, the audio output amplifier 13 allows the speaker microphone unit 3 to
The speaker 32 inside is driven and the input audio is reproduced. On the other hand, for the transmitted audio, the audio input switch 15 is connected to the switching contact 1.
52 side, the input audio from the microphone 31 in the speaker microphone unit 3 is input to the audio input amplifier 12.
After being amplified by the loudspeaker control circuit 17, the signal is transmitted from the audio output terminal 101 to the other party's terminal via a transmission path.

Next, when using the device in a place with a relatively good acoustic environment, the audio output switch 16 is set to the switching contact 162 side. With this setting, the audio signal input to the audio input terminal 102 is
The sound is amplified by the sound output amplifier 14, and the external speakers 4 and 42 inside the monitor 4 are driven to reproduce the sound. That is, in this case, audio is output from the monitor 4 on which images of the other party's conference participants are displayed, so that the conference can be held in a more natural manner.

However, when used in the same acoustic environment, the amount of acoustic coupling between the microphone and speaker will be greater than when using the microphone 31 and speaker 32 in the speaker-microphone unit 3, so to some extent (for example, if there is a curtain nearby) This can be set when sound absorbing measures are taken (for example, the floor is covered with paper, paper is laid on the floor, etc.), and if howling occurs in this system, the microphone 31 and speaker 32 in the speaker microphone unit 3 It is necessary to use

In addition, if you use it in a place with a very good acoustic environment,
The audio input switch 15 is set to the switching contact 151 side. With this setting, the external microphone 2i (i-1, 2,...
The audio signal input from the audio input amplifier 11
The signal is amplified by the loudspeaker control circuit 17, and transmitted to the other party's terminal via the audio output terminal 101 and the transmission path. That is, in this case, the microphone 31 in the speaker microphone unit 3
Instead of talking into the conference table, use multiple external microphones 2+ (1-1+ 2+...) placed on the conference table.
・ Since the call is made to the person in charge of the conference, it is possible for a large number of conference participants to conduct the conference in a natural manner. However, in this case, the sound collection range of each l/cIl-i microphone is wide.
, since there is a large amount of acoustic coupling between the microphone and speaker, it is recommended to install sound-absorbing panels on the surrounding walls or lay down thick paper.
It can be installed if sound absorption measures are taken. Note that when howling occurs in this system, the VC is caused by the microphone 31 in the speaker microphone unit 3 and the external speaker 41 in the monitor 4.
．． 42, or it is necessary to use the microphone 31 and speaker 32 in the speaker microphone unit 3.

FIG. 2 is a top view of an example of the arrangement of each device when implementing the present invention, where 5 is a conference table, 6i (i=1.2°...
) are conference participants.

Although the above description has been made using a video conference as an example, it is of course applicable to cases where loudspeaker calls are required, such as conferences using only audio or audio and still images.

(Effects) As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to certify the audio system at three levels according to the acoustics of the conference room where the video conference terminal is installed, and to improve the acoustics of the prepared conference room. There is an advantage that the microphone and speaker can be selected so as to reproduce the received sound and collect the transmitted sound most suitable for the conditions.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of each device when the present invention is implemented. 1...Audio system control section, 21...
...External microphone, 3...Speaker microphone unit, 4 ...Monitor, 5
...... Conference table, 61... Conference participants, 11.12... Audio input amplifier, 13.14... ...Audio output amplifier,
15......Audio input switch, 16...
...Audio output switch, 17...
Loudspeaker control circuit, 31...Microphone, 32...
・・・・・・Speaker, 41.42・・・・・・・・・
External speaker, 101...Audio output terminal, 102...Audio input terminal, 151,
152.161.162...Switching contact. Patent Applicant: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation Iwa Aso = Pax\1 Figure 1 - Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] A speaker microphone unit in which the speaker and microphone are housed in a predetermined position, an external microphone, an external speaker, and the sound reproduced by the speaker are collected again by the microphone and transmitted so that the level at which it is transmitted is below a certain level. a loudspeaker control circuit for controlling the sound signals; a microphone amplifier for amplifying the audio signals collected by the microphone in the speaker microphone unit and the external microphone by a bell trench;
a speaker amplifier that amplifies the received audio signal to a level 1 that allows prescribed outputs to be obtained from the speaker in the speaker microphone unit and the external speaker, respectively; and a microphone amplifier output that amplifies the microphone output in the speaker microphone unit and the external microphone output. an audio input switch that selects one of the above and inputs it as a transmission audio signal to the loudspeaker control circuit; and an audio output switch that selects and outputs the received audio signal, and selects and switches the audio input switch and the audio output switch according to the acoustic environment of the installation location of each of the speakers and speakers. A conference audio control method that is characterized by: