JP2974730B2 - Video conference system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial applications]

According to the present invention, each video conference terminal (hereinafter, referred to as a terminal) connected from a video conference control device via a switching network activates a corresponding line at a reservation time for holding a video conference, thereby establishing the video conference. It relates to a video conference system to be held.

[Prior art]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a general configuration of a video conference system. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a video conference control device for controlling the operation of holding and operating a video conference, 2 denotes a switching network, and 3a to 3d denote each A. , B, C, and D conference participation terminals (the number of terminals is not particularly limited). FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the video conference control device. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 4 denotes a line interface unit that manages an interface with the switching network 2, 5 denotes a CPU unit that performs call management, reservation management, and the like; Is a memory unit for storing reservation status and the like, and 7 is a time unit (timer) for managing time. Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the video conference control device 1 is in a standby state until the conference reservation time comes (step ST1), when the preset conference reservation time comes, first, each of the conference participation terminals 3a to 3d.
And starts a timer that specifies the waiting time for a response from each of the conference participants 3a to 3d (step ST
2). Then, while checking whether or not the started timer has reached the set waiting time, it waits for a response from each of the conference participants 3a to 3d that made the call (steps ST3 and ST3).
Four). If there is a response during the set waiting time, the corresponding line is activated (step ST5), and it is determined whether or not all the terminals participating in the conference have responded (step ST6). Then, after the above operation is repeated until the timer expires, or the responses of all the conference participants 3a to 3d are completed,
Start (start) a video conference automatically (step ST
7). Therefore, in the conventional video conference system, the video conference control device makes a call to all the conference participation terminals 3a to 3d, and activates the corresponding line by responding to each of the calls. I have. This type of video conference system is disclosed in
No. 63-268356.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Since the conventional video conference system is configured as described above, when the conference reservation time comes, the user of each conference participating terminal waits in front of the terminal to answer a call from the video conference control device. In addition, there is a problem that the reservation time for holding the conference cannot be delayed for the convenience of the user. The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and after a conference reservation time has elapsed, a conference participant terminal that has reserved at an arbitrary time can make a call to the video conference control device. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a video conference system that can call and convene from the video conference control device.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

The video conference system according to the first aspect of the present invention has a configuration in which the video conference control device is set in a state in which an incoming call can be accepted when a conference holding time is reached, and the video conference control device responds only to an incoming call from the reserved conference participation terminal. The system automatically activates a line and activates a conference after a certain period of time from the reservation time, while keeping the video conference control device in a state of accepting a call from an unconnected conference participant terminal. Further, the video conference system according to the second claim is the video conference system according to the first claim, wherein after a lapse of a predetermined time from the reservation time, the number of connected terminals is equal to or more than a predetermined number. The conditions for holding a conference, such as, are checked, and if it is determined that the conditions are not satisfied, a call is made to an unconnected reserved conference participant terminal, a call is invited, and the conference is held. Than it is. In the video conference system according to the third aspect, the video conference control device is set to be ready to receive a call from a specific or any one conference participation terminal at the scheduled time for holding the conference. Activate the corresponding line in response to an incoming call from one or any one of the conference participants, and reserve an unconnected connection based on the instruction of the particular or any one of the connected conference participants. The telephone conference system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is configured to call, convene, and hold a conference with respect to the conference participating terminal. In the system, after a lapse of a predetermined time from the reservation time, a condition for holding a conference such as whether or not the number of connected terminals is equal to or more than a predetermined number is checked, and when it is determined that the condition is not satisfied, a specific conference participation is performed. To terminal After a call is made and connected, a call is convened to an unconnected reserved conference participant based on an instruction from the particular conference participant connected to hold a conference. It is.

[Action]

The video conference control device according to any one of the first to fourth claims keeps a callable state at a conference reservation time,
Since the corresponding line is activated after responding to a call from a predetermined conference participant terminal, the user can hold a conference at any desired time from the conference reservation time.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The configuration of the video conference system of the present invention is the same as that of the conventional video conference system (FIG. 1), and the configuration of the video conference control device of the present invention is the same as that of the conventional video conference control device. I do. Next, the operation of the video conference system according to the first aspect will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the video conference control device 1 is set in a standby state until the conference reservation time comes (step ST8), and when the conference reservation time comes, the video conference control device 1 sets the conference participation terminals 3a to 3d.
With the incoming call from (there is no particular limitation on the number of terminals), the timing (timer unit 7) is started to count the time at which the conference is automatically held (step ST9). The incoming call is accepted while monitoring the elapsed time by counting with the timer (steps ST10 and ST1).
1) If there is an incoming call, it is checked whether or not the conference participant that has originated the incoming call is a reserved conference participant (step ST).
12) If it is determined that the terminal is the reserved conference participant terminal, the corresponding line is activated (step ST13), and incoming calls are prepared from all the reserved conference participant terminals (step ST1).
4) Alternatively, the above-described operation is repeated until a predetermined time elapses, and a conference is automatically held with the video conference control device 1 in a state in which a call can be received (step ST15). Next, the operation of the video conference system according to the second aspect will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the video conference control device 1 is kept in a standby state until the conference reservation time comes (step ST16), and when the conference reservation time comes, the video conference control device 1 sets the conference participation terminals 3a to 3d.
Then, a timer (timer unit 7) is started to count the time at which the conference is automatically held (step ST17). Then, the incoming call is received while monitoring the elapsed time by counting with the timer (steps ST18 and ST19). If there is an incoming call, the conference participating terminal that has issued the incoming call determines whether the conference participating terminal is reserved. It is confirmed whether or not the terminal is a conference participating terminal that has made the reservation (step ST20), and the corresponding line is activated (step ST21). Then, the above operation is performed until all the incoming calls from all the reserved conference participants (step ST22), or until a predetermined time has elapsed. After a lapse of a certain period of time, a predetermined condition (in this embodiment, it is determined whether there is one or more conference participants connected within a certain period of time) is determined (step ST23), and the condition is not satisfied. In this case, a call is made to the conference participant terminal which is reserved but not connected to the video conference control device 1, and is called (step ST24).
A conference is automatically held with the video conference control device 1 in a state in which incoming calls can be accepted (step ST25). Next, the operation of the video conference system according to the third aspect will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the video conference control device 1 is set in a standby state until a conference reservation time comes (step ST26), and when the conference reservation time comes, the video conference control device 1 receives an incoming call from a specific conference participation terminal (for example, 3a). A timer (timer unit 7) for counting the time to hold a conference in a state where it can be accepted
Is started (step ST27). Then, while monitoring the elapsed time by counting with the timer, an incoming call from a specific conference participating terminal 3a is accepted (steps ST28 and ST29),
In response to an incoming call from the specific conference participant terminal 3a, the corresponding line is activated (step ST30), and based on the instruction of the connected specific conference participant terminal 3a, an unconnected reserved conference is performed. In a conventional manner, a call is made to the participating terminals 3b to 3d, called (step ST31), and a conference is held (step ST3).
2). In addition, the flowchart of FIG. 5 shows a case where a call from a specific conference participant terminal 3a is accepted in step ST27, but an incoming call from any one of the conference participant terminals 3a to 3d is accepted and the first incoming call is received. FIG. 6 shows a flowchart in a case where a conference is held based on an instruction from one conference participating terminal that has received a call. Next, the operation of the video conference system according to the fourth aspect will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the video conference control device 1 is kept in a standby state until the conference reservation time comes (step ST41), and when the conference reservation time comes, the video conference control device 1 sets the conference participation terminals 3a to 3d.
Then, a timer (timer unit 7) is started to count the time when the conference is held (step ST42). Then, while monitoring the elapsed time by counting with the timer, an incoming call from a specific conference participant terminal (for example, 3a) is accepted (steps ST43 and ST44), and if there is an incoming call, the conference that originated the incoming call is received. It is checked whether or not the participating terminal is a reserved conference participating terminal (step ST45). If it is determined that the terminal is a reserved conference participating terminal, the corresponding line is activated (step ST46). Then, the above-described operation is performed until all the incoming calls from all the reserved conference participants (step ST47) or a predetermined time has elapsed. If a certain period of time elapses without the completion of all the conditions, a predetermined condition (in this embodiment, it is determined whether there is at least one conference participation terminal connected within a certain period of time) is determined (step ST48). If the condition is not satisfied, after calling and connecting to a specific conference participant terminal, based on the request of the connected specific conference participant terminal, the conference participant terminal that has been reserved without being connected is Calling and calling (step ST50) and holding a conference (step ST51) by the conventional method.

【The invention's effect】

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, when the conference reservation time comes, the video conference control device is placed in a state in which the incoming call can be accepted, and the reserved conference participating terminal among the conference participating terminals that have received the incoming call. The telephone conference is automatically activated after a certain period of time, and the video conference control device is kept in a state in which the incoming call can be received. The invention according to the second aspect further includes, when it is determined that a predetermined condition is not satisfied after a lapse of a predetermined time from the conference reservation time, the video conference control device calls and calls the unconnected reserved conference participation terminal, Is held, the user does not need to wait for an incoming call from the video conference control device in front of the conference participation terminal at the conference reservation time, and a user who is troublesome to call the video conference control device or Even for a user who does not understand the operation of the terminal, there is an incoming call from the video conference control device after a certain period of time, so that the effect of widening the range of user selection and improving the service is obtained. According to a third aspect of the present invention, when a conference reservation time comes, a video conference control device is set to be able to accept an incoming call from a specific or all conference participating terminals, and the connected specific or arbitrary one conference participating terminal is set. In accordance with the above-mentioned instructions, a conference is held by calling and calling each of the unconnected reserved conference participants. If it is determined that the condition is not satisfied, a call is made to a specific conference participant terminal, a connection is made, and a call is made to each unconnected reserved conference participant terminal based on the instruction of the connected specific conference participant terminal. Since the conference is convened to hold the conference, it is possible to obtain not only the above-described effect but also an effect that a flexible conference can be performed according to the purpose of the conference or the progress.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a general configuration of a video conference system, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a video conference control device, and FIG. 3 explains the operation of the video conference system according to claim 1. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the video conference system according to the second claim, FIGS. 5 and 6 are flowcharts illustrating the operation of the video conference system according to the third claim, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the video conference system according to the fourth aspect, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the conventional video conference system. In the figure, 1 is a video conference controller, 2 is a switching network, 3
Is a conference participation terminal. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshihiro Ichikawa 5-1-1, Ofuna, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Communication Systems Laboratory, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (56) References JP-A-63-268356 (JP, A) JP-A-53-99706 (JP, A) JP-A-63-42565 (JP, A) JP-A-2-305288 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 7/14-7/15 H04M 3/56

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] In a video conference system for holding a conference by a plurality of conference participation terminals connected to a video conference control device, the video conference control device receives an incoming call from the conference participation terminal from a reservation time of the conference. And activates the line for the reserved conference participant terminal among the conference participant terminals that received a call within a certain period of time from the reserved time, and establishes a line with all the reserved conference participant terminals. A conference system wherein a conference holding process is performed after connection or after the lapse of the predetermined time. 2. A video conference system for holding a conference using a plurality of conference participation terminals connected to the video conference control device, wherein the video conference control device receives an incoming call from the conference participation terminal from a reservation time of the conference. And activates the line for the reserved conference participant terminal among the conference participant terminals that received a call within a certain period of time from the reservation time, and held the conference after a certain period of time from the reservation time. If the predetermined conditions are not satisfied, call and invitation processing is performed to each reserved conference participant that has not received a call and is not connected. If the above predetermined conditions are satisfied, the conference holding processing is performed. Characteristic video conference system. 3. A video conference system for holding a conference by a plurality of conference participation terminals connected to the video conference control device, wherein the video conference control device receives an incoming call from the conference participation terminal from a reservation time of the conference. And activate the line to the reserved conference participant terminal among the conference participant terminals that received a call within a certain time from the reserved time, and when a predetermined conference participant terminal is connected, A video conference system, wherein a call and an invitation process are performed to each of the unconnected reserved conference participants based on an instruction from the connected conference participants. 4. A video conference system for holding a conference by a plurality of conference participation terminals connected to the video conference control device, wherein the video conference control device initiates an incoming call from a predetermined conference participation terminal from a reservation time of the conference. In addition to the state in which the reservation is accepted, the line for the reserved conference participant terminal among the conference participant terminals that received a call within a predetermined time from the reservation time is activated, and the conference is held after a lapse of a predetermined time from the reservation time. If the predetermined conditions are not satisfied, a call is made and connected to a specific conference participant terminal. A video conference system, which performs calling and invitation processing.