JP3554051B2 - Terminal device for electronic conference system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention relates to a terminal device of an electronic conference system used when starting an electronic conference between a plurality of terminals located at remote locations on a network.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a conventional electronic conference system, when starting an electronic conference, a person intending to start the electronic conference starts the electronic conference by setting information necessary for starting the electronic conference. Here, the information required to start the electronic conference includes the participants of the conference, the tools used in the conference, the agenda, the chairperson, and the access mode (mode indicating whether or not to allow a third party to join the conference in the middle). And so on.
[0003]
In addition, in a conventional electronic conference system, after the electronic conference starts, the electronic conference is developed by adding or removing a participant in the conference or a tool used in the conference. Many were seen. In some systems, instead of specifying each participant in the electronic conference one by one, a group of several participants is specified to save the trouble of specifying each participant one by one.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the future, it is clear that the opportunity to hold an electronic conference between a plurality of terminals located in remote places will increase. These electronic conferences can be roughly classified into two types: "official conferences" in which the participants and the tools used do not change every time, such as regular conferences, and ad hoc "non-conferences" that any participant can easily hold. It is thought that there are two types of meetings, "official meetings".
[0005]
However, in the conventional electronic conference system, only one fixed user interface is provided for setting information necessary for starting an electronic conference, regardless of what electronic conference is started. Was.
[0006]
For this reason, even when starting an “official meeting” in which the same participants use the same tools each time, the same items must be set each time, so there is a problem that it takes a lot of time to start the meeting. Was. In addition, when starting an “informal meeting”, settings such as the agenda, chairperson, and access mode are often unnecessary, but it is necessary to set such unnecessary items. Was very time-consuming to start.
[0007]
In the future, electronic conferences will continue to diversify, and the number of items set when starting electronic conferences is expected to increase. In such a case, if it is necessary to specify all the necessary items at the start of the electronic conference every time the conference is started, a very complicated work will be required and it is expected that it will not be neglected. You.
[0008]
The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and has as its object to reduce the trouble of setting necessary items when starting an electronic conference.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The terminal device of the electronic conference system according to the present invention is a terminal device of the electronic conference system for starting an electronic conference in accordance with predetermined management information, wherein the predetermined management information required for starting the electronic conference is variously set in advance. Template storage means for storing a conference template of any of the above, template selection means for selecting an arbitrary conference template from various conference templates stored in the template storage means for an official conference, Setting means for setting at least a participant and a tool to be used in the electronic conference, among the management information, the conference template for the official conference is more than the management information set for the informal conference. It is characterized in that a lot of management information is set.
[0015]
[Action]
Since the present invention comprises the above technical means, an official conference is established according to management information preset in a conference template for an official conference selected by the template selecting means from various conference templates stored in the template storage means. Will be started. The setting means sets a tool to be used in the meeting when starting the informal meeting, and the meeting template for the official meeting has more management information set than the management information set for the informal meeting. You. Therefore, it is possible to save the trouble of setting up a lot of management information for an official meeting where the purpose of the meeting and the participants are fixed, and to make the setting of the management information for the informal meeting as simple as possible. You can answer the user's request to get started.
[0016]
When the participant setting means, the tool setting means, and the mode selection means are further provided, one of the official conference mode and the informal conference mode is selected by the mode selection means depending on the nature of the electronic conference to be started. Is selected, when the official conference mode is selected, an electronic conference is started according to management information preset in the conference template selected by the template selection means, and when the informal conference mode is selected, The electronic conference is started according to the participant and tool information set by the participant setting means and the tool setting means.
[0018]
【Example】
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating components of the terminal device of the electronic conference system according to the present embodiment.
[0019]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a control unit, which controls each component described later shown in FIG. The control unit 1 always waits for input of some information from the user, and performs an appropriate process according to the input. When starting the electronic conference, some means for waiting for a signal from the user to "start the electronic conference" must always be operating, but in this embodiment, the control unit 1 is in charge of this means.
[0020]
Reference numeral 2 denotes a mode selection unit for selecting whether to start an official conference or an informal conference when starting an electronic conference. The mode selection unit 2 functions as means for allowing a user who intends to start an electronic conference to select whether the conference to be started is an official conference or an informal conference. Then, the mode selection unit 2 selectively activates a template selection unit 3 or a user setting unit 5 and a tool setting unit 6 to be described later in accordance with a user's designation, thereby providing management information necessary for starting a conference. It operates so that the user can make the setting without confusion.
[0021]
The above-described template selection unit 3 selects a desired conference template from various conference templates in the template database 10 when starting an official conference. The template selection unit 3 functions as a means for allowing a user who intends to start an official conference to select a desired template from a template list in the template database 10. In other words, by selecting an arbitrary template at the start of the official meeting, it is possible to save the user from having to specify all items.
[0022]
Reference numeral 4 denotes a template changing unit for changing the contents of the template selected by the user by the template selecting unit 3. That is, when the user changes items in the template selected by using the template selection unit 3 (participants in the conference, tools used in the conference, agenda, chairperson, etc.), the template change unit 4 is used. Will be.
[0023]
The above-described user setting unit 5 is for setting participants in a conference when starting an informal conference. The tool setting section 6 sets a tool to be used in a conference when starting an informal conference. The user setting section 5 and the tool setting section 6 are means for allowing a user who intends to start an informal conference, not an official conference, to select a participant to the electronic conference and a tool to be used in the electronic conference. Function as
[0024]
In order to satisfy the demand for "easy electronic conference", it is sufficient to specify the participants of the electronic conference and the tools to be used in the electronic conference, and a large number of settings (agenda, chairperson, access mode, etc.) ) Is often unnecessary. That is, the user setting unit 5 and the tool setting unit 6 are introduced in order to respond to a request to start such an informal meeting as easily as possible.
[0025]
Reference numeral 7 denotes a conference activation unit that actually operates the electronic conference in accordance with the management information set by the template selection unit 3 and the template change unit 4 or the user setting unit 5 and the tool setting unit 6 described above. . Reference numeral 8 denotes a conference state changing unit that changes the state of the electronic conference currently being executed. For example, by activating the conference state changing unit 8, it is possible to end the currently running conference, exit from the currently running conference halfway, or join the currently running conference halfway. is there.
[0026]
Reference numeral 9 denotes a work memory for storing information (management information set as described above) necessary for starting an electronic conference. Reference numeral 10 denotes a template database having various conference templates, 11 denotes a user database having various information on participants, and 12 denotes a tool database having various information on tools used in the electronic conference.
[0027]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the terminal device according to the embodiment. The components shown in FIG. 1 are realized by software on the components shown in FIG.
[0028]
The terminal device operates on the CPU 21 and the memory 25, and outputs various information to a display 22 such as a CRT or an LCD. As a result, a user interface for setting information necessary for starting the electronic conference, the contents of the conference template, and the like are displayed on the display 22. The setting of various information for starting a conference based on this user interface is performed using a pointing device 23 such as a mouse and a keyboard 24.
[0029]
The respective data of the template database 10, the user database 11, and the tool database 12 shown in FIG. 1 are stored in the disk 26, but are stored in another remote disk on the network constituting the electronic conference system. , And it can be realized in such a form that it is accessed via a network interface (network I / O) 27.
[0030]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the content of a conference template selected by the template selection unit 3.
In FIG. 3, 31 is the name of the template, 32 is an identifier for uniquely identifying the template, 33 is a member list showing the participants of the conference, 34 is a tool list showing tools used for the electronic conference, and 35 is an electronic list. The agenda of the conference, 36 is the chairman of the electronic conference, and 37 is the access mode of the electronic conference (mode indicating whether or not to allow a third party to participate in the conference in the middle).
[0031]
Such a template is used, for example, in a case where a participant or a tool used in a conference starts a fixed official conference every time, such as a regular conference, in order to eliminate the trouble of setting all items at the start of the conference. And stored in the disk 26 as the template database 10 as described above. The above-described template selecting unit 3 and template changing unit 4 operate so that the user can easily set the management information by referring to various information in such a template.
[0032]
The operation procedure of the terminal device of the electronic conference system according to the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described below with reference to FIGS.
First, the operation of the control unit 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0033]
As described above, the control unit 1 always waits for information input from the user, and performs appropriate processing in response to detection of any information input.
That is, first, when the control unit 1 is activated, an initialization procedure is performed in step S1 accordingly, and a user interface as illustrated in FIG. 8 is presented to the user.
[0034]
In FIG. 8, reference numerals 41 to 46 denote operation buttons for changing the state of the electronic conference. The user operates these operation buttons 41 to 46 using the pointing device 23 and the keyboard 24, and thereby the electronic conference is started. Various instructions such as start, end, and participation in the middle are performed. That is, the Formal button 41 and the Informal button 42 are buttons for instructing the start of a conference. Of these, the Formal button 41 is for instructing the start of an official conference, and the Informal button 42 is for instructing the start of an informal conference. Button.
[0035]
A Close button 43, a Drop button 44, and a Join button 45 are buttons for instructing a change in the state of the electronic conference currently being executed. Of these, the Close button 43 indicates the end of the electronic conference and the Drop button 44. Is a button for instructing withdrawal from the electronic conference, and a Join button 45 is for instructing to participate in the electronic conference halfway.
The Exit button 46 is a button for stopping the present system. A conference list display area 47 displays a list of electronic conferences currently being performed.
[0036]
Next, the control unit 1 determines whether or not information has been input from the user in step S2 in FIG. Here, when an input from the user (depression of any of the operation buttons 41 to 46) is detected, in step S3, it is determined whether or not the request by the input from the user is an electronic conference start request (the Formal button 41 or the Informal button). 42 is pressed). If the request from the user is an electronic conference start request, the process proceeds to step S6, and the mode selection unit 2 is activated.
[0037]
On the other hand, if the request from the user is not the electronic conference start request, in step S4, whether the request is a request to change the state of the electronic conference (whether the Close button 43, Drop button 44, or Join button 45 has been pressed). Judge. If the request from the user is a request to change the state of the electronic conference, the process proceeds to step S7, and the conference state changing unit 8 is activated.
[0038]
When the Close button 43 is pressed, the conference state changing unit 8 ends the electronic conference specified by the user from among the electronic conferences displayed in the conference list display area 47. When the Drop button 44 is pressed, the conference state changing unit 8 similarly leaves the electronic conference specified by the user halfway. Further, when the Join button 45 is pressed, the conference state changing unit 8 similarly joins the electronic conference specified by the user halfway.
[0039]
Further, if the request from the user is neither an electronic conference start request nor a request to change the state of the electronic conference, it is determined in step S5 whether the request is a system end request (whether the Exit button 46 is pressed). Judge). If the request from the user is a request to end the system, the control unit 1 ends the system in step S8. If the request from the user does not satisfy any of the above requests, the control unit 1 regards the input from the user as invalid and returns to the state of waiting for information input in step S2.
[0040]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the mode selection unit 2 started in step S6 described above. Hereinafter, the operation of the mode selection unit 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
In FIG. 5, the mode selection unit 2 first determines in step S9 whether the electronic conference start request from the user is an official conference start request or an informal conference start request.
[0041]
If the request from the user is a request to start an official conference (when the Formal button 41 is pressed), the process proceeds to step S10, and the template selection unit 3 is activated. If the request from the user is a request to start an informal conference (when the Informal button 42 is pressed), the user setting unit 5 and the tool setting unit 6 are activated in step S11.
[0042]
The contents of the processing performed in step S10 corresponding to the start request of the official conference and the processing of step S11 corresponding to the start request of the informal conference are described in the following. (Session name, user list, tool list, agenda, chairperson, access mode, etc.) necessary for the operation are stored in the work memory 9 in FIG.
[0043]
Then, when the processing in step S10 or step S11 is completed, the conference starting unit 7 is started in step S12. The conference starting unit 7 reads information necessary for starting the electronic conference from the work memory 9 and stores the read information (agenda, chairperson, list of tools used in the conference, list of participants, etc.) Give to everyone and request that all participants in the teleconference start the teleconference. Through such a procedure, an electronic conference of an official conference or an informal conference is started.
[0044]
In the example described above, a desired template is selected when starting an official meeting, but a template may be selected when starting an informal meeting. In this case, the management information required to start the informal meeting is smaller than the management information required to start the official meeting (only meeting participants and tools used in the meeting). The template used to get started can be simple.
[0045]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the template selection unit 3 started in step S10 described above. Hereinafter, the operation of the template selection unit 3 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
As described above, the template selecting section 3 provides a means for the user to select a desired template from the template list stored in the template database 10.
[0046]
6, first, the template selecting unit 3 presents the user with a user interface as illustrated in FIG. 9 by the initialization procedure of step S13.
Reference numeral 51 in FIG. 9 denotes a template list display area for displaying a template list. The user can select a desired template by performing, for example, a mouse click operation on the template list displayed in the template list display area 51.
[0047]
Reference numeral 52 denotes an area for displaying the name of the template selected by the user as described above, reference numeral 53 denotes an area for displaying template information (agenda, chairperson, access mode, tools used in the conference, etc.), and reference numeral 54 denotes an electronic conference. This is an area for displaying participants. An OK button 55 is pressed by the user when starting an electronic conference with the settings on the user interface, and a Cancel button 56 is pressed when the user cancels the instruction to start the electronic conference.
[0048]
Next, the template selection unit 3 extracts the template data from the template database 10 in step S14, and displays a list of template data in the template list display area 51. Then, in step S15, the process waits for an input from the user. When the input from the user is detected in step S15, the process proceeds to step S16, and it is determined whether or not the input from the user is a selection of a desired template on the template list display area 51.
[0049]
If the input from the user is to select a template, the process proceeds to step S18, where the name of the template selected by the user is displayed in the selected template name display area 52, and the agenda, chair, access mode, tool , And the information of the participants are displayed in the template information display area 53 and the participant display area 54. On the other hand, if the input from the user does not select the template, the process proceeds to step S17, and it is determined whether or not the input is the pressing of the Cancel button 56. If the input from the user is pressing the Cancel button 56, the process returns to the input waiting state of the control unit 1 in step S2 shown in FIG.
[0050]
After the template information is displayed in detail in step S18, it is determined in step S19 whether or not there is an input from the user for each item in the template information display area 53 and the participant display area 54. Then, when there is an input from the user to any of the items in the template information display area 53 or the participant display area 54 (for example, when changing the agenda or the chairperson), the template change unit 4 in step S20. Start
[0051]
The template change unit 4 includes a text information input unit (not shown) and a template data update unit. Then, the template data updating unit changes the content of the template data extracted from the template database 10 to the content input to each item in the template information display area 53 and the participant display area 54 by the text information input unit. As described above, in the present embodiment, by adding or deleting the members of the meeting and the tools used, which are the contents of the meeting template selected by the template selecting unit 3, information necessary for starting the meeting is required. Can be modified accordingly.
[0052]
Next, after correcting and confirming all the items to be changed by the user, if it is detected in step S21 that the OK button 55 has been pressed, in step S22, the information ( The information of each item set on the user interface of FIG. 9) is written into the work memory 9 and the processing of the template selecting unit 3 is terminated.
[0053]
When an official meeting is held, it is often unnecessary to change the information in the template information display area 53 and the participant display area 54. In such a case, the template data is changed in step S20. Instead, the OK button 55 may be pressed as it is. In this case, an official conference can be started only by selecting a desired template, and operations necessary for starting the conference can be simplified.
[0054]
Next, the operation of the user setting unit 5 and the tool setting unit 6 started in step S11 of FIG. 5 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
7, first, the user setting unit 5 and the tool setting unit 6 present a user interface as illustrated in FIG. 10 to the user through the initialization procedure in step S23.
[0055]
In FIG. 10, reference numeral 61 denotes an area for displaying a list of persons who can participate in the electronic conference, and reference numeral 62 denotes an area for displaying a list of tools usable in the electronic conference. The user can select a desired participant or tool by, for example, performing a mouse click operation on the list of participants or tools displayed in these display areas 61 and 62. Reference numeral 63 denotes an OK button which is pressed when the user starts the electronic conference with the settings on the user interface, and reference numeral 64 denotes a Cancel button which is pressed when the user cancels the instruction to start the electronic conference.
[0056]
Next, in step S24, the user setting unit 5 retrieves the names of persons who can participate in the electronic conference from the user database 11, and displays them in the participant list display area 61 of the user interface shown in FIG. In addition, the tool setting unit 6 extracts a tool usable in the electronic conference from the tool database 12 and displays the tool in the tool list display area 62 of the user interface shown in FIG.
[0057]
Then, in the next step S25, an input from the user is waited. When an input from the user is detected in this step S25, the process proceeds to step S26, where the input from the user is displayed on the participant list display area 61 and the tool list display area 62. It is determined whether or not the desired participant and tool have been selected.
[0058]
If the input from the user is to select a participant in the conference and a tool to be used in the conference, the process proceeds to step S28, and the information of the selected participant and the used tool is written in the work memory 9. On the other hand, if the input from the user does not select the participant and the tool to be used, the process proceeds to step S27, and it is determined whether or not the input is the pressing of the Cancel button 64. If the input from the user is the depression of the Cancel button 64, the process returns to the input waiting state of the control unit 1 in step S2 shown in FIG.
[0059]
After the minimum information necessary for starting the electronic conference is written in the work memory 9 in step S28 described above, it is detected in step S29 that the OK button 63 has been pressed, and the user setting unit 5 and the tool setting unit 6 The processing ends. Then, the process proceeds to step S12 in FIG.
[0060]
In this way, when starting an informal meeting, you can start the electronic meeting simply by specifying the participants of the meeting and the tools to be used in the meeting, and information such as other agenda, chairperson, access mode, etc. Need not be set. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the trouble for starting a conference.
[0061]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, a person who intends to start a meeting selects whether to start an official meeting or an informal meeting depending on the nature of the meeting to be started. Can be. If you choose to start an official meeting, you can start the meeting simply by specifying the meeting template, and if you choose to start an informal meeting, you The meeting can be started simply by specifying the tool to be used in.
[0062]
In addition, by setting information on the tools used in the electronic conference, it is possible to set a template with appropriate tools according to the type of electronic conference (reporting session, regular meeting, brainstorming, lecture, etc.). You can choose. In addition, by providing the information of the chairperson in the template, information of users who should play a special role among conference participants can be used by individual tools.
[0063]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the official conference can be started according to the management information set in advance in the conference template for the official conference selected by the template selecting means from the various conference templates stored in the template storage means. In addition, the setting means sets the tools used in the meeting when starting the informal meeting, and the meeting template for the official meeting has more management information than the management information set for the informal meeting. Is set, so that it is not necessary to set a lot of management information for the official meeting where the purpose of the meeting and the participants are fixed, and for the informal meeting, the setting of the management information can be reduced, so that the informal meeting The user's request to start as simple as possible can be answered.
[0064]
In addition, since a participant setting unit, a tool setting unit, and a mode selection unit are further provided, a person who intends to start an electronic conference can start an official conference or an informal conference depending on the nature of the conference to be started. If you choose to start an official meeting, you can start an electronic meeting just by selecting the desired meeting template, and if you choose to start an informal meeting, An electronic conference can be started simply by setting the participants of the conference and the tools used in the conference. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the trouble of the user when starting the conference.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating components of a terminal device of an electronic conference system according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a terminal device according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of contents of a template selected by a template selection unit.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a control unit.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a mode selection unit.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a template selection unit.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating operations of a user setting unit and a tool setting unit.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user interface presented to a user when a control unit is activated.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user interface presented to a user when a template selection unit is activated.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user interface presented to a user when a user setting unit and a tool setting unit are activated.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 control unit
2 Mode selection section
3 Template selection section
4 Template change section
5 User setting section
6 Tool setting section
7 Conference launcher
8 Conference status change section
9 Work memory
10 Template database
11 User database
12 Tool Database
21 CPU
22 Display
23 Pointing device
24 keyboard
25 memory
26 disks
27 Network I / O

Claims (3)

A terminal device of an electronic conference system for starting an electronic conference according to predetermined management information,
Template storage means for storing various conference templates in which the predetermined management information required for starting the electronic conference is set in advance;
Template selection means for selecting an arbitrary conference template from various conference templates stored in the template storage means for an official conference;
Setting means for setting at least participants and tools used in the electronic conference, out of the predetermined management information for an informal conference,
The terminal device of the electronic conference system, wherein more management information is set in the meeting template for the official meeting than management information set for the informal meeting. The terminal device according to claim 1,
A terminal device for an electronic conference system, wherein the conference template for the official conference includes the name of the electronic conference, participants, tools used in the conference, an agenda, a chairperson, and an access mode. The terminal device according to claim 1,
The setting means has a participant setting means for setting a participant of the electronic conference, and a tool setting means for setting a tool used in the electronic conference,
One of an official conference mode in which the predetermined management information is set using the template selection unit and an unofficial conference mode in which the predetermined management information is set using the participant setting unit and the tool setting unit are selected. A terminal device for an electronic conference system, further comprising mode selection means.

Images