JPH0591505A - Television conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to use a television telephone set so as to correspond to both of television conferences and visual telephone. CONSTITUTION:This television conference system is provided with a television conference device 1 for broadcast sending video and voice signals from an optional visual telephone set out of plural ones 21 to 2n to other visual telephone sets through switching means 3, 4 and sending the video and voice signals also to other device 11 through an exchange 8 and a television conference is constituted so that video and voice signals from a speaker out of attendants in a conference can be observed by all of other attendants based upon speaker's operation. In the case of functioning the system as a visual telephone set, bidirectional signal transmission can be attained based upon a request outputted from one visual telephone set 2 or 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video conference system using a video telephone.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A video conferencing system in which a video camera, a TV receiver, a microphone, and a speaker are basically used as means for transmitting and receiving video and audio of video conferencing participants and a video conferencing system in which video conferencing devices are connected by a transmission line Utilization is beginning to be used as a remote meeting system within a company because it has the advantage of eliminating time and space constraints.

A video conference system intended for use by a large number of people is concerned with the use of a large television receiver.
Generally, a dedicated video conference room is used. on the other hand,
In a videophone system for performing one-to-one communication on an individual basis, it is usual that a small-sized television receiver is used and the videophone and the encoding device are integrated.

[0004]

As described above, although the video conference system and the video telephone system have almost the same basic functions to be provided, they are different devices depending on the purpose of use. It is the current situation. Further, the video conference system has a drawback that all the conference participants must gather in the video conference room.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional video conference system and to provide a video conference system capable of supporting both video conference and video telephone.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention switches a plurality of video telephones, an encoding unit shared by the plurality of video telephones, and switching between input and output of video and audio signals. A video conferencing device having a switching control unit, a signal switching unit, and a line corresponding unit for exchanging signals with an exchange as a basic configuration and connected by an exchange, and a video of the conference participant according to a switching instruction from the conference participant. And a video conference function for transmitting an audio signal to all other video telephones, and means for switching to a video telephone for bidirectionally transmitting video and audio signals between a pair of the video telephones.

[0007]

The video and audio signals from an arbitrary videophone are broadcast to other videophones in the videoconference device, and are transmitted to the other videoconference device through the encoding unit, the line interface unit and the exchange. Broadcasting is sent to each videophone in the conference device so that the video and audio signals of the speaker can be viewed by all the other conference participants by the operation signal of the speaker of the conference during the videoconference. To Also,
In order to function as a videophone, one-to-one bidirectional signal transmission is performed in response to a request from one videophone.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] the video conference apparatus 1 is composed of a plurality of video phone 2 ₁ to 2n and the signal switching unit 3, 4 and the switching control unit 5 and the encoding unit 6 and the line interface 7. This video conference device 1 is connected to another video conference device 1 via the exchange 8.
Combined with 1.

The video conference apparatus 11 includes a plurality of video telephones 12 _{1 to} 12n, a signal switching unit 13, and a signal switching unit 13, as in the apparatus 1.
14, switching control unit 15, encoding unit 16, and line interface unit 1
It is composed of 7.

Video telephones 2 _{1 to} 2n, 12 _{1 to} 12n
Is, as represented by the videophones 2 ₁ and 2 ₂ , a video camera / microphone 2 that serves as an input means for video and audio.
₁₁ and 2 ₂₁ , television receivers / speakers 2 ₁₂ and 2 ₂₂ which are means for outputting video and audio, and consoles 2 ₁₃ and 2 ₂₃ are provided.

[0012] The signal switching unit 3 each television camera microphone 2 _11, 2 ₂₁ ... switch the video and audio signals from the take-out, the device internal video and audio signals from the signal switching unit 4 signal switching unit 3 or external The video and audio signals are taken out by switching and taken out as broadcast transmission signals to the TV receivers / speakers 2 ₁₂ , ₂₂₂ , ... Of the TV phones 2 _{1 to} 2 n inside the apparatus.

The switching control unit 5 receives switching request signals from the consoles 2 ₁₃ , 2 ₂₃ , ... Of the videophones 2 _{1 to} 2n,
The switching control of the signal switching unit 3 and the switching control of the signal switching unit 4 are performed according to this request signal, and further the signal switching unit 3 is performed in accordance with the switching request from the external video conference unit 11 side through the exchange 8 and the line corresponding units 7 and 17. , 4 and the switching request is transmitted to the external video conference apparatus 11 side.

The encoder 6 encodes the video and audio signals for transmission to the external video conference unit 11 and decodes the received signals of the externally encoded video and audio signals.

The functions of the components of the video conference apparatus 1 described above are also possessed by the respective units of the video conference apparatus 11.

The operation of this embodiment will be described in detail below.

First, the initial connection of the video conference devices 1 and 11 is performed in the same procedure as the connection in a normal voice telephone, and the conference procedure after being connected via the exchange 8 is as follows.

If a conference participant who is heading to the video telephone 2 ₁ wants to speak, he / she presses the video conference button on the console 2 ₁₃ . When the video conference button is pressed, the signal is sent to the switching control unit 5. Switch control unit 5 identifies that the signal from the videophone 2 _1, and instructs the switch switches to the signal switching unit 3 and the signal switching unit 4.
Furthermore, the switching control unit 5 instructs the signal switching unit 14 of the video conference device 11 to switch via the line handling unit 7, the exchange 8, the line handling unit 17, and the switching control unit 15. Figure 1
Shows this state.

When the respective switches of the signal switching units 3 and 14 and the signal switching unit 4 are set in such a state, a video / audio signal picked up or received by the TV camera / microphone 2 ₁₁ of the video telephone 2 _1. Is sent to the signal switching unit 4 and the encoding unit 6 via the switch 3 ₁ in the signal switching unit 3. The video / audio signals sent to the signal switching unit 4 are sent to all TV receivers / speakers in the video conference apparatus 1 via the switch 4 ₁ . Further, the video / audio signals sent to the encoding unit 6 are sent to the signal switching unit 14 via the line corresponding unit 7, the exchange 8, the line corresponding unit 17, and the encoding unit 16. The video / audio signals sent to the signal switching unit 14 are sent to all the TV receivers / speakers of the video conference apparatus 11 via the contacts 14 ₂ . As a result, the videophone 2 ₁
The video and audio signals of the conference participants who are heading toward are available for viewing by all conference participants.

Next, it is assumed that a conference participant who is heading to the video telephone 12n of the video conference device 11 wants to make a call. At this time, the video conference button on the console of the video telephone 12n is pressed. When the video conference button is pressed, the signal is sent to the switching control unit 15. The switching control unit 15 identifies that it is a signal from the videophone 12n, and switches the switch of the signal switching unit 13 to the contact 13n.
Also, the signal is switched to the switch contact 14 ₁ of the signal switching unit 14. Further, the switch of the signal switching unit 4 is switched to the contact 4 ₂ via the line corresponding unit 17, the exchange 8, the line corresponding unit 7, and the switching control unit 5. By doing so, the conference participant can view the video / audio signal of the conference participant who is heading to the videophone 12n.

As described above, a person who wants to make a call among the conference participants presses the video conference button on the operation console of the video telephone he is heading to make all conference participants his or her own. It is possible to send video and audio signals.

According to the present embodiment, it is possible to conduct a video conference by using a plurality of video telephones having small television sets which are widely dispersed in the office room, and a special conference room is available. Is unnecessary. Further, in each videophone, only one microphone is connected to each other by a line, and all other microphones are disconnected from the line. As a result, the occurrence of howling caused by the acoustic coupling between the microphone and the speaker can be suppressed to a low level.

Next, as an example of operation when using as a videophone for performing one-to-one communication on an individual basis, a connection between the videophone 21 of the videoconference device ₁ and the videophone 12n of the videoconference device 2 will be described. An example will be described in detail. The initial connection follows the same connection procedure as a normal voice call.

[0024] In the television telephone 2 ₁ side, the user presses the TV phone button of the console 2 _13. This signal is sent to the switching control unit 5
The switch of the signal switching unit 3 is switched to the contact 3 ₁ and the switch of the signal switching unit 4 is switched to the contact 4 ₂ via the. On the other hand, on the videophone 12n side, the videophone button on the console is pressed. This signal switches the switch of the signal switching unit 13 to the contact 13n and the switch of the signal switching unit 14 to the contact 14 ₂ via the switching control unit 15. In such a state, bidirectional communication of video and audio becomes possible, and it can be used as a videophone.

According to this embodiment, any one of a plurality of video telephones having small television receivers widely dispersed in an office or the like can be selected and used. The effect from the viewpoint of usage is great.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of video telephones having small television sets widely distributed in an office or the like, and an encoding shared by the plurality of video telephones are used. Unit, a switching control unit for switching between video and audio signals, a signal switching unit, and a video conferencing device composed of a line corresponding unit for exchanging signals with an exchange, thereby allowing a video conference system to be used by a large number of people. In addition, it is possible to selectively use both functions of the videophone system used for each individual.
It also has the effect of eliminating the need for a special video conference room.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 11 ... Video conferencing device, 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , 2n, 12 ₁ ,
12 ₂ , 12n ... telephone set, 2 ₁₁ , 2 ₂₁ ... television camera / microphone, 2 ₁₂ , 2 ₂₂ ... television receiver / speaker, 3, 13, 4, 14 ... signal switching section, 5, 15 ... switching control section , 6, 16 ... Encoding unit, 7, 17 ... Line corresponding unit, 8 ... Exchange.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of video telephones, an encoding unit shared by the plurality of video telephones, a switching control unit and a signal switching unit for switching between input and output of video and audio signals, and exchanging signals with an exchange. A video conferencing device that has a line-corresponding section as a basic configuration and is connected by a switch, and a video conferencing function that sends video and audio signals of the conference participant to all other video telephones in response to a switching instruction from the conference participant. And a means for switching to a video phone for bidirectionally transmitting video and audio signals between the pair of video phones.