JPH0775080A - Video conference terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To provide a video conference terminal in which the communication destination of a data terminal can be arbitrarily switched and set. [Constitution] In a terminal control unit 2 for controlling the operation of a video conference terminal, a data terminal A13 and a data terminal B14 are provided.
Each of the communication destinations is set by the user as desired. The serial communication setting unit 7 detects the setting information of the terminal control unit 2 and gives an instruction to the serial communication switching control unit 8 to control the data input / output of the data terminal A13. Settings,
The serial communication control unit B10, which controls the data input / output of the data terminal B14, is set by variously switching the setting of the communication destination of the data terminal B14. The communication destination of the data terminal is, for example, the system control unit 1 or another video conference terminal 16.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video conference terminal connected to each other via a digital telephone line network.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, ISDN (Integr
A video conferencing system for transmitting and receiving images and audio to and from each other via a line is being used.

A conventional television conference (hereinafter referred to as a video conference) terminal will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional video conference terminal. In the figure, 17B is a video conference terminal, 1
Is a system control unit that controls the overall operation, 2 is a terminal control unit that controls the operation of its own video conference terminal, and 3 is an ISD
ISDN interface for transmitting and receiving with N line 15, 4
ISDN controls the call to other video conference terminals 16.
A call control unit 5 that controls through the interface 3 includes multiplexing for simultaneously transmitting data such as video and audio on the line and multiplexing / multiplexing for separating the multiplexed data such as video and audio received from the line. A separation unit, 6 is a video / audio data control unit for controlling input / output of video data in the monitor device 11 and input / output of audio data in the handset 12, and 9 is serial communication between the data terminal A 13 and the system control unit 1. The serial communication control units A and 10 for controlling the data terminal B14 and the other video conference terminal 1
6 is a serial communication control unit B that controls serial communication with the communication device 6.

The mutual relationship and operation of the above components will be described below. First, the operation when performing serial communication between the data terminal A13 and the system control unit 1 will be described. When the system control unit 1 receives data from the data terminal A13, when serial data is transmitted, the serial communication control unit A9 detects that the data has been received by a reception interrupt or the like, and the received data indicates that the system control unit 1 has received the data. To complete the receive sequence. The received data is analyzed by the system controller 1. For example,
When the command for controlling the video conference terminal 17B is received, the analysis result is sent from the system control unit 1 to the terminal control unit 2, and the communication mode of the video conference terminal 17B is set. Further, when transmitting data from the system control unit 1 to the data terminal A13, for example, transmission data prepared in advance such as response data to a control command, the transmission data is transferred to the serial communication control unit A9, and a transmission interruption or the like is performed. Use serial communication controller A9
To the data terminal A13 as serial data and the transmission sequence ends.

Next, an operation when serial communication is performed between the data terminal B14 and another video conference terminal 16 will be described. When data is transmitted from the data terminal B14 to the other video conference terminal 16, the ISDN 15 is preliminarily communicated with the other video conference terminal 16 by using the call control unit 4 and the ISDN interface 3 in accordance with a call control procedure.
After the line is connected, the communication call is established, and the communication is started, the data terminal B14 changes the serial communication control unit B10.
To send serial data to. Serial communication control unit B1
0 transfers data to the multiplexer / separator 5, and the data is IS
It is sent to the ISDN line 15 via the DN interface 3 and is received by another video conference terminal 16 to end the transmission sequence.

The data terminal B14 is the other video conference terminal 16
In the case of receiving the data from the TV conference terminal 16, the serial data from the other video conference terminal 16 is transmitted from the multiplexing / separating unit 5 to the serial communication control unit B10 via the ISDN line 15 and the ISDN interface 3 after the communication is started as described above. To the data terminal B14.
The reception sequence ends by sending serial data to.

[0007]

In such a conventional video conference terminal, whether the data terminal of itself communicates with the video conference terminal of itself or the terminal of the other party is predetermined serial communication control. It is fixed depending on the setting of the part, and it is difficult to switch the setting of the serial communication control part depending on the purpose of use of the user. Therefore, there is a problem that the convenience is poor and the purpose of use of the serial communication control unit is limited when the video conference terminal performs serial communication. In addition, even when there are a plurality of serial communication control units, communication can be performed only with predetermined settings, and it is not possible to appropriately switch the communication means desired by the user. It was difficult to utilize it effectively.

The present invention solves the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a video conference terminal in which the communication partner of a data terminal can be appropriately switched and set.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention according to claim 1 provides an ISDN interface for connecting to an ISDN line, and from its own video conference terminal to another television. A call control unit for controlling a call to the conference terminal via the ISDN interface;
Multiplexing for multiplexing a plurality of data such as video and audio on the ISDN line for sending to other video conference terminals at the same time, and for separating video data and audio data from the multiplexed data received from the ISDN line. Demultiplexing / separating unit, a system control unit that controls the overall operation of the video conference system using a plurality of video conference terminals, a terminal control unit that controls the operation of the video conference terminal of its own, and each data terminal such as video and audio And one or more serial communication control units for controlling data input / output,
A serial communication setting unit that detects information of the terminal control unit and instructs the communication of each data terminal, and a serial communication switching control unit that switches the communication destination of the data terminal according to the instruction of the serial communication setting unit, A person can set a communication destination of each data terminal in the terminal control unit, and according to the setting information, the communication destination of each data terminal can be arbitrarily switched and set by the serial communication setting unit and the serial communication switching control unit. It is a video conference terminal that

[0010]

According to the present invention, in the above configuration, the user sets the communication destination of each data terminal in the terminal control unit, the serial communication setting unit detects the information of the terminal control unit, and instructs the serial communication switching control unit. , Switch the communication destination of each data terminal.

[0011]

EXAMPLE (Example 1) Hereinafter, claim 1 and claim 2
An embodiment of the video conference terminal according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this embodiment. The same components as those of the conventional example shown in FIG. 3 are assigned the same reference numerals and detailed explanations thereof will be omitted. In the figure, the present embodiment is different from the conventional example in that a serial communication setting unit 7 and a serial communication switching control unit 8 are provided. The serial communication setting unit 7 is means for detecting a terminal setting condition provided by the serial communication control unit 2, and the serial communication switching control unit 8 instructs the communication destination of its own data terminal to be the system of its own by the instruction of the serial communication setting unit 7. It is a means for switching to the control unit 1 or another video conference terminal 16. In the following description, the communication destination of the data terminal is set by the serial communication switching control unit 8 to the corresponding serial communication control unit.

The mutual relationship and operation of the above components will be described. First, the operation of switching the communication destination of the data terminal A13 from the system control unit 1 to another video conference terminal 16 will be described. In the terminal control unit 2, when the user changes the communication setting of the data terminal A13, the serial communication setting unit 7 detects the set information and notifies the serial communication switching control unit 8 of it. Serial communication switching control unit 8
Switches the setting of the serial communication control unit A9 to the communication between the data terminal A13 and the other video conference terminal 16, and sets the setting of the serial communication control unit B10 to the data terminal B1.
4 and communication with the system control unit 1. By this switching, the serial communication control unit A9 causes the data terminal A
The data received from 13 is not sent to the system control unit 1,
Transferred to the multiplexing / separation unit 5, ISDN interface 3
A transmission sequence to another video conference terminal 16 is carried out by sending out to the ISDN line 15 via
Data received from another video conference terminal 16 is transmitted from the multiplexing / separating unit 5 to the serial communication control unit A9 and then to the data terminal A.
Send to 13.

Next, the operation of switching the communication destination of the data terminal A13 from another video conference terminal 16 to the system control unit 1 will be described. In the terminal control unit 2, when the user changes the communication setting of the data terminal A13, the serial communication setting unit 7 detects the set information and notifies the serial communication switching control unit 8 of the detected information. The serial communication switching control unit 8 sets the settings of the serial communication control unit A9 to the data terminal A1.
3 and the communication between the system control unit 1 and the setting of the serial communication control unit B10 to the data terminal B1.
4 and the other video conference terminal 16 are switched to communication. By this switching, the serial communication control unit A9 transfers the data received from the data terminal A13 to the system control unit 1. The data received by the system control unit 1 is analyzed and the like. For example, when a command for controlling the video conference terminal 17A is received, the analysis result is sent from the system control unit 1 to the terminal control unit 2, and the video conference terminal 1
7A communication mode setting and the like are performed. When data is transmitted from the system control unit 1 to the data terminal A13, the system control unit 1 sends the setting result such as the communication mode to the serial communication control unit A9 and then to the data terminal A13.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the serial communication setting unit that detects the information for determining the communication destination of the data terminal in the terminal control unit and instructs the setting of the communication destination, and the communication of the data terminal according to the instruction. By including the serial communication switching control unit 8 that switches and sets the destination to the corresponding serial communication control unit 7, the user can set the communication destination of the data terminal in the terminal control unit 2, and the number of the two data terminals can be increased. If, it is possible to automatically change the other by simply changing the setting of one.

(Embodiment 2) An embodiment of the video conference terminal of the present invention according to claims 1 and 3 will be described below with reference to the drawings. The block diagram of the entire configuration is the same as that of FIG. This embodiment is the first embodiment.
The difference from is in the configuration of the serial communication switching control unit 8.

In the first embodiment, the communication destination of the data terminal in the serial communication control unit A9 and the serial communication control unit B1.
0 is an example in which the communication destination of the data terminal B in 0 is switched alternately between the system control unit and another video conference terminal,
By changing one communication destination, the other communication destination automatically changes,
Each communication destination was not a means to switch independently. However, in reality, it may be desired to arbitrarily and independently set the communication destination of each data terminal. The present embodiment addresses this requirement.

FIG. 2 is a principal block diagram showing the configuration of the serial communication switching controller 8 in this embodiment. Figure 2
As shown in a, the serial communication changeover control unit 8 includes a changeover switch 8A.
Includes a changeover switch corresponding to each of the plurality of data terminals. For example, as shown in FIG. 2b, a switch for setting the communication destination in the serial communication control unit corresponding to the data terminal A is provided, and the communication destination is set. System control unit, data terminal in other video conference terminals, ...
To switch to. By providing such a switch corresponding to each serial communication control unit and operating those switches on the serial communication setting unit 7, the communication destination of each data terminal can be arbitrarily and independently set.

As described above, according to the video conference terminal of this embodiment, a switch for arbitrarily switching the communication destination of each data terminal in the serial communication control unit is provided, and the setting is made by the setting of the terminal control unit. , The communication destination of the data terminal can be arbitrarily set independently.

[0019]

As is apparent from the above embodiments, the present invention allows an ISDN interface for connecting to an ISDN line and a call from its own video conference terminal to another video conference terminal via the ISDN interface. And a call control unit for controlling multiplex data such as video and audio on the ISDN line at the same time for sending to other video conference terminals, and video data from the multiplexed data received from the ISDN line. And a demultiplexing unit that separates audio data and the like, a system control unit that controls the overall operation of the video conference system using a plurality of video conference terminals, a terminal control unit that controls the operation of the video conference terminal of its own, One or more serial communication control units provided for each data terminal such as video and audio and controlling input / output of data; Serial communication setting unit detects the information of the serial terminal control section instructs the communication of the respective data terminal,
A serial communication switching control unit for switching the communication destination of the data terminal according to an instruction from the serial communication setting unit,
The user sets the communication destination of each data terminal in the terminal control unit, and the communication destination of each data terminal can be arbitrarily switched and set by the serial communication setting unit and the serial communication switching control unit according to the setting information. By doing so, the communication destination of the data terminal can be appropriately switched and set according to the user's request, and various data necessary for the video conference can be effectively used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a video conference terminal of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a principal block diagram showing the configuration of a serial communication switching control unit in the second embodiment of the video conference terminal of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional video conference terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 System Control Unit 2 Terminal Control Unit 3 ISDN Interface 4 Call Control Unit 5 Multiplexing / Demultiplexing Unit 7 Serial Communication Setting Unit 8 Serial Communication Switching Control Unit 9 Serial Communication Control Unit A (Serial Communication Control Unit) 10 Serial Communication Control Unit B (Serial communication control unit) 13 Data terminal A (Data terminal) 14 Data terminal B (Data terminal) 15 ISDN line 16 Other video conference terminal

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An ISDN for connecting to an ISDN line
An interface, a call control unit for controlling a call from its own video conference terminal to another video conference terminal via the ISDN interface, and a plurality of data such as video and audio on the ISDN line at the same time for another video conference. Multiplexing / demultiplexing unit for multiplexing for transmission to a terminal, and for separating video data and audio data from the multiplexed data received from the ISDN line, and overall operation of a video conference system with a plurality of video conference terminals System control unit for controlling the video conferencing terminal, a terminal control unit for controlling the operation of the video conference terminal of itself, and one or more serial communication control units provided for each data terminal such as video and audio and controlling the input / output of data. A serial communication setting unit that detects information of the terminal control unit and instructs communication of each of the data terminals; A serial communication switching control unit that switches the communication destination of the data terminal according to an instruction from the communication setting unit, and the user sets the communication destination of each data terminal in the terminal control unit, and the serial communication setting unit according to the setting information. A video conference terminal in which the communication destination of each data terminal can be arbitrarily switched and set by the serial communication switching control section. 2. A serial communication control unit corresponding to two data terminals is provided, and the communication destination of one data terminal is set to its own system control unit and the communication destination of the other data terminal is set by setting of the terminal control unit. The video conference terminal according to claim 1, wherein the communication destination is alternately switched to another TV terminal. 3. An apparatus comprising two or more serial communication control units corresponding to two or more data terminals, wherein the communication destination of each data terminal is independently and arbitrarily switched by setting of the terminal control unit. The video conference terminal according to item 1.