JPH09294166A - Video conferencing device and multipoint video conferencing system using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) 【Abstract】 PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a multipoint video conference with an unlimited number of participating terminals only by connecting video conference terminals to a network. SOLUTION: This is a video conferencing device that constitutes a multipoint video conferencing system in which at least three video conferencing devices are connected via a communication network, and is connected to the communication network by two digital lines capable of bidirectional communication. A data interface unit for controlling input / output of data signals, an external interface for connecting image / audio signal input / output devices, a signal processing unit for processing input / output signals, and two line control units, A switch unit that controls switching between a signal transmitted and received from two digital lines via two line control units and a signal input from an input device via a signal processing unit and a signal output to an output device, and controls each unit And a control unit for controlling.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention utilizes an integrated service digital communication network (hereinafter referred to as ISDN) to provide voice,
The present invention relates to a multimedia communication system for transmitting and receiving images and data in real time, and more particularly to a multipoint video conference system for simultaneously communicating with a plurality of multimedia terminals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a video conference system as one of multimedia communication systems for communicating voice, image and data in real time using ISDN. An ordinary video conference system has a configuration in which video conference devices installed at two different points are connected one-to-one to hold a conference. As a video conference device, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-207452 (U
SP5, 477, 546) and the like.

In order to perform conference communication at three or more points using such a video conference device, a multi-point video conference control device (hereinafter referred to as MCU: Multipoint Communica) is used.
It is necessary to separately provide an option control unit) and connect a plurality of video conference terminals participating in the conference to this MCU. The MCU normally has connection ports 4, 8, 12, 1
There are about six, and the same number of line control units are provided, and it is possible to connect a video conference device with the number of ports as the upper limit.
Therefore, for example, in order to hold a large-scale conference at 50 points and 100 points, an MCU having 50 or 100 line control units is required, and the scale of hardware becomes large.

As a multi-point video conference without using an MCU, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-22322 (USP 5,
402, 418), two information channels of the ISDN line are connected to different video conference terminals to form a loop network between the plurality of video conference terminals participating in the conference, and the plurality of video conference terminals are connected. There is also a system in which the image and audio data are circulated in a loop.
This system is a system premised on a video conference with four to five devices, and one screen is divided into four regions, and images of members participating in the conference are displayed on each of the divided small screens. Such image transmission is realized by dividing the data storage area for one image frame that circulates on the loop network into four, and writing the image data in the area assigned to each terminal. From the received image frame, the terminal deletes the image of one cycle before, which is in the area allocated to the terminal itself, inserts a new image captured by the terminal itself, and sends it out on the loop.

[0005]

In the configuration using the MCU, for example, when a large-scale conference at 50 points or 100 points is to be held, the MCU having 50 or 100 line control units is used. Becomes necessary and the scale of hardware becomes large.

Further, in a multipoint video conference in which a network is formed in a loop, each terminal shares an image frame for one screen, and the image frame for one screen that circulates on the loop is divided so that each terminal can Since it is configured to delete and insert the image of its own terminal, it is suitable for a video conference of 4 to 5 units, but a conference with an arbitrary number of terminals exceeding that, 50
It was not designed for large-scale meetings of 100 or 100 machines.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a multipoint video conference system having a flexible structure in which the number of participating terminals is unlimited without using an MCU and a television for realizing the same. To provide a conference device.

Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a video conference device suitable for performing video conference communication between any number of terminals by simply connecting a plurality of video conference devices to a network, and those video conference devices. It is to provide a multipoint video conference system configured by a network and a connection method between video conference devices.

Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a video conference apparatus for controlling display suitable for conference communication and transmission / reception of data between video conference terminals during a conference operation, a connection method between the video conference apparatuses, and multipoint. To provide a video conference system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a video conference device and a video conference system suitable for transmitting broadcast data to a large number of video conference devices participating in a video conference.

Another object of the present invention is to broadcast the image, voice, and data of the speaker terminal among the terminals participating in the conference to other participating terminals, and the speaker's terminal transmits the voice of any participating terminal. An object is to provide a video conference device and a video conference system capable of selecting and displaying images and data.

Further, an object of the present invention is to control switching of transmission / reception data by a chair terminal as a chair terminal,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a video conference device and a video conference system which are controlled by mutually controlling terminals participating in a conference.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a connecting device for connecting a plurality of independent multipoint video conference systems and a multipoint video conference system expandable by the connecting device.

[0014]

In order to solve the above problems, a multipoint conferencing apparatus of the present invention is a television which constitutes a multipoint conferencing system in which at least three video conferencing apparatuses are connected via a communication network. A conferencing device, which is connected to a communication network with a first digital line and a second digital line capable of two-way communication, has a camera for inputting an image, a monitor for displaying an image, a microphone for inputting voice, and a voice for inputting a voice. A data interface unit for connecting an external input / output device such as a speaker to control data input / output; a signal processing unit for processing a signal input from the input device and a signal output from the output device; Two line control units for controlling communication of the second digital lines, and signals and signals transmitted and received from the first and second digital lines via the two line control units. The switch unit includes a switch unit that controls switching of a signal input from the input device through the processing unit and a signal output to the output device, and a control unit that controls each unit. The switch unit includes the first digital line. It is configured so that the received signal is relayed to the second digital line or the signal input from the input device is sent out from the first and second digital lines.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The following points are listed as basic functions that the system should have when conducting conference communication using image / audio data at three or more multipoints.

(1) Broadcasting of image and voice data is possible to all terminals participating in the conference.

(2) The broadcast data is the speaker data.

(3) When the speaker is switched, the broadcast data is also switched.

Particularly, when the number of terminals participating in the conference increases, only a part of the terminals actively participates in the conference, and most of the participating terminals mainly watch the video of the speaker. In such cases, the above (1) to (3)
Meeting communication is sufficient for meeting communication. In the following embodiments, a multipoint conference terminal having these functions and realizing a videoconferencing system at an arbitrary number of points with a low cost and compact configuration, and a multipoint video conference system using the same Will be described.

First, the configuration of the multipoint video conference system of the present invention and the multipoint conference apparatus constituting the system will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a multipoint video conference system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the multipoint conference apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 1, the multipoint video conference system of the present invention comprises two line control units and is configured by a multipoint conference apparatus that also functions as a video conference terminal. MCU is not used. As the communication line, a public line service integrated digital communication network (hereinafter referred to as ISDN) is used. FIG. 1 shows four multipoint conference devices 10, 20, and 3.
It is a system block diagram at the time of holding a conference at 0 and 40. Here, for simplification of description, the case where the system is configured with four units is described as an example, but in the present invention, there is no upper limit to the number of terminals that can be connected, and the following description will be made with 50 units.
It can also be applied to the case where conference communication is performed with 0 terminals.

In FIG. 1, the multipoint conferencing apparatus 10 connects the ISDN line on the side of the line controller 26b to the side of the line controller 26a of the multipoint conferencing apparatus 20, and the multipoint conference apparatus 20 has the ISDN on the side of the line controller 26b. Multipoint conference device 30
The multipoint conferencing device 30 connects the ISDN line of the line control unit 26b to the line control unit 26a of the multipoint conferencing device 40, and connects all terminals participating in the conference. To do.

Then, the multipoint conferencing apparatus uses one ISDN
Broadcast data sent from the line (voice of the speaker,
The image data and the like) are received and displayed on the monitor, and are sent to the next terminal through the other ISDN line under the control of the switch unit 27. By repeating this, the broadcast data is transmitted to all terminals participating in the conference.

The configuration of each multipoint conference device is as shown in FIG. The ISDN line is shown by one solid line in FIG. 1, but since the ISDN line has a bidirectional channel, one ISDN line is shown by two lines of up and down in FIG. . The multipoint conference device has a line interface terminal 28 for two ISDN lines.
a, 28b, line control units 26a, 26 for controlling communication
b, a switch unit 27 for controlling switching between data transmitted / received via two ISDN lines and input / output of the signal demultiplexing unit 24, and a signal demultiplexing unit 24 for demultiplexing each signal of audio / image / data. An audio codec section 21 for encoding / decoding an audio signal, an image codec section 22 for encoding / decoding an image signal, a data interface section 23 for controlling input / output of a data signal, an external input / output terminal 36 of the data interface section, a power supply section. 29, a microprocessor unit 25 that controls each unit and the device, and a keypad 35 that externally designates control of the microprocessor unit. A microphone 31 that inputs voice, a speaker 32 that outputs voice, and a camera 33 that inputs an image. , And functions as a video conference terminal by connecting to each peripheral device of the monitor 34 that outputs and displays images. To achieve.

Next, the operation of the system will be described.

First, the connection operation between terminals will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram when forming a network of the multipoint video conference system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining an automatic incoming call and an automatic outgoing call operation to the next terminal.

In FIG. 3, the multipoint conferencing apparatuses 10, 20, 30, and 40 shown in FIG. 1 are shown as terminal A, terminal B, terminal C, and terminal D, respectively. Here, the case is shown in which transmission is performed from the terminal A. The calling operation from the terminal A may be performed manually, but the case where the terminal A is the chair terminal and has a list in which the telephone numbers of the terminals participating in the conference are registered and the call is automatically made based on the list will be described as an example. .

First, the terminal A dials the telephone number to which the line controller 26a of the terminal B subscribes according to the list and starts communication. Communication control is performed using the D channel of the ISDN basic interface. After setting up a call, the B channel is connected. The incoming operation of the terminal B is automatically performed, and the terminal B confirms in the microprocessor unit 25 whether or not the call setting signal received via the D channel is a number registered in advance in the memory, and If it is a registered number, the incoming call is made. The purpose of confirming the telephone number is to reject incoming calls from unrelated terminals and to reliably configure the system.

When the terminals A and B are connected, the terminal B automatically makes a call to the terminal C from the other line control unit 26b and starts the connection with the terminal C. Where terminal B
, The telephone number of the terminal C is registered in advance, or a list of the telephone numbers of the terminals participating in the conference is transmitted from the terminal A via the D channel, and the next terminal C is transmitted based on the list. Similarly to the operation of terminal B, terminal C also confirms that the call originated from terminal B, and then automatically receives the call.
And B channel. Further, the terminal C similarly makes a call automatically to the terminal D from the other line control section side, and the terminal D also makes an automatic call reception.

Voice / image data to be broadcast between the terminals is transmitted / received via the B channel between the terminals thus connected.

FIG. 4 shows the connection sequence between the terminals A and B in more detail. First, the terminal A transmits a call setting signal to the terminal B via the D channel in order to start the broadcast communication. The terminal B side receives the partner number in the D channel signal and confirms whether the number is the number information registered in the memory in the terminal B. If the other party's number is a registered number, B for transmitting voice / image data
Operates to connect channels. There are two B channels, and call connection is performed for each B channel. If the other party's number is not registered, the B channel is not connected, and the call is released to perform communication connection.

When one line is connected to another terminal, the terminal B connects the other line based on the list registered under the control of the microprocessor unit or the list received via the D channel. The telephone number of the terminal to be used is automatically called, and the other line is similarly connected to the terminal C. When the B channel connection with the terminal C is completed, the received data from the terminal A is transferred to the terminal C as it is. That is,
The switch unit 27 operates so that the received signal of the line control unit 26a in FIG. 2 is branched and transferred from the line control unit 26b to the terminal C side.

This system uses a general-purpose ISD for the communication line.
Since N lines are used, it is possible to freely set up a base wherever ISDN lines are laid. Further, the calling order based on the list in which the telephone numbers of the terminals participating in the conference are registered can reduce the running cost if the telephone number plan is made so that the points that are close to each other are connected to each other.

Next, the operation of the system thus connected during the conference operation will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, the transmission and reception of image data will be described as an example, but voice and data can be similarly transmitted and received.

First, the transition of the display screen of each terminal will be described.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining screen transitions due to speaker switching during conference operation.

In the first state shown in the upper part of FIG.
Is the speaker terminal. The terminals other than the speaker display the image of the speaker. The speaker displays the image of any terminal. The transmitting and receiving directions of the image signal between the terminals at this time are as follows.

The speaker terminal B sends out the image picked up by the camera from the upstream channels of both the two line interface terminals 28a and 28b. This is the broadcast data transmitted to each terminal participating in the conference. The image output from the line interface terminal 28a of the terminal B is sent to the terminal A which is the connection destination of the line, and the terminal A displays the image of the speaker B on the monitor. On the other hand, the line interface terminal 28 of the terminal B
The image sent from b is sent to the terminal C, which displays it on the monitor and relays it from the line interface terminal 28b of the terminal C to the terminal D. The terminal D displays the image of the speaker B sent via the terminal C on the monitor. The speaker image is transmitted to all the terminals participating in the conference as described above.

While the self-portrait is broadcast to all terminals as described above, this system allows the speaker to monitor the image captured by any terminal participating in the conference. In the first state of FIG. 5, an example in which the speaker monitors the image captured by the camera of the terminal D is shown. The terminal D is a line interface terminal 28 that does not use the image captured by the camera for transmitting and receiving the speaker image.
It is sent from a and sent to the terminal C which is the connection destination of 28a. The terminal C branches the image sent from the terminal D as it is to the line interface terminal 28a and sends it to the terminal B. The speaker B, the speaker, thus monitors the image of the terminal D.

The modes such as the through 3 and the speaker 2 described in the switch mode column of FIG. 5 correspond to the switch modes described in the description of the switch configuration and operation described later.

The second state of FIG. 5 is a state after the terminal D requests the chairman terminal A to speak, the chairman terminal permits the speech of the terminal D, and switches the input / output of the image of each terminal. is there.

The flow of the image signal in the second state will be described. The speaker terminal D sends out the image captured by the camera from the upstream channels of both the two line interface terminals 28a and 28b. Line interface terminal 28 of terminal D
The image output from a is sent to the terminal C, which is the connection destination of the line, and the terminal C displays the image of the speaker D on the monitor and transmits it from the line interface terminal 28a to the terminal B. Similarly, the terminal B displays the image of the speaker terminal D and sends the image to the terminal A. The image of the speaker terminal D is broadcast to all terminals participating in the conference as described above.

On the other hand, the terminal A, which is the monitoring terminal of the speaker terminal D, sends out the image picked up by the camera from the line interface terminal 28b which is not used for transmitting and receiving the speaker image, and the terminal B to which 28b is connected. Send to. Terminal B
Sends the image sent from the terminal A to the line interface terminal 28b as it is and sends it to the terminal C. Similarly, the terminal C relays and transmits the image of the terminal A to the terminal D. The terminal D, which is the speaker, thus receives and displays the image of the terminal A.

When the speaker terminal D wants to switch the displayed image from the terminal A to, for example, the terminal B, the speaker terminal D notifies the chairman terminal A of that fact. In response to this, the chairman terminal A receives terminal B
Each terminal is instructed to switch so that the image of is displayed on the terminal D. At this time, the switch mode of each terminal is through 4 for terminal A, through 5 for terminal B, through 6 for terminal C, and speaker 3 for terminal D.

At this time, the request for speech and the switching of transmission / reception of the image signal in accordance with the designation of the monitoring terminal are performed by each terminal in accordance with the control signal sent from the chair terminal.
This is done by switching 7. Alternatively, it is possible to switch the switch unit 27 by transmitting / receiving a D channel signal between the terminals without determining the chair terminal.

Next, the structure and operation of the switch unit 27 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the structure of the switch section.

FIG. 7 is an operation table of the switch section.

The switch section 27 of the multipoint conference apparatus is realized by, for example, three switches (A), (B), and (C) as shown in FIG. By switching these switches, one of the images received from the line interface terminals 28a and 28b is selected and displayed on the monitor via the signal demultiplexing unit and the image codec, and the image received from one line is displayed on the other side. Output from the line interface terminal of. Further, the image taken by the camera of the terminal itself is sent from both or either of the line interface terminals 28a and 28b.

FIG. 7 summarizes the operation of the switch in each mode of the terminal and the state of the terminal at that time.
In FIG. 7, the operation of each switch in FIG. 6 is indicated by a white circle when it is turned on, a black circle when it is turned on, and a hyphen when it is turned off.

First, the switch operation of the speaker terminal will be described.

Upon receipt of the speaking permission notification from the chairman terminal, the speaker terminal sets the switch to the speaker mode 1, 2 or 3. The difference between the speaker modes 1, 2, and 3 is that the other terminals to be monitored are connected.
The terminal you want to monitor is the line interface terminal 2
The speaker mode 3 is the terminal on the side of 8a, the speaker mode 2 is the terminal on the side of 28b, and the speaker mode 1 is the case where a self-portrait is displayed without monitoring other terminals. In the speaker mode 1, the switch (A) is on at the upper side, the switch (B) is off, and the switch (C) is on at the lower side, and the image is sent from both the line interface terminals 28a and 28b. Switch (A) and switch (C)
Is in this state, and the switch (B) is turned on upward, the speaker mode 2 is set. In the speaker mode 2, the image of the terminal sent from the line interface circuit b side is displayed on the monitor via the signal demultiplexing unit and the like. When the switch (B) is turned on from the lower side, the speaker mode 3 is set. In the speaker mode 3, the image of the terminal sent from the line interface circuit a side is displayed on the monitor.

Next, the switch operation of terminals other than the speaker will be described.

The terminals other than the speaker are set to any of the six through modes, through 1 to 6 as shown in the table. Through mode 1 to 3 are line interface terminals 2
In this mode, the image of the speaker received from the 8a side is relayed to the 28b side and displayed on the monitor. Among them, in the through mode 1, the switch (A) is turned off, the switch (B) is turned on downward, and the switch (C) is turned on upward, and the speaker image is simply relayed from the line interface terminal 28a side to 28b side. This mode is only for transmitting and displaying the speaker image on the monitor. On the other hand, the through mode 2 is the mode of the terminal to be monitored, the switch (A) is on at the upper side, and the line interface terminal 2
The image of its own terminal is transmitted from the 8a side. Through mode 3
Is a mode in which both the speaker image and the monitoring image are relay-transmitted, the switch (A) is turned on downward, the speaker image is relay-transmitted from the line interface terminal 28a side to the 28b side, and the monitoring image is the line interface terminal. Relay from 28b side to 28a side as it is. The speaker image is displayed on the monitor via the signal demultiplexing unit or the like.

The through modes 4 to 6 are the through modes 1 to
3 and the line interface terminals 28a and 28b are reversed.

The above switch operation is performed based on an instruction from the chair terminal. Next, regarding the control of switch change,
This will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. 8 is a control sequence diagram of the speaker terminal setting operation.

FIG. 9 is a control sequence diagram of the setting operation of terminals other than the speaker.

First, the setting of the speaker terminal will be described.

When a conference participant of a certain terminal presses the speech request button on the keypad, the microprocessor analyzes the instruction and instructs the line control unit to transmit a speech request to the chair terminal through the D channel.

The chairman terminal, which has received the request to speak from the terminal,
Considering the presence of the current utterance terminal and other utterance requesting terminals, utterance permission / non-permission is determined, and a utterance permission notice is transmitted to the terminal that permitted the utterance via the D channel. The terminal analyzes this utterance permission notification by the microprocessor, and switches the switch unit based on the content to set the switch to the speaker mode.

Next, setting of terminals other than the speaker will be described with reference to FIG.

The chairman terminal determines the speaker and sends a talk permission notification signal to the speaker terminal, and then transmits a signal for notifying the through mode to the other terminals by using the D channel. Each terminal analyzes this notification by the microprocessor, and the microprocessor sets the switch unit of each terminal to the designated through mode. The switch broadcasts the speaker image sent from the speaker terminal,
Further, the image of the terminal for which the speaker has requested the monitoring is set to be relay-transmitted to the speaker terminal.

The control explained in the sequence above is shown by a flow.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a control flow during conference operation.

From the right, the flows of the speaker terminal, the chairperson terminal, and the other terminals are shown, including the mutual interaction.

When the terminal requesting to speak sends a request to speak on the D channel to the chairman (S1000), the chairman terminal receives the signal on the D channel (S1001) and considers the possibility of contact with other speakers. The speaker is selected using the keypad (S1002). The speaker selects by pressing, for example, the number 03 or the like corresponding to the terminal after #. Thus
The terminal corresponding to 03 is selected as the speaker terminal (S10
03), the message permission notification is transmitted to the speaker through the D channel (S1004). The speaker receives this D channel signal (S1005) and sets the switch unit according to the contents notified by the chair (S1006). Further, the chairman terminal transmits a signal notifying the through mode to terminals other than the speaker through the D channel (S1007). The other terminals receive the signal from the chairman terminal (S1008) and set the switch unit based on the notification content (S1009).

Regarding the function of allowing the speaker terminal to monitor the image of an arbitrary terminal, if the terminal to be monitored is specified together with the request for speech, monitoring is performed from the chairman terminal at the time of notification in step 1004 and step 1007. In consideration of the above, the switch designation is sent to each terminal, and each terminal can set the switch in step 1006 and step 1009 based on this and can also set the relay transmission of the monitoring image.

When the monitoring terminal is not designated at the time of requesting a utterance and only the transmission path of the image of the speaker's terminal is first set, or when the monitoring terminal is changed in the middle, the chairman terminal operates according to the instruction from the speaker. To the terminal via the D channel again, and each terminal sets the switch unit accordingly.

In the above embodiment, the data communication is 2
The case where both B channels are used has been described as an example, but since the B channel is bidirectional, 1B communication may be used. The line control unit 26a of the multipoint conference apparatus 20
26b and the microprocessor unit 25 also have a communication control means for 1B communication, and can realize 1B communication by compressing audio and image signals within a band of 1B, that is, 64 kbps. By performing 1B communication, the number of lines is one, and the same operation as in the above-described embodiment is possible. It should be noted that by setting subaddresses for telephone numbers, the B channel can be used properly, and a lower cost multipoint broadcasting system can be realized.

In the above embodiment, the case where the system is configured by the multipoint conference apparatus having two line control units and also having a function as a video conference terminal has been described.

When utilizing the fact that there are two line control units and the function of relaying the image received from one to the other,
A multipoint video conference system composed of a plurality of conventional video conference devices can be connected to each other to expand the system scale. At this time, the multipoint conferencing apparatus does not necessarily have to have a function as a terminal, and thus may have a simple configuration as shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a multipoint video conference system connection device which has the terminal function deleted and is equipped with a communication control function and a data branch transfer function. The multipoint video conference system connection device 110 includes the line control units 26a and 26b described above, the signal processing unit 111 that processes signals relayed between terminals, the microprocessor unit 25 that controls these units, and the power supply unit. Consists of I
The SDN 1 is connected by the line interface terminals 28a and 28b. This multipoint video conference system connection device 11
FIG. 12 shows the configuration of a system for connecting two multipoint video conference systems using 0.

The video conference terminals 121 to 124 and the video conference terminals 131 to 134 are conventional video conference terminals. Multipoint video conference system 120, 1 respectively
It constitutes 30 two-point video conference systems. These multipoint video conference systems may be those using an MCU or a system in which information channels of ISDN lines are connected in a loop. Here, the ISDN2 line of the multipoint video conference system connection device 110 described in the above description is connected to each multipoint video conference system. Multipoint video conference system 120, 130 is MCU
In the case of the above configuration, the ISDN line is connected to the vacant port of each MCU. In the case of a ring-shaped multipoint video conference system, each ISDN line is connected so as to be a part of the ring of the video conference systems 120 and 130. Multipoint video conference system 120, 1
Seen from 30, the multipoint video conference system connection device 1
Each of the 10 line control units 26a and 26b is connected as one participating terminal. That is, the multipoint videoconference system 120 is composed of the videoconference terminals 121 to 124 and the line control unit 26a of the multipoint conferencing system connection device 110, which is a total of five terminals. Similarly, the multipoint videoconference system 130 is a videoconference terminal. 131-134, and the line control unit 26b of the multipoint conference system connection device 110 operate so as to have a total of five terminals.

Here, assuming that the video conference terminal 121 is the speaker, the voice / voice transmitted from the video conference terminal 121
It is assumed that the image signal is transmitted to the video conference terminals 122 to 124. This image shows the ISD on the line controller 26a side.
Multipoint video conference system connection device 11 via N line
Also transmitted to 0. The multipoint video conference system connection device 110 relays this image and I on the line control unit 26b side.
It is sent from the SDN line to the multipoint video conference system 130 side. The sent image is a multipoint video conference system 1
30 are transferred to each of the four terminals.

As a result, two systems, which are originally capable of multipoint connection at 5 points, are connected to each other to enable broadcast communication at 8 points.

Furthermore, by using a plurality of multipoint videoconference system connection devices 110 of the present invention, three or more multipoint videoconference systems can be connected to perform broadcast communication at 11 or more points.

If the multipoint conferencing apparatus having the videoconference terminal function described above is applied in place of the multipoint conferencing system connection apparatus 110 described here, a multipoint broadcasting system with one more point is provided. Can be configured.

[0083]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION When a multipoint video conference system is configured with the multipoint conference apparatus of the present invention, multipoint broadcast communication at an arbitrary number of points from a small scale to a large scale can be performed at low cost without using an MCU. Can be realized compactly.

If the existing multipoint video conference systems are connected to each other, the system can be realized at a lower cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a multipoint video conference system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multipoint conference apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram when a network is formed in the multipoint video conference system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating an automatic incoming call operation and an automatic outgoing call operation to a next terminal of the multipoint conference apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining screen transition during conference operation of the multipoint video conference system of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a switch unit of the multipoint conference apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an operation table of a switch unit of the multipoint conference apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a control sequence diagram of a speaker terminal setting operation in the multipoint video conference system of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a control sequence diagram of a setting operation of terminals other than the speaker in the multipoint video conference system of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a control flow during conference operation in the multipoint video conference system of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multipoint video conference system connection device of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of a connection system that connects two multipoint video conference systems.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... ISDN, 2 ... ISDN line, 10, 20, 30,
40 ... Multipoint conference device, 21 ... Voice codec, 22 ...
Image codec, 23 ... Data interface section, 24
... Signal demultiplexer, 25 ... Microprocessor, 26
a, 26b ... Line control unit, 27 ... Switch unit, 28a,
28b ... Line interface terminal, 29 ... Power supply section, 31
... microphone, 32 ... speaker, 33 ... camera, 34 ... monitor, 35 ... keypad, 36 ... external input / output terminal, 37 ...
Connector, 110 ... Multipoint video conference system connection device, 111 ... Signal processing unit, 120, 130 ... Multipoint video conference system, 121, 122, 123, 124, 1
31, 132, 133, 134 ... Video conference terminals.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A video conferencing apparatus forming a multipoint video conferencing system in which at least three video conferencing apparatuses are connected via a communication network, wherein a first digital line and a second digital line capable of bidirectional communication are provided. A line interface terminal for connecting a digital line, an apparatus for inputting voice, image and data signals, an external terminal for connecting an apparatus for outputting voice, image and data signals, a signal input from the above input apparatus, and an output apparatus A signal processing unit that processes a signal output from the digital signal processing unit, two line control units that control communication of the first and second digital lines, and first and second line control units that operate via the two line control units. A switch unit for controlling switching of a signal transmitted and received from the digital line of the input device, a signal input from the input device via the signal processing unit, and a signal output to the output device; A video conferencing apparatus comprising: a communication line control unit, a signal processing unit, and a control unit that controls a switch unit. 2. A multipoint video conference system in which n (n ≧ 3) video conference devices are connected via a communication network to transmit / receive voice / image / data signals. A line interface terminal for connecting a first digital line and a second digital line capable of two-way communication, two line control units for controlling communication of the first and second digital lines, and the first , A switch unit that controls switching of signals transmitted and received from the second digital line, and a control unit that controls each unit. The first video conference device connects the second digital line to the second video conference device. , The second video conferencing device connects the second digital line to the first digital line of the third video conferencing device, and the (n-1) th video conferencing device The second digital line is connected to the first digital line of the nth video conference device to connect n video conference devices, and the switch unit of the video conference device is connected to the first digital line and the second digital line. A multipoint video conference system which operates so as to branch and transmit a signal received from one side to the other digital line, and broadcasts data to each video conference apparatus. 3. A multipoint video conference system in which n (n ≧ 3) video conference devices are connected via a communication network to transmit / receive voice / image / data signals. A line interface terminal for connecting the first digital line and the second digital line capable of bidirectional communication, a device for inputting voice, image and data signals and a device for outputting voice, image and data signals are connected. An external terminal, two line control units for controlling communication of the first and second digital lines, signals transmitted and received from the first and second digital lines via the two line control units, and the above A first television including a switch unit that controls switching of a signal input from the input device via a signal processing unit and a signal output to the output device, and a control unit that controls each unit. The conference device connects the second digital line to the first digital line of the second video conference device, and the second video conference device connects the second digital line to the first digital line of the third video conference device. A video conference connected to a digital line, the (n-1) th video conference device connecting the second digital line to the first digital line of the n th video conference device and connecting the n video conference devices. The signals transmitted from the upstream channels of the first and second digital lines of the device are broadcast to all other video conference devices and are input from the input device of the video conference device designated by the certain video conference device. A multipoint video conference system, comprising controlling the switch unit of each video conference device to transmit a signal to the certain video conference device. 4. A multipoint videoconference system connecting device for connecting two multipoint videoconference systems, comprising a line interface terminal for connecting a first digital line and a second digital line capable of bidirectional communication. , Two line control units for controlling communication of the first and second digital lines, respectively, and a signal received from one of the first and second digital lines via the two line control units to the other It consists of a signal processing unit that performs branch transmission processing to the digital line, and a control unit that controls the line control unit and the signal processing unit. The signal transmitted and received by one multipoint video conference system is transmitted to the other multipoint. A multipoint video conferencing system connection device, which transfers to a video conferencing system.