WO1997018663A1

WO1997018663A1 - Video conference system

Info

Publication number: WO1997018663A1
Application number: PCT/JP1996/003355
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yasushi Noguchi; Kazuo Motoki
Original assignee: Sony Corporation
Priority date: 1995-11-15
Filing date: 1996-11-15
Publication date: 1997-05-22
Also published as: RU2171015C2; KR19980701471A

Abstract

A video conference system of a simplified structure, which can provide high-quality images at each terminal, wherein all terminals are connected with one another through different lines. Each of the terminals includes a device which receives first data supplied from all other terminals through their corresponding lines and transmits second data, generated by itself, to all other terminals throug their corresponding lines; and a data processor which processes the supplied first data and second data generated by itself. According to this system, each terminal can transmit and receive large amounts of data to and from another terminal through one line within the allowable limit of the line without using any external equipment, such as the MCU, etc., and thus this video conference system can provide high-quality images at each terminal while employing a simple constitution.

Description

Description Title of the invention Multipoint video conference equipment Technical field

The present invention relates to a multipoint video conference device, and is suitably applied to, for example, a multipoint video conference device used for a video conference at three or more locations. Background art

As a conventional multipoint video conference system, the multipoint video conference system proposed by CCI TT (International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee) H.320 is known. Video conferencing systems use devices called MCUs (Multipoint Control Units) to realize multipoint video conferencing in addition to video conferencing and telephone terminals (hereinafter simply referred to as “terminals”). In this multipoint videoconferencing system, all terminals participating in the multipoint videoconference are connected to the MCU via the telephone communication network, and the MCU controls communication between the points to enable multipoint videoconferencing. It is designed to be able to hold meetings.

However, this type of multipoint videoconferencing system has a problem that the cost of the above-mentioned MCU is high even when conducting a videoconference at a small number of points, for example, at three points, resulting in a large capital investment as a whole. Also, depending on the location of the MCU, there was a problem that the communication fee for the video conference was high.

In order to solve this problem, in recent years, for example, as disclosed in JP-A-5-22321 (5, 365,265) and JP-A-5-22322 (5,402,418), as shown in FIG. In this way, a method of constructing a multipoint video conference system by connecting the terminals 2 to 5 in a ring has been proposed.

In the multipoint video conference system 1 described above, each of the terminals 2 to 5 has a communication frame (for example, C) transmitted from the terminals 5, 2, 3, and 4 of the preceding stage via the digital communication path 6. In the frame specified in CITT Recommendation H.221, the communication data consisting of the videophone and conference data generated by the own terminals 2 to 5 are sequentially stored, and this communication frame is stored in the next terminal 3, The multipoint video conference can be realized by sequentially transmitting data to the digital communication channels 4, 5, and 2 via the digital communication channel 6.

However, in such a multipoint video conference system 1, the communication data generated by all the terminals 2 to 5 participating in the conference is stored in a prescribed communication frame, and one transmission line 7A to 7D Therefore, the amount of communication data that can be output from one terminal 2 to 5 is smaller than that of the multipoint video conference system using the MCU described above.

As a result, in this type of multipoint video conference system 1, each of the terminals 2 to 5 can obtain only about a plurality of frames of image data per second from the other terminals 3 to 5 and 2, respectively. There is a problem that it is difficult to reproduce a good display image. Disclosure of the invention

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and has as its object to propose a multipoint video conference apparatus having a simple configuration that enables each terminal to obtain a high-quality display image.

In order to solve such a problem, in the present invention, each terminal of the multipoint video conference system is connected to each other via different lines of a communication network, and each terminal is supported by all the other terminals. Data reception processing means for receiving and processing each first communication data supplied via the line, and processing the second communication data generated in the own terminal via all the corresponding lines for all other communication data; A transmitting means for transmitting to each terminal is provided.

By doing so, each terminal can communicate with each other via one line without using external devices such as an MCU. Therefore, each terminal can transmit and receive a large amount of communication data with other terminals within the permissible line capacity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventionally proposed multipoint video conference system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the multipoint video conference system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of each terminal.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a display image displayed on a monitor of each terminal. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a display image displayed on a monitor of each terminal. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a multipoint video conference system according to the present embodiment, in which terminals 11 to 14 communicate with each other via different lines 15 A to 15 F of a digital communication network 15. It is constituted by connecting to. That is, as shown, terminal 11 is connected to terminal 12 via line 15A, terminal 13 is connected via line 15E, and terminal 14 is connected via line 15D. Is connected to Similarly, each terminal is connected to all terminals other than the own terminal via different lines. In this case, each of the terminals 11 to 14 receives and processes the communication data supplied from each of the other terminals 12 to 14 and I 1 through the corresponding lines 15 A to 15 F. It has the ability to receive and process data. In addition, it has a transmission capability of transmitting communication data generated by its own terminals 11 to 4 to all other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 respectively.

In other words, in this multipoint video conference system 10, the terminals 11 to 14 can communicate with each other via one line 15A to 15F, and the terminals 11 to 14 are good. It is possible to transmit and receive communication data of a practically sufficient amount to obtain images of excellent image quality. In this embodiment, the digital communication network 15 is assumed to be an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) in the I series recommendation by the CCI TT-each line 15 A to 15 F, and the CCI TT recommendation H Basic interface by 2 2 1 2 B + D (64 kb / s information (B) 2 channels and 16 kb / s control signal and packet data (D) 1 channel A total of 3 channels can be used simultaneously No.) B channel shall be used.

FIG. 3 shows each terminal 1! Of the multipoint video conference system according to the present embodiment. 1 to 14 are shown.

Each of the terminals 1 to 14 is configured in the same way as the terminal of the conventional multipoint video conference system, and performs the normal 1: 1 communication operation according to the CCI TT Recommendation H.320, H.22H. This can be done in accordance with the provisions of 242, H.261. However, since communication data (videophone data and conference data) is supplied from the terminal via three lines and must be processed simultaneously, the video input / output device 20 and the audio input / output device 21 It is different from the past that each circuit and device except for has three times the processing capacity as usual.

First, a case where each terminal receives communication data from another terminal will be described. Each of the terminals 11 to 14 is supplied from each of the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 via the corresponding line 1 A to 15 F of the digital communication network 15, respectively. Each communication data stored in a communication frame conforming to TT Recommendation H.221 (hereinafter referred to as “H.221 frame”) is received by the network interface unit 22.

The network interface unit 22 converts the received communication data into the data formats inside the terminals 11 to 14, respectively, and then sends them to the MUX / DMUX 23 as a transmission data signal S1. I do.

The MUX / DMUX 23 converts the communication data from each of the terminals 12 to 14 and 11 obtained by the transmission data signal S 1 into video data (as a transmission frame of the video data, CCI TT Recommendation H.26 1 Compliant frames (hereinafter referred to as “H.261 frames”), audio data, display data (video data) —Data such as characters other than evening and audio data) and control data. Then, the video data is sent to the video codec 24 as the video information signal S2, each audio data is sent to the delay circuit 25 as the audio information signal S3, and each display data is sent as the display information signal S4. The control data is transmitted to the device 26 and each control data is transmitted to the end-end signal control unit 27A of the system control unit 27 as a control information signal S5.

At this time, the video codec 24 performs a predetermined decoding process on the video data from the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 obtained by the supplied video information signal S2, and As a video signal S 10 to the video control unit 30.

The video control unit 30 follows the control signal S11 supplied from the system control unit 27, and receives the video signals from the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 obtained from the video data signal S10. From the data and the video data supplied from the camera of the video input / output device 20 of the own terminal, the combined video data is created and displayed on a monitor (not shown) of the video input / output device 20. Alternatively, video data from a predetermined terminal other than the terminal specified by the control signal S 11 is displayed on the monitor of the video input / output device 20.

When the control signal S11 is a signal for displaying video data from all terminals on the monitors of all terminals, the state of monitor display at each terminal is as shown in FIG. If the control signal S11 is a signal indicating that only certain video data from a predetermined terminal is to be displayed on all terminals, the state of monitor display at each terminal is as shown in FIG. Further, the delay circuit 25 corrects the time delay between the supplied audio information signal S3 and the video information signal S2 by generating a predetermined amount of delay, thereby obtaining the audio information signal S3. The delayed audio information signal S 12 is sent to the audio codec 31.

In the audio codec 31, each audio data from the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 obtained from the supplied delayed audio information signal S 12 is After performing a predetermined decoding process on each of them, they are transmitted to the audio control unit 32 as an audio signal S13.

According to the control signal S 14 supplied from the system control unit 27, the audio control unit 32 receives the audio data of each of the other terminals 12 to 14, 11, etc. obtained from the audio signal S 13. To create synthesized audio data, and send it to the speaker (not shown) of the audio input / output device 21. Alternatively, audio data from a predetermined terminal specified by the control signal S 1 is transmitted to the audio input / output device 2

Send to the first speaker.

Depending on whether the content of the control signal S14 combines and outputs audio data from other terminals other than the own terminal, or outputs only audio data from a specific terminal to all terminals. As shown in Fig. 5, the audio output from each terminal differs.

On the other hand, the telematic device 26 decodes the supplied display coasting signal S4 and displays the display data thus obtained on display means such as a monitor (not shown). Further, the system control unit 27 responds to the control data from the parent terminal (any one of the terminals 11 to 14) obtained from the supplied control information signal S5, and Generate control signals S11 and S14. Then, by transmitting them to the video control unit 30 and the audio control unit 32, respectively, the display screen corresponding to the control data is displayed on the monitor as described above, and the sound corresponding to the control data is emitted from the speakers. Let it sound.

Next, a case where each terminal transmits communication data to another terminal will be described. Each of the terminals 11 to 14 inputs image data generated by its own terminal output from the camera of the video input / output device 20 to the video codec 24 via the video control unit 30 and converts the image data to a video codec. After encoding in one dick 24, this is transmitted to MUXZDMUX 23 as an image information signal S20.

At this time, the microphone of the audio input / output device 21 sends the collected audio data to the audio codec 31 via the audio control unit 32. I do. After encoding the supplied audio data, the audio codec 31 sends the encoded audio data as an audio information signal S 21 to the MUX / DM UX 23 via the delay circuit 25.

Further, at this time, the telematic device 26 encodes display data such as characters input by the user and sends it to the MUXZDMUX 23 as a display information signal S22.

Further, at this time, the system control unit 27 sends various control data to the MUXZDMUX 23 via the end signal control unit 27 A as a control information signal S 23 o

The MUXZDMUX 23 includes video data, audio data, display data, and control data obtained from the supplied video information signal S 20, audio information signal S 21, display information signal S 22, and control information signal S 23. Are sequentially stored in a predetermined area of the H.221 frame to form an H.221 frame. This is transmitted to the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 via the network interfaces 22 and the corresponding lines 15 A to 15 D of the digital communication network 15 sequentially, respectively.

The processing at the time of reception and the processing at the time of transmission in each terminal have been described above. 1 to 14 process the communication data supplied from the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 in parallel, respectively, and transmit the communication data generated by the own terminals 11 to 14 to the other terminals 1 to 14. Output to 2 to 14 and 11 respectively. And each terminal 1 1 ~

14 can communicate with each of the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 via one line 15 A to 15 F, respectively.

Each of the terminals 1 to 14 receives a user input from a remote controller or an input operation peripheral device (both not shown). This user input and parent terminal 1 2 ~

When the control data from 14 and 11 is a command to secure the connection to the other predetermined terminals 12 to 14 and 11, the system control unit 27 sends the corresponding control signal S 24 to the end network. The signal is sent to the signal controller 33. According to the supplied control signal S 24, the end network signal control unit 33 sends a line 15 A to the terminals 12 to 14 and 11, for which connection is specified, to ensure connection. Contact via ~ 15F to secure connection with the corresponding line 15A ~ 15F.

As described above, each of the terminals 11 to 14 is connected to the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 when necessary.

The system control unit 27 of the terminals 11 to 14 selected as the parent terminals, for example, sends each terminal 1! When it is specified which terminal's video data is to be displayed on the monitor on ~ 14, the corresponding control data is stored in the H.221 frame described above, and this is stored in each of the other terminals. 4 and 11 are transmitted via the corresponding lines 15A to 15F. At the same time, the control signal S 11 according to the above-mentioned command from the user is transmitted to the video control unit 30 in the own terminal 11 to 14.

In this way, in the multipoint video conference system 10 of the present invention, the terminals 11 to 14 selected as the parent terminals are powerful, and each terminal 11 to 14 including itself, for example, As shown in FIG. 4, a composite image of the image data generated in the own terminal 11 to 14 and each image data included in the communication data from all the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11, and As shown in FIG. 5, the image data included in the communication data from the predetermined terminals 12 to 14 and 11 can be switched and displayed.

In the case of this embodiment, the terminal that has become the parent terminal (hereinafter referred to as the first terminal) 11 to 14 is a command for starting a multipoint video conference from the user via the input operation peripheral device. Is input, first, a predetermined one terminal (hereinafter, referred to as a second terminal) 1 2-1 4. 1 1 A connection with the terminal is secured, and after the connection is secured, the second terminal is Then, control data is transmitted so as to secure the connection with another predetermined one terminal (hereinafter, referred to as a third terminal) 13, 14, 11, 12.

Then the first terminal 1! In the same manner, 14 secures the connection with the remaining terminals (hereinafter referred to as the fourth terminal) 14, 11, 12, and 13, and after securing the connection, Connection of terminal 14, 11, 12 or 13 to second terminal 12-14, 11 The control data is transmitted to secure.

After that, the first terminals 11 to 13 and 14 secure the connection to the third terminals 13 to 14 in a similar manner thereafter, and after the connection is secured, the third terminal Sends control data to terminals 13, 14, 11, 12 so as to secure connection with fourth terminal 14, 11, 12, 13, thereby enabling all interconnections To secure.

In the above configuration, in this multipoint video conference system 10, each terminal 11 to 14 mutually communicates with each of the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 via different lines 15 A to 15 F. I do.

Therefore, in the multipoint video conference system 10, the terminals 11 to 14 can alternately communicate with each other without using the MCU as described above, and the system can be constructed inexpensively. Can be. Also, as described above, there is no possibility that the communication fee will be high depending on the location of the MCU.

In addition, in this multipoint video conference system 10, each terminal 11 to 14 can communicate with all other terminals via different lines 15A to 15F, respectively. The communication data volume between each of the terminals 11 to 14 can be fully secured for one line, so that each terminal 11 to 14 can send and receive enough data to transmit images of good quality. can do. Incidentally, in the connection as shown in Fig. 1, the communication data for four terminals must be stored in one communication frame, so the information area allocated for each terminal is inevitably small.

According to the above configuration, each terminal 1! 1 to 14 are connected to each other through different lines 15 A to 15 F of the digital communication network 15, respectively, and each terminal 11 to 14 is connected to each of the other terminals 12 to 14. , 11 to process the communication data supplied through the corresponding lines 15A to 15F, and to have the data processing ability to transmit the communication data generated by itself to each of the other terminals 1 to 14. By doing so, each of the terminals 11 to 14 can communicate with each of the other terminals 12 to 14 and 11 by using the communication data of the i-line for each of them. As a result, a simple multi-point video conference system with high image quality can be realized. In the above embodiment, the case where the number of terminals is set to four when constructing the multipoint video conference system to which the present invention is applied has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A multipoint video conference system to which the present invention is applied may be constructed by a number.

In this case as well, the terminals may be connected to each other through mutually different lines, and each terminal may be provided with a data processing capability capable of processing communication data supplied from all the other terminals. .

In the above-described embodiment, each of the terminals 11 to 14 switches the display screen displayed on the monitor of the video input / output device 20 based on the control data from the parent terminal as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, each terminal 1! The system control unit 27 detects the relatively high-level audio data from the audio data from the other terminals 2 to 14 and 11 and the terminal corresponding to the audio data. Display images based on the image data from 12 to 14 and 11 (that is, the system control unit 27 of each terminal 11 to 14 detects the busy terminal 11 to 14 respectively) An image based on the image data from the terminals 11 to 14 may be displayed on the monitor of the video input / output device 20), and the monitor of the video input / output device 20 of each terminal 11 to 14 may be displayed. Various other methods can be applied as to which image is displayed and how.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the digital communication network 15 is assumed to be an ISDN in the I series recommendation by CCI TT, and each line 15A to 〖5F is in accordance with CCI TT recommendation H.221. Although the case where the B channel is used has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and various other communication networks and lines can be applied. In practice, the terminals 11 to 14 may be connected by a plurality of B channels, and by doing so, a large amount of information can be exchanged between the terminals 11 to 14. It is also possible to improve the image quality of the display image on each of the terminals 11 to 14.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the multipoint TV conference is provided to the parent terminals 11 to 13 or 14. When a start command is input, the parent terminals 11 to 14 secure the line connection with the other terminals I 2 to 14-1 1 and the other terminals 12 to 14. , 11 have been instructed to secure the line connection with the predetermined terminals 13, 14, 11, 11, respectively, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the parent terminals 11-1 to 13 and 14 are connected only to the predetermined terminals 12 to 14 and 11 or between the terminals 11 to 14 except for the predetermined terminals 12 to 14 and 11 A mode in which control data for securing the connection is transmitted to the corresponding terminal may be provided. By doing so, a secret conference can be held.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each terminal 11 to 14 displays an image on the monitor of the video input / output device 20 based on the control data from the parent terminals 12 to 14 and 11. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in each of the terminals 11 to 14, a display screen displayed on the monitor of the video input / output device 20 and sound output from the speaker of the audio input / output device 21 are provided. May be selected. C Further, in the above embodiment, all other terminals 1! FIG. 3 shows a data reception processing means for receiving and processing each communication data supplied via the corresponding line 15A to 15F of the digital communication network 15 from. (Each circuit and device of the terminal configuration shown in Fig. 3), and the communication data generated by the own terminals 12 to 14 and 11 are transmitted to the other terminals via the corresponding lines 15A to 15F. The transmission means for transmitting to all the terminals 11 to 14 of FIG. 3 is configured as shown in FIG. 3 (each circuit and device having the terminal configuration shown in FIG. 3). Not limited to this, various other configurations can be applied to the configurations of the data reception processing unit and the transmission unit.

As described above, according to the present invention, each terminal of the multipoint video conference system is connected to each other via lines having different communication networks, and each terminal is connected to a corresponding line from all other terminals. Data reception processing means for receiving and processing each of the first communication data supplied via the respective terminals, and transmitting the second communication data generated in the own terminal to other terminals via the corresponding lines. Transmission means for transmitting to all terminals With this arrangement, each terminal can transmit and receive a large amount of communication data through one line without using external devices such as MCU with each other terminal within the allowable range of the line. Thus, it is possible to realize a multipoint teleconferencing device having a simple configuration with high image quality.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. Multiple terminals and

A communication network for connecting each terminal of the plurality of terminals to all other terminals one-to-one via different lines,

Each terminal of the plurality of terminals receives each first communication data supplied from all the other terminals via the corresponding line of the communication network, and generates the second communication data generated by the own terminal. Transmitting and receiving means for transmitting communication data to all other terminals via the corresponding lines of the communication network,

Data processing means for processing the supplied first communication data and the second communication data generated in the own terminal;

A multipoint video conference device comprising:

2. The first communication data and the second communication data include at least video data as image information, audio data, data such as characters other than the video data and audio data, and control data. 2. The multipoint video conference device according to claim 1, wherein the multipoint video conference device is stored in a communication frame (hereinafter, referred to as an H.221 frame) defined in CCITT recommendation H.221.

3. The data processing means generates and displays a composite image from the first video data included in the supplied first communication data and the second video data generated in the own terminal.

3. The multipoint video conference device according to claim 2, wherein:

4. The data processing means switches and displays the video data included in the supplied first communication data in accordance with control data or other instructions included in the first communication data.

3. The multipoint video conference device according to claim 2, wherein:

5. Multiple terminals and

Each of the plurality of terminals is

Each of the first communication data supplied from all the other terminals via the corresponding line of the communication network is received, and the second communication data generated in the own terminal is received by each of the communication networks. Transmitting and receiving means for transmitting to all other terminals via the corresponding line,

Has,

The first communication data and the second communication data are

Communication frames specified in CCITT Recommendation H.221, including at least video data that is image information, audio data, data such as characters other than video data and audio data, and control data. (Hereinafter, referred to as H.221 frame)

The data processing means includes:

A composite image is generated and displayed or supplied from each of the first video data included in the supplied first communication data and the second video data generated at the own terminal. The video data included in each of the first communication data is switched and displayed according to control data or other instructions included in each of the first communication data.

A multi-point video conference device.