JP2008311798A - Video / audio conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

【Task】
Using high-definition cameras and high-quality microphones, users can operate video and audio conferences without having to handle the specific commands provided by the camera and microphone manufacturers. Enable audio conferencing.
[Solution]
An imaging means and a network camera for delivering the captured video data to the other party via the network; and collecting the voice of the speaker and delivering the collected voice data to the other party via the network; A microphone that outputs audio data distributed via the network, and a management device that manages the network camera and microphone and receives and displays the encoded video data distributed via the network.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a video / audio conference system that uses a network camera, a microphone device, and a computer device such as a personal computer, for example, to hold a conference between geographically separated locations.

  With the recent development of the network environment, the use of video / audio conferencing systems is growing rapidly. In particular, since an inexpensive VPN service provided by a telecommunications company is provided and a constant connection is possible at a low price, introduction of a video / audio conference system has begun to be considered in the enterprise.

  However, a high-definition and high-quality video / audio conference system is expensive, which has been a problem when introducing the video / audio conference system.

  Further, in the case of a video / audio conference system using a personal computer device (hereinafter referred to as “PC”) and using an inexpensive camera, an inexpensive microphone and a speaker, the video resolution is low and double talk (2 It can be used for conferences where the number of participants is small, such as being unable to speak at the same time), but it is not suitable for mid-sized conferences where multiple people participate in one conference room.

On the other hand, in recent years, high-definition (high-resolution) cameras (network cameras) with a network interface comparable to that of high-definition and high-quality video / audio conferencing systems and microphone devices capable of double talk have been put on the market. I'm starting.
JP 2004-120460 A

  However, video / audio communication systems that use these high-definition cameras and high-quality microphones are often manufactured by different manufacturers of cameras and microphones, and users need to operate each of the cameras and microphones. There was a problem that the system is not always easy for users to use.

  The object of the present invention has been made in view of such a problem. A high-definition camera and a high-quality microphone are used, and a user simply operates a function necessary for video / audio conference. An object of the present invention is to provide a video / audio conferencing system that can easily and inexpensively implement a video / audio conference without handling a unique command provided by each manufacturer of microphones.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a video / audio conference system for performing a video / audio conference via a network, which encodes imaging means and captured video data, and encodes the encoded video Video transmitting means for distributing data to the other party via the network, and video encoded data distributed via the network are received, and the received video encoded data is decoded and the decoded video Video output means for displaying data, collecting the voice of the speaker, encoding the collected voice signal, distributing the encoded voice data to the other party via the network, and Voice call means for receiving voice encoded data distributed via the network, decoding the received voice encoded data, and outputting the decoded voice data; Manages the state of the transmission means, characterized by comprising a management means for managing a state of the voice communication means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily and inexpensively implement a video / audio conference by using a high-definition camera or a high-quality microphone without handling an operation screen provided by each manufacturer of the camera and the microphone.

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

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of the video / audio conference system. In FIG. 1, A site 1 is a user facility that uses video / audio conferences. A control device 2 composed of a general-purpose PC or the like at A site 1, a microphone 3 that can be connected to a network, and a network A connectable network camera 4 is installed. The B site 6 is connected to the A site 1 via the network 5, and similarly to the A site 1, the control device 7, the microphone 8, and the network camera 9 are installed. It is connected to the base 1 via the network 5, and similarly to the A base 1, a control device 11, a microphone 12, and a network camera 13 are installed.

  The control devices 2, 7, and 11 have a network interface, and the microphones 3, 8, and 12 are in accordance with functions for managing the states of the microphones 3, 8, and 12 and the network cameras 4, 9, and 13, and user operations. And a function for instructing operation to the network cameras 4, 9, and 13, and a function for arbitrarily displaying the video of the camera connected to the network 5. Further, the network 5 is an Internet network using the Internet protocol (IP), and it is desirable that each base is constituted by a virtual private network (VPN) in order to increase confidentiality.

  Further, one of the control devices at each site may have a function of managing the state of the entire system. In addition to the control devices 2, 7, and 11, the function for managing the state of the entire system may be a configuration such as a dedicated device (for example, configured by a server) 14 at the D site 15.

  FIG. 2 shows microphones 3, 8, and 12 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, microphones 3, 8, and 12 include a microphone 301 that picks up sound and a speaker 302 that outputs sound.

  The control unit 304 is connected to a Web server unit 306 (Web server). The Web server unit 306 receives control commands designated by the Web browsers of the control devices 2, 7, and 11 via the network 5 via the network processing unit 307 and notifies the control unit 304 of various setting contents. Then, the control unit 304 stores the setting content in the storage unit 305.

  The voice processing unit 303 sends the voice information obtained by encoding the voice obtained by the microphone 301 to the communication partner microphones 3, 8, and 12 via the network processing unit 307 via the network 5. Encoded audio information from the microphones 3, 8, and 12 is received via the network processing unit 307, and processing for decoding this and outputting it from the speaker 302 is performed.

  That is, when the control unit 304 receives a voice output request from the control devices 2, 7, and 11 via the network processing unit 307, the control unit 304 encodes the voice obtained by the microphone 301 and follows the request via the network processing unit 307. The audio processing unit 303 and the network processing unit are configured to decode the audio information transmitted from the predetermined microphones 3, 8, and 12 and decode the audio information transmitted from the communication partner microphones 3, 8, and 12 and output the decoded information from the speaker 302. 307 has a function of controlling

  FIG. 3 shows network cameras 4, 9, and 13 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the network cameras 4, 9, and 13 include a camera unit 401 that can perform operations such as rotation, and the operation of the camera unit 401 is controlled by the control unit 403.

  The control unit 403 is connected to a Web server unit 405 (Web server). The Web server unit 405 receives control commands specified by the Web browsers of the control devices 2, 7, and 11 via the network 5 via the network processing unit 406, and notifies the control unit 403 of various setting contents. Then, the control unit 403 stores the setting content in the storage unit 404.

  In addition, when the Web server unit 405 receives a control command (operation control command) from the Web browser of the control devices 2, 7, and 11 and is notified to the control unit 403, the control unit 403 operates the camera unit 401. .

  The video processing unit 402 has a function of encoding / decoding an image obtained by the camera unit 401 and video correction processing such as hue and definition, and an image obtained by the camera unit 401 is Processing for sending to the control devices 2, 7 and 11 via the network 5 via the network processing unit 406 is performed.

  That is, when the control unit 403 receives a request for video output from the control devices 2, 7, and 11 via the network processing unit 406, the control unit 403 requests the video output via the network processing unit 406 for an image obtained by the camera unit 401. The video processing unit 402 and the network processing unit 406 are controlled to be transmitted to the control devices 2, 7, and 11.

  In the configuration of the network cameras 4, 9, and 13, the camera unit 401 includes, for example, a camera and a pan / tilt mechanism. The control unit 403 controls the rotation operation in the pan direction and the rotation operation in the tilt direction. Further, the operation of the camera unit 401 may be a zoom operation, for example.

  FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an initial operation in each site.

  The user powers on the camera in the base (S21) and powers on the microphone (S22), and then activates the control device (S23). The activation of the control devices 2, 7, and 11 (S23) may be an operation of turning on the power, or an arbitrary operation, for example, an operation in which the user selects an icon and double-clicks it.

  The control devices 2, 7, and 11 transmit a status acquisition message to the IP addresses of the network cameras 4, 9, and 13 managed by the control devices 2, 7, and 11 that are set in advance in the control devices 2, 7, and 11 (S24). After the network cameras 4, 9, and 13 receive the status acquisition message (S24), the control that transmitted the status acquisition message with the status notification message (S25) indicating that it is in the state of its own device, for example, normal operation and abnormal status Transmit to devices 2, 7, and 11.

  The control devices 2, 7, and 11 transmit a status acquisition message to the IP addresses of the microphones 3, 8, and 12 that are set in advance in the control device and managed by the control device (S26). After receiving the status acquisition message (S26), the microphones 3, 8, and 12 have transmitted the status acquisition message using the status notification message (S27) indicating that their own status, for example, normal operation is possible and abnormal status. 2, 7, and 11 are transmitted.

  The preparation of the status acquisition message (S24) transmitted from the control devices 2, 7, and 11 to the network cameras 4, 9, and 13 and the status acquisition message (S26) transmitted to the microphones 3, 8, and 12 are reversed. Also good. In addition, the control devices 2, 7, and 11 transmit the status acquisition message (S26) to be transmitted to the microphones 3, 8, and 12 before receiving the status notification message (S25) from the network cameras 4, 9, and 13. May be.

  The control devices 2, 7, and 11 perform an operation of transmitting a status acquisition message (S24) to the network cameras 4, 9, and 13 at an arbitrary time interval during startup and acquiring a status notification message (S25). Similarly, the state acquisition message (S26) is transmitted to the microphones 3, 8, and 12 at arbitrary time intervals, and the operation for acquiring the state notification message (S27) is performed.

  FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing a login operation between the bases.

  The control device 2 at the site A has a system overall management function and is activated (S31) by the user. The activation method may be an operation of turning on the power, or an operation in which the user selects an arbitrary operation, for example, an icon and double-clicks.

  The control device 7 at the B base is similarly activated (S32). The control device 7 at the site B transmits an information registration message (S33) to the control device 2 having a system management function for which an IP address is set in advance. If the information registration is possible, the control device 2 at the A site having the system management function transmits an OK message (S34) to the control device 7 at the B site.

  Further, the control device 2 at the A site having the system status management function transmits a status change request message (S35) including the system status data to the control device 7 at the B site. This system status data includes the IP addresses set in the network cameras 4, 9, 13 in the base where information has already been registered, user information and password information necessary for image transmission, and microphones 3, 8 , Information including 12 IP addresses.

  Upon receiving the state change request message (S35), the control device 7 at the B site receives the IP address set for the network camera 9 within the B site and the user information and password information necessary for image transmission, and the microphone 8 The information including the IP address is included in the state change response message (S36) and transmitted.

  Next, when the control device 11 at the C site is activated by the user (S37), the control device 11 at the C site similarly registers information in the control device 2 having a system management function in which an IP address is set in advance. A message (S38) is transmitted. If the information registration is possible, the control device 2 at the A site having the system management function transmits an OK message (S39) to the control device 11 at the C site.

  The control device 2 at the A site having the system status management function transmits a status change request message (S40) including system status data to the control device 7 at the B site. This status data includes the IP address set for the network camera 9 in the base B that has already exchanged information, user information and password information necessary for image transmission, and information including the IP address of the microphone 8 It is.

  In addition, the control device 11 at the C site receives the status change request message (S40), the IP address set in the network camera 13 within the C site and the user information and password information necessary for image transmission, Information including the IP address of the microphone 12 is included in the state change response message (S41) and transmitted.

  Then, the control device 2 at the A base having the system state management function transmits the data included in the status change response message (S41) from the control device 11 at the C base to the control device 7 at the B base this time. (S42) is transmitted.

  Then, the control device 7 at the B site receives the state change request message (S42), and the IP address set in the network camera 8 within the B site and the user information and password information necessary for image transmission, Information including the IP address of the microphone 9 is included in the state change response message (S43) and transmitted.

  Note that the control device 7 at the site B transmits the status change response message (S36) transmitted in the past by the status change response message (S43), the IP address set in the network camera 9, the user information necessary for image transmission, and If the password information and the information including the IP address of the microphone 8 are not changed, a simple message indicating that there is no difference may be transmitted.

  FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram when starting a conference.

  For example, a user at the C site operates the control device 11 at the C site to execute a conference start (S50). The control device 11 at the C site transmits a call connection request message (S51) to the A site control device 2 having the system management function. The call connection request message includes information on a site to which a user at site C wants to connect. In the present embodiment, the B base is shown.

  The control device 2 at the A site having the system management function confirms the status of the B site, such as whether the B site is already in a conference, and indicates whether it is possible to participate in the conference in the call connection response message (S52). Including the data to the control device 11 at the C site.

  The control device 11 at the C site confirms information related to the state of the B site in the call connection response message (S52), and transmits a conference request message (S53) to the control device 7 at the B site. On the other hand, the control device 7 at site B receives the received conference message (S53) and transmits a conference request response message (S54). The conference request response message (S54) may have a plurality of patterns depending on the state of the transmitting control device.

  Upon receiving the meeting request response message (S54), the control device 11 at the site C transmits a communication activation message (S55) to the microphone 12 within the site. This communication start message (S55) includes information on the IP address of the other party to be connected and speech coding. Upon receiving the communication activation message (S55), the microphone 12 at the C site converts the voice data into RTP packets at the network processing unit 207, and transmits this as voice information to the microphone 8 at the B site.

  On the other hand, the control device 7 at the site B that has transmitted the conference request response message (S54) transmits a communication activation message (S56) to the microphone 8 within the site. This communication start message (S56) includes information on the IP address of the other party to be connected and speech coding. Upon receiving the communication activation message (S56), the B site microphone 8 converts the voice data into RTP packets at the network processing unit 207, and transmits this to the C site microphone 8 as voice information.

  Thus, voice communication (S57) is established.

  Next, the control device 11 at the C site that has received the conference request response message (S54) transmits a video request message (S58) to the camera 9 at the B site serving as the communication partner. Then, the camera 9 in the B base distributes the video data to the control device 11 in the C base. Thus, video communication (S59) is established.

  On the other hand, the control device 7 at the site B that has transmitted the conference request response message (S54) transmits a video request message (S61) to the camera 13 at the site C serving as a communication partner. The camera 13 in the C base distributes the video data to the control device 7 in the B base. Thus, video communication (S61) is established.

  As described above, bidirectional video communication is established, and a video / audio conference state is formed.

It is a system diagram showing a system configuration of the present invention. It is the block diagram which showed the microphone in each base of this invention. It is the block diagram which showed the network camera in each base of this invention. It is the sequence diagram which showed the initial stage operation in each base of this invention. It is the sequence diagram which showed the login operation | movement between each base of this invention. It is a sequence diagram at the time of starting the conference meeting of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 A base 2 Control apparatus 3 Microphone 4 Camera 5 Network 6 B base 7 Control apparatus 8 Microphone 9 Camera 10 C base 11 Control apparatus 12 Microphone 13 Camera 14 Dedicated apparatus 15 D base

Claims (2)

A video / audio conference system for video / audio conferences via a network,
A video transmission means for encoding the imaged video data and the captured video data, and delivering the encoded video data to the other party via the network;
Video output means for receiving video encoded data distributed via the network, decoding the received video encoded data and displaying the decoded video data;
Collects the voice of the speaker, encodes the collected audio signal, distributes the encoded audio data to the other party via the network, and distributes the encoded audio data via the network Voice communication means for receiving data, decoding the received voice encoded data, and outputting the decoded voice data;
Managing the status of the video transmitting means and managing the status of the voice call means;
A video / audio conferencing system characterized by comprising:   The video / audio conference system according to claim 1, further comprising integrated management means for managing all states when there are a plurality of management means.