JP2000188743A - Simultaneous broadcast system for multi-point video conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simultaneous broadcast system for a multi-point video conference system by which the increase of devices is suppressed even if the number of transmission destinations is increased. SOLUTION: A 1st multi-point conference MCU 201 to which plural conference terminals 3011-301m are connected and an N-th multi-point conference MCU 20N to which a plurality of conference terminals 301N-30Nm are connected are connected to a simultaneous broadcast MCU 10. For example, when the conference terminal 3011 is a transmission sender, video data and voice data from the conference terminal 3011 are sent to the multi-point conference MCU 201, the data are given to the simultaneous broadcast MCU 10, a video audio distribution circuit in the simultaneous broadcast MCU 10 transmits the data to the plurality of the conference terminals 301N-30Nm via the N-th multi- point conference MCU 20N so as to conduct simultaneous broadcast. Furthermore, a control circuit in the simultaneous broadcast MCU 10 and a controller of the entire simultaneous broadcast system change the sender as required.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a configuration of a multipoint video conference controller for broadcasting simultaneously.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, ITU-T standard H.264 is used. An image encoding apparatus conforming to H.320 is used as a conference terminal, and in a simultaneous broadcasting method in a multipoint video conference apparatus, one-way communication is basically not defined. Unless the capability exchange according to the H.242 procedure is completed normally, video and audio communication cannot be performed.

[0003] When a conference terminal is held or when there is an abnormality in a line and is restored again, the conference terminal communicates with the other party in the H.264 mode. It is necessary to exchange capabilities according to H.242.

[0004] For this reason, even in simultaneous broadcast communication, a line interface circuit corresponding to all destination conference terminals on a one-to-one basis and an H.264 communication system are used. H.221 frame configuration and H.221. A multiplexing circuit for performing the 242 capability exchange operation is required, and when the number of destinations increases, there is a disadvantage that the scale of hardware increases with the increase.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is provided with an MCU which is a multipoint control device for simultaneous broadcasting. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simultaneous broadcasting method in a multipoint video conference apparatus that performs simultaneous broadcasting on a small hardware scale.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a simultaneous broadcasting system in a multipoint video conference apparatus according to the present invention comprises a plurality of conference terminals serving as a source and a destination of a video conference. Means, a plurality of multipoint conference MCUs, which are multipoint control units MCU connected to a certain number of the conference terminal means, a broadcast MCU for performing broadcast, and control for controlling the broadcast. Means.

[0007] Further, the broadcast method in the multipoint video conference apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the broadcast M
A plurality of line interface means for connecting one-to-one to the plurality of multipoint conference MCUs; a plurality of multiplexing means connected one-to-one to the plurality of line interface means; Video and audio distribution means connected to the plurality of multiplexing means.

[0008] Further, the simultaneous broadcasting method in the multipoint video conference apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention is the simultaneous broadcasting M
A plurality of line interface means for connecting one-to-one to the plurality of multipoint conference MCUs; a plurality of multiplexing means connected one-to-one to the plurality of line interface means; A video / audio distribution unit connected to the plurality of multiplexing units; and a video / audio distribution control unit for controlling the video / audio distribution unit.

In the multipoint video conference apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the simultaneous broadcasting method in a plurality of the conference terminal means connected to the multipoint conference MCU may include the multipoint broadcasting method. The feature is that simultaneous broadcasting is performed directly from the conference MCU.

Further, in the simultaneous broadcasting method in the multipoint video conference apparatus according to the invention of claim 5, when the conference terminal means as a transmission source is fixed, the plurality of multipoint conference MCUs and the simultaneous broadcasting method are used. By fixing the connection with the broadcasting MCU, the control of the control means of the simultaneous broadcasting MCU is fixed.

[0011] Further, the simultaneous broadcasting system in the multipoint video conference apparatus according to the invention of claim 6 is characterized in that the video / audio distribution control means controls the video / audio distribution means to change the transmission source. .

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a simultaneous broadcasting system in a multipoint video conference apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the multipoint video conference apparatus of the present invention comprises a multipoint control unit MCU for simultaneous broadcasting.
10 (hereinafter simply referred to as MCU), multipoint conference MCUs 201 to 20N in which the required number N is arranged, and conference terminals 3011 in which the required number m is arranged in the first multipoint conference MCU 201. Conference terminal 3 in which 301 m and the required number m are arranged in the N-th multipoint conference MCU 20N
0N1 to 30Nm and the control device 40. Here, N and m are arbitrary integers, and are set according to the required number. Also, the number m of conference terminals connected to the multipoint conference MCU varies depending on the required number of each multipoint.

In FIG. 1, as described above, the first multipoint conference MCU 201 has conference terminals 3011 to 30.
1m is connected, the first multipoint conference MCU 201 is
It is connected to the broadcast MCU 10. The Nth multipoint conference MCU 20N includes conference terminals 30N1 to 30N.
m is connected, and the N-th multipoint conference MCU 20N is connected to the broadcast MCU 10. Here, the first m conference terminals 3011 to 301m and the Nth m
The connection of the conference terminals 30N1 to 30Nm has been described, but the second to N-1th connections are all connected in the same manner.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multipoint control unit MCU for simultaneous broadcasting in a multipoint video conference apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the simultaneous broadcasting MCU 10 includes N line interface circuits 111 to 11N and N multiplexing circuits 121 to 121N.
12N and a video / audio distribution circuit 13.

In FIG. 2, the line interface circuits 111 to 11N and the multiplexing circuits 121 to 12N are connected one-to-one with each other.
2N is connected to the video / audio distribution circuit 13. The N multipoint conference MCUs shown in FIG. 1 are connected one-to-one to the N line interface circuits 111 to 11N of the broadcast MCU.

With this connection, the video / audio distribution circuit 13
For example, if the conference terminal of the transmission source is the conference terminal 3011, the video data and the audio data separated by the multiplexing circuit 121 are input via the line interface 111 of the port to which the multipoint conference MCU 201 is connected. Then, the signal is distributed to the multiplexing circuits 122 to 12N to which the multi-point conference MCU of the other transmission destination is connected.

Here, in the simultaneous broadcasting MCU 10,
If the video / audio distribution circuit is fixedly connected in advance, the multipoint conference MCU serving as a transmission source is connected to a predetermined port dedicated to the transmission source of the simultaneous broadcasting MCU, and the transmission destination multiport MCU is connected. By configuring the point conference MCU to be connected to another port, control of the simultaneous broadcasting MCU becomes unnecessary.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a multipoint control unit MCU for simultaneous broadcasting in a multipoint video conference apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the simultaneous broadcasting MCU 20 includes N line interface circuits 111 to 11N and N multiplexing circuits 121 to 121N.
12N, a video / audio distribution circuit 13, and a control circuit 14. The difference between the first embodiment of FIG. 2 and the second embodiment of FIG. 3 is that a control circuit 14 is newly provided in the second embodiment of FIG.

In FIG. 3, since the control circuit 14 is provided inside the simultaneous broadcasting MCU 20, the video / audio distribution circuit 13 can be switched by an instruction from the control circuit 14, and a control device 40 is provided outside. Thus, after the multipoint conference MCU and the simultaneous broadcast MCU are connected, the transmission source can be freely changed.

Next, an embodiment of a broadcast broadcasting operation method will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, for example, if the transmission source is the conference terminal 3011,
11 is connected to the a11 port of the multipoint conference MCU 201 and performs broadcast transmission with the conference terminal 3011, so that the video of the conference terminal 3011, which is the transmission source input from the a11 port of the multipoint conference MCU 201, Output from the b1 port of the multipoint conference MCU 201, and broadcast MC
Input to the c1 port of U, and the broadcast MCU shown in FIG.
Line interface circuit 111 and multiplexing circuit 121
, Input to the d1 port of the video / audio distribution circuit 13 and distribute the input video data to the d1 to dN ports, so that from the c1 to cN ports of the simultaneous broadcasting MCU 10 to the multipoint conference MCUs 201 to 20N. Be distributed.

The voice of the conference terminal 3011 which is the transmission source input from the a11 port of the multipoint conference MCU 201 is output from the b1 port of the multipoint conference MCU 201 and is input to the c1 port of the broadcast MCU. Line interface circuit 111 of the broadcast MCU shown in FIG.
Via the multiplexing circuit 121 and input to the d1 port of the video / audio distribution circuit 13, and the input audio data is input to d2 to dN
By distributing to ports, broadcast broadcast MCU c2
From the cN port to the multipoint conference MCU 202-20N
Distributed to Here, since the voice data causes howling, the multi-point conference MCU 201 which is the transmission source is used.
Is not distributed to

As in this example, when the transmission source is the conference terminal 3011 of the first multipoint conference MCU 201, the conference terminals 3012 to 301m connected to the multipoint conference MCU 201 have multiple transmissions. MCU 20 for point meeting
Video data and audio data are distributed directly from 1.

Further, in the conference terminal of the transmission destination, for example, the conference terminal 3 connected to the multipoint conference MCU 202
At 021, by selecting and receiving the connection port of the simultaneous broadcasting MCU 10 so as to select and receive the b2 port of the multipoint conference MCU 202, it is possible to receive the video and audio of the transmission source serving as the broadcast source at all points.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, each multipoint conference MCU has one port for connecting to the simultaneous broadcasting MCU with respect to the maximum number of participating points in a normal multipoint conference. MC for broadcast only by adding extra multiplexing circuit
By using U, the destination conference terminal can be extended.

According to the present invention, the connection between the multipoint conference MCU and the simultaneous conference MCU can be fixed by fixing the conference terminal serving as the transmission source.
Control of the CU can be dispensed with.

Further, according to the present invention, a broadcast broadcasting MCU is provided.
By providing a control circuit inside and a control device for the whole broadcast system, the transmission source can be changed even after the multipoint conference MCU and the broadcast MCU are connected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a simultaneous broadcasting system in a multipoint video conference apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a broadcast MCU in the multipoint video conference apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a broadcast MCU in a multipoint video conference apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 20 Broadcasting MCU 13 Video / audio distribution circuit 14 Control circuit 40 Control device 111-11N Line interface circuit 121-12N Multiplexing circuit 201-20N Multipoint conference MCU 3011-30Nm Conference terminal

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5C064 AA02 AC01 AC08 AC11 AD02 AD14 AD16 5K015 AA00 AB00 AB01 AF02 AF05 BA00 BA03 JA01 JA11 5K030 GA08 GA19 HB02 JA01 JA07 JT04 LD02 LD08 5K101 KK04 KK04 KK07 KK18 LL18 SS01 TT04

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A multipoint video conference apparatus, comprising: a plurality of conference terminal means serving as a transmission source and a destination of a video conference; and a multipoint control unit MCU connected to a certain number of the conference terminal means. A broadcast method in a multipoint video conference device, comprising: a plurality of multipoint conference MCUs; a broadcast MCU for performing broadcast; and control means for controlling the broadcast. 2. The broadcast MCU is connected to the plurality of multipoint conference MCUs on a one-to-one basis, and a plurality of line interface means are connected to the plurality of line interface means on a one-to-one basis. 2. A broadcast system in a multipoint video conference apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of multiplexing means; and a video / audio distribution means connected to said plurality of multiplexing means. 3. The plurality of broadcast interface MCUs are connected to the plurality of multipoint conference MCUs on a one-to-one basis, and a plurality of line interface means are connected to the plurality of line interface means on a one-to-one basis. A plurality of multiplexing means, a video and audio distribution means connected to the plurality of multiplexing means, and a video and audio distribution control means for controlling the video and audio distribution means. Broadcast system in the multipoint video conference device described in the above. 4. The simultaneous broadcast in a plurality of conference terminal means connected to the multipoint conference MCU is performed directly from the multipoint conference MCU. Broadcast method for multi-point video conference equipment. 5. When the conference terminal means serving as a transmission source is fixed, the connection between the plurality of multipoint conference MCUs and the broadcast MCU is fixed, so that the broadcast MCU is not connected. 2. A simultaneous broadcast system in a multipoint video conference apparatus according to claim 1, wherein control of said control means is fixed. 6. The simultaneous broadcasting system in a multipoint video conference apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said video / audio distribution control means controls said video / audio distribution means to change a transmission source.