JP2008048058A - Network box - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a network box which enables conference participants to keep conference data in common in the middle of a teleconference, even when the transfer amount of data of a network is limited. <P>SOLUTION: The network box 3 is connected to the other network boxes 3 through a network 5, sound data are usually transmitted or received as streaming data, and the transmission of the streaming data is stopped when the streaming data are silent data, and conference data, such as computer data, image data, etc, are transmitted. When the conference data are required to be quickly transmitted, the data transmission switch 311 of a control 31 of the network box 3 is turned ON, whereby the transmission of the sound data is stopped, and the conference data are preferentially transmitted. By this setup, the participants of the teleconference are capable of keeping the conference data in common even in the middle of the conference, and the conference can be held smoothly. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a network box used for a conversation or conference between remote points.

Conventionally, materials used in multipoint conferences are registered in advance, and when a communication terminal is connected to the multipoint conference, it is detected and transferred to the connected communication terminal. There was a communication device and a communication system configured as described above.
JP-A-10-51558

  The communication system described in Patent Document 1 is configured such that when a document is newly added, the document is transferred to a communication terminal connected to the multipoint conference at that time.

  However, when each communication terminal is connected by an ISDN line or an analog line, the data transmission amount of the line is limited. Further, in order to hold a multipoint conference without delay, it is necessary to transmit at least audio data without interruption.

  For this reason, the conventional communication system has a problem in that when a new material is added when audio data is set to be preferentially transmitted, the material cannot be transferred smoothly.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a network box capable of sharing conference materials during a remote conference even when the network data transmission amount is limited.

  The present invention has the following configuration as means for solving the above problems.

(1) data input means for inputting audio data and material data output from an externally connected device;
Communication means for transmitting the audio data as streaming data to another device connected to the network;
Control for monitoring audio data input to the data input means, and when the audio data is silent data, control the communication means to stop transmitting streaming data and transmit the material data input from the data input means Means,
It is provided with.

  When remote conferencing is performed by connecting multiple network boxes to a network with limited data transmission volume, audio data is always transmitted as streaming data so that the conference can proceed smoothly. If it is necessary to share a document in the middle of the conference and proceed with the conference, if the data transmission amount of the network is limited, the material data cannot be transmitted immediately. In this configuration, the network box transmits the audio data as streaming data, but if the input audio data is silence data, the transmission of the silence data is stopped and the material data is transmitted. Therefore, if you want to send a conference material when you connect a number of network boxes to a network with limited data transmission volume and you want to send the conference material, you must hold the conference until the material data transmission is complete. By interrupting and continuing the silence state, the document data is preferentially transmitted without transmitting the silence data, so the conference material can be shared even during the conference, and the remote conference can be performed smoothly. it can.

(2) voice data input means for inputting voice data output from the external device;
Material data input means for inputting the material data output by the external connection device,
A communication unit that transmits the audio data input to the audio data input unit as streaming data to another device connected to the network;
Operation means for accepting switching of data to be transmitted to the communication means;
When the operation means is operated, control means for stopping input of audio data from the audio data input means and transmitting material data input to the material data input means to the communication means;
It is provided with.

  In this configuration, the communication means always transmits the audio data as streaming data. However, when the operation means is operated, the input of the audio data from the audio data input means is stopped and the input from the material data input means is performed. Send the material data. Therefore, when the user needs to share the conference material during the remote conference, the user can stop the transmission of the voice data and transmit the material data by operating the operation means. You can share materials and conduct remote conferences smoothly.

  The network box according to the present invention needs to stop transmitting voice data (silent data) and transmit material data during a period in which silent data is transmitted as audio data, and transmit the data immediately. In this case, by operating the operation means, the transmission of the audio data can be stopped and the material data can be transmitted immediately. Thereby, the participants of the remote conference can share the conference material even during the conference, and the conference can be performed smoothly.

  FIG. 1 is an overview diagram showing a configuration of a remote conference system. The remote conference system 1 includes at least two network boxes 3.

  A microphone 11, a speaker unit 13, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) 15, a video camera 17, and the like can be connected to the network box 3. By connecting the network box 3 to the network 5, the network 5 Voice data, image data, material data, and the like can be exchanged with other network boxes 3 connected to the network box 3 for a conversation or a conference.

  Next, the configuration of the network box 3 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the network box.

  The network box 3 includes an input / output unit 21, a communication unit 25, a storage unit 27, a control unit 29, and an operation unit 31.

  The input / output unit 21 is an interface for inputting and outputting computer data such as conference materials, audio data, and image data. The input / output unit 21 can be connected to the microphone 11, the speaker unit 13, the PC 15, the video camera 17, and the like.

  The microphone 11 collects voices uttered by the conference participants and outputs voice data to the input / output unit 21.

  The speaker unit 13 emits sound that is sent from the other network box 3 via the network 5 and converted from the audio data output from the input / output unit 21 into an analog signal.

  The PC 15 is installed with a plurality of software for creating conference materials, and a hard disk which is a storage means for storing conference material data (computer data) created by conference participants using these software Or memorize it in memory. Further, the computer data is output to the network box 3 by the operation of the conference participant. Further, the PC 15 can display image data sent from another network box 3.

  The video camera 17 captures moving images and still images and outputs these image data to the network box 3.

  The communication unit 25 monitors the data transmission amount of the network 5 at regular intervals (periodically). The communication unit 25 transmits and receives audio data, image data, and computer data via the network 5. The communication unit 25 transmits audio data as streaming data.

  The storage unit 27 stores line congestion data corresponding to the data transmission amount that is periodically monitored by the communication unit 25. The storage unit 27 temporarily stores audio data, image data, computer data, and the like input from the input / output unit 21.

  The control unit 29 controls each unit of the network box 3.

  The operation unit 31 includes a data transmission switch 311 that is a switch for forcibly transmitting other data (meeting material data) other than audio data to the communication unit 25.

  Next, features of the network box 3 will be described. In the remote conference system 1, the most important data for proceeding with a conference (conversation) between remote locations is audio data of the conference (conversation). Therefore, the network box 3 is configured to always transmit / receive audio data as streaming data so that only audio data is transmitted / received without being cut off regardless of the line state of the network 5.

  On the other hand, in remote conferences, computer data such as conference materials created by the PC 15 and image data such as still images and videos taken by the video camera 17 are also important data, and these data need to be transmitted and received as necessary. There is. However, when the line condition of the network 5 is poor or the data communication amount of the network 5 is limited, the voice data of the conversation (conference) can be transmitted and received as streaming data, but the conference such as computer data or image data Since the document data cannot be sent and received, the meeting is delayed. For example, when the line used as the network 5 connecting the network box 3 is an ISDN line or an analog telephone line, the data transmission amount is limited.

  Therefore, in the network box 3 of the present invention, when the audio data input from the microphone 11 is silence data and the audio data transmitted as streaming data is silence data, another data such as computer data or image data is used. Send and receive data (meeting material data). As a result, when it is necessary to share the conference material and proceed with the conference, it is possible to transmit the conference material data such as computer data and image data during the conversation pause period. Can be used.

  For example, when it becomes necessary to transmit conference material data in order to share conference materials during a remote conference, the conference (conversation) is temporarily interrupted by exchanging between the conference participants, Audio data (streaming data) transmitted by the communication unit 25 is silence data. At this time, the control unit 29 of the network box 3 stops the transmission of the silent data, and the computer data output from the PC 15 connected to the input / output unit 21 and the image data output from the video camera 17 are transmitted to the communication unit 25. To send to. Therefore, a conference participant who uses each network box 3 of the remote conference system 1 can smoothly advance the remote conference by sharing the conference material.

  Further, in the network box 3, if the conference is incandescent and audio data transmission / reception continues without interruption, silence data is not transmitted / received, so that it is not possible to immediately transmit / receive conference material data such as computer data or image data. is there. Therefore, in the network box 3 of the present invention, by operating the data transmission switch 311 of the operation unit 31, the transmission of audio data can be forcibly stopped and the conference material data can be transmitted. In other words, when the data transmission switch of the operation unit 31 is operated and the control unit 29 is turned on, the control unit 29 stops sending voice data input from the microphone 11 to the input / output unit 21 to the communication unit 25 and the PC 15 Conference material data such as computer data input from the computer or image data input from the video camera 17 is transmitted to the communication unit 25. Further, when the transmission of the conference material data is finished and the data transmission switch 311 is turned off, the control unit 29 stops the state where the conference material data can be transmitted, and the voice data input from the microphone 11 is communicated. To be sent to the unit 25.

  Here, the communication unit 25 transmits audio data to be transmitted as streaming data by UDP or TCP, and transmits conference material data by FTP or HTTP.

  Next, the operation of the network box 3 will be described based on a flowchart. FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the network box. The control unit 29 of the network box 3 has a built-in timer. The timer counts a fixed time, and every time this fixed time elapses (s1), the degree of congestion (data transmission amount) of the line in the network 5 is determined. The communication unit 25 is detected (s2). Subsequently, the control unit 29 stores data on the degree of congestion (data transmission amount) of the line detected by the communication unit 25 in the storage unit 27 (s3). In the network box 3, such processing is performed at regular intervals. The fixed time may be set to about 1 to 5 seconds, for example.

  The network box 3 performs the following processing when a remote conference is being performed. If the teleconference has not ended (s11), the control unit 29 refers to the line congestion data stored in the storage unit 27 (s12), and sets the transmission data amount based on the congestion data (s13). ). Then, the control unit 29 confirms whether or not the audio data input from the microphone 11 to the input / output unit 21 is silence data. The streaming data is not silence data (s14: N), and the data transmission switch 311 If it is not operated and is in the off state (s15: N), audio data is transmitted (s16). And the process after step s11 is performed again.

  On the other hand, when the data transmission switch 311 is operated and turned on in step s15 (s15: Y), the control unit 29 outputs meeting material data such as computer data and image data from the PC 15 and the video camera 17. If the conference material data is not input to the input / output unit 21 or the storage unit 27 does not store the data (s17: N), the audio data is transmitted to the communication unit 25. (S16). The control unit 29 outputs conference material data such as computer data and image data from the PC 15 and the video camera 17, and conference material data is input to the input / output unit 21. If data is stored (s17: Y), the conference material data is transmitted (s19). And the process after step s11 is performed again.

  Further, in step s14, the control unit 29 detects that the audio data input from the microphone 11 to the input / output unit 21 is silence data and streaming data (s14: Y), and conference material data such as computer data and image data is received. If it is not output from the PC 15 or the video camera 17 and no conference material data is input to the input / output unit 21 or these data are not stored in the storage unit 27 (s18: N), step s11 and subsequent steps. Execute the process again. On the other hand, the control unit 29 outputs conference material data such as computer data and image data from the PC 15 or the video camera 17, and conference material data is input to the input / output unit 21, or the storage unit 27 has already received the conference material data. If data is stored (s18: Y), transmission of streaming data (silent data) is stopped and the computer data and image data are transmitted (s19). And the process after step s11 is performed again.

  Moreover, the control part 29 complete | finishes a process, when a remote conference is complete | finished and transmission / reception of audio | voice data is complete | finished in step s11.

  As described above, when the conference (conversation) is interrupted in the middle of the remote conference and the silence data is transmitted as streaming data, the network box stops the silence data transmission, and the computer data or image data Send meeting material data such as. Further, when it is necessary to quickly transmit / receive the conference material data, the network box operates the data transmission switch to stop the transmission / reception of the voice data and immediately transmit the conference material data. Thereby, participants in the remote conference can share conference materials such as computer data and image data even during the conference, and the conference can be performed smoothly.

It is a general-view figure which shows the structure of a remote conference system. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of a network box. It is a flowchart for demonstrating operation | movement of a network box.

Explanation of symbols

1-Remote conference system 3-Network box 5-Network 11-Microphone 13-Speaker unit 15-PC
17-video camera 21-input / output unit 25-communication unit 27-storage unit 29-control unit 31-operation unit 311-data transmission switch

Claims (2)

Data input means for inputting voice data and document data output by the external connection device;
Communication means for transmitting the audio data as streaming data to another device connected to the network;
Control for monitoring audio data input to the data input means, and when the audio data is silent data, control the communication means to stop transmitting streaming data and transmit the material data input from the data input means Means,
Network box equipped with. Audio data input means for inputting audio data output by the external connection device;
Material data input means for inputting the material data output by the external connection device,
A communication unit that transmits the audio data input to the audio data input unit as streaming data to another device connected to the network;
Operation means for accepting switching of data to be transmitted to the communication means;
When the operation means is operated, control means for stopping input of audio data from the audio data input means and transmitting material data input to the material data input means to the communication means;
Network box equipped with.

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