JPH0472954A - Communication conference system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize a communication conference system whose communication charge is reduced with less line installation by forming a ring communication line through the use of an ISDN. CONSTITUTION:A conference equipment 1 releases a token to a ring communica tion line with a transmission means 14 when a conference is started. On the other hand, a conference terminal discriminates the entry of picture conference information by a conference information entry means 31 when a conference is started, a token acquisition means 35 monitors a token circulated on the ring communication line and acquires the token to acquire the access right with the ring communication line. Thus, the ISDN is utilized to form the ring communication line and the conference information from each conference termi nal is collected by the conference equipment through the use of a multiple address communication function of the communication line by the access control of the communication line using the token to distribute the same conference information to all equipments participating in the conference and the communica tion conference system is realized with inexpensive line installation.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a teleconferencing system composed of a conference device and a conference terminal housed in an ISDN, and is particularly applicable to a teleconference system in a business office that is distributed over a wide area. The present invention relates to a teleconferencing system that is effective when holding a conference using conference terminals placed in each office.

[Prior Art] As shown in FIG.
N, and between the conference device 1 and the exchange device 2, lines for the maximum number of terminals participating in the conference are prepared, and the conference terminals are connected one-to-one via the exchange device 2 to conduct the conference. It is something that should be done.

In this case, when holding a conference, the conference information sent from each conference terminal is superimposed by the addition means 45 in the conference device 1, and the conference information is further transmitted to the line prepared for each conference terminal by the distribution means 46. Distributed by sending.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the conventional teleconferencing system described above, multiple line facilities are required between the conference device and the switching device, and when the conference terminals are distributed over a wide area, The total length of line connections between conference equipment and conference terminals has become enormous.
As a result, there was a drawback that communication charges became expensive.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention solves the drawbacks of such conventional teleconferencing systems in that the ISDN basic interface subscriber line (hereinafter referred to as the basic interface) has two information channels (B channels). By focusing on these and using these to connect one conference device and multiple conference terminals in a ring, the number of lines for the conference device can be configured with one, making communication charges economical even over long distances. The goal is to provide a teleconferencing system that will become

That is, a conference device and a plurality of conference terminals are sequentially connected using the two B channels of the basic interface to form a ring-shaped communication path, and a token that gives the right to use the communication path is circulated on this ring-shaped communication path. and the above conference device has a ``token''.

A means for transmitting "transmission permission" and "conference information" onto the ring-shaped communication path, and a "token I" on the ring-shaped communication path.
A means for receiving a ZII transmission request and a conference information, a means for inputting conference information, a means for outputting conference information, and a means for receiving a transmission request from a conference terminal and giving permission to transmit to the conference terminal. Each conference terminal is equipped with a transmission right control means for transmitting the information and granting the transmission right to the conference terminal, and a conference information addition means for superimposing the conference information received from the conference terminal and the conference information input from its own conference device. , ``token'', ``transmission request'', and ``meeting information'' onto the ring-shaped communication path, and a ``token'' on the ring-shaped communication path.
, a means for receiving "transmission permission" and "conference information", a means for inputting conference information, a means for outputting conference information, and a means for transmitting a "transmission request" to a conference device and "transmission from the conference device". ``permission'' and a means for acquiring transmission rights.

1 Effect] In the present invention, first, prior to the conference, the circuit switching call setting function provided by the ISDN service (for details of the ISDN circuit switching service and its call setting function, J1988, published by Ohmsha, pp. 92-106), the conference device is connected to the first conference terminal participating in the conference, and the first conference terminal is connected to the second conference terminal
The second conference terminal connects to the third conference terminal, and so on, and the last conference terminal connects to the conference device to establish a ring-shaped communication path. A token that gives the right to use the communication path is circulated on this ring-shaped communication path.

Then, the conference terminal with the transmission request acquires a token,
"°Transmission request°" is transmitted to the conference device via the transmitting means on a ring-shaped communication channel. When the conference device authorizes the conference terminal to transmit, it sends "transmission permission" via the transmitting means to the ring-shaped communication channel and returns it to the conference terminal. When the conference terminal is permitted to transmit, the conference terminal transmits the conference information input through the conference information input means provided in the conference terminal to the conference apparatus via the transmitting means on a ring-shaped communication path. The conference device receives conference information by the receiving means, superimposes the own conference information input by the conference information input means and the conference information received from the conference terminal by the conference information addition means, and outputs the superimposed result by the conference information output means, The superimposed conference information is transmitted to all conference terminals by a broadcast communication function via a transmitting means. Each conference terminal receives conference information from the conference device by a receiving means and outputs it by a conference information output means.

As a result, by forming a ring-shaped communication channel using ISDN and using the individual communication function and broadcast communication function of this ring-shaped communication channel, all terminals participating in the conference can receive the same image. It is possible to transmit conference information and realize a teleconferencing system with fewer line equipment. Further, the conference device and the conference terminals participating in the conference can be connected with the shortest ring length.

[Example] Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the teleconferencing system of the present invention, and this teleconferencing system includes a conference device 1,
It is composed of an ISDN network 4 and conference terminals #1 to #N.

Prior to the conference, the conference device 1 uses the circuit-switched call setup function provided by the ISDN basic interface to connect the first . conference terminal #1, the first conference terminal #1 connects to the second conference terminal #2, and the second conference terminal #2 connects to the third conference terminal #3. By performing a similar call connection and configuring the last conference terminal #N to connect the call to conference device 1, the 64kbp
A ring-shaped channel is formed in which s unrestricted bearer services are provided.

Circuit-switched unrestricted bearer services provide digital information transfer between endpoints of the ISDN network 4 whose contents remain unchanged (for example, rISDN supervised by Minoru Akiyama).
(See Picture Tokiyomihon J, published by Ohmsha in 1988, pp. 40-49). For this reason, the ring-shaped communication path formed by ISDN can be used in local area networks using the well-known token ring access method [for example, I5O8
802-5 (rsO5 standard for Loc
al Area Networks-Part5-To
ken ring access method
d physical 1 ayer 5 specific
ation)].

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the conference device 1 and conference terminals #1 to #N forming the teleconference system of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the configuration after the ring-shaped communication path is formed by the call setup described above, and the details of the internal configuration of the network including the ISDN exchange are omitted.

The conference information input means 11.31 is a tablet.

Equipped with a function to input image conference information such as an image scanner. Further, the conference information output means 12.32 has a function of outputting image conference information on a display or the like. The receiving means 13.33 has a function of receiving tokens and frames on the ring type communication path, temporarily storing information, and transmitting the tokens and frames received via the transmitting means 34 to the ring type communication path. Transmission means 14.3
4 has a function of transmitting tokens and frames to the ring type communication path. Further, the conference information addition means 16 in the conference device 1 overlaps the image conference information received from each conference terminal via the ring type communication path and the image conference information input from the conference information input means 11 of the conference device 1. It has a matching function. The transmission right control means 15 in the conference device 1 sends the token to the ring type communication channel via the transmission means 14,
A transmission request frame from a conference terminal is received from the ring type communication path via the receiving means 13, and the transmission right is given to the conference terminal, and a token on the ring type communication path is acquired via the receiving means 13, and the conference is started. It has a function of transmitting the received information to a ring type communication path via the transmitting means 14. Also,
The transmission right acquisition means 35 in the conference terminal acquires the token on the ring communication path via the reception means 33, transmits the transmission request frame to the conference bag W1 via the transmission means 34, and sends the transmission right frame from the conference bag W1. When the transmission right is granted, it has a function of transmitting the image conference information input from the conference information input means 31 of its own conference terminal to the conference device 1 via the transmission means 34.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of tokens and frames of a ring type communication channel used in the communication conference system of the present invention.

The token consists of only an access control field AC (hereinafter referred to as the AC field) as shown in (a) the figure, and this AC field has a priority bit P indicating the priority of the token as shown in the figure (b). and a token bit T indicating that it is a token. In a token, the token bit T is "0".

Next, as shown in Figure (C), the frame includes an AC field, a destination address field DA (hereinafter referred to as DA field), and a conference information field ■ (hereinafter referred to as I field).
and frame status field FS (hereinafter referred to as FS
field). Further, as described above, the AC field is composed of a priority bit P indicating the priority of the token and a token bit T indicating that it is a token, and in the frame, the priority bit T is
-t care, and the token bit T is fixed at "1". Further, the FS field is composed of a frame copy bit C indicating that the frame was copied when the frame was received, as shown in FIG. When performing broadcast communication, the DA field is all “1”.
”.

Then, conference device 1 or conference terminals #1 to #N that detect the token circulating on the ring communication path acquire access rights to the communication path, change the token bits, and set conference information in the ■ field. A frame is generated and sent to the communication channel. The frames #1, #2, . ..., #N, and then returns to the conference device 1 or conference terminal that transmitted the frame. After the transmission source removes this one-round frame, the token bit is changed to generate a token, which is then output.

The priority bits are: (priority of conference device 1) first;
> (priority order of conference terminals), and set the priority order of each conference terminal to be the same. By performing such settings, after the conference terminal transmits the conference information frame to the conference device 1 and releases the token, the conference bag W1 can always acquire the token, and the operation flowchart of FIG. 4, which will be described later, can be ensured. The sequence shown in is guaranteed. Then, when acquiring a token, the time during which the frame can be sent is set by a timer. By using this timer value, a conference terminal that has been given the transmission right by the conference device 1 can continuously transmit conference information frames to the conference device 1 without releasing the token.

Next, the operation of this teleconferencing system will be explained based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, in step 5o, the conference device 1 starts a conference, and then in step 51, the transmitting means 14 releases the ring type communication channel hetoken. On the other hand, when the conference is started in step 52, the conference terminal performs step 53.
When it is determined that the image conference information has been inputted through the conference information input means 31, and it is determined that the image conference information has been inputted, it is determined as "Y".
The transmission right acquisition means 35 monitors the token circulating on the ring type communication path, and if a token is detected, step 5
Obtain this token in Step 4 and obtain access rights to the ring type communication channel. Thereafter, in step 55, the conference terminal inputs the frame transmission time using the timer, the address of the conference device 1 in the DA field, and the "transmission request command" in the ■ field, and sends the frame via the transmitting means 34. and sends a transmission request frame (frame No. 1) to the conference device 1.
) is transmitted (step 56).

In response, the conference device 1 receives the frame (frame N (L l)) from the ring communication channel via the receiving means 13 in step 57.Then, in step 58, the conference device 1 receives the transmission request from the conference terminal. It is determined whether permission is granted or not, and if permission is not granted, the transmission right control means 15 transmits the received frame (frame No. 1) to the ring type communication path via the transmission means 14 without setting the copy bit. In addition, when permitting a transmission request from a conference terminal, the transmission right control means 15 transmits the received frame (frame N
The copy bit of O, 1) is set and sent to the ring communication path via the transmitting means 14 (step 59).

In this way, the frame (frame No. 1) sent onto the ring communication path circulates around this ring communication path and returns to the conference terminal from which it was sent. The transmission source conference terminal receives the frame (frame N001) from the ring communication channel via the receiving means 33, and in step 60, the transmission right control means 35 sets the frame copy bit of the received frame. If it is set and the answer is "Y", then in step 61 a determination is made to detect whether or not the timer set above has timed out.

If the frame copy bit is not set, or if it is set but a timeout occurs, the token bit is set in step 62 to generate a token, and the token is released in step 63. Return to step 53. Also, if the frame copy bit is set and no timeout has occurred, it is determined that the conference terminal has acquired the transmission right, and
Enter the address of the conference device 1 in the DA field and the image conference information in the ■ field, and transmit this image conference information frame (frame No. 2) to the conference device 1 via the transmitting means 34 (step 64). .

Then, in step 65, the conference device 1 receives the image conference information frame (frame N012) from the conference terminal from the receiving means 1.
Received by 3. Also, this frame (frame N
o, 2) goes around the ring communication channel and returns to the conference terminal that sent the frame, and this conference terminal transmits the frame (
After receiving the frame N002) from the ring communication channel via the receiving means 33, the token bit is set in step 66 to generate a token, and in step 6
At step 7, this token is released to the ring type communication channel by the transmitting means 34.

On the other hand, the conference device 1 inputs the conference information input means 1 in step 68.
1, and the image conference information received from the conference terminal and the image conference information of this conference device 1 are superimposed by the conference information addition means 16 (step 69). Then, the reception means 13 monitors the token circulating on the ring type communication path, and if a token is detected, the transmission right control means 15 acquires this token in step 70 and sets all "1" in the DA field (
(simultaneous communication), enter the synthesized image conference information in the ■ field, and input this image conference information frame (frame No. 3).
) is transmitted to the conference terminal via the transmitting means 14 (step 71), and at the same time, in step 72, this synthesized image conference information is output to the conference information output means 12.

On the other hand, the conference terminal receives the image conference information frame (frame N013) from the conference device 1 in step 73, and transfers the received image conference information to step 7.
4 Output to the conference information output means 32.

Then, this image conference information frame (frame No. 3
) goes around the ring type communication channel and returns to the conference device l that is the source of the frame. Thereafter, the conference device 1 receives the frame (frame N083) via the receiving means 13, sets the token bit in step 75 to generate a token, and returns to step 51 to release this token.

By repeatedly performing such operations, all conference contents based on image conference information input from the conference device 1 and conference terminals are equally distributed to each conference participating device.

As explained above, according to the present invention, a ring-shaped communication path is formed using ISDN, and conference information from each conference terminal is collected in a conference device by controlling access to the communication path using a token. , the same conference information can be distributed to all the devices participating in the conference using the broadcast communication function of the communication path, and a communication conference system can be realized with inexpensive line equipment.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the teleconferencing system according to the present invention has the following effects:
By forming a ring-shaped communication channel using I SDN, the individual communication function and the circular communication function of this ring-shaped communication channel can be used, and therefore the same image conference information can be sent to all conference terminals participating in the conference. As a result, it is possible to realize a teleconferencing system that can reduce communication charges by reducing line equipment.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a teleconferencing system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of this system, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of tokens and frames used in this system, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart explaining the operation of this system, and FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a conventional teleconferencing system. 1... Conference device, 4... ISDNlii, 11
．． 31... Meeting information input means, 12, 32...
Conference information output means, 13.33...reception means, 14
．． 34... Transmission means, 15... Transmission right control means, 16 Conference information addition means, 35... Transmission right acquisition means, #1. #2, #3. #N・---・Conference terminal, 40・
...I SDN basic interface subscriber line, 41
゜42...B channel. Patent applicant Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (1)

[Claims] One conference device and a plurality of conference terminals each have an ISD.
In a communication conference system connected to an ISDN basic interface subscriber line, the conference device connects a call to a first conference terminal in advance using the first B channel of the ISDN basic interface subscriber line, and the first conference terminal A second B-channel of the ISDN basic interface subscriber line is used to connect the call to a second conference terminal, and the second conference terminal connects the call to a third conference terminal using the second B-channel of the ISDN basic interface subscriber line. Similar call connections are made one after another to connect the call to the terminal, and the last conference terminal connects to the second terminal of the ISDN basic interface subscriber line.
A token that forms a ring-shaped communication path by connecting a call via the second B-channel of the ISDN basic interface subscriber line of the conference device using the B-channel of the conference device, and gives the right to use the communication path on this ring-shaped communication path. The conference device includes a transmitting means for transmitting a "token,""transmissionpermission," and "conference information" onto a ring-shaped communication path, and a transmission means for transmitting a "token,""transmissionrequest," and "conference information" on a ring-shaped communication path. a receiving means for receiving conference information; a conference information input means for inputting conference information; a conference information output means for outputting conference information; ” and granting transmission rights to the conference terminals; and conference information addition means for superimposing conference information received from the conference terminals and conference information input from the own conference device, each of the conference terminals The system includes a transmitting means for transmitting "tokens", "transmission requests" and "conference information" onto a ring-shaped communication path, and a receiving means for receiving "tokens", "transmission permission" and "conference information" on the ring-shaped communication path. a conference information input means for inputting conference information; a conference information output means for outputting conference information; and a conference information output means for outputting conference information. A conference terminal with a transmission request acquires a token, transmits the "transmission request" to the conference device via the transmission means on a ring-shaped communication path, and the conference device When the terminal is permitted to transmit, a "transmission permission" is sent via the transmitting means to the ring-shaped communication path and returned to the conference terminal, and when the conference terminal is permitted to transmit, the "transmission permission" is sent via the conference information input means provided in the conference terminal. The input conference information is sent to the conference device via the transmitting means on a ring-shaped communication path, and the conference device receives the conference information by the receiving means, and the conference information inputted by the conference information input means and from the conference terminal are transmitted to the conference device. The conference information adding means superimposes the received conference information and outputs the superimposed conference information from the conference information output means, and the multicast communication function transmits the superimposed conference information to all the conference terminals via the transmitting means, and each conference terminal A teleconferencing system characterized in that a receiving means receives conference information from a conference device and the conference information output means outputs the received conference information.