JPH0583407A - Multi-spot tv conference center equipment and circuit switching method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention relates to a multipoint TV conference center device and a line switching method, and an object thereof is to provide a center device capable of PP connection and multipoint connection. [Structure] In a multipoint TV conference center device, a frame disassembly / preparation unit 3, which receives video and audio data from the line interface unit 1 and processes it in a predetermined frame format, and a line interface unit 1 and frame disassembly / preparation unit 3 And the video and audio data of one terminal device via the line interface unit 1 and point-to-point connection with another selected one terminal device, or through to the frame disassembling / creating unit 3. P-P switch unit 4 for switching to connection and frame disassembling / creating unit 3
Connected to the P-P switch unit 4, and extracts the desired connection point data from the frame disassembly / preparation unit 3, and instructs the P-P switch unit 4 to perform point-to-point connection and / or through connection for each line. It is characterized by further comprising a control unit 5 for giving.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multipoint video conference center device having a switching function used for conducting a multipoint video conference and a line switching method. As a result of the CCITT (International Telegraph and Telephone Advisory Committee) standardization recommendation for TV conference terminals, it is now possible to hold video conferences between terminals of different manufacturers. In accordance therewith, the price of TV conference terminals is shifting toward lower prices. And with the increasing demand for the TV conference system, a multipoint TV that can hold a new simultaneous conference between multiple points.
Conference center equipment is needed.

The above-mentioned multipoint TV conference center device is
It is used in the image of "meeting room" for telephone-like PP (Point to Point) conferences between two points.
A multipoint conference can be held by each participant of the multipoint conference connecting to this center device.
When such a TV conference network becomes large-scale, for example, a PP conference between the A point and the B point is performed in the same time zone, and a multipoint conference between the C point, the D point, the E point, and the F point is performed. There will be cases where you will do it.

In such a case, when a public network mainly consisting of ISDN lines is used, since the public network itself has a switching function, there is no problem in switching between points, but a dedicated line is used. When used, it is necessary to provide an expensive exchange in a dedicated line network. When using a public network, points may be directly connected when a PP conference between two points is performed, and when a multipoint conference is performed, a multipoint center device (conference room) is used. Connect to.

However, in the case of constructing a TV conference network using a leased line, it is necessary to switch the circuit between the two points that are directly connected and the points that are connected to the multipoint center apparatus (meeting room). For this reason, the idea of providing a multipoint TV conference center device with a PP connection function is becoming popular.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a video conference network is constructed using a dedicated line, the reason why a dedicated exchange is always required as described above is that a normal telephone exchange can only exchange a line with a low speed. Therefore, it cannot be used for exchanging a line having a speed several times to several tens of times that of a telephone used in a video conference or the like. A dedicated exchange is a composite PBX (Private Branch Ex) that processes various media.
change), and a specific example is a digital private branch exchange FETEX-3000 manufactured by Fujitsu Limited.

[0006]

As described above, in the conventional TV conference system, in order to carry out a multipoint TV conference, the multipoint TV conference center device and an expensive exchange must be purchased as a set. Therefore, there is a problem in that the spread of the multipoint video conference system is hindered.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and provides a multipoint TV conference center device and a line switching method which have a P-P connection function and can specify a replacement destination from each terminal. provide.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is an internal block diagram of an apparatus showing the basic principle of the present invention. In the figure, the present invention is provided with a line interface unit 1 connected to a plurality of terminal devices for inputting and outputting video and audio, and a multipoint switching unit 2, and stores all video and audio data input from the terminal devices. In a multipoint TV conference center device that receives and outputs video and audio data to be distributed to each terminal device, a frame decomposing / creating unit that receives the video and audio data from the line interface unit 1 and processes it in a predetermined frame format. 3 between the line interface unit 1 and the frame disassembling / creating unit 3,
A P-P switch for switching video and audio data of one terminal device via the line interface unit 1 to another selected one terminal device for point-to-point connection or through connection to the frame disassembling / creating unit 3. Is connected to the unit 4, the frame disassembling / creating unit 3 and the PP switch unit 4, and the desired connection point data is extracted from the frame disassembling / creating unit 3.
The multi-point video conference center apparatus further comprises a control unit 5 for giving an instruction of point-to-point connection and / or through connection to the P-P switch unit 4 for each line.

That is, the present invention relates to the line interface unit 1 and H.221 recommended by CCITT, for example.
(64kb in audiovisual teleservice
Frame structure from ps to 1920 kbps channel)
It is characterized in that a P-P switch unit 4 which is a circuit switching unit for P-P conference users is provided between the frame disassembling / creating unit 3 for processing the P.

In the present invention, when the TV conference is not held, the H.221 frame is not transmitted. Therefore, it is possible to confirm the holding of the conference by confirming the reception of the H.221 frame. When the video conference is not held, the control unit 5 controls the PP switch unit 4
On the other hand, a path connecting the line interface unit 1 and the frame disassembling / creating unit 3 is specified.

When a video conference is held, H.221 part 3
At the step S1, the connection desired point data is extracted from the data after the H.221 frame synchronization and is notified to the control unit 22. The control unit sets the selector of the PP switch unit 4 so as to connect to the notified point.

There is a case where a multipoint conference is desired in the connection desired point data, and in this case, the data is passed to the multipoint switching unit 2 with the through path as it is. At the end of the conference, it is detected by the loss of the H.211 frame, and the selector of the PP switch unit 4 is returned to the original through state.

[0013]

According to the present invention, another remote control path for establishing a PP path for instructing a desired point to the multipoint TV conference center apparatus after once connecting to the multipoint TV conference center apparatus. Do not have. Further, even if the PP path is set, only the received data can be monitored, so that the PP path setting can be automatically canceled even when the line is disconnected.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. The present invention is not limited to this. FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the leased line network, which comprises a multipoint TV conference center device 10 and a large number (8 points in this embodiment) of TV conference terminals 11 _{1 to} 11 ₈ . FIG. 3 shows a schematic internal configuration of the multipoint TV conference center device 10 shown in FIG. 2. The line interface unit 20 uses a dedicated line, a PP switch unit 21, and the PP switch unit thereof. 2 shows the configuration of a control unit 22 that controls 21. For simplification of description, the case of three lines (line A to line C) is shown as an example in FIG.

In the P-P switch unit 21 shown in the figure, the data on the line A is connected via the selectors SEL22 ₂ and SEL22 _{3 so} that it can be connected to the receiving units at all points. Similarly for lines B and C,
Selector SE so that it can be connected to the receiver at all points
L22 ₁ and selector SEL22 ₃ are connected, and selector SEL22 ₁ and selector SEL22 ₂ are connected, respectively.

[0016] With such a selector arrangement, lines A and B may perform communication, the selector SEL 22 _1, and selects the data receiving from the line B. Also, if the line B comes to the connection and the H.221 frame disassembling / creating unit passes the data that the H.221 frame disassembly / construction unit wants to connect to the line A to the control unit 22, a select path that allows the data of the line A to be passed to the line B can be obtained. Communication becomes possible. However, in this case,
It is necessary for the point A on the line A and the point B on the line B to contact each other for connection.

When the line C wants to hold a group conference, the H.221 frame disassembling / creating unit is first connected as a first procedure, and if the desired point is not the PP connection, the control unit 22 has many units. Connection control of the transmission line is performed so that data can be sent to the point. At this time, no instruction is given to the selector SEL22 ₃ , and therefore the through-pass state is set. Thereby, it becomes possible to hold a group meeting.

This P-P switch unit 21 is H.221.
It is set by receiving an instruction from the control unit 22 so as to receive the data of the connection desired point separated by the frame disassembling / creating unit.

The control unit 22 also switches the line to the desired connection point based on the connection data. Therefore, the PP connection is normally completed only when the two points desire to connect to each other. In addition, regarding the point where connection is not possible even if the user desires to connect, the control unit 22 can manage the state of each point, so it is possible to return a message indicating that connection is impossible to the desired point.

Next, the configuration of the TV conference center device 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. An example of the operation procedure of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. When the PP connection is made by the terminals at the points A and B and the group connection is made by the terminals at the points C to H, the connection information is transferred to the system control unit 30 of the multipoint TV conference center apparatus 10. Further, the system control unit 30 includes a transmission line control unit (LINE) for controlling the interface of the transmission line.
CONT) 31 to transfer the connection information.

The multiplexing / separating units MUX 32 ₁ and 31 ₂ separate the data coming from the interface boards (hereinafter referred to as INF boards) 34 _{1 to} 34 ₄ through the switch board 33 into voice data, high speed data and low speed data, respectively. The data is output to each block, and each data processed in each block is multiplexed and output to the INF boards 34 ₁ to 34 ₄ side.

The INF boards 34 _{1 to} 34 ₄ are transmission composite conversion,
Synchronous detection and each alarm detection are performed, data is output to the switch board 33 side, a transmission frame is assembled for the data coming from the switch board 33, each alarm is added, transmission code conversion is performed, and the data is sent to the transmission path. ..

The switch board 33 is an INF board 34 _{1 to} 34 ₄
The line of data coming from, or sent to another line via the INF Release 34 _{1-34 4,} against INF Release 34 _1-34 which multiplexing and demultiplexing unit MUX 32 ₁ data coming from _4, 32 ₂ It consists of a selector that can output.

Further, FIG. 5 shows the structure of the switch board 33 in more detail. Each IR in the figure is I
The received data from the NF board is shown, each IS shows the transmitted data to the INF board, and the numbers correspond to the numbers sequentially given from the top of the switch board shown in FIG.

MR indicates received data to the multiplexer / demultiplexer MUX board, MS indicates transmission data from the multiplexer / demultiplexer MUX board, and selectors SEL (1) to (6) indicate transmission data and other than itself. 8-1 selectors and selectors SEL (a) to (d) for switching the reception data of 2-1 switch the data system of the INF board accommodating two lines and the INF board accommodating four lines 2-1
The selectors and registers REG1 and 2 are registers for the transmission line control unit LINE CONT31.

In the figure, the transmission line control unit LINE C
After turning on the power, the ONT 31 determines the type of INF board,
Write data to the register REG2, select SEL
(a) to (d) are switched, and then the system control unit 3
When the connection information is transferred from 0, the register REG1
The data of the reception data IR2 is switched back to the selector SEL (1) as transmission data IS1 via the.

Next, through the register REG1, the selector SEL (2) is switched to return the data of IR1 to IS2. Further, the selectors SEL (3) to SEL (6) do not perform processing because the transmission data is selected in the initial setting. By performing the processing as described above, the two types of connections as shown in FIG. 4, that is, the line connection of the PP connection between the two points A and B and the group connection between the six points C to H are established. Selection is possible.

[0028]

According to the present invention, when a video conference is held, the H.221 frame disassembling / creating unit 3 generates the H.221.
By extracting the desired connection point data from the data after frame synchronization and passing it through the control unit, the control unit can set the selector of the PP switch unit to connect to the notified point. If there is data that wants a multipoint conference among the desired connection point data, it is possible to pass the data to the multipoint switching unit with a through path, so that each point has a PP connection and a multipoint connection. It is possible at the same time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a leased line network of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating a line connection state in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing details of a switch board of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 line interface part 2 multipoint switching part 3 frame disassembly / preparation part 4 PP switch part 5 control part

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H04N 7/15 8943-5C

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A video and audio data input from a terminal device, comprising a line interface unit (1) connected to a plurality of terminal devices for inputting and outputting video and audio, and a multipoint switching unit (2). A multi-point TV conference center device that receives all video and audio data for distribution to each terminal device, receives the video and audio data from the line interface unit (1), and processes them in a predetermined frame format. The line interface unit (1) is provided between the disassembly / preparation unit (3) and the line interface unit (1) and the frame disassembly / preparation unit (3).
P-switching the video and audio data of one terminal device via the point connection to another selected one terminal device to a point-to-point connection or a through connection to the frame disassembling / creating unit (3).
It is connected to the P switch section (4), the frame disassembly / preparation section (3) and the PP switch section (4), and the desired connection point data is extracted from the frame disassembly / preparation section (3), A multipoint TV conference center device, further comprising: a control unit (5) for giving an instruction of point-to-point connection and / or through connection to the switch unit (4) for each line. 2. A control unit (31) for controlling a line interface unit (34), a MUX unit (32) for multiplexing / separating voice data, image data, high speed data, and low speed data, and a transmission frame for transmission. A line interface unit (34) for code conversion, and a switch unit (33) for switching a line between the MUX unit (32) and the line interface unit (34)
And transfers the information of the PP connection and the group connection designated by the terminal to the control unit (31), and when the transferred information is the PP connection, the line is sent to the switch unit (33). The interface part (34) controls the connection between two points, and
When the transferred information is a group connection, the MUX (3
2) A line switching method characterized in that the line interface unit (34) and the line interface unit (34) are controlled to be through connections, and thereby a plurality of PP connections and group connections are simultaneously performed.