Network conference system

• US 20050198123A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Ota, Izumi, Nagayama, Hironori, Tanigaki, Soichi, Amano, Mitsuyoshi, Suginohara, Keiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,543,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831

Abstract

It is assumed that a presenter A makes an important statement at a scene 2 in a real-time conference. Participants B and C press a chapter insertion button at times t4 and t5 respectively (steps S1-1 and S1-2). A conference server turns back the time by a predetermined time from the times t4 and t5 (steps S2-1 and S2-2) and sets headings (manual insertion chapters) HCP2 and HCP3 at the turned-back times (t2 and t3). Alternatively, the conference server determines the time separator just before the time (namely, CP4) and sets a heading HCP1 at the time (S4). Accordingly, the heading is set before the scene 2 where the presenter A makes an important statement.

Claims

1. A server-client network conference system comprising:

a conference server having

a real-time conference data file containing real-time conference data placed on time series and

an index file used to search the real-time conference data file and having time-of-day information, heading information, and information to access the real-time conference data file as they are associated with each other; and

a conference terminal as a client connected to the conference server through a network,

wherein, after a real-time conference is over, the real-time conference data file is accessed based on the heading information in the index file and any desired real-time conference data can be read and played back on the conference terminal,

wherein the conference terminal includes a manual input unit for a user to manually enter a heading insertion request, and

wherein the conference server, when a participant of the real-time conference enters the heading insertion request through the manual input unit of the conference terminal while the real-time conference proceeds, determines the time turned back from the point in time at which the heading insertion request is entered, sets a manually inserted heading at the determined point in time, and records information of the setup heading in the index file.

2. The network conference system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conference server sets time separators at predetermined time intervals from the start time of the real-time conference on a time axis, and

wherein when the heading insertion request is entered through the manual input unit, the conference server turns back the time by a predetermined time from the entry time on the time axis, determines the time separator set just before the turned-back time, and sets the manually inserted heading at the time corresponding to the determined time separator.

3. The network conference system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the conference server changes the length of the predetermined time by which the time is turned back from the heading insertion request entry time in response to information entered through the manual input unit.

4. The network conference system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the user transmits a playback request from the conference terminal to the conference server after the real-time conference is over, the conference server sends a list of the heading information in the index file to the conference terminal of the user who,

wherein, when the user references the heading information list on the conference terminal and specifies any desired heading, the conference terminal sends the specification information to the conference server, and

wherein the conference server reads the real-time conference data file on and after the set time of the specified heading and sends the read file to the conference terminal to play back the real-time conference data file on the conference terminal.

5. A conference terminal having the manual input unit for a user to manually enter a heading insertion request for use with the network conference system as claimed in claim 1.

6. A conference server having creation and management functions of the real-time conference data file and the index file for use with the network conference system as claimed in claim 1.

7. A conference server having a search function of the index file, a transmission function of the heading information list in the index file, and a transmission function of the real-time conference data file on and after the time corresponding to the specified heading for use with the network conference system as claimed in claim 4.