Minute file creation method, minute file management method, conference server, and network conference system

• US 20050228861A1
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Nagayama, Hironori, Amano, Mitsuyoshi, Suginohara, Keiji
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/489 using time information
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/32 on separate auxiliary tracks of the same or an auxiliary record carrier

Abstract

In a server-client network conference system having a conference server 100 and a plurality of conference terminals 140a to 140n through a network 130, a conference data storage section 120 creates a real-time conference data file 123 and an index file 122 containing time-of-day information and heading information while a conference proceeds. After the conference is over, edit such as voice stream merge processing, image thinning-out processing, etc., in the real-time conference data file 123 is performed to create a minute file 124 and the minute file 124 is managed with an index file 122.

Claims

1. A minute file creation method comprising:

adding a time stamp to conference data containing voice data, image data, and control command data of a real-time conference held using a network conference system;

placing the data on time series to create a real-time conference data file;

temporarily storing the real-time conference data file;

reading the temporarily stored real-time conference data file after the real-time conference is over;

packaging voice stream data of participants of the real-time conference into one stream data;

executing image thinning-out processing of the image data of the participants; and

compressing the provided voice stream data, the image data after being subjected to the image thinning-out processing, and the control command data to create a minute file.

2. A minute file management method comprising:

adding a time stamp to conference data containing voice data, image data, and control command data of a real-time conference held using a network conference system;

placing the data on time series to create a real-time conference data file;

temporarily storing the real-time conference data file;

creating an index file including time-of-day information, heading information, and reference destination information in which they are associated with each other;

reading the temporarily stored real-time conference data file after the real-time conference is over;

packaging voice stream data of participants of the real-time conference into one stream data;

executing image thinning-out processing of the image data of the participants;

compressing the provided voice stream data, the image data after being subjected to the image thinning-out processing, and the control command data to create a minute file;

storing the created minute file; and

managing access to the minute file using the index file.

3. The minute file management method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heading information in the index file contains first heading information automatically inserted to record conference description change and second heading information manually inserted based on the intention of each participant of the real-time conference.

4. A conference server used in a server-client network conference system, the conference server comprising:

a data storage section; and

a playback control section,

wherein the data storage section includes;

a real-time conference data file creation section for adding a time stamp to conference data containing voice data, image data, and control command data of a real-time conference held using a network conference system, and placing the data on time series to create a real-time conference data file;

an index file creation section for creating an index file including time-of-day information, heading information, and reference destination information in which they are associated with each other concurrently with creation of the real-time conference data file; and

a conference data edit section for reading the temporarily stored real-time conference data file after the real-time conference is over, packaging voice stream data of participants of the real-time conference into one stream data, executing image thinning-out processing of the image data of the participants, and compressing the provided voice stream data, the image data after being subjected to the image thinning-out processing, and the control command data to create a minute file,

wherein the playback control section, upon reception of a request for playing back the minute file from a conference terminal as a client, creates a heading list based on the heading information in the index file, and transmits the heading list to the conference terminal, and

wherein the playback control section, when a user of the conference terminal specifies a specific heading as the result of referencing the heading list, reads data in the minute file corresponding to the specified heading by referring to the index file, and transmits the read data to the conference terminal.

5. A network conference system comprising:

a conference server; and

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

wherein the conference server includes a data storage section and a playback control section,

wherein the data storage section includes;

a real-time conference data file creation section for adding a time stamp to conference data containing voice data, image data, and control command data of a real-time conference held using a network conference system, and placing the data on time series to create a real-time conference data file;

an index file creation section for creating an index file including time-of-day information, heading information, and reference destination information in which they are associated with each other concurrently with creation of the real-time conference data file; and

a conference data edit section for reading the temporarily stored real-time conference data file after the real-time conference is over, packaging voice stream data of participants of the real-time conference into one stream data, executing image thinning-out processing of the image data of the participants, and compressing the provided voice stream data, the image data after being subjected to the image thinning-out processing, and the control command data to create a minute file,

wherein the playback control section, upon reception of a request for playing back the minute file from the conference terminal, creates a heading list based on the heading information in the index file, and transmits the heading list to the conference terminal, and

wherein the playback control section, when a user of the conference terminal specifies a specific heading as the result of referencing the heading list, reads data in the minute file corresponding to the specified heading by referring to the index file, and transmits the read data to the conference terminal.