Projector, Terminal, Conferencing System, Tree Structure Switching Method and Recording Medium

• US 20100165073A1
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp NEC Display Solutions, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NEC Display Solutions, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishida, Kouji
• Granted Patent: US 8,395,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.120
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3179 Video signal processing therefor

Abstract

A conferencing system, which can prevent useless data processing that accompanies data communication from occurring even when a presenter'"'"'s device that outputs image data is switched, is provided.

A projector can function as a node in a tree structural network, and comprises projecting means 19B, storage means 11B for storing parent-child information that indicates a direct parent and a direct child in the network, data control means 13aB for using projecting means 19B to project an image corresponding to image data and for sending the image data to the direct child indicated in the parent-child information when receiving the image data from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information, and change means 13bB, when receiving a switching request for making a request to switch a parent-child relationship from the direct child, for sending the switching request to the direct parent, and when receiving permission information representing permission to switch from the direct parent, for sending the permission information to the direct child that sent the switching request and for changing the parent-child information so that the direct parent becomes the direct child, and the direct child that sent the switching request becomes the direct parent.

Claims

1. A projector that can function as a node in a tree structural network comprising:

a projecting section;

a storage section that stores parent-child information that indicates a direct parent and a direct child in the network;

a data controller that uses the projecting section to project an image corresponding to image data and sends the image data to the direct child indicated in the parent-child information when receiving the image data from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information; and

a change section that, when receiving a switching request to make a request to switch a parent-child relationship from the direct child, sends the switching request to the direct parent, and that, when receiving permission information representing permission to switch from the direct parent, sends the permission information to the direct child that sent the switching request and changes the parent-child information so that the direct parent becomes the direct child, and the direct child that sent the switching request becomes the direct parent.

2. The projector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sound output section that outputs sound,

wherein when receiving sound data from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information, said data controller outputs sound corresponding to the sound data from said sound output section.

3. A terminal that can function as a node in a tree structural network comprising:

a storing section that stores a parent ID when its own terminal is a parent;

a display that displays an image;

a transmitter that sends image data corresponding to the image displayed on the display to a child on a network to which its own terminal is connected when the storing section stores the parent ID;

a first change section that sends permission information representing permission to switch to the child and deletes the parent ID in the storing section when receiving a switching request for making a request to switch a parent-child relationship from the child under circumstances where the storing section stores the parent ID;

an output controller that, when receiving image data from a parent on a network to which its terminal is connected under circumstances where the storing section does not store the parent ID, displays an image corresponding to the image data on the display; and

a second change section that, under circumstances where the storing section does not store the parent ID when receiving an instruction to send the switching request, sends the switching request to the parent, and that stores the parent ID in the storing section when receiving the permission information from the parent.

4. The terminal according to claim 3, further comprising:

a sound data output section that outputs sound data; and

a sound output section that outputs sound,

wherein said transmitter sends the sound data outputted by the sound data output section to the child when the storing section stores the parent ID, and

said output controller, when receiving the sound data from the parent under circumstances where the storing section does not store the parent ID, outputs sound corresponding to the sound data from said sound output section.

5. A conferencing system comprised of a projector and a terminal that can function as a node in a tree structural network, wherein

the projector comprises:

a projecting section;

a storage section that stores parent-child information that indicates a direct parent and a direct child in the network;

a data controller that uses the projecting section to project an image corresponding to image data and sends the image data to the direct child indicated in the parent-child information when receiving the image data from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information; and

a change section that, when receiving a switching request for making a request to switch a parent-child relationship from the direct child, sends the switching request to the direct parent, and that, when receiving permission information representing permission to switch from the direct parent, sends the permission information to the direct child that sent the switching request and changes the parent-child information so that the direct parent becomes the direct child, and the direct child that sent the switching request becomes the direct parent and

the terminal comprises;

a storing section that stores a parent ID when its own terminal is a parent;

a display that displays an image;

a transmitter that sends image data corresponding to the image displayed on the display to a child on a network to which its own terminal is connected when the storing section stores the parent ID;

a first change section that sends the permission information to the child and deletes the parent ID in the storing section, when receiving the switching request from the child under circumstances where the storing section stores the parent ID;

an output controller that, when receiving the image data from a parent on the network to which its terminal is connected under circumstances where the storing section does not store the parent ID, displays an image corresponding to the image data on the display; and

a second change section that, under circumstances where the storing section does not store the parent ID when accepting an instruction to send the switching request, sends the switching request to the parent, and that stores the parent ID in the storing section when receiving the permission information from the parent.

6. A tree structure switching method of a projector that can function as a node in a tree structural network, the method comprising:

storing parent-child information that indicates a direct parent and a direct child in the network;

projecting an image corresponding to image data and sending the image data to the direct child indicated in the parent-child information when the image data is received from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information;

sending a switching request for making a request to switch a parent-child relationship to the direct parent when the switching request is received from the direct child; and

sending permission information representing permission to switch to the direct child that sent the switching request and changing the parent-child information so that the direct parent becomes the direct child, and the direct child that sent the switching request becomes the direct parent when the permission information is received from the direct parent.

7. The tree structure switching method according to claim 6 further comprising outputting sound corresponding to sound data when the sound data is received from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information.

8. A tree structure switching method of a terminal that can function as a node in a tree structural network and that stores a parent ID when the terminal is a parent, comprising:

sending image data corresponding to a displayed image to a child on a network to which the terminal is connected when the parent ID is stored;

sending permission information representing permission to switch to the child and deleting the parent ID when a switching request for making a request to switch a parent-child relationship is received from the child under circumstances where the parent ID is stored;

displaying an image corresponding to image data when the image data is received from a parent on a network to which the terminal is connected under circumstances where the parent ID is not stored; and

sending the switching request to the parent, under circumstances where the parent ID is not stored, when an instruction to send the switching request is accepted, and storing the parent ID when the permission information is received from the parent.

9. The tree structure switching method according to claim 8, further comprising:

sending sound data corresponding to outputted sound to the child when the parent ID is stored; and

outputting sound corresponding to sound data, under circumstances where the parent ID is not stored, when the sound data is received from the parent.

10. A computer readable recording medium, on which a program is embedded, the program causing a computer that can function as a node in a tree structural network to execute:

a procedure for storing parent-child information that indicates a direct parent and a direct child in the network;

a procedure for projecting an image corresponding to image data and sending the image data to the direct child indicated in the parent-child information when the image data is received from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information;

a procedure for sending a switching request for making a request to switch a parent-child relationship to the direct parent when the switching request is received from the direct child; and

a procedure for sending permission information representing permission to switch to the direct child that sent the switching request and for changing the parent-child information so that the direct parent becomes the direct child, and the direct child that sent the switching request becomes the direct parent when the permission information is received from the direct parent.

11. The recording medium according to claim 10, on which the program further causes the computer to execute:

a procedure for outputting sound corresponding to sound data, when the sound data is received from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information.

12. A computer readable recording medium, on which a program is embedded, the program causing a computer that can function as a node in a tree structural network and that stores a parent ID when the computer is a parent, to execute:

a procedure for sending image data corresponding to a displayed image to a child on a network to which the computer is connected when the parent ID is stored;

a procedure for sending permission information representing permission to switch to the child and deleting the parent ID when a switching request for making a request to switch a parent-child relationship is received from the child under circumstances where the parent ID is stored;

a procedure for displaying an image corresponding to image data when the image data is received from a parent on a network to which the computer is connected under circumstances where the parent ID is not stored; and

a procedure for sending the switching request to the parent, under circumstances where the parent ID is not stored, when an instruction to send the switching request is accepted, and for storing the parent ID when the permission information is received from the parent.

13. The recording medium according to claim 12, on which the program further causes the computer to execute:

a procedure for sending sound data corresponding to outputted sound to the child when the parent ID is stored; and

a procedure for outputting sound corresponding to sound data, under circumstances where the parent ID is not stored, when the sound data is received from the parent.

14. A projector that can function as a node in a tree structural network comprising:

projecting means;

storage means for storing parent-child information that indicates a direct parent and a direct child in the network;

data control means for using the projecting means to project an image corresponding to image data and for sending the image data to the direct child indicated in the parent-child information when receiving the image data from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information; and

change means for, when receiving a switching request to make a request to switch a parent-child relationship from the direct child, sending the switching request to the direct parent, and for, when receiving permission information representing permission to switch from the direct parent, sending the permission information to the direct child that sent the switching request and for changing the parent-child information so that the direct parent becomes the direct child, and the direct child that sent the switching request becomes the direct parent.

15. A terminal that can function as a node in a tree structural network comprising:

storage means for storing a parent ID when its own terminal is a parent;

display means for displaying an image;

transmission means for sending image data corresponding to the image displayed on the display means to a child on a network to which its own terminal is connected when the storage means stores the parent ID;

first change means for sending permission information representing permission to switch to the child and for deleting the parent ID in the storage means when receiving a switching request for making a request to switch a parent-child relationship from the child under circumstances where the storage means stores the parent ID;

output control means for, when receiving image data from a parent on a network to which its terminal is connected under circumstances where the storage means does not store the parent ID, displaying an image corresponding to the image data on the display means; and

second change means for, under circumstances where the storage means does not store the parent ID when receiving an instruction to send the switching request, sending the switching request to the parent, and for storing the parent ID in the storage means when receiving the permission information from the parent.

16. A conferencing system comprised of a projector and a terminal that can function as a node in a tree structural network, wherein

the projector comprises:

projecting means;

storage means for storing parent-child information that indicates a direct parent and a direct child in the network;

data control means for using the projecting means to project an image corresponding to image data and for sending the image data to the direct child indicated in the parent-child information when receiving the image data from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information; and

change means for, when receiving a switching request for making a request to switch a parent-child relationship from the direct child, sending the switching request to the direct parent, and for, when receiving permission information representing permission to switch from the direct parent, sending the permission information to the direct child that sent the switching request and changing the parent-child information so that the direct parent becomes the direct child, and the direct child that sent the switching request becomes the direct parent and

the terminal comprises;

storage means for storing a parent ID when its own terminal is a parent;

display means for displaying an image;

transmission means for sending image data corresponding to the image displayed on the display means to a child on a network to which its own terminal is connected when the storage means stores the parent ID;

first change means for sending the permission information to the child and deleting the parent ID in the storage means, when receiving the switching request from the child under circumstances where the storage means stores the parent ID;

output control means, when receiving the image data from a parent on the network to which its terminal is connected under circumstances where the storage means does not store the parent ID, for displaying an image corresponding to the image data on the display means; and

second change means, under circumstances where the storage means does not store the parent ID when accepting an instruction to send the switching request, for sending the switching request to the parent, and for storing the parent ID in the storage means when receiving the permission information from the parent.