Communications terminal and communications system

• US 5,996,094 A
• Filed: 01/22/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ito, Kan
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELISCA, PIERRE E
• Application Number:
  US08/786,910
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 395/185.1, 395/185.01, 395/185.09, 395/183.19, 395/182.02, 395/182.08, 395/182.09, 395/182.1, 395/200.11, 395/200.69, 714/4, 714/10, 714/11, 714/48, 714/57, 714/43, 709/239
• US Class Current: 714/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

The present invention aims to facilitate the maintenance inspection for the communications terminal and the communications system. A fault detection unit 24 monitors the communication line and each terminal unit, and upon detecting a malfunction, the fault information is immediately output to a fault information recording unit 26. The fault information recording unit 26 stores and records fault information from the fault detection unit 24. It operates to only record the fault conditions on the fault information recording unit 26 in the case of the slight fault, or record the fault conditions on the fault information recording unit 26 and automatically call the preregistered service office to notify its fault conditions in the case of the heavy fault which may hinder the television conference in performance. The fault information recording unit 26 automatically calls the registered service office periodically, e.g., once a week, to notify the fault information recorded after the previous call. When making the television conference between three or more points, the multi-point connection control unit 60 is also provided with a fault detecting unit and a fault information recording unit.

Claims

1. A communications terminal unit which can communicate audio and image information with other communications terminals via communication means, said communications terminal unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting a malfunction of said communications terminal unit; and

processing means for notifying information of the malfunction to at least one of said other communications terminals and storing said information of the malfunction when the detected malfunction is in a first level where an interference to a communication conference occurs, and for storing information of the malfunction without the notification when the detected malfunction is in a second level where an interference to the communication conference does not occur.

2. A communications terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein the malfunction of said communications terminal unit involves an abnormality of a configuration of said communications terminal unit.

3. A communications terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein the malfunction of said communications terminal unit includes an abnormality of the communication means.

4. A communications terminal unit according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing the malfunction detected by said detecting means.

5. A communications terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein said stored information relating to the malfunction is transmitted to at least one of the other communications terminals every predetermined period.

6. A communications terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of said other communications terminals is a service center for maintenance.

7. A communications terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein said processing means notifies a site at which a malfunction is generated.

8. A communications terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein said processing means notifies a date of the malfunction and a time of the malfunction.

9. A communications terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein said notification is automatically performed.

10. A communications terminal unit according to claim 1, wherein said processing means notifies the malfunction to at least one of the other communications terminals via the communication means.

11. A communication system in which a plurality of communications terminal units are connected via communication means that communicate audio and image information, said communication system comprising:

detecting means for detecting a malfunction of one of said communications terminal units; and

processing means for notifying information of the malfunction to at least one of the other communications terminal units and storing said information of the malfunction when the detected malfunction is in a first level where an interference to a communication conference occurs, and for storing information relating to said malfunction without the notification when the detected malfunction is in a second level where an interference to the communication conference does not occur.

12. A communication system according to claim 11, wherein the malfunction of said one of the communications terminal units includes an abnormality of a configuration of said one of the communications terminal unit.

13. A communications system according to claim 11, wherein the malfunction of said one of the communications terminal units includes an abnormality of the communication means.

14. A communications system according to claim 11, further comprising storage means for storing the malfunction detected by said detecting means.

15. A communications system according to claim 11, wherein said stored information relating to the malfunction is transmitted to at least one of the other communications terminal units every predetermined period.

16. A communications system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one of said other communication terminal units is a service center for maintenance.

17. A communications system according to claim 11, wherein said processing means notifies a site at which a malfunction is generated.

18. A communication system according to claim 11, wherein said processing means notifies a date of the malfunction and a time of the malfunction.

19. A communications system according to claim 11, wherein said notification is automatically performed.

20. A communications system according to claim 11, wherein said processing means notifies the malfunction to at least one of the other communications terminal units via the communication means.

21. A processing method in a communications terminal unit which can communicate audio and image information with other communications terminals via communication means, said processing method comprising the steps of:

detecting a malfunction of said communications terminal unit; and

notifying information of the malfunction to at least one of the other communications terminal units and storing said information of the malfunction when the detected malfunction is in a first level where an interference to a communication conference occurs, and for storing information of the malfunction without the notification when the detected malfunction is in a second level where an interference to the communication conference does not occur.

22. The processing method according to claim 21, wherein the malfunction of said communications terminal unit involves an abnormality of a configuration of said communications terminal unit.

23. The processing method according to claim 21, wherein the malfunction of said communications terminal unit includes an abnormality of the communication means.

24. The processing method according to claim 21, further comprising storing the malfunction detected.

25. The processing method according to claim 21, wherein said stored information relating to the malfunction is transmitted to at least one of the other communications terminals every predetermined period.

26. The processing method according to claim 21, wherein at least one of said other communications terminals is a service center for maintenance.

27. The processing method according to claim 21, wherein said notification step notifies a site at which a malfunction is generated.

28. The processing method according to claim 21, wherein said notification step notifies a date of the malfunction and a time of the malfunction.

29. The processing method according to claim 21, wherein said notification is automatically performed.

30. The processing method according to claim 21, wherein said notification step notifies the malfunction to at least one of the other communications terminals via the communication means.

31. A communications terminal unit which can communicate audio and image information with other communications terminals via at least one interconnector, said communications terminal unit comprising:

a detector, for detecting a malfunction of said communications terminal unit; and

a processor for transmitting information of the malfunction to at least one of said other communications terminals and storing said information of the malfunction when the detected malfunction is in a first level where an interference to a communication conference occurs, and for storing information of the malfunction without the transmission when the detected malfunction is in a second level where an interference to the communication conference does not occur.

32. A communications terminal unit according to claim 31, wherein the malfunction of said communications terminal unit involves an abnormality of a configuration of said communications terminal unit.

33. A communications terminal unit according to claim 31, wherein the malfunction of said communications terminal unit includes an abnormality of the interconnector.

34. A communications terminal unit according to claim 31, further comprising memory for storing the malfunction detected by said detector.

35. A communications terminal unit according to claim 31, wherein said stored information relating to the malfunction is transmitted to at least one of the other communications terminals every predetermined period.

36. A communications terminal unit according to claim 31, wherein at least one of said other communications terminals is a service center for maintenance.

37. A communications terminal unit according to claim 31, wherein said processor transmits a site at which a malfunction is generated.

38. A communications terminal unit according to claim 31, wherein said processor transmits a date of the malfunction and a time of the malfunction.

39. A communications terminal unit according to claim 31, wherein said transmission is automatically performed.

40. A communications terminal unit according to claim 31, wherein said processor transmits the malfunction to at least one of the other communications terminals via the interconnector.

41. A communication system in which a plurality of communications terminal units are connected via at least one interconnector that communicate audio and image information, said communication system comprising:

a detector for detecting a malfunction of one of said communications terminal units; and

a processor for transmitting information of the malfunction to at least one of the other communications terminal units and storing said information of the malfunction when the detected malfunction is in a first level where an interference to a communication conference occurs, and for storing information relating to said malfunction without the notification when the detected malfunction is in a second level where an interference to the communication conference does not occur.

42. A communications terminal unit according to claim 41, wherein the malfunction of said communications terminal unit involves an abnormality of a configuration of said communications terminal unit.

43. A communications terminal unit according to claim 41, wherein the malfunction of said communications terminal unit includes an abnormality of at least one interconnector.

44. A communications terminal unit according to claim 41, further comprising memory for storing the malfunction detected by said detector.

45. A communications terminal unit according to claim 41, wherein said stored information relating to the malfunction is transmitted to at least one of the other communications terminals every predetermined period.

46. A communications terminal unit according to claim 41, wherein at least one of said other communications terminals is a service center for maintenance.

47. A communications terminal unit according to claim 41, wherein said processor transmits a site at which a malfunction is generated.

48. A communications terminal unit according to claim 41, wherein said processor transmits a date of the malfunction and a time of the malfunction.

49. A communications terminal unit according to claim 41, wherein said transmission is automatically performed.

50. A communications terminal unit according to claim 41, wherein said processor transmits the malfunction to at least one of the other communications terminals via the at least one interconnector.