Multi-point video conference system

• US 6,346,963 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2000
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Katsumi, Teruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/525,467
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.714, H04/N.715, 348/14.01, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.04, 348/14.05, 348/14.06, 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.1, 370/260, 370/261, 709/204, 709/205, 345/330
• US Class Current: 348/14.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

A video signal from one of a plurality of conference terminals, whose speech time is the longest, is simultaneously displayed on the plurality of respective conference terminals as a single picture when the longest speech time exceeds the threshold value and video signals from the plurality of conference terminals are simultaneously displayed on the plurality of respective conference terminals as a synthesized picture when the longest speech time is shorter than the threshold value.

Claims

1. A multi-point video conference system comprising:

a plurality of conference terminals; and

distribution means connected to the plurality of said conference terminals for distributing video signals and audio signals outputted from said respective conference terminals to the plurality of said conference terminals, said distribution means comprising;

measuring means for measuring speech times of the plurality of said conference terminals, respectively;

selection means for selecting one of the plurality of said conference terminals, whose speech time is the longest, according to a result of the speech time measurement in said measuring means;

judgement means for determining whether or not the longest speech time of said conference terminal selected by said selection means exceeds a threshold value; and

simultaneous display means for simultaneously displaying a video signal from said one conference terminal on the plurality of said conference terminals as a single picture when the longest speech time exceeds the threshold value or simultaneously displaying video signals from the plurality of said conference terminals on the plurality of said conference terminals as a synthesized picture when the longest speech time is shorter than the threshold value.

2. A multi-point video conference system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said simultaneous display means is provided with a plurality of display patterns and further comprising selector means for selecting one of the display patterns according to an input operation thereof.

3. A multi-point video conference system comprising:

a plurality of conference terminals; and

distribution means connected to the plurality of said conference terminals for distributing video signals and audio signals outputted from said respective conference terminals to the plurality of said conference terminals, said distribution means comprising;

measuring means for measuring speech times of the plurality of said conference terminals, respectively;

means for producing a sequence of the plurality of said conference terminals according to a length order of speech time of said conference terminals, starting from one of said conference terminals whose speech time is the longest;

detection means for detecting identity of and total number of conference terminals of the plurality of said conference terminals whose speech times exceed a threshold value; and

simultaneous display means for simultaneously displaying video signals from the detected conference terminals as a synthesized picture on each of the plurality of said conference terminals if the total number of detected conference terminals is at least 1.

4. A multi-port video conference system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said simultaneous display means comprises means for simultaneously displaying video signals of all of the plurality of said conference terminals as a synthesized picture on each of the plurality of said conference terminals if the total number of the detected conference terminals is zero.

5. A multi-point video conference system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said simultaneous display means comprises means for simultaneously displaying video signals of m said conference terminals as a synthesized picture on each of the plurality of said conference terminals if the total number of the detected conference terminals is zero, wherein said m conference terminals are selected in the length order of speech time starting from the longest speech time, wherein m is equal to or smaller than the number of the plurality of said conference terminals.

6. A multi-point video conference system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said simultaneous display means is provided with a plurality of display patterns and further comprising selector means for selecting one of the display patterns according to an input operation thereof.

7. The multi-point video conference system of claim 5, wherein m is less than the number of the plurality of said conference terminals.