Communication information bandwidth control apparatus and method

• US 7,529,270 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2002
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Shirasaka, Shinichi, Takahashi, Shinji, Uramatsu, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou; Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): O'Connor; Brian T
• Application Number:
  US10/241,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,427 Days
• Field of Search: 370/468, 370/477, 370/487, 370/493, 370/494, 370/495, 709/225, 709/226, 709/227, 709/228, 709/232, 709/236, 709/238, 709/243, 725/95, 725/96
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1682 Allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users, e.g. concentrated multiplexers, statistical multiplexers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085

Abstract

A bandwidth used in communication processing to transmit and receive different types of information via a communication line is monitored. A priority definition file previously defining the processing priority of information corresponding to a combination of the different types of information transmitted and received is provided. When the monitor result of monitoring the bandwidth indicates that the amount of information being transmitted/received is a given value or more, the priority definition file is referenced, the appropriate bandwidth for the information being transmitted/received is set in accordance with the processing priority, and the bandwidth of the information being transmitted/received is controlled based on the setup appropriate bandwidth.

Claims

1. A communication information bandwidth control apparatus comprising:

a communication processor adapted to transmit and receive different types of information including voice information and monitor video information via a communication line;

a band use state monitor adapted to monitor a bandwidth used in said communication processor to transmit and receive the different types of information;

a priority definition unit having a priority definition file including;

a processing content code which defines the processing priority of information corresponding to a combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in said communication processor; and

a communication processing code which indicates communication processing contents of the information; and

a bandwidth controller, when the monitor result of said band use state monitor indicates that the amount of information being transmitted/received in said communication processor is a given value or more, said bandwidth controller for controlling the bandwidth of the information being transmitted/received in said communication processor based on the setup appropriate bandwidth which is set in the communication processing code of the information being transmitted/received by referencing the processing priority of the processing content code,

wherein, when the voice information and the monitor video information are transmitted and received, the priority definition unit is set so as to provide a higher processing priority for the voice information and lower processing priority for the monitor video information.

2. The communication information bandwidth control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 as the bandwidth control apparatus in a network conference system wherein said communication information bandwidth control apparatus transmits and receives information to conduct a conference via the communication line, wherein when the combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in said communication processor contains voice information, drawing information, and monitor video information as the information to conduct a conference, the priority definition file of said priority definition unit is set so as to provide a higher processing priority for the voice information, an intermediate processing priority for the drawing information, and a lower processing priority for the monitor video information.

3. The communication information bandwidth control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 as the bandwidth control apparatus in a network conference system wherein said communication information bandwidth control apparatus transmits and receives information to conduct a conference via the communication line, wherein when the combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in said communication processor contains voice information, conference data file information, and monitor video information as the information to conduct a conference, the priority definition file of said priority definition unit is set so as to provide a higher processing priority for the voice information, an intermediate processing priority for the conference data file information, and a lower processing priority for the monitor video information.

4. The communication information bandwidth control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 as the bandwidth control apparatus in a network conference system wherein said communication information bandwidth control apparatus transmits and receives information to conduct a conference via the communication line, wherein when the combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in said communication processor contains voice information and monitor video information as the information to conduct a conference, the priority definition file of said priority definition unit is set so as to provide a higher processing priority for the voice information and a lower processing priority for the monitor video information.

5. A communication information bandwidth control apparatus as the bandwidth control apparatus in a network conference system, the communication information bandwidth control apparatus comprising:

a communication processor adapted to transmit and receive different types of information including voice information and monitor video information via a communication line;

a band use state monitor adapted to monitor a bandwidth used in said communication processor to transmit and receive the different types of information;

a priority definition unit having a priority definition file including;

a processing content code which defines the processing priority of information corresponding to a combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in said communication processor; and

a communication processing code which indicates communication processing contents of the information; and

a bandwidth controller, when the monitor result of said band use state monitor indicates that the amount of information being transmitted/received in said communication processor is a given value or more, said bandwidth controller for controlling the bandwidth of the information being transmitted/received in said communication processor based on the setup appropriate bandwidth which is set in the communication processing code of the information being transmitted/received by referencing the processing priority of the processing content code,

wherein when the voice information and the monitor video information are transmitted and received, the priority definition unit is set so as to provide a higher processing priority for the voice information and lower processing priority for the monitor video information, and

wherein said communication information bandwidth control apparatus transmits and receives information to conduct a conference via the communication line, wherein when the combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in said communication processor contains voice information, display information, and monitor video information as the information to conduct a conference, the priority definition file of said priority definition unit is set so as to provide a higher processing priority for the display information, an intermediate processing priority for the voice information, and a lower processing priority for the monitor video information.

6. A communication information bandwidth control method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a bandwidth used in communication processor to transmit and receive different types of information including voice information and monitor video information via a communication line;

when the monitor result in said step of monitoring the bandwidth indicates that the amount of information being transmitted/received in the communication processor is a given value or more, referencing a processing content code of a priority definition file previously defining the processing priority of information corresponding to a combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in the communication processor, and setting the appropriate bandwidth for the information being transmitted/received in accordance with a communication code of the information; and

controlling the bandwidth of the information being transmitted/received in the communication processor based on the appropriate bandwidth,

wherein, when the voice information and the monitor video information are transmitted and received, the priority definition file is set so as to provide a higher processing priority for the voice information and lower processing priority for the monitor video information.

7. The communication information bandwidth control method as claimed in claim 6 in a network conference system wherein information to conduct a conference is transmitted and received via the communication line according to said communication information bandwidth control method, wherein when the combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in the communication processor contains voice information, drawing information, and monitor video information as the information to conduct a conference, the priority definition file is set so as to provide a higher processing priority for the voice information, an intermediate processing priority for the drawing information, and a lower processing priority for the monitor video information.

8. The communication information bandwidth control method as claimed in claim 6 in a network conference system wherein information to conduct a conference is transmitted and received via the communication line according to said communication information bandwidth control method, wherein when the combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in the communication processor contains voice information, conference data file information, and monitor video information as the information to conduct a conference, the priority definition file is set so as to provide a higher processing priority for the voice information, an intermediate processing priority for the conference data file information, and a lower processing priority for the monitor video information.

9. The communication information bandwidth control method as claimed in claim 6 in a network conference system wherein information to conduct a conference is transmitted and received via the communication line according to said communication information bandwidth control method, wherein when the combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in the communication processor contains voice information and monitor video information as the information to conduct a conference, the priority definition file is set so as to provide a higher processing priority for the voice information and a lower processing priority for the monitor video information.

10. A communication information bandwidth control method in a network conference system, said control method comprising:

monitoring a bandwidth used in a communication processor to transmit and receive different types of information including voice information and monitor video information via a communication line;

when a monitor result in said monitoring a bandwidth indicates that an amount of information being transmitted/received in the communication processor is a given value or more, referencing a processing content code of a priority definition file previously defining a processing priority of information corresponding to a combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in the communication processor, and setting an appropriate bandwidth for the information being transmitted/received in accordance with a communication code of the information; and

controlling the bandwidth of the information being transmitted/received in the communication processor based on the appropriate bandwidth,

wherein when the voice information and the monitor video information are transmitted and received, the priority definition file is set to provide higher processing priority for the voice information and lower processing priority for the monitor video information, and

wherein information to conduct a conference is transmitted and received via the communication line according to said communication information bandwidth control method, wherein when the combination of the different types of information transmitted and received in the communication processor contains voice information, display information, and monitor video information as the information to conduct a conference, the priority definition file is set to provide higher processing priority for the display information, intermediate processing priority for the voice information, and lower processing priority for the monitor video information.