Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Video conference equipment
The present invention relates to video confercnce equipment according to the
preamble of claim 1.
The term video conference refers to interactive communication via
telecommunication
networks by means of moving pictures and sound in compliance with
iatemationally
set standards (TTU H.320). Ia addition, the various facilities enabling the
transmission
1 10 of information during a video conference connection - transmission of
files, joint use
of electronic notice boards and different applications - have been agreed upon
by
means of a separate standard (ITU T 120). That the transmitted information
remain
unchanged (e.g., stills used as samples) and that it be saveable for lutes
inspection are
special requirements imposed on video conference equipment within
teletnedicine.
A switched digital network (ISDN) has, particularly because of its switched
nature
and attractive cost become the most commonly used video conference
transmission
path. Within telemedicine, three simultaneous ISDN connections (384 kB) have
bees
found to produce sufficient picture quality for certain medical applications,
a few of
which will be cited below With the progress of standardization, a broadband
ATM
network, TCP/IP based data networks and networks for analog data transmission
(GSM and an ordinary telephone network) are beconvng increasingly common as
other transmission paths.
The video conference systems of the 80's wore large assemblies consisting of
several
different units immovably set up in so called video conference studios. For
comtmmicativn, a fixed Z M$-band network reserved for video conferences was
used.
The cost of the equipment as well as of use was high.
In the early 90's, there was a shift toward so called roll-about sohrtions
where the
technical equipment was packed into one trolley with a TV display unit and a
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participant pomayal camera. As transmission parh, the DIGINET network known as
a prestage of ISDN was selected. The electronics required for packing picture
and
sound was now packed into one unit, a so called codec. 'The codec featured the
same
basic facilities as in the 80's. Special attention was paid to picture and
sound quality
With the new techniques, a 3 84 kB band su.~ced to achieve the same picture
quality
which had previously required a speed of 2 MB.
PC-based solutions began to emerge by the side of the so called studio-
standard
equipment in the early 90's, and the video conference properties were now
packed on
1 to 2 PC interface cards. The first PC hardware generation was designed for
personal
use_ Insufficient technical attention was paid to sound interacrion which is
essemial
for group work. Correspondingly, the picture quality did not attain the level
of studio
systems.
In 1996, a second generation of PC video conference equipment has been
launched
which pays more attention to both picture quality and souad interaction.
The integration of video conference facilities into computers opens up new
possl'bilities for other applications such as telemedical and new educational
applications. As an example, the remote use of 1V)mI instruments in, for
example,
teaching, may be cited. Data transmission, the handling of high resolution
pictures and
patient databases can now be integrated into one system. In the future,
medical
instruments with an exisr~g co~uter are fkely to be provided with picture
transmission connections by the manufacturer,
As regards group conferences, the prior art has mainly been hampered by the
high
cost of the equipment and the constrained conference situation of traditional
video
conferences with all participants facing one large screen, this setting
resuhing in poor
eye contact betweea the participants at the same locality
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The aim of the present invention is to remove the drawbacks of the above-
described
techniques and the shortcomings of the setting and to achieve completely novel
video
conference equipment resembling a conventional overhead projector and
comprising,
among others, the possibility of using the remote music method.
T'he invention is based on using as the conference main camera a dvcament
camera
which can be pointed vertically at the documents discussed as well as
horizontally at
the different participants ofthe conference. Ia addition, the equipment
comprises an
era display unit and a camera for the local conference chairperson. According
to the
1
invention, data transmission is in addition tv the standard T.120 implemcnted
by
means of a so called lvlmI interface and for corresponding interfaces.
In. more detail' the video conference equipment according to the invention is
characterized by what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.
The invention offers considerable benefits.
The new arrangement provides for a natural and unforced conference. The
participants can be seated facing the chairperson. Connecting the camera to an
overhead projector frame results in easily movable compact equipment. The
. equipment is also less costly than conventional equipment.
The local use of the equipment according to the invention is as easy as using
an
overhead projector. Connecting remote participants to the conference
corresponds to
a regular telephone call - the connection is established by selecting the data
of the
other party from a visual telephone directory where a picture of the other
party can be
saved along with name information. Due to transmission by means of an
integrated
person pottrayaUdocument camera and PC interface cards, the participants see
each
other as well as the conference material either on paper or on transparencics
or in 51e
form
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In the following, the invention is examined in more detail in the light of
exemplifying
embodiments in accordance with the annexed figures.
Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of an equipment setup according to the
invention
Fig. Z is a perspective representation of the overhead projector/camera
combination
according to the invention.
Fig. 3 is a top view of another equipment setup according to the invention.
IO
Fig. 4 shows a user interface according to the invention.
As shown in Fig. 1, the video conference equipment comprises equipment
arranged
round an overhead projector 1. The overhead projector I comprises a document
presentation worktop l I. Instead of the overhead projector I, another
suitable camera
base such as a conventional document camera base may be used. A camera Z is
attached to the base 1 in connection with the document presentation woktop 11
and
can be moved horizontally as well as vertically by means of actuators 3,
typically in-
built electric motors. A computer 4 functions as a control device for the
camera 2 as
well as for the rest of the system, the display units 8 and 7 being connected
to the
computer. The computer 4 is controlled by means of a keyboard, a moose touch
screen or some other known user interface. In addition, the setup comprises a
telecommunication module 6 for forwarding the audio and video data. A second
dispay wait 7 and a second camera 9 are reserved for the local chairman of the
conference_ By means of these auxiliary units 7 and 9 for the chairperson and
the
camera 2 capable of horizontal and vertical shooting, a normal face-to-face
conference seating arrangement can be retained in spite of the video
conference
situation.
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As seen in Fig. 2, outwardly the overhead projector 1 serving as camera base
resembles a fully normal overhead projector. The camera unit 2 is mounted at
the end
of a curved arm 10 above the document presentation worktop 11.
S As an alternative to the solution of Fig. 2, the camera snit 2 can be
mounted on a
separate trolley whose upper surface is famished with a document presentation
worktop. Thus, in this embodiment the camera unit is not fixed directly to the
document presentation worktvp but instead to the frame carrying it. However,
what is
characteristic of the invention is that the camera 2 is above the document
presentation
l0 worktop so as to allow pointing it at the documents.
In accordance with Fig. 3, the video conference equipment may also comprise
additional display units T for the conference participants. The display units
are
typically flat, e.g. LCD display units. The various camera focusing
possibilities are
indicated by the letters A to E. A represents the target of camera 9 (e.g. the
chairperson), B the targets of main camera 2 (view angle for three persons), C
an
alternative target of the main camera (three p ersons even here), D the
document
presentation worktop for main camera 2, and E the whitebvard as a target for
camera
2. Each one of the target can at wish be selected by the push-button selectors
of an IR
remote control device. The monitor 8 is typically a regular 29 to 40 inch
color
monitor. In the exemplifying case, the size of the area marked o$'by the dash
line is
6. 5 x 3.5 m2.
As shown m Fig. 4, the user inter&ce according to the invention may also be
implemented by controlling the video image 15 e.g. by means of a cursor. The
cursor
movement can be performed by means of a mouse or some other control (stick
control, touch screen). When under mouse control, the camera is typically
turned by
moving the mouse into the desired direction and pressing the mouse button. The
desired camera position information is saved by taking the relevant video
image 15
onto the icons 16. Then it can be clearly seen from the icon 16 ixselfwhich
paitiicipant
the camera control information behind each icon relates to. During use, then,
the
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camera is moved to the desired position by taking the relevant icon 16 onto
the video
image 15.
Saved camera position information can be deleted by taking the icon to the
trash can
1.
In the following, typical components suited for use as part of the equipment
setup
according to the iaventivn are descnbed:
14 A camera base 1 both for shooting pictures of the participants and for
presenting
documents.
Tn addition, a multimedia computer 4 with the following fcatures is integrated
in the
camera base 1:
Pentium 133 Mho 16 MB RAM, 1.2 GB IUD, CD-ROM, a video
I S display terminal control unit, an ISDN interFace and interface cards
allowing video conferences, two card slots available in the PC.
Software including an easy-to-use connection to the au~a'liaries, as well as
display
possibilities for various V~mdo~ws software. 'Ihe visual database contains:
- a telephone directory,
20 - visually saved presettings for the camera 2, and
- a document presentation worktop fiunished with marking tools.
A camera 9 with an in-built microphone for the chairperson (teacher),
an extra microphone,
a keyboard and a mouse,
25 an IR remote control device,
1 ISDN (2B+D) interface support and an H.320 compatible video conference codec
6
with the following features:
- studio-standard picture quality,
- a high-class sound system equipped with in-buds echo camceliag
30 techniques_ The echo canceling is automatically calibrated in real time.
- two microphone supplies,
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- two composite video supplies for the cameras and one S video supply
for an inbuilt SVGA/PAL converter with an 800*600 resolution,
- a JPEG still display mode with a video display control device and
database connections,
- ISDN expansible to support three ISDN lines (option). 1 Q97 available.
- expansible for LAN communication (TCP/IP, ATM) (option). 1 Q97
available.
- electronic pen tablet (option),
- a 15" SVGA display with a touch panel (option),
- a movable trofley (option)_
In a video conference between two participants or two groups the connection is
established by calling the otlier parry. The call is either automatically
answered or,
alternatively, the ensuing connection is acknowledgcd.
It is also technically possible to carry out a video conference in a
multipoint manner.
For this purpose, a special technique termed "bridge" has bcen devised. The
bridge
connects most conference parties to each other. During a multipoint session,
not all
the participants can see each other simultaneously. Picture is usually
transmitted only
from the party whose speaking turn it is. If the speaking turn is taken over
by a
participant or participants at a different locality, picture transnuission is
also relocated
either automatically based on sound control, or manually controlled by the
conference
chairperson. A natural consequence is that only one participant can speak at a
time.
Those listcning should turn off their microphones so as not to cause
unnecessary
picture switches between the different conference localities caused by noise
disturbance (conversation between the participants at one and the same
location,
rustle ofpaper, etc.).
The muitipoint bridges used in connection with the invention are commercially
availabie products. A bridge allows the coupling of as many as 48 localities
to one
conference session_ Furthermore, one bridge can serve several multipoiut
conferences
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at the same time. The cost of a bridge allowing four simultaneous co~ections
is
about FIM 100,000. Bridge services can also be bought from telecommunication
operators.
In the system of the invention, network interfaces, camera and sound
techniques and a
visual database application have been combined with a multimedia computer in a
novel compact manner. The conference material may comprise paper documents,
transparencies, or material displayed by means of a computer.
The system is controlled by means of a touch screen andlor a separate wireless
remote
control device. The control measures are clear and visually easy to understand
allowing the participants to concentrate on the content of the conference
instead of
having to control numerous auxiliaries.
According to a preferred embodiment, the video conference equipment is
provided
with a 1VBDI interface and a corresponding telecomznunication unit for
transmitting
data in Iv~I form between two or more conference points. This typically
requires a
parallel port/an adapter unit for a N)fDI or an RS232 interface. Thus, the
telecommunication module 6 of the video conference equipment allows a data
channel
or TCP/IP commamication and the transmission of the I1~I signals of musical
instruments as well as of signals controlling the pitch, intensity, duration
and manner
of presentation of music synchronized with the video picture during a video
conference connection. Thus, a person at locality A can play, for example, an
acoustic
piano equipped with IVImI control such that the video conference equipment
tr~asmits inforuiation on how the piano keys are pressed to one or several
localities
simultaneously, whereby the piano keys at these localities sound synchronized
with
the video images as naturally as at locality A. Correspondingly, when the
playing
takes place at a remote locality, the control information is transmitted to
the other
localities.
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The invention makes numerous new applications possible for teaching and for
transmitting a genuine concert atmosphere in remote form
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