Group session management apparatus and group voice communication system

The present invention relates to a group session management device and a group voice communication system capable of aurally distributing presence information.

Figure 6 shows an example of session join / withdrawal recognition operation during group session communication during voice group communication in a conventional PoC (Push to talk over Cellular) system. It is assumed that the group session members are the wireless communication terminals 10 to 30, and the session convocation is performed by the wireless communication terminal 10.

In the initial state, only the wireless communication terminal 20 participates in the session, and the wireless communication terminal 10 acts as the speaker and communicates with the wireless communication terminal 20. The wireless communication terminal 30 receives the convocation signal from the wireless communication terminal 10 via the communication system 100, but does not return a response.

The voice input to the wireless communication terminal 10 is converted into voice data M200 and transmitted to the wireless communication terminal 20 via the communication system 100.

When the wireless communication terminal 30 replies the session participation response to the session convocation request from the wireless communication terminal 10 (S200), in the communication system 100, the wireless communication terminal 30 is a new participant of the group session. Is recognized based on the session participation response from the wireless communication terminal 30. The communication system 100 notifies all members of the presence information of the wireless communication terminals 10 to 30 (S210).

When the wireless communication terminal 30 participates in the group session, the voice input to the wireless communication terminal 10 is converted into voice data M210 and transmitted to the wireless communication terminal 20 and the wireless communication terminal 30 via the communication system 100. Become so.

When the wireless communication terminal 20 transmits a session withdrawal request (S220), the communication system 100 receives the session withdrawal request and returns a session withdrawal response (S230). The communication system 100 notifies that the wireless communication terminal 20 has left the group session by transmitting the presence information of the wireless communication terminals 10 to 30 to all the members (S240).

When the wireless communication terminal 20 leaves the group session, the voice input to the wireless communication terminal 10 is converted into voice data M220 and transmitted to the wireless communication terminal 30 via the communication system 100.

As a conventional technique relating to a system for notifying other participants of an increase or decrease in the number of participants in a group session by the above operation, there is a "multipoint video conferencing system" disclosed in Patent Document 1.<patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-290361</text></patcit>

<p> In the conventional group voice communication system including the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, the terminals participating in the session and the terminals leaving the session are displayed on the screens of all the participating terminals in the form of terminal numbers to participate in the session. All participants are notified of the increase or decrease in the number of participants. However, since session participants need to read the video of the speaker and materials related to the agenda during the session, even if the terminal number of the terminal that participated or left the session is displayed, the display itself may be overlooked. There is sex.</p><p> As described above, the conventional group voice communication system has a problem that it is difficult for those who are actually participating in the session to recognize the increase or decrease in the number of participants in the session.</p><p> The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a group session management device and a group voice communication system in which session participants can easily recognize the increase or decrease of participants.</p>

<p> In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is, as a first aspect, a group session management device that mediates a group session by a plurality of communication terminals connected via a network, and participates in the group session. A means for identifying the source of session data received from any of the communication terminals and transmitting the session data to the communication terminal having a group session with the source communication terminal, and the communication terminal participating in the group session or A means of detecting a communication terminal that has left the company, and created by the group session administrator as a media type that includes at least voice, can identify individuals including anonymous persons, identify the user of the communication terminal, and enter the group session. Information including media data storage means in which one or more types of media data indicating participation or withdrawal from each communication terminal are stored in advance for each communication terminal and whether or not each communication terminal participates in at least a group session. When a communication terminal that has a presence information storage means for storing and a communication terminal that participates in a group session or a communication terminal that has left the group session is detected, the media data of the communication terminal that participates in the group session or the communication terminal that has left the group session is stored. It provides a group session management apparatus characterized in that it is read from a media data storage means and transmitted to a communication terminal that is actually participating in the group session.</p><p> In the first aspect of the present invention, a means for receiving a group session holding notification including information specified by two or more of users of a plurality of communication terminals from any communication terminal and a designation in the group session holding notification. A means for sending a request for participation in a group session to the communication terminal used by each user, and a communication terminal for sending a request for participation in the group session in response to the request for participation to the group session. It is preferable to have a means for permitting participation.</p><p> In any of the above configurations of the first aspect of the present invention, the media data is preferably a media type including an image.</p><p> Further, in order to achieve the above object, as a second aspect, the present invention is a group session communication system in which a plurality of communication terminals and a group session management device that mediates a group session by these are connected via a network. Therefore, the group session management device identifies the source of the session data received from any of the communication terminals participating in the group session, and refers to the communication terminal having a group session with the source communication terminal. A means of transmitting session data, a means of detecting communication terminals that participate in or leave a group session, and a media type that contains at least audio by the group session administrator, and includes individuals, including anonymous persons. One or more types of media data that can be identified, identify the user of the communication terminal, and represent participation in or withdrawal from a group session, are stored in advance for each communication terminal, and each communication terminal. The group session management device has detected a communication terminal that participates in the group session or a communication terminal that has left the group session. In this case, the media data of the communication terminal participating in the group session or the communication terminal separated from the group session is read from the media data storage means and transmitted to the communication terminal currently participating in the group session. It provides a group voice communication system.</p><p> In the second aspect of the present invention, the group session management device receives from one of the communication terminals a group session holding notification including information specified by two or more of the users of the plurality of communication terminals. To the communication terminal used by each user specified in the group session holding notification, to the means for sending the participation request to the group session and to the communication terminal that has sent the participation request to the group session in response to the participation request. It is preferable to have a means for permitting participation in the group session. In any of the above configurations of the second aspect of the present invention, the media data is preferably a media type including an image.</p>

<p> According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a group session management device and a group voice communication system in which session participants can easily recognize the increase or decrease of participants.</p>

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the group voice communication system according to the present embodiment. The group voice communication system 100 (group session management device within the scope of claims) is connected to a wireless communication terminal via a network and a base station. The group voice communication system 100 is a group session system such as PoC, and mainly performs call control, media control, group list management, and presence information management.

The call control server 110 mainly performs call control for voice sessions, and performs routing between the wireless communication terminals 10, 20, and 30 and the media control server 120 and the presence information management server 140.

The media control server 120 mainly distributes voice sessions, voice media (media data, data delivered to wireless communication terminals currently participating in the session for notifying participation in or withdrawal from the session), and session participation. Manages and controls personal information.

The group management server 130 mainly manages information about groups and members.

The presence information management server 140 mainly manages and distributes the presence information of the target members.

Figure 2 shows an example of the data structure of the group member information in the group list management server 130. As shown in the figure, the information in the group member list is set for each member by the group administrator, and the media data is a media type (here, voice) that can be handled by the media control server 120. The media data is stored in advance in the media control server 120 by the group administrator, and the media control server 120 distributes the media data to the group session participants.

Since the wireless communication terminals 10 to 30, the network 200, the base stations 310 and 320 can be applied by the prior art, detailed description of the configuration will be omitted.

The session participation / withdrawal person recognition operation during the group session communication of the group voice communication system according to the present embodiment will be described.

Figure 3 shows an example of the operation sequence. Group session members are wireless communication terminals 10 to 30, and session convocation is performed by wireless communication terminal 10. Only the wireless communication terminal 20 participates in the session, and the wireless communication terminal 10 acts as the speaker and is in a communication state with the wireless communication terminal 20. Only the wireless communication terminals 20 and 30 convened from the wireless communication terminal 10 can participate in the session, and other wireless communication terminals (not shown) cannot participate in the session.

The voice input to the wireless communication terminal 10 is converted into voice data M100 and transmitted to the wireless communication terminal 20 via the communication system 10. When the wireless communication terminal 30 replies the session participation response to the session invitation request from the wireless communication terminal 10 (S100), in the communication system 100, the wireless communication terminal is based on the session participation response from the wireless communication terminal 30. It is recognized that 30 are new group session participants. The presence server 140 of the communication system 100 acquires the media data of the wireless communication terminal 30 from the group member list and distributes it to the wireless communication terminals 10 and 20 currently communicating.

FIG. 4 shows the details of the operation in the communication system 100 from receiving the session participation response from the wireless communication terminal 30 to outputting the session participation notification as media information. In the figure, "server" is abbreviated as "SV". The call control server 110 receives the session participation response from the wireless communication terminal 20. The call control server 110 acquires the information of the new session participant from the session participation response and notifies the media information server 120 (step S111). The media information server 120 receives the session new participant information from the call control server 110, and sends a request for acquiring group member information to the group list server 130 (step S112). When the group list server 130 receives the request for acquiring the group member information, the group list server 130 returns the group member information of the target member from the group attribute data to the media control server 120 (step S113). The media control server 120 receives the target group member information returned from the group list server 130. The media information server 120 confirms the existence of the media data corresponding to the acquired group member information, and returns a response to the information of the new session participant to the call control server 110 (step S114). Further, the media information server 120 reads the media data corresponding to the acquired group member information from a recording device (not shown) and distributes it as media data M110 (voice) to the wireless communication terminals 10 and 20 which are participants in the session. For example, a voice such as "Mr. A participated in the session" is delivered to each wireless communication terminal currently participating in the session. Although the wireless communication terminal 10 and the wireless communication terminal 20 are communicating with each other, when each wireless communication terminal receives the media data M110 from the communication system 100, the users of both terminals have the wireless communication terminal 30 participate in the session. I can recognize that.

When the wireless communication terminal 30 participates in the session, the voice input to the wireless communication terminal 10 is converted into voice data M120 and transmitted to the wireless communication terminals 20 and 30.

FIG. 5 shows details of the operation in the communication system 100 from the transmission of the session withdrawal request by the wireless communication terminal 20 to the output of the session withdrawal notification as media information. The call control server 110 receives the session withdrawal request from the wireless communication terminal 20. The call control server 110 acquires the information of the session leaver from the session leave request and notifies the media information server 120 (step S141). The media information server 120 receives the session withdrawal information from the call control server 110, and sends a request for acquiring group member information to the group list server 130 (step S142). When the group list server 130 receives the request for acquiring the group member information, the group list server 130 returns the group member information of the target member from the group attribute data to the media information server 120 (step S143). The media information server 120 receives the target group member information returned from the group list server 130. The media information server 120 confirms the existence of the media data corresponding to the acquired group member information, and returns a response to the session leaver information to the call control server 110 (step S144). The media information server 120 reads the media data corresponding to the acquired group member information from a recording device (not shown) and distributes it as media data M130 (voice) to the wireless communication terminals 10 and 30 currently participating in the session. For example, a voice such as "Mr. B has left the session" is delivered to the wireless communication terminal currently participating in the session.

When the wireless communication terminal 20 leaves the session, the voice input to the wireless communication terminal 10 is converted into voice data M140 and transmitted to the wireless communication terminal 30.

As described above, since the communication system according to the present embodiment uses voice data as media data for notifying other members of the increase or decrease of session participants, the participants can join or leave the other members. Can be recognized without visual recognition. That is, since the voice data is used as the media data, the participants can recognize the participation / withdrawal of other members without overlooking. Moreover, since the media data is managed by the server in the system, the management of information on the wireless communication terminal side can be simplified. Moreover, since the media data is managed by the server in the system, the media information can be simultaneously distributed to the wireless communication terminals participating in the session.

Moreover, by managing the contents of the media data by the group administrator, it is possible to prevent false contents from being registered as the media data. That is, if the user of each wireless communication terminal individually registers the media data, registration using a pseudonym or the like becomes possible, and there is a risk that the participants / withdrawals of the session cannot be identified. There is no such fear in such a group communication system. In addition, since the group session is started by responding to the call from the convener, the uninvited person does not enter the group session.

The above embodiment is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the media data of the group attribute data is delivered as it is is taken as an example, but the media control server processes the data based on the media data of the group attribute data (unification of expression and playback time). It may be delivered after adjustment (such as adjustment). Further, in the above embodiment, a case where wireless communication terminals perform a voice session with each other is taken as an example, but the present invention can be applied at least as long as a session including voice is performed. In such a case, the media data may include at least audio, and may also include moving images, still images, texts, and the like. The media type may be specified in the group attribute data shown in FIG. Furthermore, in the purpose of recognizing session participants only by the group administrator, media data (for example, melody) that can be identified only by the group administrator without being able to identify the person who newly joins or leaves the session. ) May be set. Further, the communication terminal that performs the session does not necessarily have to be a wireless communication terminal, and may be a communication terminal that is wiredly connected to the network. As described above, the present invention can be modified in various ways.

<figref num="1">It is a figure which shows the structure of the group voice communication system which concerns on a preferred embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="2">It is a figure which shows the group attribute data one composition example.</figref><figref num="3">It is a figure which shows an example of the operation of a group voice communication system.</figref><figref num="4">It is a figure which shows an example of the operation when a wireless communication terminal newly participates in a group session.</figref><figref num="5">It is a figure which shows an example of the operation when a wireless communication terminal leaves a group session.</figref><figref num="6">It is a figure which shows the operation of the conventional group voice communication system.</figref>

Code description

10, 20, 30 Wireless communication terminal 100 Group voice communication system 110 Call control server 120 Media control server 130 Group list server 140 Presence server 200 Network 310, 320 Base station