JP3964879B2 - Call number monitoring method, call number monitoring apparatus, and video conference system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a call count monitoring method, a call count monitoring apparatus, and a video conference system, and in particular, the number of calls in a video conference in which voice and image data are transmitted and received in real time on an IP network such as an in-house LAN (the call could not be made) The present invention relates to a call count monitoring method, a call count monitoring apparatus, and a video conference system.

As broadband networks proceeds, (but intends also called videoconferencing systems, the following description will be referred to a video conferencing system) video conferencing system as a multimedia system for the audio and video data communications over IP networks have become popular Yes.

  The conference embodiment of the video conference system includes a format performed between one-to-one terminals, a mode in which a plurality of conference terminals are connected to each other via a server, and a mesh between a plurality of conference terminals. Various forms such as connected forms are known.

  As a conventional technique related to a video conference system, for example, a technique described in Patent Document 1 is known. In this prior art, at least one video conference device among a plurality of video conference devices connected to a LAN is provided with a video conference system having an ISDN function and connected to an ISDN line at a plurality of points. Connect to any videoconferencing device in the videoconferencing system installed at each of multiple locations via the videoconferencing device connected to the The present invention relates to a multi-point video conference system that can be performed.

As another conventional technique, for example, a technique described in Patent Document 2 is known. This prior art includes a site management unit that manages site information about video conference terminals and multipoint control devices, a schedule management unit that includes a video conference schedule management table and manages a video conference schedule, and a video conference start. A video conferencing network management device configured to include a transmission / reception control unit that performs transmission control of a command and an alarm collection unit that collects alarm information from the video conference terminal. The video conferencing network is centrally managed by managing video conference schedules, confirming the normality of video conference terminals reserved for video conferencing, and notifying video conference non-participation according to alarm information. Is.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-13804 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-95552

  Since the video conference system according to the prior art as described above requires a constant bandwidth at all times during the operation of the video conference system, the same network as the communication network that operates the video conference system is used. If other application systems are operated at the same time, they are easily affected by the data communication of the application system, and the quality of image data and audio data of the video conference system deteriorates. .

  On the other hand, if multiple video conferencing systems are operated simultaneously on the same network, the video conferencing system may occupy network resources, which may adversely affect data communication of other application systems. There is also. In order not to fall into such a situation, considering the usage frequency of the end user's video conferencing system and infrastructure aspects such as network bandwidth, the optimal number of calls is derived, and the number of calls is limited. Or it is necessary to take operational measures such as strengthening infrastructure such as networks.

  For this reason, it is necessary to derive the optimal number of calls for the network environment used by the video conferencing system. However, all of the above-mentioned conventional technologies are concerned with accurately grasping the number of calls in the video conferencing system. It has not been made.

  Note that the number of calls here refers to a variety of forms (one-to-one terminal-to-one terminals, through a server) within a specific closed network (in-house LAN, etc.) within a certain period (for example, one hour). This refers to the total number of audio / image data transmitted and received by a video conference system operating in a form in which a plurality of terminals are connected and a form in which a plurality of terminals are connected in a mesh form.

  In order to maintain the quality of audio / video data in video conferencing systems and satisfy the user's use needs of video conferencing systems, how many calls can be transmitted and received without problems with audio / image data? The operations manager needs to determine. Then, the administrator determines the number of calls that have no problem and then limits the number of calls that can be used in consideration of infrastructure such as the bandwidth of the network that can be used, or strengthens the infrastructure such as the network. It was necessary to take measures.

  At this time, in order to limit the number of calls, even if the infrastructure such as the network is increased, it is necessary to first grasp the number of calls in the current use in the video conference system. However, at present, the number of calls can only be determined by the network system administrator from the number of terminals participating in the conference, the network bandwidth, etc., and the information lacks objectivity. Met. When the number of calls is limited or the network is increased based on such information lacking objectivity, there is a risk that end users lose communication opportunities and useless capital investment.

  The object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the video conference system of the prior art as described above, and to count the number of calls on the communication network in the video conference system that is actually used or will be actually operated. A method of monitoring the number of calls, a number of calls monitoring apparatus, and a video conference in a video conference system that can record and check the history, thereby limiting the optimal number of calls and strengthening the network. To provide a system.

According to the present invention, the object is to provide a video conference system in which a plurality of conference terminals used by conference participants and a call number monitoring manager terminal used by a system administrator are connected via a network. In the method for monitoring the number of calls, the conference terminal monitors the communication status of the terminal itself, detects the start of the call, and includes the number of calls made and the number of calls made but failed to make a call. The call number monitoring manager terminal receives the call record information transferred from the conference terminal, and transfers the acquired call record information to the call number monitoring manager terminal. This is achieved by accumulating call history information collected from the terminal.

Further, the object is to provide the number of calls in a video conference system in which a plurality of conference terminals used by conference participants and a call count monitoring manager terminal used by a system administrator are connected via a network. In the monitoring device, the call number monitoring device is configured in the call number monitoring manager terminal, and the conference terminal monitors the communication status of the own terminal, detects the start of the call, and sends the call number monitoring manager terminal. Means for receiving call record information including the number of transferred calls and the number of calls that could not be made; and means for storing call record information collected from each conference terminal Is achieved.

Further, the object is to provide a video conferencing system in which a plurality of conference terminals used by conference participants and a call number monitoring manager terminal used by a system administrator are connected via a network. The conference terminal includes a conference function unit for carrying out a video conference, a call status monitoring function unit for monitoring the communication status of the own terminal, a call start detection function unit for detecting the start of a call, and the number of calls made. A call execution information transmission function unit that acquires call history information including the number of attempts to make a call but failed, and transfers the acquired call history information to the call count monitoring manager terminal. The monitoring manager terminal includes a call record information receiving function unit that receives call record information transferred from the conference terminal, and a communication manager that stores call record information collected from each conference terminal. It is achieved by providing a record information storage function unit.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to monitor the number of calls transmitted / received on the IP network in the video conference system (including those that cannot be called), and the number of calls limited according to the needs of the end user, or the network It is possible to encourage the implementation of capital investment such as enhancement.

  As a result, it becomes possible to deepen communication by improving the use environment of the video conference system and to efficiently carry out capital investment.

  Embodiments of a call count monitoring method, a call count monitoring apparatus, and a video conference system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a video conference system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a conference function unit, 2 is a communication status monitoring function unit, 3 is a call start detection function unit, 4 is a call execution information transmission function unit, 5 is a call execution information reception function unit, and 6 is a call record storage function. , 7 is a call count confirmation function section, 8 is a call count display function section, 9 is a network, 10 and 20 are conference terminals, and 30 is a call count monitoring manager terminal.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a video conference system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of conference terminals 10 and 20 used by conference participants, and a call number monitoring manager terminal 30 used by a system network administrator. Are connected via a network 9 such as a LAN or the Internet. In the following description, the program on the conference terminal side is referred to as a call number monitoring agent, and the manager terminal program that monitors calls and counts the number of calls is referred to as a call number monitoring manager.

  Each of the conference terminals 10 and 20 analyzes a conference function unit 1 for conducting a video conference, a communication status monitoring function unit 2 for acquiring a status of communication performed by the terminal, and information on the communication status. When the video conference system starts a call when the call start detection function unit 3 for determining whether or not the conference has started, the call is started as one call, and the conference terminal is specified for each call. For example, an IP address and the call execution information transmission function unit 4 for transmitting the start date and time to the call number monitoring manager terminal 30. The communication status monitoring function unit 2, the call start detection function unit 3, and the call execution information transmission function unit 4 are the above-described call number monitoring agent.

  The call number monitoring manager terminal 30 receives the call execution information (terminal identification information (IP address, etc.), current date and time) notified from the call number monitoring agent, and the collected call record information. A call record storage function unit 6 that stores data in a storage unit (not shown), and a. That is input from an input device (not shown) from the contents of the stored data. Call execution date and time, b. The IP address of the terminal, c. The number-of-calls confirmation function unit 7 searches for the number of calls based on the name of the implementing base, and the number-of-calls display function unit 8 displays a result of the search by the call number confirmation function unit 7 on a display device (not shown). The call execution information reception function unit 5, the call record accumulation function unit 6, and the call number confirmation function unit 7 are the above-described call number monitoring manager.

  Next, processing operations for monitoring the number of calls in the video conference system configured as described above according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure (common processing) in the call number monitoring agent in the conference terminal, and FIG. 3 is for explaining the processing procedure (processing in the call execution side terminal) in the call number monitoring agent in the conference terminal. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure (processing of the call accepting side terminal) in the call number monitoring agent in the conference terminal. Since these processes are executed as a series, they will be described below as a series.

(1) First, each conference terminal acquires an IP address allocated to the terminal itself. For this reason, the call number monitoring agent acquires the IP address of its own terminal by referring to the set value of the IP address that is preset and assigned to the conference terminal in which it is incorporated (step ST1).

(2) Next, the communication status is periodically monitored to check whether or not communication is performed on a specific TCP port used by the video conference system. The processing of the call execution side terminal to be started is started (step ST2).

(3) If the call has not yet started in step ST2, the presence / absence of an IP address notification from the terminal that is the call execution side is checked to determine whether or not the terminal is the call accepting side. If there is no IP address notification from the terminal that is the call execution side, it is determined that the terminal is not the call accepting side, the process returns to the process from step ST2 and the process is continued. When there is an IP address notification from the terminal serving as the terminal, it is determined that the terminal is the call accepting side, and the processing of the call accepting terminal described later with reference to FIG. 4 is started (step ST3).

(4) If communication is being performed at the TCP port in step ST2, the IP address of the communication destination is acquired. This IP address can be acquired by allowing the user to set the TCP port number used by the conference function unit in advance (step ST4).

(5) Subsequently, the call number monitoring agent transmits the current time (date and hour / minute / second data) of the call execution side terminal, that is, its own terminal, to the call destination terminal. Since this current time is used as common information to be transferred to the call monitoring manager terminal, it is shared between both terminals (step ST5).

(6) Next, in step ST5, the a. In addition to the current time, b. Own terminal IP address, d. Partner terminal IP address, and c. Information on the name of the site is transmitted to the call monitoring manager terminal. In the following description, a. ~ D. This information is collectively called call information. At this time, c. The implementation base name is information on the location of the terminal. For example, if the head office is Tokyo head office, information “Tokyo head office” is registered in advance in the recording area of the terminal. Moreover, the transmission method of information to the manager terminal is not particularly limited (step ST6).

(7) If it is determined in step ST3 that there is an IP address notification from the terminal that is the call execution side and the terminal is the call reception side, first the IP address of the call execution side terminal is acquired. Subsequently, the current time is acquired from the call execution side terminal (steps ST7 and ST8).

(8) Thereafter, the start of transmission / reception of audio / image data between both terminals is monitored using the call start detection function unit. Then, it is determined whether or not voice / image data has actually been transmitted / received, and if the confirmation cannot be made, it means that the call is rejected on the call accepting side for some reason, In this case, the process here is terminated without doing anything (step ST9).

(9) If it is confirmed in step ST9 that voice / image data is actually transmitted / received, the call information described above is transferred to the call count monitoring manager terminal. Confirmation of actual voice / image data transmission / reception is made possible by monitoring IP packet data transmitted / received by the terminal and detecting an RTP packet used for communication of a real-time application (step ST10).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure for storing the number-of-calls information in the number-of-calls monitoring manager terminal, which will be described next.

(1) The number-of-calls monitoring manager terminal receives the call information from both the conference terminals that have been conducting the video conference by the call execution information receiving function unit 5. At this time, among the call information received by the call number monitoring manager terminal, a. Current time, b. Own terminal IP address, and d. As for the information of the partner terminal IP address, when a call is performed, that is, when voice / image data is transmitted / received, data of the same content is received from both terminals that have made a call (step ST11). ).

(2) As described above, a. Current time, b. Own terminal IP address, and d. Since there is a possibility that the information on the other party's terminal IP address is duplicated, it is determined whether or not there is duplicated information in these received information. If there is duplicated data, the call number monitoring manager terminal The call execution data is stored in the storage unit, and the process here ends (steps ST12 and ST13).

(3) If there is no overlap in the determination in step ST12, that is, the call is rejected on the call accepting side for some reason, and the call information is transferred from the call accepting side terminal to the call count monitoring manager terminal. If not, a. Current time, b. A terminal IP address, and d. The information of the partner terminal IP address is stored in the storage unit as the data about to make a call, and the process here ends (step ST14).

  In the embodiment of the present invention, as described above, by dividing the call information data into two data, the number of calls made (number of calls made) and the number of calls that could not be made (calls made) It is possible to obtain the number of attempts).

  The number of calls stored by the above processing, that is, the number of calls made (number of calls made) and the number of calls that could not be made (number of calls that were made) were requested from the system administrator. Can be output to a display device or the like.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure at the time of browsing call performance information in the call number monitoring manager terminal, which will be described next.

(1) When there is a request for browsing communication information from a system administrator or the like, the call number monitoring manager terminal uses the call number confirmation function unit 7 to store the call information accumulated in the process described with reference to FIG. a. Current time, b. A terminal IP address, and c. Based on the name of the implementation base, the number of calls to be confirmed is extracted (step ST15).

(2) The number of calls extracted in the process of step ST15 is displayed on a display device (not shown) or the like by the display function unit 8, and the system administrator confirms the number of calls and how many calls the end user makes. It is possible to determine whether or not a call has been made (step ST16).

  According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the system administrator determines the optimum number of calls and limits the number of calls, or obtains information that serves as a guideline for enhancing the infrastructure such as a network. It becomes possible.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a display screen displaying the number of calls. The example shown in FIG. 7 is an example in which the number of calls per hour (actual result) between the conference terminal in Tokyo and the conference terminal in Osaka is displayed. It is also possible to display the number using different colors at the same time. In addition, the number of calls between other points can be displayed in the same manner.

  The number of calls in the above-described embodiment of the present invention may be simply the number of calls. This is because one call in the conference system (one transmission of data from one terminal to another terminal) is not so long. If necessary, at each conference terminal, the number of packets for each call is determined before the call or is monitored, and the call is performed from the conference terminal during the processing of steps ST6 and ST10 described above. You may make it report to a number monitoring manager terminal.

  Each processing in the above-described embodiment of the present invention can be configured as a processing program, and this processing program is stored in a recording medium such as HD, DAT, FD, MO, DVD-ROM, and CD-ROM and provided. can do.

  The present invention described above using the embodiment can be applied to a service in which a service provider that provides a call service using a video conference system notifies the number of video conference system usages, or It can be applied to improve the quality of a video conference service provided to a network user by a network system administrator such as an in-house LAN.

It is a block diagram which shows the structural example of the video conference system by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence (common process) in the call number monitoring agent in a conference terminal. It is a flowchart explaining the processing procedure (processing of the call execution side terminal) in the call number monitoring agent in the conference terminal. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence (process of a call reception side terminal) in the call number monitoring agent in a conference terminal. It is a flowchart explaining the preservation | save procedure of the call number information in a call number monitoring manager terminal. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence at the time of browsing the call performance information in a call number monitoring manager terminal. It is a figure which shows the example of the display screen which displayed the number of calls.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conference function part 2 Communication condition monitoring function part 3 Call start detection function part 4 Call execution information transmission function part 5 Call execution information reception function part 6 Call performance accumulation function part 7 Call number confirmation function part 8 Call number display function part 9 Network 10, 20 Conference terminal 30 Call number monitoring manager terminal

Claims (9)

In the method for monitoring the number of calls in a video conference system in which a plurality of conference terminals used by conference participants and a call count monitoring manager terminal used by a system administrator are connected via a network, the conference The terminal for the terminal monitors the communication status of its own terminal, detects the start of the call, obtains call record information including the number of calls made and the number of attempts to call, but the acquired call The actual number information is transferred to the number-of-calls monitoring manager terminal, the number-of-calls monitoring manager terminal receives the information about the actual number of calls transferred from the conference terminal, and the information about the actual number of calls collected from each conference terminal. A method for monitoring the number of calls, characterized by accumulating.   The call number monitoring manager terminal searches the stored call record information based on the input items, confirms the number of calls, and displays the search result on a display device. Call number monitoring method.   The number-of-calls monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein the information on the call results includes a call execution date and time, a terminal IP address, and an execution base name for each call. The number of calls in a call number monitoring apparatus in a video conference system in which a plurality of conference terminals used by conference participants and a call number monitoring manager terminal used by a system administrator are connected via a network. The monitoring device is configured in the call count monitoring manager terminal, and the conference terminal monitors the communication status of the terminal itself, detects the start of the call, and makes a call transferred to the call count monitoring manager terminal. Call means comprising: means for receiving call record information including the number of calls received and the number of attempts to make a call; and means for storing call record information collected from each conference terminal Number monitoring device.   The number-of-calls monitoring device includes means for searching the stored call record information to confirm the number of calls based on input items, and means for displaying the search results on a display device. The call number monitoring apparatus according to claim 4.   6. The call number monitoring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the call record information includes a call execution date and time, a terminal IP address, and an execution base name for each call. In a video conference system configured by connecting a plurality of conference terminals used by conference participants and a call number monitoring manager terminal used by a system administrator via a network, the conference terminal includes a video I tried to make a call with the number of calls made , the conference function unit for conducting the conference, the call status monitoring function unit that monitors the communication status of my terminal, the call start detection function unit that detects the start of the call, A call execution information transmission function unit that acquires call history information including the number of calls that have not been made, and transfers the acquired call history information to the call count monitoring manager terminal, Call record information receiving function unit for receiving call record information transferred from the conference terminal, and call record information storing function unit for storing call record information collected from each conference terminal Video conferencing system comprising: a.   The number-of-calls monitoring manager terminal, based on the input items, searches the accumulated number of calls and confirms the number of calls, and the number-of-calls display function for displaying the search results on a display device The video conference system according to claim 7, further comprising: a unit.   9. The video conference system according to claim 7, wherein the information of the call performance includes a call execution date and time, a terminal IP address, and an execution base name for each call.

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