CN101465919B

CN101465919B - Method and system for implementing video conference

Info

Publication number: CN101465919B
Application number: CN2007101799187A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 杨晔辉; 梁进; 林建国
Original assignee: BEIJING QUALVIDEO ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY Co Ltd
Current assignee: BEIJING QUALVIDEO ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-12-19
Filing date: 2007-12-19
Publication date: 2012-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 2027-12-19
Also published as: CN101465919A

Abstract

The invention discloses a videoconference implementation method. User boxes are arranged for the users in a videoconference system. The method includes the steps that: all the user boxes and VCS in a multimedia service system are allocated with IP identifiers, and the IP identifiers of the user boxes are bound with PSTN numbers; a PSTN terminal bound with the IP identifiers initiates a PSTN call, PSTN connection is established between the PSTN terminal and a teleconference server, and voice data of the videoconference is transferred by making use of the PSTN connection; the VCS acquires the calling PSTN number, fixes on the IP identifier bound with the calling PSTN number, establishes IP connection with the user box represented by the IP identifier through a call control server, and transfers the video data through an IP network. The invention further discloses a videoconference system. The invention makes use of a current PSTN terminal to conduct videoconference service, thus enlarging the application range of videoconference service.

Description

Method and system for realizing video conference

Technical Field

The invention relates to a multimedia communication technology, in particular to a method and a system for realizing a video conference.

Background

Currently, there are various forms of voice conferences on PSTN networks and IP networks, respectively, such as:

(1) PSTN net voice conference: a voice communication platform for multi-party communication is established in a PSTN network, the multi-party communication is controlled through a teleconference server, and a communication terminal is a PSTN terminal;

(2) IP voice communication conference: the voice communication platform of the communication multiparty conference is established through the IP network, the control of multiparty communication is carried out through the MCU of the IP network, the communication terminal is a terminal based on a computer, namely a mode from PC to PC, and the voice communication of the IP network can simultaneously support the video communication of the communication multiparty due to the enhanced function of the communication terminal.

The advantages of voice communication over PSTN networks are: the voice quality number has mobility, a calling party only needs to be provided with a telephone terminal and does not need to be provided with a personal computer, the application range is wide, and the calling party does not need to be online and can meet the requirements of finding the other party and carrying out communication at any time and any place. However, this communication method has the following disadvantages: the call mode is monotonous, image and video modes are lacked, part of the telephone terminals are also lacked in a text communication function, and most of the telephone terminals are simple in operation function and lack in humanized operation interfaces.

The advantages of voice communication based on IP network are: the communication modes are rich, and besides voice, the communication modes such as videos and images can be provided to make up for the situation that languages and characters cannot be expressed or are difficult to express. The communication terminal has strong functions and a humanized operation interface. However, the following disadvantages are also present: the voice communication quality is deteriorated due to the congestion of the IP network, the mobility is poor, the technical requirements on communication participants are high, and a computer is required to be provided and operated.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of this, the present invention provides a method and a system for implementing a video conference, which can utilize the existing PSTN terminal to perform the operation of the video conference, and expand the application range of the video conference service.

In order to achieve the purpose, the invention adopts the following technical scheme:

in a video conference system including a video conference server VCS, an IP network, a PSTN network, PSTN switching equipment, a teleconference server and a PSTN terminal, a user box connected to the IP network and used for processing an IP protocol and performing video encoding and decoding is set for each user, the teleconference server is connected to the PSTN network, and the method includes:

respectively allocating an IP identification to each user box and the VCS in the multimedia service system, and binding the IP identification of each user box with the PSTN number of at least one PSTN terminal;

the PSTN terminal bound with the IP identification is used as a calling party to initiate a PSTN call to request to join in a video conference of a specified conference place, PSTN switching equipment establishes PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and a conference call server, the conference call server acquires information of the specified conference place which the calling PSTN terminal requests to join in, and joins the calling PSTN terminal in the specified conference place, and voice data of the video conference is transmitted by utilizing the PSTN connection;

the method comprises the steps that a VCS obtains calling information comprising a calling PSTN number and appointed meeting place information, a calling IP identification bound with the calling PSTN number is determined according to the binding relation between a preset user box IP identification and the PSTN number, an IP connection is established between the calling IP identification and a user box represented by the calling IP identification through a call control server, the user box is added into the appointed meeting place according to the appointed meeting place information, and video data of a video conference are transmitted through an IP network.

A video conference system comprises a video conference server VCS, a call control server, an IP network, a PSTN network, PSTN switching equipment, a telephone conference server, a PSTN terminal and a user box bound with the PSTN terminal;

the PSTN terminal is used for requesting to join in a video conference of a designated conference place through PSTN calling, establishing PSTN connection with the teleconference server, sending voice data to the teleconference server, and receiving and playing the voice data in the video conference;

the PSTN switching equipment is used for establishing PSTN connection between the PSTN terminal and the teleconference server;

the conference call server is used for adding the PSTN terminal into the appointed meeting place according to the request sent by the PSTN terminal and transmitting voice data of a video conference by using PSTN connection between the conference call server and the PSTN terminal;

the VCS is used for acquiring a PSTN number of the PSTN terminal and appointed meeting place information, determining a user box bound with the PSTN terminal according to a binding relationship established between an IP identification pre-allocated to each user box in a network and the PSTN number, establishing IP connection with the user box through the call control server, adding the user box into the appointed meeting place according to the appointed meeting place information sent by the teleconference server, and transmitting video data of a video conference by using the IP network;

and the user box bound with the PSTN terminal is used for collecting local video data and transmitting the local video data to the VCS, and receiving, decoding and displaying the video data of the video conference sent by the VCS.

In a video conference system including a video conference server VCS, an IP network, a PSTN network, PSTN switching equipment, a teleconference server and a PSTN terminal, a user box connected to the IP network and used for processing an IP protocol and performing video encoding and decoding is set for each user, the teleconference server is connected to the PSTN network and the IP network, and the method includes:

the PSTN terminal bound with the IP identification is used as a calling party to initiate a PSTN call to request for holding a video conference, PSTN switching equipment establishes PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and a telephone conference server, the calling PSTN terminal is added into an idle meeting place reserved by a system, and a PSTN domain conference of the meeting place is established; the calling PSTN terminal inputs the PSTN number of at least one called PSTN terminal in sequence, triggers the telephone conference server to call the called PSTN terminal, the PSTN switching equipment establishes PSTN connection for the telephone conference server and the called PSTN terminal which responds, the telephone conference server adds the called PSTN terminal which responds to the meeting place, and the voice data of the video conference of the meeting place is transmitted by using each PSTN connection;

the teleconference server sends the PSTN numbers of the calling PSTN terminal and the responded called PSTN terminal and the information of the meeting place to the VCS through an IP network;

and the VCS establishes an IP domain conference of the conference place according to the information of the conference place, determines the IP identification bound with each received PSTN number according to the binding relationship between the IP identification of the preset user box and the PSTN number, establishes IP connection with the user box represented by each IP identification through the call control server, adds the user box into the conference place, and transmits the video data of the video conference of the conference place by using the IP network.

A video conference system comprises a VCS, a call control server, an IP network, a PSTN network, PSTN switching equipment, a telephone conference server, a calling PSTN terminal, at least one called PSTN terminal and user boxes bound with the calling PSTN terminal and the called PSTN terminal respectively;

the calling PSTN terminal is used for holding a video conference through a PSTN call request, establishing PSTN connection with the teleconference server, sequentially inputting PSTN numbers of all called PSTN terminals, sending voice data to the teleconference server, and receiving and playing the voice data in the video conference;

the PSTN switching equipment is used for establishing PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and all the called PSTN terminals and the teleconference server respectively;

the conference call server is used for adding the calling PSTN terminal and all the called PSTN terminals into an idle meeting place reserved by the system and transmitting voice data of a video conference by using PSTN connection between each PSTN terminal; and the PSTN numbers of the calling PSTN terminal and all called PSTN terminals and the information of the meeting place are sent to the VCS through the IP network;

the VCS is used for receiving PSTN numbers of a calling PSTN terminal and all called PSTN terminals sent by the teleconference server, determining each user box bound with each PSTN terminal according to a binding relationship established between an IP identifier pre-allocated to each user box in a network and the PSTN number, establishing IP connection with each user box through the call control server, adding each user box into the conference according to conference information sent by the teleconference server, and transmitting video data of a video conference by using the IP network;

the user boxes bound with the calling PSTN terminal and the user boxes bound with the called PSTN terminals are used for collecting local video data, transmitting the local video data to the VCS, and receiving, decoding and displaying video data of a video conference sent by the VCS.

According to the technical scheme, the video conference system comprises a Video Conference Server (VCS), a call control server, an IP network, a PSTN network, PSTN switching equipment, a telephone conference server and a PSTN terminal, wherein a user box connected with the IP network is arranged for each user, IP identifications are respectively distributed for the VCS and each user box, and the IP identification of each user box is bound with the PSTN number of at least one PSTN terminal, so that the user boxes can establish a corresponding relation with the PSTN terminals in the PSTN network. When the telephone conference server receives a PSTN call sent by the PSTN terminal bound with the IP identification, the PSTN exchange equipment establishes PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and the telephone conference server, the telephone conference server acquires the appointed meeting place information requested to be added by the calling PSTN terminal, adds the calling PSTN terminal into the appointed meeting place, and transmits voice data of the video conference by using PSTN connection. The VCS acquires a calling PSTN number and appointed meeting place information from a PSTN network, determines a calling IP identification bound with the calling PSTN number according to the binding relation between the IP identification of the user box and the PSTN number, establishes IP connection with the user box represented by the calling IP identification through a call control server, adds the user box into the appointed meeting place, and transmits video data of a video conference by using the IP network. By the mode, any PSTN terminal can access the video conference service, the PSTN connection is respectively established between the PSTN terminal and the telephone conference server, and the IP connection is established between the user box and the VCS, so that the voice data can be transmitted by using a PSTN network, and the video data can be transmitted by using an IP network.

Or, in the video conference system, the PSTN terminal bound with the IP identifier may also be used as a calling party to initiate a PSTN call to request for holding the video conference, the PSTN switching device establishes a PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and the conference call server, adds the calling PSTN terminal into an idle meeting place reserved by the system, and creates a PSTN domain conference of the meeting place; the calling PSTN terminal inputs the PSTN number of at least one called PSTN terminal in sequence, triggers the conference call server to call each called PSTN terminal, adds it into the meeting place, and transmits the voice data of the video conference of the meeting place by each PSTN connection; and, the PSTN number of calling party and called PSTN terminal is sent to VCS; and after receiving the PSTN number, the VCS creates an IP domain conference of the conference place, searches the IP identifications bound by each PSTN number according to the preset binding relationship, establishes IP connection with the user boxes represented by each IP identification, joins the user boxes into the conference place, and transmits the video data of the video conference of the conference place by using the IP network. Through the mode, the calling PSTN terminal can call and hold a video conference participated by multiple parties through the PSTN, the PSTN connection is respectively established between the PSTN terminal and the telephone conference server, and the IP connection is established between the user box and the VCS, so that voice data can be transmitted by utilizing a PSTN network, and video data can be transmitted by utilizing an IP network.

In the video conference implementation methods of the two modes, on one hand, the use of video conference users is facilitated, the PSTN terminal of the existing telecommunication network is fully utilized to carry out the operation of video conference service, the use range of the video conference service is expanded, the use bottleneck of the video conference terminal is broken through, and on the other hand, richer video data are obtained through an IP network.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a general configuration diagram of a video conference system according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed structural diagram of the user box in the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a general flowchart of a first video conference implementation method based on the video conference system shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a general flowchart of a second video conference implementation method based on the video conference system shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a network structure diagram of the automatic video conference system.

Fig. 6 is a specific flowchart of an implementation method of an instant conference service in the first video conference implementation method.

Fig. 7 is a specific structure diagram of a user box with one-way decoding capability.

Fig. 8 is a specific configuration diagram of a user box having N-way decoding capability.

Fig. 9 is a network structure diagram of the artificial video conference system.

Fig. 10 is a specific flowchart of an implementation method of reserving a video conference in the first video conference implementation method.

Fig. 11 is a specific flowchart of a second video conference implementation method.

Detailed Description

For the purpose of making the objects, technical means and advantages of the present invention more apparent, the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The basic idea of the invention is: and realizing the video conference service by combining the PSTN connection and the IP network.

Fig. 1 is a general configuration diagram of a video conference system according to the present invention. The video conference system comprises an IP network, a PSTN network, a VCS, a call control server, a PSTN terminal, PSTN switching equipment, a telephone conference server and a user box. The user box is connected with the IP network, and the teleconference server is connected with the PSTN network. The PSTN terminal refers to a terminal used by a public switched telephone network, and includes a telephone terminal, a wireless local telephone terminal (a personal handphone system), a public mobile telephone terminal (a mobile phone), and the like; the PSTN switching equipment refers to switching equipment for realizing a PSTN switching function, and includes traditional digital program controlled switch equipment, soft switch equipment, and the like.

In the video conference system, the structure of the user box is shown in fig. 2, and includes an IP network interface unit, an IP protocol processing unit, an image capturing unit, a video decoding unit, and a video interface unit. The IP network interface unit is used for connecting with an IP network; the IP protocol processing unit is connected with the IP network interface and is used for receiving and processing the IP packet, and the coded data sent by the image acquisition coding unit is packed into the IP packet and transmitted out through the IP network interface; the image acquisition coding unit is used for acquiring local image codes and then sending the local image codes to the IP protocol processing unit; and the video decoding unit is used for receiving the video coded data processed by the IP protocol processing unit, decoding the video and outputting the decoded video to display equipment connected with the user box through the video interface unit. The user box may be a collection implementing the above-mentioned functional units, and may be used independently or embedded in other devices.

Based on the video conference system shown in fig. 1, the invention provides two video conference implementation methods. The first video conference implementation method is a relatively general manner of holding a video conference in a designated meeting place based on initial registration at present. In this method, after dialing a preset PSTN number, a PSTN terminal inputs a pre-registered meeting place (i.e., a meeting room number), and after entering the meeting place, waits for other terminals to call in, and holds a meeting.

Another video conference realizing method is a mode that a calling PSTN terminal inputs a plurality of called PSTN terminal numbers respectively, thereby convening all called PSTN terminals to carry out a conference.

Fig. 3 is a general flowchart of a first video conference implementation method based on the video conference system shown in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 3, the method specifically includes the following steps:

step 301, allocating an IP identifier to each user box and VCS in the video conference system in advance, and binding the IP identifier of each user box with the PSTN number of at least one PSTN terminal.

As mentioned above, the PSTN terminal refers to a terminal used in a public switched telephone network, and includes a telephone terminal, a wireless local telephone terminal (a personal handphone system), a public mobile telephone terminal (a mobile phone), and the like, and the PSTN number of the PSTN terminal may be an area code + a telephone number, or a mobile phone number, and the like.

Step 302, the PSTN terminal bound with the IP identifier is used as a calling party to initiate a PSTN call, a video conference of a designated conference place is requested to join, and the PSTN switching equipment establishes a PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and a conference call server.

And 303, the teleconference server acquires the information of the appointed meeting place requested to be added by the calling PSTN terminal, adds the calling PSTN terminal into the appointed meeting place, and transmits the voice data of the video conference by using PSTN connection.

Therefore, the video conference of the appointed meeting place is accessed to the calling PSTN terminal, a voice channel of the video conference is established, the PSTN connection can be used for receiving and sending voice data, and the quality advantage of transmitting the voice data by the PSTN network is utilized.

Step 304, the VCS obtains call information including a calling PSTN number and designated meeting place information.

According to different implementations of the video service system, the manner in which the VCS acquires the call information including the calling PSTN number and the designated meeting place information may be different. For example, in an automated video conferencing system, call information may be sent by a teleconference server to a VCS; in a manual video conferencing system, call information may be sent by a traffic agent to a VCS. In summary, the VCS can obtain call information from devices in the PSTN network.

And 305, the VCS inquires a calling IP (Internet protocol) identifier bound with the PSTN number of the calling PSTN terminal according to the binding relationship between the preset user box IP identifier and the PSTN number, establishes IP connection with a calling user box represented by the calling IP identifier through a call server, joins the IP connection into a specified meeting place and transmits video data in a video conference by using the established IP network.

Therefore, the video conference of the appointed meeting place is accessed to the user box bound with the calling PSTN terminal, a video channel of the video conference is established, and the video data can be received and sent by using the IP network, so that the bandwidth advantage of the IP network for transmitting the video data is utilized.

Fig. 4 is a general flowchart of a second video conference implementation method based on the video conference system shown in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 4, the method specifically includes the following steps:

step 401, allocating an IP identifier to each user box and VCS in the video conference system in advance, and binding the IP identifier of each user box with the PSTN number of at least one PSTN terminal.

Step 402, the PSTN terminal bound with the IP identifier is used as a calling party to initiate a PSTN call to request for holding a video conference, the PSTN switching device establishes a PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and a conference call server, the conference call server creates a video conference on an idle meeting place reserved in the system, and the calling PSTN terminal is added to the meeting place.

In the method, the calling PSTN terminal does not need to register meeting places of the video conference in advance, and when a PSTN call request is initiated to hold the video conference, the system automatically selects an idle meeting place for holding the video conference.

Step 403, the teleconference server prompts the user to input at least one number of the called PSTN terminal in sequence, the teleconference server calls each called PSTN terminal in sequence, the PSTN switching device establishes PSTN connection between the teleconference server and the called PSTN terminal that responds, the teleconference server adds the called PSTN terminal that responds to the meeting place described in step 402, and the voice data of the video conference of the meeting place is transmitted by using each PSTN connection.

Therefore, the video conference is accessed for the calling PSTN terminal and each called PSTN terminal answering the call, a voice channel of the video conference is established, and the PSTN connection can be used for receiving and sending voice data, so that the quality advantage of transmitting the voice data by the PSTN network is utilized.

In step 404, the teleconference server sends the PSTN numbers and the meeting place information of the calling PSTN terminal and the answered called PSTN terminal to the VCS through the connection with the IP network.

Step 405, the VCS creates an IP domain conference of the conference according to the received conference information, determines an IP identifier bound with each received PSTN number according to a binding relationship between a preset user box IP identifier and a PSTN number, establishes IP connection with a user box represented by each IP identifier through a call control server, adds each user box to the conference, and transmits video data of the conference video conference by using the IP network.

Therefore, the video conference of the appointed meeting place is accessed for the user box bound with the calling PSTN terminal and each responded called PSTN terminal, a video channel of the video conference is established, and the video data can be received and sent by using an IP network, so that the bandwidth advantage of transmitting the video data by using the IP network is utilized.

The foregoing is a general summary of the invention. At present, video conferences are divided into instant conferences and reservation conferences. The instant conference means that after a special service number of the video conference is dialed, an appointed conference is held immediately; the conference reservation means that a special service number of a video conference is dialed to perform conference reservation, and at the conference time, a conference server initiates a call to each participating terminal to hold a designated conference.

The first video conference implementation method of the invention can support both the two conference types, and the specific implementation of the video conference implementation method is different according to the specific types; in addition, when the calling PSTN terminal initiates a PSTN call to request to join the video conference of the appointed meeting place, the PSTN connection can be established in an automatic access or seat access mode and respectively corresponds to an automatic video conference system and a manual video conference system. The following describes a specific implementation process of the first video conference implementation method by using a specific embodiment.

In the implementation process of the present invention, the establishment of the IP connection can be performed by selecting any control protocol as required, and in the following embodiments of the present invention, the SIP protocol is used as the call control protocol in the IP network.

First, a detailed description is given of a specific implementation manner of an instant conference flow in an automatic video conference system in the first video conference implementation method according to the first embodiment.

The first embodiment is as follows:

in the automatic video conference system of the present embodiment, the system configuration is the same as that of fig. 1. Furthermore, the conference call server includes an IP protocol processing unit for processing the IP protocol and accessing the IP network. The IP protocol processing unit in the teleconference server communicates with the VCS of the IP network through a private protocol developed based on a TCP protocol, and control information and the like in the process of video conference are interacted.

The embodiment introduces a detailed flow of the implementation method of the instant conference. The method may be implemented in a networking architecture as shown in fig. 5, which includes a PSTN network portion and an IP network portion, as shown in fig. 5. The PSTN part comprises a PSTN terminal, a PSTN network, PSTN switching equipment and an IVR server; the IP part includes the user box, the IP network, the SIP server and the VCS. The SIP server is the call control server in fig. 1, and since the control protocol in this embodiment is the SIP protocol, the call control server is the SIP server; the IVR server is a specific implementation of the teleconference server in fig. 1, and is used for controlling a conference in a PSTN domain, and the IVR server includes an IP protocol processing unit, which is used for processing an IP protocol, is connected to an IP network, receives and transmits a data packet in the IP network, communicates with a VCS of the IP network through a private protocol developed based on a TCP protocol, and interacts control information and the like in a video conference process. The VCS is used for controlling an IP domain conference.

In the networking structure shown in fig. 5, a specific flow of the implementation method of the instant video conference is shown in fig. 6. In the relevant flow of the video conference in this embodiment, the application of the video conference is accessed by dialing a preset PSTN conference special service number, and the following are set in the PSTN network: the PSTN terminal represented by the PSTN conference special service number is an IVR server and is used as a conference server of a PSTN domain, and the service corresponding to the PSTN conference special service number is a video conference service. The method for specifically realizing the video conference comprises the following steps:

step 601, allocating IP identifiers to user boxes and VCSs in the network in advance, and binding the IP identifier of each user box with at least one PSTN number.

The control protocol used in this embodiment is an initial session protocol (SIP), the IP identifier allocated to the user box is specifically a SIP Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) (hereinafter, abbreviated as URI), and the IP identifier of the user box may be set and stored in the user box when the user box leaves a factory, or may also be allocated by an activation operation before the user box is used.

The user can bind at least one PSTN number for the user box according to the requirement, and after the binding, the PSTN terminals of the PSTN numbers can receive video data in the video conference from the IP network by using the user box. The PSTN number bound by the user box may be set when the user box leaves the factory, or may be set by an activation operation before the user box is used.

The manner of implementing the above-mentioned IP identifier allocation and binding relationship establishment by activating operation may be: the user dials the special service number of the activated user box through any PSTN terminal, accesses the activation server, sends the serial number of the user box to the activation server (specifically, TR069) through the PSTN terminal, the activation server randomly allocates an IP identification to the user box, the IP identification uniquely identifies one user box in an IP network, and feeds back the allocated IP identification to the PSTN terminal, and the user stores the IP in the corresponding user box. The activation server also receives the binding PSTN number input by the user through the PSTN terminal, establishes a binding relationship between the IP identification of the user box and the input at least one PSTN number, stores the binding relationship in the addressing server, and completes the activation operation. Preferably, in order to improve the reliability of the system, the activation server may further allocate an authentication value set corresponding to the URI when allocating the IP identifier to the user box, and may perform authentication of the user box by using the authentication value when subsequently establishing an IP connection using the user box.

Step 602, after the user box is powered on, the user box carries its own URI to send an SIP registration request to an SIP server in the network for registration.

In this step, after the user box is powered on, an SIP registration request is sent to the SIP server, and the registration request carries the URI stored by the user box and the IP address allocated after the user box is powered on, and the SIP server extracts the URI and the IP address carried in the registration request and establishes a corresponding relationship for the URI and the IP address.

Corresponding to the process of the step 601, if a URI is allocated to the IP terminal, a corresponding authentication value is further allocated, and in this step, the authentication value needs to be carried in the registration request; the SIP server authenticates the registration request according to the corresponding relation between the URI and the authentication value allocated to a certain IP address in the step 601, if the authentication is passed, the corresponding relation between the URI and the IP address is established by using the method, and the registration is successful; and if the authentication fails, feeding back information of the authentication failure to the IP terminal, and discarding the registration request.

After the above process, preferably, a registration operation may be performed periodically, so that the SIP server maintains the latest correspondence between the IP address and the URI of the user box. After the user box finishes registration, the user can request and access the video conference service through the PSTN terminal bound with the user box, the user box is used for receiving and displaying video data in the video conference, and the PSTN terminal is used for receiving and playing voice data in the video conference.

Generally, in an instant conference, a user accessing a video conference service through a PSTN terminal may involve two processes, namely, a creation process and an addition process for the video conference. Generally, a video conference creation process is triggered by a first user entering a certain conference place, and a PSTN domain conference and an IP domain conference are respectively created through a teleconference server (an IVR server in this embodiment) and a VCS; a video conference joining process, in which after a PSTN domain conference and an IP domain conference of a certain conference place have been created, a user who subsequently accesses the video conference of the corresponding conference place initiates the video conference joining process, and a teleconference server (in this embodiment, an IVR server) and a VCS join the accessed user into the PSTN domain conference and the IP domain conference respectively.

Specifically, the video conference creation process triggered by the user through the PSTN terminal includes:

step 603, any user dials the PSTN conference special service number of the video conference through a certain PSTN terminal a.

In this embodiment, it is assumed that the PSTN special service number of the first video conference implementation method is 1687-7777, and in the video conference service, the called PSTN number refers to the special service number of the video conference. The calling PSTN terminal can be a PSTN terminal bound with the IP identification or a PSTN terminal not bound, and the implementation of the invention is not influenced.

And step 604, the PSTN switching equipment calls the PSTN to access the IVR server according to the PSTN conference special service number dialed by the PSTN terminal A, and establishes PSTN connection between the PSTN terminal A and the IVR server.

Step 605, the IVR server determines that the user requests the video conference service according to the conference special service number, plays a voice prompt to the user, inputs information requesting the instant conference to the calling PSTN terminal, and performs authentication to the calling PSTN terminal and executes the next step after the authentication is successful.

Generally, the IVR server will require the PSTN terminal to input information for the instant conference or the reserved conference. After receiving the information of requesting the instant conference input by the user, the IVR server requests the PSTN terminal to input the participating information, including a designated meeting place and a password, wherein the designated meeting place refers to a conference room entered by the user. And the IVR server compares the received meeting place information with prestored information to determine whether the user is a legal user or not, and if the user is an illegal user, the established PSTN connection is removed.

Step 606, the IVR server determines that the calling PSTN terminal is the first PSTN terminal entering the meeting place, and receives the conference parameters sent by the PSTN terminal to the IVR server through the established PSTN connection, including the conference scale, the called PSTN number that requires the IVR server to invite to the conference, and the like.

Step 607, the IVR server creates a conference of the PSTN domain according to the conference parameters.

The conference creating process of the PSTN domain in the step is the same as the existing mode, namely resource reservation and the like are carried out. If the conference parameters comprise the appointed participating PSTN terminal, the IVR server calls the PSTN number of each participating PSTN terminal, and after the called party is off-hook, the PSTN connection between the IVR server and the off-hook PSTN terminal is established. The participating PSTN terminal can be a PSTN terminal bound with an IP identifier or a PSTN terminal not bound with the IP identifier.

After the conference of the PSTN domain is established, the transmission of the video conference voice data can be carried out. Generally, if no chairman exists in several accessed PSTN terminals, the IVR server plays a preset audio file for each PSTN terminal entering a conference room; if the chairman is present, step 608 is executed for voice data transmission for the conference.

Step 608, the IVR server receives the voice data collected by each PSTN terminal participating in the conference, mixes the voice data and plays the voice data to the corresponding PSTN terminal, and the PSTN terminal plays the mixed voice data issued by the PSTN switching device.

In this step, the sound mixing operation is the same as that in the conventional manner, that is, for any PSTN terminal a, other voice data except the voice data acquired by the PSTN terminal a in the voice data acquired by each PSTN terminal participating in the conference is mixed and played to the PSTN terminal a.

To this end, a conference of the PSTN domain in the video conference has been established and voice data transmission is performed. And synchronously establishing the following IP domain conference with the conference establishing process of the PSTN domain:

step 609, the IVR server adds the received conference parameters into the call information and sends the call information to the VCS through the IP network.

Step 610, the VCS creates a conference in the IP domain according to the conference parameters sent by the IVR server.

In this step, the conference creation process of the IP domain is the same as that of the existing method, and resource reservation and the like are also performed. If the conference parameters comprise the appointed conference participating PSTN terminal, the VCS inquires IP identifications bound with PSTN numbers of the PSTN terminals to an addressing server in the network, requests an SIP server to establish IP connection with a corresponding user box according to the IP identifications, and the SIP server determines an IP address corresponding to the PSTN number carried in the conference parameters according to the corresponding relation between the stored URI and the IP address; and establishing IP connection with the VCS for the user boxes corresponding to the IP addresses. When the IP connection is established, an SIP negotiation process is also performed, and through the negotiation process, the VCS obtains the video decoding capability of each user box establishing the IP connection with the VCS, that is, the number N of video paths that can be decoded by the audio/video decoding unit. The specific SIP negotiation process conforms to the standard SIP protocol, and will not be described herein again.

After the conference of the IP domain is established, the transmission of the video data in the conference can be carried out. Generally, if there is no chairman in several accessed IP terminals, the VCS plays a preset video file for each IP terminal entering a conference room, or does not send a video stream; and if the chairman exists, starting to transmit the video data of the next conference.

As described above, the PSTN terminal included in the conference parameter may be a PSTN terminal bound with the IP identifier, or may be a PSTN terminal not bound with the IP identifier; for the former, the IP connection is established with the VCS to transmit video data in the manner described above, and for the latter, the IP connection is not established if the IP identifier is inevitably failed to be queried, and the PSTN terminal only has PSTN connection with the IVR server and can send and receive voice data.

Step 611, the VCS receives the encoded local video data sent by all the participating user boxes through each IP network, and issues the encoded video image of at least one of the other user boxes to each user box according to the media capabilities of the participating user boxes.

In this embodiment, the user box supports decoding of at least one path of video data, as described above, the VCS performs SIP negotiation with the user box when establishing the SIP connection, and during the SIP negotiation, the VCS can acquire the number of decoding paths specifically supported by the IP terminal. According to the number of different video data paths supported by the user box, the video data sent by the VCS to the user box may be different, and one path and N paths are taken as an example for description below.

If a user box a only supports decoding of one path of video data, when the VCS issues video data to the user box a, the local video data collected and encoded by the chairman user box is preferably issued to the user box a.

If a certain user box B supports decoding of N-channel video data, when the VCS issues video data to the user box B, the specific operations are as follows: firstly, receiving local video data collected and encoded by all user boxes; then, selecting N user boxes from all user boxes, wherein a chairman user box is preferably included, then transmitting N paths of coded video data by the N user boxes selected by the VCS, and adding a distinguishing identifier into each path of video data for distinguishing which path of the N paths of video data belongs to; and finally, the VCS sends the N paths of video data added with the identification to the user box B through an IP network between the VCS and the user box B.

It can be seen from this step that, the VCS in this embodiment is significantly different from the existing video conference controller, and when issuing a multi-channel video image, it does not decode the multi-channel video image and organize it into a channel of video signal displayed on a screen, and then encodes and issues the channel of video signal, like the existing video conference controller.

In step 612, each user box receives, decodes and displays the video image received by itself through the display device.

The specific operation of this step is different for user boxes with different decoding capabilities. Still take the user box supporting one-way and N-way decoding as an example, for the user box supporting only one-way video decoding, the received encoded video data is directly decoded and displayed through the display equipment connected with the user box; for a user box supporting N-channel video decoding, N channels of encoded video data are received and decoded respectively, the decoded images are organized into a screen size and displayed by a display device connected with the screen size, and at least local video of a chairman user box is preferably included.

The structure of the user box with one-way decoding capability and the structure of the user box with N-way decoding capability are shown in fig. 7 and fig. 8 respectively. The specific structure of the video decoding unit is refined in the user box shown in fig. 7 and 8, compared to the user box shown in fig. 2.

For the user box with one-way decoding shown in fig. 7, the video decoding unit includes a video decoding sub-unit. The video decoding subunit is used for receiving the video data processed by the IP protocol processing unit, decoding the video, and outputting the decoded video to the display device connected with the user box through the video interface unit.

For the user box with N-channel decoding shown in fig. 8, the video decoding unit includes N video decoding sub-units and one combining sub-unit. And any video decoding subunit is used for extracting one path of corresponding video data from all the video data processed by the IP protocol processing unit according to the distinguishing identifier in the video data, decoding the path of video data and outputting the decoded path of video data to the combining subunit.

And the combiner subunit organizes the received data decoded by the N video decoding subunits into a screen size and synchronously outputs the screen size by taking a frame as a unit. The specific way of organizing the video data may be to perform N-fold down-sampling on the data decoded by each video decoding subunit, and then organize the data into an image for output; or, the decoded N paths of video data may be directly spliced into one image for output.

Therefore, the voice part in the video conference is transmitted and played in each PSTN terminal participating in the conference through the conference in the PSTN domain, the video part is transmitted in each user box participating in the conference through the conference in the IP domain and played on the display equipment, and as for any user, the video conference service is experienced.

Here, the creation of the PSTN domain conference and the voice transmission are performed in parallel with the creation of the IP domain conference and the video transmission.

In the process of the instant video conference, there may be other uninvited users C who wish to join the conference, that is, the video conference joining process is triggered, which specifically includes:

step 613, the PSTN terminal D of the user C dials a preset PSTN conference special service number, the PSTN switching device accesses the call to the IVR server, establishes PSTN connection, performs voice prompt and password verification, and executes the next step if the verification is passed.

Step 614, the IVR server adds the newly called PSTN terminal into the conference of the PSTN domain, when carrying out voice data transmission, mixes the voice collected by the PSTN terminal into the voice mixing result of each original PSTN terminal, and issues the voice mixing result of the voice data collected by all other PSTN terminals to the PSTN terminal; the IVR server informs the VCS through the IP network, a new user joins in the video conference and carries the PSTN number of the new user, and the VCS establishes IP connection for the VCS and the user box of the user through the SIP server and transmits video data in the conference.

When a user wishes to quit the video conference, the quitting process of the embodiment includes:

and step 615, the PSTN terminal hangs up, the IVR server receives the hang-up signal, deletes the PSTN terminal from the PSTN domain conference, and informs the VCS to delete the user box represented by the IP identification bound with the PSTN number through the IP network, the VCS determines the user box corresponding to the PSTN terminal exiting the PSTN domain conference according to the stored PSTN number corresponding to the user box participating in the conference, and deletes the user box from the conference in the IP domain.

By the mode, the keep-alive connection is realized. Specifically, when the IP network transmission condition is poor, a user may lose the IP connection with the VCS, and for the user, the user box already exits the current IP domain conference and cannot receive the video data in the conference; but at this time, the PSTN terminal bound with the IP identifier of the user box is still in the PSTN domain conference, and still can receive the voice data of the conference through the PSTN terminal, and after the network transmission condition is improved, the VCS can also establish an IP connection between the user box and the VCS again according to the recorded user box information in the conference, and access the corresponding conference place to continue to provide the conference service of the IP domain for the user. Compared with the existing video conference which completely realizes audio and video data transmission in an IP domain, the reliability of the conference is improved, even if the IP network condition is severe, the conference content can still be listened through PSTN connection, and the user experience is greatly improved.

When all the participants in the conference exit the room number, the conference in the IP domain and the PSTN domain is deleted. And ending the realization process of the video conference.

The specific process of the method for implementing an instant video conference in the embodiment is ended. It can be seen from the above flow that, by adopting the mode of this embodiment, the establishment, the joining, etc. of the instant video conference can be realized through the simple operation of the PSTN terminal, and the user operation is greatly simplified. Meanwhile, voice is transmitted in the PSTN network, compared with the existing video conference based on a pure IP network, the voice transmission quality can be ensured, the hearing experience of a user is greatly improved for the video conference service mainly based on telephone application, and good visual experience is ensured; compared with the existing telephone conference based on pure PSTN connection, the audio-video smooth transition is realized.

The above process is introduced by taking called idle as an example, if the called PSTN terminal is in other connections, the calling PSTN connection will be rejected; at this time, the IVR server may notify the VCS that the called PSTN terminal is busy through the IP network, and the VCS does not initiate an IP connection request to the user box bound to the called PSTN terminal any more.

Or, the VCS may continue to initiate an IP connection request to the user box bound to the called PSTN terminal, and after the called user box is idle and receives the IP connection request, the display device connected to the called user box displays the prompt information of other incoming calls, and the user may end the current voice call as needed at this time, and access the incoming PSTN and SIP incoming calls; or, the SIP incoming call is independently accepted, and pure IP connection is established with the opposite side to mutually transmit video data; or rejecting voice and SIP incoming calls and ending the call process.

The above is a flow of implementing a video conference on an automatic video conference system. The implementation on a manual video conferencing system is slightly different. First, fig. 9 is a specific networking structure of the artificial video conference system. Compared with fig. 5, the networking structure further includes at least one traffic seat in the PSTN network portion, and the traffic seat has the function of the traditional PSTN traffic seat, and further includes an IP protocol processing unit, which is used for processing an IP protocol, is connected to the IP network, receives and transmits a data packet in the IP network, and communicates with the VCS of the IP network through a private protocol developed based on the TCP protocol.

Secondly, the implementation flow of the video conference in the manual video conference system shown in fig. 9 is different from the implementation flow shown in fig. 6 in the way of the PSTN connection establishment and the IP connection establishment. Specifically, the following steps in the process of creating a video conference in the process shown in fig. 6 are modified accordingly:

one modification involved with the PSTN connection establishment procedure includes:

correspondingly, the step 603 is modified as follows: any user dials a video special service PSTN number through a PSTN terminal A; the PSTN switching equipment accesses the PSTN call to any telephone operator B according to the PSTN number dialed by the PSTN terminal A;

correspondingly, the step 604 is modified as follows: a telephone traffic seat B which receives a PSTN call of a PSTN terminal A determines a video conference of a specified conference place which the PSTN terminal A requests to join, carries out identity verification on a calling PSTN terminal, and executes a step 605 after the verification is successful;

correspondingly, the step 605 is modified as follows: the telephone traffic seat B inquires an IVR server according to the appointed meeting place information input by the user, and receives the parameters of the meeting input by the PSTN terminal A, including the meeting scale, the called PSTN number required for the IVR server to actively invite the meeting and the like after determining that the PSTN terminal A is the first PSTN terminal for entering the meeting place.

Correspondingly, the step 606 is modified as follows: and the telephone traffic seat B establishes PSTN connection between the PSTN terminal A and the IVR server and sends the received conference parameters to the IVR server through an IP network.

Second, the modification related to the IP connection establishment procedure includes:

correspondingly, the step 609 is modified as follows: and the telephone operator B sends call information to the VCS through the IP network, wherein the call information comprises the PSTN number of the PSTN terminal A and the input conference parameters.

The steps in the video conference joining process in the process shown in fig. 6 are correspondingly modified as follows:

relating to the establishment of the PSTN connection, the step 613 is correspondingly modified as follows: the PSTN terminal D dials the PSTN number of the video service, and any telephone operator seat E answers the PSTN call; the telephone traffic seat E prompts the PSTN terminal D to input appointed meeting place information, establishes PSTN connection between the PSTN terminal D and the IVR server and sends the appointed meeting place information to the IVR server; the IVR server adds the PSTN terminal D into the PSTN domain conference of the appointed meeting place to carry out voice data transmission of the video conference;

relating to the establishment of IP connection, the step 614 is correspondingly modified as follows: and the telephone traffic seat E sends call information including the PSTN number of the PSTN terminal D and the appointed meeting place information to the VCS, the VCS inquires an IP (Internet protocol) identifier bound with the PSTN number of the PSTN terminal D, and establishes IP connection for the VCS and a user box represented by the inquired IP identifier through the SIP server to transmit video data in the conference.

Except for the above operations, the remaining operations in the video conference implementation flow based on the artificial video conference system are the same as the corresponding operations shown in fig. 6, for example, transmission of video data and audio data, and so on, which are not described herein again.

Next, a detailed description is given to a specific implementation of the reserved conference flow by way of an example.

Example two:

the embodiment introduces a detailed flow of a method for implementing a conference reservation. The method may also be implemented in an automated video conferencing system as shown in fig. 5. The specific flow of the implementation method for reserving the video conference is shown in fig. 10, and includes:

1001-1002, allocating IP identifications for user boxes and VCSs in a network in advance, and binding the IP identification of each user box with at least one PSTN number; and after being electrified, the user box carries the URI of the user box to send an SIP registration request to an SIP server in the network for registration.

The operations of steps 1001 to 1002 are the same as the operations of steps 601 to 602 in the first embodiment, and are not described herein again.

In general, in a reservation conference, a conference reservation needs to be made first, and after the reservation is successful, the conference is held at a designated time based on reservation information. Therefore, a user accessing a video conference service through a PSTN terminal may involve three processes, respectively, a reservation process, a creation process, and a joining process for the video conference. In general, the video conference reservation process may be triggered by any user, and relevant parameters for reserving a conference are set in a conference call server (in this embodiment, an IVR server) and a VCS; after the reservation is successful, the video conference creating process is automatically triggered by a telephone conference server (an IVR server in the embodiment) and a VCS (virtual video server), and a PSTN (public switched telephone network) domain conference and an IP (Internet protocol) domain conference are respectively created; a video conference joining process, in which after a PSTN domain conference and an IP domain conference of a certain conference place have been created, a user who subsequently accesses the video conference of the corresponding conference place initiates the video conference joining process, and a teleconference server (in this embodiment, an IVR server) and a VCS join the accessed user into the PSTN domain conference and the IP domain conference respectively. Three processes are described below.

The process that the user triggers the video conference reservation through the PSTN terminal comprises the following steps:

step 1003-1004, any user dials PSTN conference special service number of the video conference through a PSTN terminal A; and the PSTN switching equipment calls the PSTN to access the IVR server according to the PSTN conference special service number dialed by the PSTN terminal A, and establishes PSTN connection between the PSTN terminal A and the IVR server.

The operations of the above steps 1003 to 1004 are the same as the operations of the steps 603 to 604 in the first embodiment, and are not described herein again.

Step 1005, the IVR server determines that the user requests the video conference service according to the conference special service number, plays the voice prompt to the user, inputs the information of requesting to reserve the conference to the calling PSTN terminal, and the IVR server performs identity verification to the calling PSTN terminal and executes the next step after the verification is successful.

Step 1006, the user inputs parameters of the conference reservation through the calling PSTN terminal, including the conference size, the PSTN number of the participating PSTN terminal, etc.

When a conference is reserved, the PSTN number of at least one conference participating PSTN terminal needs to be input.

Step 1007, the IVR server judges whether to allow the reservation according to the current resource status and the received conference parameters, if yes, the next step is executed, otherwise, the calling PSTN terminal is returned with the information of the reservation failure, and the flow is ended.

Step 1008, the IVR server saves the conference parameters and returns the information of successful reservation to the calling PSTN terminal.

And ending the video conference reservation flow. The IVR server triggers a video conference creating process at the conference time specified in the conference parameters according to the saved conference parameters, and the IVR server and the VCS create the PSTN domain conference and the IP domain conference respectively, which specifically comprises the following steps:

firstly, the IVR server creates a conference of a PSTN domain according to conference parameters at the appointed conference time, calls each conference participating PSTN terminal according to the PSTN number of the conference participating PSTN terminal included in the conference parameters, and establishes PSTN connection between the IVR server and the off-hook PSTN terminal after a called party goes off the hook.

Here, the operation of the IVR server specifically creating the PSTN domain conference is the same as step 607 in the first embodiment, and is not described here again. After the conference of the PSTN domain is established, the transmission of the video conference voice data can be carried out. The detailed description is the same as in the first embodiment.

Secondly, the VCS creates an IP domain conference according to the notification of the IVR server, and there are two specific ways for the IVR server to send the notification and the VCS to create the IP domain conference according to the notification, which are respectively:

1. after the IVR server establishes the PSTN domain conference at the appointed conference time, the IVR server sends a notice of establishing the IP domain conference to the VCS, and the notice comprises conference parameters. And after receiving the notification, the VCS immediately creates an IP domain conference according to the conference parameters, inquires the user boxes represented by the IP identifications bound with the PSTN numbers according to the PSTN numbers of the conference participating PSTN terminals included in the conference parameters, and respectively establishes IP connection with the user boxes.

2. After receiving the conference parameters input by the calling PSTN terminal, the IVR server sends the conference parameters to the VCS through the IP network, the VCS stores the conference parameters, creates an IP domain conference according to the conference parameters at the conference time appointed by the conference parameters, inquires the user boxes represented by the IP identifications bound with the PSTN numbers according to the PSTN numbers of the conference participating PSTN terminals included in the conference parameters, and establishes IP connection with the user boxes respectively.

The two operations for creating the IP domain conference are the same as step 610 in the first embodiment, and are not described here again. After the IP domain conference is established, the transmission of the video data in the video conference can be carried out. The detailed description is the same as in the first embodiment.

And ending the video conference creating process in the reserved conference. Certainly, the reserved video conference in this embodiment may be implemented by using an artificial video conference system, that is, the PSTN terminal calls in the telephone service seat, inputs the relevant reserved conference parameters, and the telephone service seat sends the reserved conference parameters to the IVR server and the VCS. The other operations are the same.

After the video conference is established, if a user accesses the video conference service of the corresponding conference place through the PSTN terminal, the video conference joining process is the same as that in the first embodiment. In addition, in the process of the conference, the procedure of the PSTN terminal hanging up to quit the conference is also the same as that in the first embodiment.

In the video conference reservation flow, the creation flow and the joining flow of the embodiment, similar to the embodiment, the PSTN terminal accessing the video conference service may be a PSTN terminal bound with the IP identifier or a PSTN terminal not bound with the IP identifier, and as for the former, video data can be transmitted and received through the established IP network, and voice data can be transmitted and received through the established PSTN connection, so that the whole video conference can be enjoyed with all-around information; for the latter, voice data is transmitted and received through the established PSTN connection, an IP connection can not be established, which is equivalent to the feeling of accessing a teleconference, but the mode enriches the service types accessed by the PSTN terminal.

The foregoing is a specific implementation manner of the first video conference implementation method provided by the present invention. In this way, any PSTN terminal can create or access a video conference at a designated conference site at any time. In the method, because the meeting place needs to be specified, the premise condition for implementing the method is that an enterprise or a user registers a certain meeting place or certain meeting places in the system, the traditional conference call using habit is met, and the user of the registered meeting place pays.

Besides, the invention also provides a second video conference implementation method. When the method is used for holding a video conference, a meeting place does not need to be registered in advance, a preset special service number can be directly dialed, and at least one called PSTN terminal participating in the meeting is input to participate in the conference. The system can select an idle meeting place for the calling PSTN terminal according to the resource use condition, call the called PSTN terminal into the idle meeting place, and hold the video conference. During the videoconference, payment is made by the calling PSTN terminal. A detailed description is given below of a specific implementation of the second video conference implementation method according to the present invention by using a third embodiment.

Example three:

the video conference implementation method of this embodiment may also be implemented in the automatic video conference system shown in fig. 5, and a specific method flow is shown in fig. 11, and includes:

1101-1102, allocating IP identifications to user boxes and VCSs in a network in advance, and binding the IP identification of each user box with at least one PSTN number; and after being electrified, the user box carries the URI of the user box to send an SIP registration request to an SIP server in the network for registration.

The operations of the above steps 1101 to 1102 are the same as the operations of the steps 601 to 602 in the first embodiment, and are not repeated here.

Step 1103, any user dials the special service number of the videoconference through a PSTN terminal a.

In this embodiment, it is assumed that the PSTN special service number of the second video conference implementation method is 118166. The calling PSTN terminal can be a PSTN terminal bound with the IP identification or a PSTN terminal not bound, and the implementation of the invention is not influenced.

Step 1104, the PSTN exchange device accesses the PSTN call to the IVR server according to the special service number dialed by the calling PSTN terminal A, and establishes PSTN connection for the PSTN terminal A and the IVR server; the teleconference server selects an idle meeting place, creates a PSTN domain conference, and adds the PSTN terminal A into the meeting place.

In step 1105, the IVR server prompts the calling PSTN terminal a to input the PSTN number of the called PSTN terminal that requires participation, and the calling PSTN terminal a inputs the PSTN number of one called PSTN terminal.

The IVR server may prompt the calling PSTN terminal a to enter the called PSTN number by voice and prompt each PSTN number to enter with a "#" key bundle number. The IVR server performs number receiving operation, and determines that a complete PSTN number is input after a "#" key is detected.

Step 1106, the IVR server initiates a PSTN call to the called PSTN number input by the calling PSTN terminal a, isolates the calling PSTN terminal a from the PSTN domain conference of the conference place, and transmits the call state information to the PSTN terminal a through the PSTN connection with the calling PSTN terminal a.

Step 1107, after the called PSTN terminal answers the PSTN call, the PSTN switching device establishes PSTN connection between the called PSTN terminal and the IVR server, the IVR server adds the called PSTN terminal to the conference place where the calling PSTN terminal is located, the IVR server switches the calling PSTN terminal back to the PSTN domain conference of the conference place, and the PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and the teleconference server and between the called PSTN terminal and the teleconference server are used to transmit the voice data of the conference place.

In this step, the operation of establishing the PSTN connection and transmitting the voice data is the same as that in the first embodiment, and will not be described here again.

After the step is finished, the step 1105-1107 can be returned to, and other called PSTN terminals are continuously input and added into the PSTN domain conference of the conference place.

Preferably, the time limit is set according to the time when the calling PSTN terminal inputs the PSTN number during the call. Specifically, when the user inputs the called number, the timeout time may be set for the first bit, and then the timeout time may be set for the bit space, for example, setting the first bit to timeout for 10 seconds, and setting the bit space to timeout for 5 seconds; when the system prompts the calling PSTN terminal to input the first called PSTN number, if the calling PSTN terminal does not input the number for 10 seconds, the system prompts the user to input again, and if the number is not input for 3 times, the call is ended; when the user enters another called party, the user does not enter the number for 10 seconds, the system prompts the user again for input, and if the user does not enter the number yet, the system switches the user back to the meeting place. And when the user inputs the number but does not press the # number, and the IVR server reaches the time-out time within 5 seconds, calling by using the received number.

In the calling process of the steps, when the telephone conference server calls the called PSTN terminal, the states of busy, no response, no number and the like of the user of the PSTN terminal are transmitted to the calling PSTN terminal. When the called PSTN terminal is overtime and has no response or the called PSTN terminal is busy or empty, the teleconference server ends the call. For the called user of the PHS or the mobile phone, for example, the local side exchanger of the called PSTN terminal does not return signaling, but plays notification sounds of busy user, temporary unavailable connection and the like, and the system processes according to no response. The non-response time (adjustable parameter, 30 seconds temporarily) is configured in the IVR server in advance, the ANM (or ACM) signaling of the called end office is not received in the non-response time, the system stops calling the called party, and the calling PSTN terminal is switched back to the video conference, namely, the voice data in the video conference is transmitted through the PSTN connection between the IVR server and the calling PSTN terminal.

To this end, a conference of the PSTN domain in the video conference has been established and voice data transmission is performed. The following IP domain conference is established in synchronization with the conference establishment procedure of the PSTN domain, and is specifically executed after step 1104:

step 1108, the IVR server sends the PSTN number of the calling PSTN terminal and the idle meeting place information selected in step 1104 to the VCS through the IP network.

Step 1109, the VCS creates an IP domain conference of the conference according to the received conference information, searches for an IP identifier bound with the calling PSTN terminal according to a preset binding relationship, establishes IP connection with the user box represented by the found IP identifier through the SIP server, and adds the user box to the IP domain conference of the conference.

The operations of specifically creating an IP domain conference, searching for an IP identifier, establishing an IP connection, and joining an IP domain conference in this step are the same as those in the first embodiment, and are not described here again.

Step 1110, after the IVR server joins other called PSTN terminals to the PSTN domain conference of the conference place, the IVR server sends the PSTN number of the called PSTN terminal to the VCS.

And 1111, the VCS receives PSTN numbers of other called PSTN terminals, searches for an IP identifier bound with the called PSTN terminal according to a preset binding relationship, establishes an IP connection with the user box represented by the IP identifier, adds the IP connection to the IP domain conference created in 1109, and transmits video data in the video conference by using each established IP connection.

In this step, the operation of transmitting video data in the video conference is the same as that in the first embodiment, and is not described here again.

Therefore, the creation of the PSTN domain and the IP domain conference is completed, and the voice channel and the video channel are respectively established, so that the voice and video data in the video conference can be transmitted.

In the process of video conference, the calling PSTN terminal can request to add a new called PSTN terminal in a conference place through a preset key. The specific mode can be as follows: when the calling user wants to call other users in the conversation process, the system isolates the calling PSTN terminal and prompts the calling PSTN terminal to 'ask for dialing the called number' and end by pressing a # key. The calling PSTN terminal inputs the PSTN number of the called PSTN terminal, and after a # key is pressed, the teleconference server executes steps 1106-1107; if an input error is found in the input process, the calling PSTN terminal can return according to the number, and the system switches the calling subscriber back to the video conference of the conference place.

Further, to limit the conference size, preferably, in the video conference implementation method, the call party is limited, and the specific limitation may have the following three aspects:

one, limit on the maximum number of parties.

Specifically, the maximum number of parties may be set in the teleconference server, and when the calling PSTN terminal inputs the PSTN number of the called PSTN terminal, the teleconference server determines the number of PSTN terminals in the current conference room, and if the preset maximum number of parties has been reached, it is prompted that the number of parties (the calling user) has reached the maximum number of parties, and the calling PSTN terminal is forced to return to the video conference of the conference room.

And secondly, limiting the minimum number of parties.

Typically, a video conference is a multi-party call with more than two parties. Therefore, when only two users are present in the conference place, the IVR server can prompt the calling PSTN terminal to invite other PSTN terminals to join the conference by using the background sound mode at preset time intervals. The specific reminding time interval can be the same or different each time. For example, the system may first take M minutes, and later take N minutes, and prompt the user to press the # key to invite other users with a background tone (M, N is available in the value system, with the minimum unit being minutes, typically M < ═ N). When the number of users is reduced from three to two, the system prompts the users to invite new users every N minutes.

And thirdly, limiting the number of the PSTN terminal input by the calling PSTN terminal for the first time.

After the calling PSTN terminal inputs the called PSTN terminal for the first time, if the PSTN number of the second called PSTN terminal is not called within a preset second time interval (such as P minutes), the call is cut off, and the VCS is informed to disconnect the established IP connection in the corresponding meeting place.

During the call, it is preferable to respond to various key operations of the calling PSTN terminal. For example, the calling PSTN terminal directly presses a # key, and the IVR server can broadcast the service function introduction; pressing other keys may prompt pressing an x or a # key.

For the active exit of the called party or the unexpected drop in the multi-party call state, the same processing method as in the first embodiment may be adopted, and further, the IVR server may notify other PSTN terminals in the conference that the PSTN terminal has exited the conference in the form of background sound. When the last called PSTN terminal in the conference hangs up, the calling PSTN terminal is prompted to input other called PSTN terminal numbers again, for example, a prompt tone of pressing a number key to dial the next call is played.

In the above embodiment, if the calling PSTN terminal is an extension user with an implicit number, setting the PSTN number of the PSNT terminal in the IVR server allows a plurality of conference places to be created.

As described above, the present invention provides two video conference implementation methods and corresponding video conference systems.

The above description is only for the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any modification, equivalent replacement, or improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for realizing video conference is characterized in that in a video conference system comprising a video conference server VCS, an IP network, a PSTN network, PSTN switching equipment, a telephone conference server and a PSTN terminal, a user box which is connected with the IP network and used for processing IP protocol and carrying out video coding and decoding is arranged for each user, the telephone conference server is connected with the PSTN network, and the method comprises the following steps:

respectively allocating an IP (Internet protocol) identifier to each user box and the VCS in the video conference system, and binding the IP identifier of each user box with the PSTN number of at least one PSTN terminal;

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the conference call server is further connected to an IP network,

the PSTN terminal binding the IP identification is used as a calling party to initiate a PSTN call and requests to join a video conference of a specified conference place, and the PSTN switching equipment establishes PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and a conference call server comprises the following steps: the calling PSTN terminal dials a PSTN number of a teleconference server, the PSTN switching equipment establishes PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and the teleconference server, and the calling PSTN terminal sends a request for joining a video conference of a specified meeting place to the teleconference server through the PSTN connection;

the conference call server acquiring the appointed meeting place information requested to be added by the calling PSTN terminal comprises the following steps: the teleconference server receives the appointed meeting place information through the PSTN connection;

the VCS acquires call information including a calling PSTN number and appointed meeting place information, and comprises the following steps: and the teleconference server sends the call information including the PSTN number of the calling PSTN terminal and the appointed meeting place information to the VCS through an IP network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one traffic agent connected to a PSTN network and an IP network, respectively, in the video conferencing system,

the PSTN terminal binding the IP identification is used as a calling party to initiate a PSTN call and requests to join a video conference of a specified conference place, and the PSTN switching equipment establishes PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and a conference call server comprises the following steps: a calling PSTN terminal calls a preset artificial service number, PSTN switching equipment accesses the call to any telephone service seat, and the telephone service seat receives a video conference of a specified conference place requested to be added by the calling PSTN terminal through interaction with the calling PSTN terminal and establishes PSTN connection between the calling PSTN terminal and a conference call server;

the conference call server acquiring the appointed meeting place information requested to be added by the calling PSTN terminal comprises the following steps: any telephone operator seat sends the appointed meeting place information input by the calling PSTN terminal to the telephone conference server;

the VCS acquires call information including a calling PSTN number and appointed meeting place information, and comprises the following steps: and the telephone service seat sends the call information comprising the calling PSTN number and the appointed meeting place information to the VCS through an IP network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the videoconference is an instant conference, after the calling PSTN terminal is the first PSTN terminal of the designated meeting place and establishes a PSTN connection, the method further comprises: the telephone conference server establishes a PSTN domain conference of a designated conference place according to conference parameters input by the calling PSTN terminal; adding the conference parameters into call information; and the VCS further acquires conference parameters input by the calling PSTN terminal when acquiring the call information, and creates an IP domain conference of the appointed conference place.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein if the videoconference is a reserved conference, before the calling PSTN terminal calls the conference call server to request to join the videoconference at the designated meeting place, the method further comprises:

any PSTN terminal is used as a calling party to initiate a PSTN call request reservation conference, PSTN switching equipment establishes PSTN connection for the PSTN terminal and a telephone conference server, and receives conference parameters including conference time and a designated conference place input by any PSTN terminal through the PSTN connection;

and the telephone conference server establishes a PSTN domain conference of the appointed meeting place in the meeting time, and the VCS acquires meeting parameters and establishes an IP domain conference of the appointed meeting place in the meeting time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the VCS obtains conference parameters and creates an IP domain conference for a specified conference site at the conference time,

the teleconference server sends the received conference parameters to the VCS through an IP network in advance; the VCS executes the operation of establishing the appointed meeting place IP domain meeting in the meeting time according to the received meeting parameters;

or,

and the teleconference server informs the VCS of creating the IP domain conference of the appointed meeting place at the meeting time.

7. The method of claim 4 or 5, wherein when the conference parameter includes the designated participating PSTN terminal, the conference call server creates a PSTN domain conference of the designated conference place, and the method further comprises: the telephone conference server establishes PSTN connection with each conference-participating PSTN terminal specified by the conference parameters;

after the VCS creates an IP domain conference for a designated meeting place, the method further includes: and the VCS inquires the IP identifications bound with the PSTN numbers of all the participating PSTN terminals specified by the conference parameters according to a preset binding relationship, establishes IP connection with the user boxes represented by each IP identification through the call control server and joins the user boxes into the specified conference places.

8. The method of claim 1,

the transmitting voice data in the video conference by using the PSTN connection comprises the following steps: the PSTN connection between the teleconference server and each participating PSTN terminal of the appointed meeting place is utilized to obtain the voice data collected by each PSTN terminal, and the voice data is mixed and then transmitted to the corresponding participating PSTN terminal;

the method for transmitting the video data in the video conference by using the IP network comprises the following steps: and the VCS transmits video data of the meeting place to each participant user box of the appointed meeting place, each participant user box collects and encodes local video data and transmits the local video data to the VCS, and the video data transmitted by the VCS is received and decoded and then displayed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting the venue video data to each of the participating user boxes of the designated venue comprises: according to the number N of video channels processed by the user box negotiated when the IP connection is established between the VCS and any one of the participating user boxes, the VCS selects N user boxes among other participating user boxes except the user box, and transmits N channels of video data which are collected and encoded by the N user boxes and received through each IP network among the N user boxes to any one of the participating user boxes, wherein N is a positive integer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the N subscriber boxes include at least a subscriber box that is a chairman of a conference.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein transmitting N channels of video data collected and encoded by N user boxes received via respective IP networks with the N user boxes to the any of the participating user boxes comprises:

and the VCS receives the N paths of video data, adds a distinguishing identifier in the payload part of each path of video data, and transmits the N paths of video data added with the distinguishing identifier to any one participating user box through an IP network between the N paths of video data and the participating user box.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of receiving and displaying the video data transmitted by the VCS by each of the participating subscriber boxes comprises: and the any participating user box receives N paths of video data transmitted by the VCS, decodes the N paths of video data respectively, and combines the decoded video data into one screen for display.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising: and the VCS stores the IP identifications of all the participant user boxes, and when the IP connection between the VCS and any participant user box is unexpectedly disconnected, the VCS initiatively initiates a call to the participant user box through the call control server, reestablishes the IP connection and adds the IP connection to the appointed meeting place.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the conference call server is further connected to an IP network,

when any participating PSTN terminal exits the meeting place, the method further comprises the following steps: after detecting the on-hook signal of any participating PSTN terminal, the teleconference server disconnects the PSTN with the PSTN terminal and informs the VCS of the departure information of the PSTN terminal through an IP network; and the VCS determines a user box corresponding to the PSTN number of any PSTN terminal according to the pre-stored corresponding relation between the participant user box and the PSTN number and the departure information of any PSTN terminal sent by the teleconference server, initiates a request to the call control server, and removes the IP connection with the searched user box.

15. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the binding of the IP identification of each user box with the PSTN number of at least one PSTN terminal is set on an addressing server in the IP network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining the calling IP identifier bound to the PSTN number of the calling PSTN terminal according to the preset binding relationship comprises: and the VCS sends the calling PSTN number to an addressing server in the IP network, and the addressing server determines the calling IP identification bound with the calling PSTN number according to the stored binding relationship.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP identifier is a SIP URI.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the VCS establishing an IP connection with a subscriber box represented by the calling IP identity through a call control server comprises: the corresponding relation between the IP identification and the IP address of each user box is stored in a call control server in advance;

the call control server determines the IP address of the user box represented by the IP identification according to the IP identification acquired from the VCS and the corresponding relation between the IP identification and the IP address stored by the call control server, and establishes IP connection for the user box and the VCS.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the pre-storing the correspondence between the IP identifier and the IP address of the user box in the call control server comprises:

and after the user box is electrified, sending a registration request to the call control server, wherein the request carries the IP identification stored by the call control server and the IP address allocated by the IP network, and the call control server stores the corresponding relation between the received IP identification and the IP address.

20. A video conference system is characterized in that the system comprises a video conference server VCS, a call control server, an IP network, a PSTN network, PSTN switching equipment, a telephone conference server, a PSTN terminal and a user box bound with the PSTN terminal;

21. A method for realizing video conference is characterized in that in a video conference system comprising a video conference server VCS, an IP network, a PSTN network, PSTN switching equipment, a telephone conference server and a PSTN terminal, a user box which is connected with the IP network and used for processing IP protocol and carrying out video coding and decoding is arranged for each user, the telephone conference server is connected with the PSTN network and the IP network, and the method comprises the following steps:

22. The method of claim 21, wherein during the video conference, the method further comprises:

the calling PSTN terminal requests to add a new called PSTN terminal in the meeting place through a preset key and inputs the PSTN number of the new called PSTN terminal;

the telephone conference server calls the new called PSTN terminal according to the PSTN number input by the user, establishes PSTN connection between the telephone conference server and the responded new called PSTN terminal, and adds the responded new called PSTN terminal into the conference place; and the PSTN number of the new called PSTN terminal of answering is sent to VCS;

and the VCS determines an IP identification bound with the PSTN number of the responded new called PSTN terminal according to the binding relation between the preset user box IP identification and the PSTN number, establishes IP connection with the user box represented by the determined IP identification through the call control server, adds the user box into the meeting place, and transmits the video data of the meeting place by utilizing the established IP connection.

23. The method as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein when the calling PSTN terminal inputs the PSTN number of the called PSTN terminal, the conference call server isolates the calling PSTN terminal from the PSTN domain conference of the conference site, and after the call to the called PSTN terminal is ended, the calling PSTN terminal is switched back to the PSTN domain conference of the conference site.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein when the calling PSTN terminal inputs the PSTN number of the called PSTN terminal, if the number of PSTN terminals currently joined to the conference site reaches a preset maximum value, the system prompts the calling PSTN terminal that the conference scale has exceeded, no longer receives the PSTN number input by the calling PSTN terminal, no longer calls the called PSTN terminal, and switches the calling PSTN terminal back to the PSTN domain conference of the conference site.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the teleconference server isolating a calling PSTN terminal from a PSTN domain conference of the conference site comprises:

the telephone conference server stops transmitting the voice data of the conference place by using the PSTN connection between the telephone conference server and the calling PSTN terminal, and transmits the call state information of the called PSTN terminal by using the PSTN connection;

the PSTN domain conference that the calling PSTN terminal is switched back to the meeting place comprises the following steps: and stopping transmitting the call state information of the called PSTN terminal by using the PSTN connection between the telephone conference server and the calling PSTN terminal, and continuously transmitting the voice data of the conference place by using the PSTN connection.

26. A method according to claim 21 or 22, wherein when calling the called PSTN terminal, the called PSTN terminal times out without answer or the called PSTN terminal is busy or blank, then ending the call.

27. A method according to claim 21 or 22, wherein, when there are only two PSTN terminals in the conference venue, the conference call server prompts the calling PSTN terminal to input the PSTN numbers of the other participating PSTN terminals via the PSTN connection with the calling PSTN terminal at every predetermined first time interval.

28. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein when the calling PSTN terminal inputs a PSTN number of a called PSTN terminal and the calling PSTN terminal does not input a PSTN number of a next called PSTN terminal after a preset second time interval, the teleconference server disconnects PSTN connections with all PSTN terminals in the conference hall and notifies the VCS of disconnection of IP connections with all subscriber boxes in the conference hall.

29. A method according to claim 21, characterized in that it is provided in the conference call server to allow a calling PSTN terminal, comprising an extension, to create PSTN domain conferences for a plurality of said conference sites simultaneously.

30. The method of claim 21,

the transmitting the voice data of the conference place video conference by using each PSTN connection comprises the following steps: acquiring voice data acquired by each PSTN terminal by using each PSTN connection, mixing the voice data and transmitting the mixed voice data to the corresponding PSTN terminal;

the transmitting the video data of the meeting place video conference by using the IP network comprises the following steps: and the VCS transmits video data of the conference place to each user box of the conference place, each user box collects and encodes local video data and transmits the local video data to the VCS, and the video data transmitted by the VCS is received and decoded and then displayed.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein transmitting the video data of the venue to each of the user boxes of the venue comprises: according to the number N of video channels processed by the user box negotiated when the IP connection is established between the VCS and any user box, the VCS selects N user boxes among other user boxes except the user box, and transmits N channels of video data which are collected and encoded by the N user boxes and received by each IP network among the N user boxes to any user box, wherein N is a positive integer.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the N subscriber boxes include at least a subscriber box that is a chairman of a conference.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein transmitting N channels of video data collected and encoded by N user boxes received via respective IP networks with the N user boxes to the any of the participating user boxes comprises:

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of each subscriber box receiving the video data transmitted by the VCS for decoding and displaying comprises: and any user box receives N paths of video data transmitted by the VCS, decodes the N paths of video data respectively, and combines the decoded video data into one screen for display.

35. The method of claim 21, further comprising: and the VCS stores the IP identification of each user box in the meeting place, and when the IP connection between the VCS and any user box is unexpectedly disconnected, the VCS actively initiates a call to the user box through the call control server, reestablishes the IP connection and joins the IP connection in the meeting place.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein when any PSTN terminal exits the venue, the method further comprises: after detecting the on-hook signal of any PSTN terminal, the teleconference server disconnects the PSTN with the PSTN terminal and informs the VCS of the departure information of the PSTN terminal through an IP network; and the VCS determines a user box corresponding to the PSTN number of any PSTN terminal according to the pre-stored corresponding relation between the participant user box and the PSTN number and the departure information of any PSTN terminal sent by the teleconference server, initiates a request to the call control server, and removes the IP connection with the searched user box.

37. The method according to claim 21, characterized by setting the IP identity of each user box to be bound to the PSTN number of at least one PSTN terminal on an addressing server in the IP network.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the determining the calling IP identifier bound to the PSTN number of the calling PSTN terminal according to the preset binding relationship comprises: and the VCS sends the calling PSTN number to an addressing server in the IP network, and the addressing server determines the calling IP identification bound with the calling PSTN number according to the stored binding relationship.

39. The method of claim 21, wherein the VCS establishing an IP connection with a subscriber box represented by the calling IP identity through a call control server comprises: the corresponding relation between the IP identification and the IP address of each user box is stored in a call control server in advance;

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the pre-storing the correspondence between the IP identifier and the IP address of the user box in the call control server comprises:

41. A video conference system is characterized in that the system comprises a VCS, a call control server, an IP network, a PSTN network, PSTN switching equipment, a teleconference server, a calling PSTN terminal, at least one called PSTN terminal and user boxes bound with the calling PSTN terminal and the called PSTN terminal respectively;