DESCRIPTION

TITLE OF INVENTION

Video Call System, Cal1ing-Side Terminal, Receiving-Side

Terminal and Program

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001]

The present invention relates to a system for rea1izing a video call function associated with transmission and reception of voices and images between two points or among many points.

BACKGROUND OF ART

[0002]

There is known a video call system for rea1izing a point-to-point video phone or a multi-point video conference (see, for example, non-patent 1iterature below).

[0003]
In a video call system of this type, identification information (information identifying communication destinations represented by IP (Internet Protocol) addresses, SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) addresses and other URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers) and attribute information (information on the names and locations of destinations and other information on the destinations) of frequently called destinations are registered as a phone book (or address book) in a terminal in advance, and an operation of designating a desired destination out of candidates registered in the phone book is performed to transmit a call request and attempt estab1ishment of a session with the designated destination terminal in starting a call in many cases.

[0004]
In doing so, in a conventional terminal, a 1ist of destination candidates is mostly displayed in the form of character strings on a screen of a display and a user is made to select a desired destination from the 1ist. The displayed character strings are the above identification information or the attribute information, but several inconveniencies are found here and there with such character strings.

[0005]
Firstly, a call request is often transmitted to a wrong destination which is not a desired destination, i.e. a wrong number is often called. The location of a destination such as a certain conference room, on a certain floor of a certain office is easily mistaken. Dry numbers and symbols such as IP addresses are especially easily mistaken.

[0006]
Secondly, it is not clear whether or not a call can be correctly made to a desired destination unless a user actually transmits a call request by operating a terminal. If there is a fault in a communication 1ine connected to a destination terminal or the destination terminal is turned off, it is not clear that a session cannot be estab1ished until a call request is transmitted. Further, there is also a case where neither the communication 1ine nor the destination terminal has any faults, but a person at a place of installation of the destination terminal is not ready yet and cannot start a conversation. To avoid such fruitless efforts, confirmation of a situation with a person at the place of installation of the destination terminal using a mobile phone or the l1ke is necessary before a video call request is transmitted, which is cumbersome.

[0007]
Thirdly, it is also inconvenient that a call request is transmitted in disregard of the situation of a person receiving the call request. A terminal of the video call system is often installed in a conference room or the l1ke of an office. If a call request is made during an important conference, it interrupts the conference regardless of whether this call request is responded or ignored.

CITATION 1IST NON-PATENT 1ITERATURE

[0008] Non-Patent 1iterature 1: "XVD CamCast (R) CX", [on1ine], [searched on July 14, 2009], Internet

SUMMARY OF INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0009]
The present invention developed in view of the above problems aims to provide a video call system capable of knowing whether or not connection to a destination is possible and whether or not the destination is in a situation to be able to talk before transmitting a video call request specifically specifying the destination.

MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEM

[0010]
The present invention is directed to a system for rea1izing a video call function associated with transmission and reception of voices and images (images mentioned here include still images and moving images in concept) via an electric telecommunication 1ine between a cal1ing-side terminal and a receiving-side terminal, the cal1ing-side terminal comprising a phone book storage for storing identification information of at least one receiving-side terminal and attribute information on the receiving-side terminal; a 1ive icon request transmitter for transmitting a 1ive icon request, which is information requesting transmission of 1ive icon images, to the receiving-side terminal based on the identification information identifying the receiving-side terminal as a video call destination candidate; a 1ive icon receiver for receiving the 1ive icon images transmitted from the receiving-side terminal in response to transmission of the 1ive icon request; a phone book output controller for causing the attribute information on the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination candidate to be displayed on a screen of a display and also causing the 1ive icon images received from the receiving-side terminal to be displayed on the screen of the display; a destination designation receiver for receiving an operation input of designating a video call destination out of candidates displayed on the screen of the display; a call request transmitter for transmitting a call request, which is information requesting the start of a video call, to the receiving-side terminal based on the identification information identifying the receiving-side terminal designated as the video call destination; a call receiver for receiving voices and images during the call transmitted from the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination in response to transmission of the call request; a call output controller for causing the voices during the call received from the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination to be audibly output from a speaker and causing the received images during the call to be displayed on the screen of the display-in a size larger than the 1ive icon images; and a call transmitter for transmitting voices during the call recorded (or picked up) by a microphone and images during the call captured by a camera to the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination; and the receiving-side terminal comprising a 1ive icon request receiver for receiving a 1ive icon request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal; a 1ive icon transmitter for transmitting an image of a place of installation of the receiving-side terminal captured by a camera as 1ive icon images to the cal1ing-side terminal having transmitted the 1ive icon request after the 1ive icon request is received; a call request receiver for receiving a call request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal as a video call destination; a call transmitter for transmitting voices during the call recorded by a microphone and images during the call captured by a camera to the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination; a call receiver for receiving voices and images during the call transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination; and a call output controller for causing the voices during the call received from the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination to be audibly output from a speaker and causing the received images during the call to be displayed on the screen of the display.

[0011]

In the system according to the present invention, a user of the cal1ing-side terminal can obtain and view the 1ive icon images captured to show the present situation of the place of installation of the receiving—side terminal that will become the video call destination. Then, before specifically specifying the video call destination and transmitting a call request, it can be confirmed whether or not it is possible to estab1ish a session with the destination and whether or not it is possible to talk to the destination. That is, it becomes clear that a session can be estab1ished with the destination by the fact that the 1ive icon images could be obtained, and the present situation of the destination can be comprehended before the start of a call by viewing the obtained 1ive icon images. According to the present invention, wasting of time trying to transmit a call request to a destination with which a session cannot be estab1ished and inconveniences such as starting a video call although a destination is not ready can be effectively avoided. Therefore, part of unhandiness of existing video call systems can be solved.

[0012]
The 1ive icon images are displayed on a candidate selection screen used by the user to designate the video call destination. Normally, there are a plura1ity of video call destination candidates and these plura1ity of candidates need to be displayed on the candidate selection screen. Accordingly, the 1ive icon request transmitter transmits the 1ive icon request to the plura1ity of receiving-side terminals that will become video call destination candidates, and the phone book output controller causes the attribute information and the 1ive icon images to be displayed on the screen of the display for each of the plura1ity of receiving-side terminals.

[0013]
A display area of the screen of the display is 1imited and there is also an upper 1imit to the number of the video call destination candidates that can be displayed at one time. On the contrary, the number of destinations which are registered in the phone book storage, i.e. whose identification information and attribute information are stored exceeds the number of the candidates that can be displayed at one time in many cases. In this case, even if 1ive icon images are obtained from all the destinations registered in the phone book storage, they cannot be displayed on the screen at one time and a communication bandwidth is wasted and arithmetic processing capabi1ities of the cal1ing-side terminal and the receiving-side terminals are wasted. In the present invention, the cal1ing-side terminal further comprises a candidate change receiver for receiving an operation input of changing the video call destination candidates for which the attribute information and the 1ive icon images are displayed on the screen of the display, the 1ive icon request transmitter transmits the 1ive icon request to a predetermined number or less of receiving-side terminals that will become video call destination candidates in response to every received operation to the effect of changing the video call destination candidates, and the phone book output controller causes the attribute information and the 1ive icon images on the predetermined number or less of receiving-side terminals that will become video call destination candidates to be displayed on the screen of the display in response to every received operation to the effect of changing the video call destination candidates, whereby consumption of the communication bandwidth is saved and consumption of the arithmetic processing capabi1ities of the cal1ing-side terminal and the receiving-side terminals is saved.

[0014]
On the other hand, in the place of users of the receiving-side terminals, a problem of infringing privacy or information security may be caused since 1ive icon images are automatically captured and transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal without the users operating the terminals. For example, it might be awkward to transmit 1ive icon images obtained by capturing a site to be viewed when a conference, in which only those having a high level of authority participate, is held in a conference room or the l1ke where the receiving-side terminal is installed. Thus, it is preferable that whether or not to transmit the 1ive icon images can be controlled according to the need of the user of the receiving-side terminal. Therefore, the receiving-side terminal further comprises a setting receiver for receiving an operation input of selecting whether or not to receive the 1ive icon request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal, and a setting storage for storing information on selection result as to whether or not to receive the 1ive icon request, and the 1ive icon transmitter transmits the 1ive icon images to the cal1ing-side terminal having transmitted the 1ive icon request only when information to the effect that selection was made to receive the 1ive icon request is stored.

[0015]
Further, it is preferable that the user of the receiving-side terminal can know that the 1ive icon images are being captured and transmitted when the 1ive icon images are transmitted from the receiving-side terminal to the cal1ing-side terminal. Therefore, the receiving-side terminal further comprises a notification output controller for causing a message to the effect that the 1ive icon images are being transmitted to be displayed on the screen of the display when the 1ive icon images are transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal having transmitted the 1ive icon request.

[0016]
If the cal1ing-side terminal also functions as the receiving-side terminal, the cal1ing-side terminal and the receiving-side terminal can be commonly used, contributing to a reduction in manufacturing cost of the terminals.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF INVENTION

[0017]
According to the present invention, whether or not connection to a destination is possible and whether or not the destination is in a situation to be able to talk can be known before transmitting a video call request specifically specifying the destination of a video call, whereby convenience of the video call system is improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a diagram out1ining a video call system according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing hardware resource possessed by a terminal in this embodiment, FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the terminal, FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the terminal, FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating information stored and accumulated in a phone book storage, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen display example on the terminal, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a screen display example on the terminal, FIG. 8 is diagram showing a screen display example on the terminal, FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the procedure of a process performed by the terminal in accordance with a program, and FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the procedure of the process performed by the terminal in accordance with the program.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0019]
One embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a video call system of this embodiment is configured by mutually communicably connecting terminals 1 installed in a decentra1ized manner via an electric telecommunication 1ine 2 such as Internet, WAN (Wide Area Network) or LAN (Local Area Network) or the l1ke.

[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal 1 includes hardware resource such as a processor la, a main memory lb, an auxi1iary storage device 1c, an operation input device Id, a microphone le, a speaker If, an audio codec 1g, a camera 1h, a display 1i, a video codec 1j and a communication interface 1k, and these are controlled by a controller (system controller, I/O controller or the l1ke) 11 to operate in cooperation.

[0021]
The auxi1iary storage device 1c is a hard disk drive, a flash memory, an optical disk drive or the l1ke.

[0022]
The operation input device Id is a pointing device such as a finger operable push-down button, touch panel or track pad, but a remote controller capable of radio communication with the terminal 1 is assumed in this embodiment.

[0023]
The audio codec 1g encodes voices recorded via the microphone le and decodes encoded voice information and audibly outputs it from the speaker If. The video codec 1j encodes images (still images or moving images) captured via the camera 1h and decodes encoded image information and outputs and displays it on a screen of the display 1i. The audio codec 1g and the video codec 1j can be respectively implemented not as hardware, but as software.

[0024]
The communication interface 1k is a device for carrying out information communication via the electric telecommunication 1ine 2 and represented by an NIC (Network Interface Card) or a radio LAN transceiver. Besides these, an interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) or IEEE 1394 may also be employed.

[0025]
Basically, the terminal 1 is a special apparatus manufactured for the purpose of configuring this system. However, it is not excluded to configure the terminal 1 according to the present invention by instal1ing a necessary program in a general-purpose personal computer, a work station, a video game machine or the l1ke.

[0026]
A program to be executed by the processor la is stored in the auxi1iary storage device 1c. In executing the program, it is read from the auxi1iary storage device 1c, written in the main memory lb and decoded by the processor la. The terminal 1 operates the above hardware resource in accordance with the program to fulfill functions of a cal1ing-side terminal 11 shown in FIG. 3 and functions of a receiving-side terminal 12 shown in FIG. 4.

[0027]
The cal1ing-side terminal 11 includes a phone book storage 111, a 1ive icon request transmitter 112, a 1ive icon receiver 113, a phone book output controller 114, a candidate change receiver 115, a destination designation receiver 116, a call request receiver 117, a call receiver 118, a call output controller 119 and a call transmitter 110.

[0028]

The phone book storage 111 stores identification information of one or more (e.g. a maximum of 100) receiving-side terminals 12 and attribute information on the receiving-side terminals 12 by uti1izing a storage area of the main memory lb or the auxi1iary storage device 1c. The identification information is information identifying addresses of communication represented, for example, by IP addresses, SIP addresses or URIs. The attribute information is information on the names, affi1iations, locations and the l1ke of the destination and is, in this embodiment, character string information. Information stored in the phone book storage 111 is illustrated in FIG. 5. The phone book storage 111 stores the identification information and the attribute information for each of the other terminals 1 that can be destination candidates of a video call while relating them to an ID number or the l1ke.

[0029]
The identification information and the attribute information of the other terminals 1 may be directly manually input or may be transmitted from the other terminals 1 or a computer connected via the electric telecommunication 1ine 2. The terminal 1 receives input of the identification information and attribute information of the other terminals 1 via the operation input device Id or receives them by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k and registers them in a phone book, i.e. stores them in the phone book storage 111.

[0030]
It is also possible to store the identification information and the attribute information on the other terminals 1, with which a video call was made in the past, as a past call history in the phone book. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, time stamps each indicating the terminal 1 and the date and time of the video call, information indicating whether the call was made from this terminal (transmission) or from the destination (reception) and the l1ke are also stored as the attribute information.

[0031]
The 1ive icon request transmitter 112 transmits a 1ive icon request, which is information requesting transmission of 1ive icon images, to the receiving-side terminal 12 based on the identification information identifying the receiving-side terminal 12 as a video call destination candidate by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k. The 1ive icon request transmitter 112 selects a predetermined number (e.g. 10) or less of terminals 1 to be displayed on the screen of the display 1i as video call destination candidates out of the other terminals 1 registered in the phone book, reads the identification information on the selected receiving-side terminals 12 from the phone book storage 111 and transmits a 1ive icon request to the appropriate terminals 1 based on the read identification information. The 1ive icon request may be intermittently transmitted to the selected terminals 1. How to select the predetermined number or less of the terminals 1 from a set of the terminals 1 registered in the phone book is described later. The identification information (particularly, IP address or the l1ke) indicating the cal1ing-side terminal 11 as an originator and the attribute information and/or ID number of this cal1ing-side terminal 11 are attached to the 1ive icon request transmitted by the cal1ing-side terminal 11.

[0032]
In the system of this embodiment, the terminals are, in principle, connected to each other peer-to-peer via the electric telecommunication 1ine 2. That is, in implementing a video phone or a video conference, it is not necessary to use a repeater such as another relay server or MCU (Multi-Point Control Unit). If the identification information does not require address resolution such as IP address, a 1ive icon request can be immediately transmitted to the receiving-side terminal 12 using this identification information. If the identification information requires address resolution such as an SIP address, a session is estab1ished with the receiving-side terminal 12 such as by transmitting an invitation message to another computer (e.g. SIP proxy server) using the identification information and, thereafter, transmits a 1ive icon request. Alternatively, the identification information is transmitted to another computer (e.g. DNS (Domain Name System) server) having an address resolution capabi1ity, an IP address or the l1ke corresponding to this identification information is received from this computer, and a 1ive icon request is transmitted to the receiving-side terminal 12 using this IP address or the l1ke.

[0033]
The 1ive icon receiver 113 receives 1ive icon images transmitted from the receiving-side terminal 12 having received the 1ive icon request in response to the transmission of the 1ive icon request by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k. In the case of transmitting a 1ive icon request to a plura1ity of receiving-side terminals 12, 1ive icon images transmitted from these receiving-side terminals 12 are respectively received. The identification information (particularly, IP address or the l1ke) indicating the receiving-side terminal 12 as a transmission end and the attribute information and/or the ID number of this receiving-side terminal 12 are attached to the 1ive icon images received by the cal1ing-side terminal 11.

[0034]
The phone book output controller 114 causes the attribute information on the receiving-side terminals 12 as the video call destination candidates to be displayed on the screen of the
display 1i and also causes the 1ive icon images received from the receiving-side terminals 12 to be displayed on the screen of the display. FIG. 6 shows a display example of a 1ist of video call destination candidates. In this embodiment, the predetermined number or less of candidates are displayed at one time on the screen of the display 1i. The 1ive icon request is transmitted only to the predetermined number or less of the terminals 1 selected as the candidates to be displayed at one time on this screen and not transmitted to the other terminals 1. The phone book output controller 114 reads the attribute information from the phone book storage 111 for each of the plura1ity of receiving-side terminals 12 as the candidates, causes this attribute information (A in FIG. 6) to be displayed, and causes the 1ive icon images (B in FIG. 6) (to which the same identification information, attribute information or ID numbers as the receiving-side terminals 12 are attached) received from the receiving-side terminals 12 to be displayed beside the attribute information.

[0035]
The 1ive icon images are real time images captured at a place of installation of the receiving-side terminal 12. The size (e.g. 192x108 pixels) of the 1ive icon images is smaller than that (e.g. 1920x1080 pixels) of images transferred during a video call. The frame rate of the 1ive icon images is influenced by the bandwidth of the electric telecommunication 1ine 2 to which the respective terminals 1 are connected, and is about 5 fps or higher.

[0036]
Since the 1ive icon images cannot be displayed for the receiving-side terminal 12 from which no 1ive icon images can be received, an image or a character string indicating this is displayed. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the display of "connection in progress" (C in FIG. 6) indicates that the 1ive icon request has been transmitted to this terminal 1 and a response is being expected. The display of "unable to connect" (D in FIG. 6) indicates that no response has been returned until the elapse of a predetermined time after transmission of the 1ive icon request to this terminal 1, i.e. the session with this terminal 1 cannot be estab1ished for a certain reason. The display of "undisplayable" (E in FIG. 6) indicates that the 1ive icon request has been transmitted to the terminal 1, but a response rejecting the 1ive icon request, i.e. to the effect of not transmitting the 1ive icon images has been transmitted instead of the 1ive icon images. The display of "call in progress" (F in FIG. 6) indicates that the 1ive icon request has been transmitted to the terminal 1, but a response to the effect that the terminal 1 is already in a video call with another terminal 1 has been transmitted instead of the 1ive icon images.

[0037]
The candidate change receiver 115 receives an operation input to the effect of changing the video call destination candidates to be displayed on the screen of the display 1i via the operation input device Id. As already described above, the attribute information and the 1ive icon images of only the predetermined number or less of the destination candidates can be displayed at one time on the screen of the display 1i. If a destination desired by a user of the cal1ing-side terminal 11 is not displayed among the candidates currently displayed on the screen, it is necessary to update a candidate display content and display the destination desired by the user.

[0038]
In FIG. 6, some of all the destinations registered in the phone book are displayed as the candidates. If a desired destination is not present in this 1ist, it can be displayed, for example, by returning to the previous page or forwarding to the next page. In doing so, the user moves a cursor (J in FIG. 6) by operating the operation input device Id and commands to return or forward the page (the user may c1ick a page return button (G in FIG. 6) or a page forward button (H in FIG. 6) displayed on the screen at this time). When receiving this operation, the 1ive icon request transmitter 112 refers to the information stored in the phone book storage 111 and selects the predetermined number or less of the receiving-side terminals 12 having ID numbers smaller than, or the predetermined number or less of the receiving-side terminals 12 having ID numbers larger than the receiving-side terminals 12 currently displayed as the candidates on the screen as new candidates.

[0039]
It is also possible to extract and display destination candidates matching a specific condition. For example, the user moves the cursor by operating the operation input device Id and c1icks any one of capital letter tabs (I in FIG. 6) displayed on the screen. When receiving this operation, the 1ive icon request transmitter 112 refers to the information stored in the phone book storage 111 and selects the receiving-side terminals 12 having the attribute information starting with the capital letter (character in A-row, character in TA-row, number, symbol or the l1ke) corresponding to the c1icked tab as new candidates.

[0040]
It is also possible to display candidates based on a past call history. For example, the user moves the cursor by operating the operation input device Id and c1icks a "history" button (not shown) displayed on the screen. When receiving this operation, the 1ive icon request transmitter 112 selects the receiving-side terminals 12 stored in the phone book storage 111 and having a past call history as new candidates.

[0041]
Then, the 1ive icon request is transmitted to the terminals 1 as new candidates. Note that the 1ive icon request transmitter 112 terminates transmission and reception of the 1ive icon images with the terminals 1 by transmitting information requesting the stop of transmission of the 1ive icon images to the terminals currently displayed on the display as the candidates or stopping intermittent transmission of the 1ive icon request to the terminals 1. The 1ive icon receiver 113 receives 1ive icon images transmitted from the terminals 1 as the new candidates. Then, the phone book output controller 114 causes the attribute information on the terminals 1 as the new candidates to be displayed on the screen and also causes the 1ive icon images received from these terminals 1 to be displayed on the screen. In this way, the candidate display content can be updated.

[0042]
The destination designation receiver 116 receives an operation input of designating a video call destination out of the candidates displayed on the screen of the display 1i via the operation input device Id. If a destination desired by the user of the cal1ing-side terminal 11 is displayed among the candidates currently displayed on the screen, one or more destinations can be specified from the candidates and the start of a video call can be requested. The user moves the cursor by operating the operation input device Id and c1icks an information display field (A, B in FIG. 6) of the any one of the receiving-side terminals 12 displayed on the screen. The destination designation receiver 116 having received this operation comprehends the receiving-side terminal 12 corresponding to the c1icked display field as a video call destination. However, the receiving-side terminal 12 for which the "unable to connect" or "call in progress" is displayed instead of the 1ive icon images cannot be designated as a destination (the cursor cannot be moved to the information display field on this terminal 1).

[0043]
The call request transmitter 117 transmits a call request, which is information requesting the start of a video call, to the receiving-side terminal 12 based on the identification information identifying the receiving-side terminal 12 designated as the video call destination using the function of the communication interface 1k. Even if the identification information on the receiving-side terminal 12 requires address resolution, the call request can be directly transmitted to the receiving-side terminal 12 if the session is already estab1ished or address resolution is already finished when the 1ive icon request is transmitted. Unless otherwise, it is attempted to estab1ish the session or start address resolution as at the time of transmitting the 1ive icon request and the call request is transmitted to this receiving-side terminal 12.

[0044]
The call receiver 118 receives voices and images during the call transmitted from the receiving-side terminal 12 as the video call destination in response to the transmission of the call request by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k.

[0045]
The call output controller 119 causes voices during the call received from the receiving-side terminal 12 as the video call destination to be audibly output from the speaker If and also causes the received images during the call to be displayed on the screen of the display 1i larger in a size than the 1ive icon images. FIG. 7 shows a display example of an image of a destination during a video call.

[0046]
The call transmitter 110 transmits voices during the call recorded by the microphone le and images during the call captured by the camera 1h to the receiving-side terminal 12 as the video call destination by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k. The functions of the call receiver 118, the call output controller 119 and the call transmitter 110 are equivalent to those of existing video call systems.

[0047]
The receiving-side terminal 12 includes a setting receiver 121, a setting storage 122, a 1ive icon request receiver 123, a 1ive icon transmitter 124, a notification output controller 125, a call request receiver 126, a call transmitter 127, a call receiver 128 and a call output controller 129.

[0048]
The setting receiver 121 receives an operation input of selecting whether or not to receive a 1ive icon request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal 11. Whether to accept or reject capture and transmission of the 1ive icon images is left to the intention of the user of the receiving-side terminal 12. Information on the selection as to whether or not to receive the 1ive icon request may be directly manually input or may be transmitted from the other terminal 1 or a computer connected via the electric telecommunication 1ine 2. The setting receiver 121 receives the operation input of selecting whether or not to receive the 1ive icon request via the operation input device Id or receives the information on the selection as to whether or not to receive the 1ive icon request by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k.

[0049]
The setting storage 122 stores the information received by the setting receiver 121 on the selection as to whether or not to receive the 1ive icon request by uti1izing the storage area of the main memory lb or the auxi1iary storage device 1c. In this embodiment, there are assumed three selection results: receive the 1ive icon request, receive the 1ive icon request and display a corresponding message at the time of capturing and transmitting a 1ive icon, and reject the 1ive icon request. The setting storage 122 stores information indicating which of these was selected by the user of the receiving-side terminal 12.

[0050]
The 1ive icon request receiver 123 receives the 1ive icon request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal 11 by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k.

[0051]
After reception of the 1ive icon request, the 1ive icon transmitter 124 transmits images of a place of installation of the receiving-side terminal 12 captured by the camera 1h as 1ive icon images to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 having transmitted the 1ive icon request by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k. That is, the captured 1ive icon images are transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 identified by the identification information attached to the 1ive icon request.

[0052]
The 1ive icon transmitter 124 refers to the information stored in the setting storage 122 and judges whether to receive or reject the 1ive icon request when receiving the 1ive icon request. If the information stored in the setting storage 122 indicates selection to receive the 1ive icon images (or indicates reception of the 1ive icon images and display of a corresponding message at the time of capturing and transmitting the 1ive icon) , the 1ive icon images are captured and transmitted. If the information stored in the setting storage 122 indicates selection to reject the 1ive icon request, the 1ive icon images are neither captured nor transmitted. Instead, information to the effect of rejecting the 1ive icon request is transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 as a response to the 1ive icon request.

[0053]
Further, if a video call with another terminal 1 is already-started when the 1ive icon request is received, the 1ive icon transmitter neither captures nor transmits the 1ive icon images, and transmits information to the effect that the video call with another terminal 1 is in progress to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 as a response to the 1ive icon request.

[0054]
Note that capture and transmission of the 1ive icon images are terminated when information requesting the stop of transmission of the 1ive icon images is received from the cal1ing-side terminal 11 or after the elapse of a predetermined time after it becomes impossible to receive the 1ive icon request intermittently transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal 11.

[0055]
The notification output controller 125 causes a message to the effect that the 1ive icon images are being transmitted to be displayed on the screen of the display 1i when the 1ive icon images are transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 having transmitted the 1ive icon request. The notification output controller 125 refers to the information stored in the setting storage 122 and causes a message to the effect that the 1ive icon images are being transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 to be displayed on the screen only when the referred information indicates selection to receive the 1ive icon request and display a corresponding message at the time of capturing and transmitting the 1ive icon. FIG. 8 shows a screen display example to the effect that the 1ive icon images are being transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal 11. In the example shown in FIG. 8, a message image or a character string (L in FIG. 8) notifying ongoing transmission of the 1ive icon images to the user of the receiving-side terminal is displayed together with 1ive icon images (K in FIG. 8) currently captured by the camera 1h

. [0056]
The call request receiver 126 receives the call request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal 11 as the video call destination by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k.

[0057]
The call transmitter 127 transmits voices during the call recorded by the microphone le and images during the call captured by the camera 1h to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 having transmitted the call request, i.e. the cal1ing-side terminal 11 as the video call destination by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k.

[0058]
The call receiver 128 receives the voices and images during the call transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal 11 as the video call destination by uti1izing the function of the communication interface 1k.

[0059]
The call output controller 129 causes voices during the call received from the cal1ing-side terminal 11 as the video call destination to be audibly output from the speaker If and also causes the received images during the call to be displayed on the screen of the display 1i larger in a size than the 1ive icon images. The functions of the call request receiver 126, the call transmitter 127, the call receiver 128 and the call output controller 129 are equivalent to those of existing video call systems.

[0060]
Hereinafter, the procedure of a process performed when the terminal 1 constituting the video call system of this embodiment starts a video call is out1ined. As shown in FIG. 9, the cal1ing-side terminal 11 receives an operation input to the effect of changing video call destination candidates by the user (Step SI), selects the receiving-side terminals 12 as candidates to be displayed in a 1ist on the screen out of the receiving-side terminals 12 registered in the phone book (Step S2) and transmits a 1ive icon request to the selected receiving-side terminals 12 (Step S3).

[0061]
As shown in FIG. 10, when receiving the 1ive icon request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal 11 (Step S4), the receiving-side terminal 12 judges whether or not to transmit 1ive icon images to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 (Step S5) . In Step S5, judgment is made based on whether or not selection to the effect of rejecting the 1ive icon request has been made in advance by the user and whether or not there is an ongoing video call with another terminal 1. If it is judged to receive the 1ive icon request and transmit the 1ive icon images, the 1ive icon images captured by the camera 1h are transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 (Step S6). Further, if necessary, a message to the effect that the 1ive icon images are currently being captured and transmitted is displayed to notify to the user (Step S7) . If it is judged to reject the 1ive icon request and not to transmit the 1ive icon images, corresponding response information is transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 (Step S8).

[0062]
The cal1ing-side terminal 11 displays the attribute information on the receiving-side terminals 12 selected as the video call destination candidates on the screen (Step S9) and also displays the 1ive icon images or alternative response information received from the receiving-side terminals 12 on the screen (Step S10).

[0063]
Subsequently, the cal1ing-side terminal 11 receives an operation input to the effect of designating a video call destination out of the candidates displayed on the screen by the user (Step Sll) and transmits a call request to the receiving-side terminal 12 designated as a destination (Step S12) .

[0064]
After receiving the call request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal 11 (Step S13), the receiving-side terminal 12 starts a video call with the cal1ing-side terminal 11. That is, voices during the call recorded by the microphone le and images during the call captured by the camera 1h are transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal 11 as the destination (Step S14). In addition, voices and images during the call received from the cal1ing-side terminal 11 as the destination are output via the speaker If and the display 1i (Step S15).

[0065]
The cal1ing-side terminal 11 also transmits voices during the call recorded by the microphone le and images during the call captured by the camera 1h to the receiving-side terminal 12 as the destination (Step S16). In addition, voices and images during the call received from the receiving-side terminal 12 as the destination are output via the speaker If and the display 1i (Step S17).

[0066]
Note that the present invention is not 1imited to the embodiment described in detail above. Particularly, in the above embodiment, information such as images, voices and 1ive icon requests are transmitted and received peer-to-peer between the terminals 1. However, it is not excluded to transmit and receive these pieces of information via a repeater such as a relay server or an MCU or the l1ke.

[0067]
Besides, specific constructions of the respective parts, the procedure of the process, and the l1ke can be variously changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APP1ICABI1ITY

[0068]
The present invention can be uti1ized as a system for rea1izing, for example, a point-to-point video phone or a multi-point video conference.

REFERENCE SIGNS 1IST

[0069]
1 ... terminal
11 ... cal1ing-side terminal
12 ... receiving-side terminal
B ... 1ive icon image

CLAIMS

1. A system for rea1izing a video call function associated with transmission and reception of voices and images via an electric telecommunication 1ine between a cal1ing-side terminal and a receiving-side terminal,

the cal1ing-side terminal comprising:

a phone book storage for storing identification information of at least one receiving-side terminal and attribute information on the receiving-side terminal;

a 1ive icon request transmitter for transmitting a 1ive icon request, which is information requesting transmission of 1ive icon images, to the receiving-side terminal based on the identification information identifying the receiving-side terminal as a video call destination candidate;

a 1ive icon receiver for receiving the 1ive icon images transmitted from the receiving-side terminal in response to transmission of the 1ive icon request;

a phone book output controller for causing the attribute information on the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination candidate to be displayed on a screen of a display and also causing the 1ive icon images received from the receiving-side terminal to be displayed on the screen of the display;

a destination designation receiver for receiving an operation input of designating a video call destination out of candidates displayed on the screen of the display;

a call request transmitter for transmitting a call request, which is information requesting the start of a video call, to the receiving-side terminal based on the identification information identifying the receiving-side terminal designated as the video call destination;

a call receiver for receiving voices and images during the call transmitted from the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination in response to transmission of the call request;

a call output controller for causing the voices during the call received from the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination to be audibly output from a speaker and causing the received images during the call to be displayed on the screen of the display in a size larger than the 1ive icon images; and

a call transmitter for transmitting voices during the call recorded by a microphone and images during the call captured by a camera to the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination; and

the receiving-side terminal comprising:

a 1ive icon request receiver for receiving a 1ive icon request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal;

a 1ive icon transmitter for transmitting an image of a place of installation of the receiving-side terminal captured by a camera as 1ive icon images to the cal1ing-side terminal

having transmitted the 1ive icon request after the 1ive icon request is received;

a call request receiver for receiving a call request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal as a video call destination;

a call transmitter for transmitting voices during the call recorded by a microphone and images during the call captured by a camera to the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination;

a call receiver for receiving voices and images during the call transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination; and

a call output controller for causing the voices during the call received from the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination to be audibly output from a speaker and causing the received images during the call to be displayed on the screen of the display.

2. The video call system according to claim 1, wherein:

the 1ive icon request transmitter transmits a 1ive icon request to a plura1ity of receiving-side terminals that will become video call destination candidates; and

the phone book output controller causes the attribute information and the 1ive icon images to be displayed on the screen of the display for each of the plura1ity of receiving-side terminals.

3. The video call system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

the cal1ing-side terminal further comprises a candidate change receiver for receiving an operation input of changing the video call destination candidates for which the attribute information and the 1ive icon images are displayed on the screen of the display;

the 1ive icon request transmitter transmits the 1ive icon request to a predetermined number or less of receiving-side terminals that will become video call destination candidates in response to every received operation to the effect of changing the video call destination candidates; and

the phone book output controller causes the attribute information and the 1ive icon images on the predetermined number or less of receiving-side terminals that will become video call destination candidates to be displayed on the screen of the display in response to every received operation to the effect of changing the video call destination candidates.

4. The video call system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein:

the receiving-side terminal further comprises:

a setting receiver for receiving an operation input of selecting whether or not to receive the 1ive icon request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal, and a setting storage for storing information on selection result as to whether or not to receive the 1ive icon request; and

the 1ive icon transmitter transmits the 1ive icon images to the cal1ing-side terminal having transmitted the 1ive icon request only when information to the effect that selection was made to receive the 1ive icon request is stored.

5. The video call system according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the receiving-side terminal further comprises a notification output controller for causing a message to the effect that the 1ive icon images are being transmitted to be displayed on the screen of the display when the 1ive icon images are transmitted to the cal1ing-side terminal having transmitted the 1ive icon request.

6. The video call system according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the cal1ing-side terminal also functions as the receiving-side terminal.

7. A cal1ing-side terminal used to configure the video call system according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, comprising:

a phone book storage for storing identification information of at least one receiving-side terminal and attribute information on the receiving-side terminal;

a 1ive icon request transmitter for transmitting a 1ive icon request, which is information requesting transmission of 1ive icon images, to the receiving-side terminal based on the identification information identifying the receiving-side terminal as a video call destination candidate;

a 1ive icon receiver for receiving the 1ive icon images transmitted from the receiving-side terminal in response to transmission of the 1ive icon request;

a phone book output controller for causing the attribute information on the-receiving-side terminal as the video call destination candidate to be displayed on a screen of a display and also causing the 1ive icon images received from the receiving-side terminal to be displayed on the screen of the display;

a destination designation receiver for receiving an operation input of designating a video call destination out of candidates displayed on the screen of the display;

a call request transmitter for transmitting a call request, which is information requesting the start of a video call, to the receiving-side terminal based on the identification information identifying the receiving-side terminal designated as the video call destination;

a call receiver for receiving voices and images during the call transmitted from the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination in response to transmission of the call request;

a call output controller for causing the voices during the call received from the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination to be audibly output from a speaker and causing
the received images during the call to be displayed on the screen of the display in a size larger than the 1ive icon images; and

a call transmitter for transmitting voices during the call recorded by a microphone and images during the call captured by a camera to the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination.

8. A program used to configure the video call system according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 and causing a computer to function as:

a phone book storage for storing identification information of at least one receiving-side terminal and attribute information on the receiving-side terminal;

a 1ive icon request transmitter for transmitting a 1ive icon request, which is information requesting transmission of 1ive icon images, to the receiving-side terminal based on the identification information identifying the receiving-side terminal as a video call destination candidate;

a 1ive icon receiver for receiving the 1ive icon images transmitted from the receiving-side terminal in response to transmission of the 1ive icon request;

a phone book output controller for causing the attribute information on the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination candidate to be displayed on a screen of a display and also causing the 1ive icon images received from the receiving-side terminal to be displayed on the screen of the display;

a destination designation receiver for receiving an operation input of designating a video call destination out of candidates displayed on the screen of the display;

a call request transmitter for transmitting a call request, which is information requesting the start of a video call, to the receiving-side terminal based on the identification information identifying the receiving-side terminal designated as the video call destination;

a call receiver for receiving voices and images during the call transmitted from the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination in response to transmission of the call request;

a call output controller for causing the voices during the call received from the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination to be audibly output from a speaker and causing the received images during the call to be displayed on the screen of the display in a size larger than the 1ive icon images; and

a call transmitter for transmitting voices during the call recorded by a microphone and images during the call captured by a camera to the receiving-side terminal as the video call destination.

9. A receiving-side terminal used to configure the video call system according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, comprising:

a 1ive icon request receiver for receiving a 1ive icon request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal;

a 1ive icon transmitter for transmitting an image of a place of installation of the receiving-side terminal captured by a camera as 1ive icon images to the cal1ing-side terminal having transmitted the 1ive icon request after the 1ive icon request is received;

a call request receiver for receiving a call request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal as a video call destination;

a call transmitter for transmitting voices during the call recorded by a microphone and images during the call captured by a camera to the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination;

a call receiver for receiving voices and images during the call transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination; and

a call output controller for causing the voices during the call received from the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination to be audibly output from a speaker and causing the received images during the call to be displayed on the screen of the display.

10. A program used to configure the video call system according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 and causing a computer to function as:

a 1ive icon request receiver for receiving a 1ive icon request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal;

a 1ive icon transmitter for transmitting an image of a place of installation of the receiving-side terminal captured by a camera as 1ive icon images to.the cal1ing-side terminal having transmitted the 1ive icon request after the 1ive icon request is-received;

a call request receiver for receiving a call request transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal as a video call destination;

a call transmitter for transmitting voices during the call recorded by a microphone and images during the call captured by a camera to the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination;

a call receiver for receiving voices and images during the call transmitted from the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination; and

a .call output controller for causing the voices during the call received from the cal1ing-side terminal as the video call destination to be audibly output from a speaker and causing the received images during the call to be displayed on the screen of the display.