Audio and video telecommunication system with remote monitoring function and remote device control function

A video conversation/monitoring system in which a plurality of end station terminal systems and one center station terminal system are linked through a communication line and video and audio information is transferred between said end station terminal systems and said center station terminal system,

• wherein each of said end station terminal systems comprise:
• detection means for detecting entry and exit of a visitor into and from a room where said end station terminal system is installed,
• a video-phonic conversation unit for sending and receiving video and audio information to and from said center station terminal system, and
• notification means for notifying the center station terminal system of a conversation request;
• wherein said center station terminal system comprises:
• a video-phonic conversation unit for sending and receiving video and audio information to and from said end station terminal system, and
• system control means for controlling said plurality of end station terminal systems;
• wherein said communication line is a digital communication line of an integrated-service digital communication network,
• wherein, when said detection means detects the entry of a visitor in a room of a second one of said plurality of end station terminal systems during a conversation between a first one of said end station terminal systems and said center station terminal system, said video-phonic conversation unit of the second end station terminal system sends a call establishment signal including a come-in notification signal to said center station terminal system and said center terminal station indicates a status of the room and starts to monitor the room in response to the come-in notification signal, and further said notification means sends a conversation request notification signal to said center station terminal system in response to the visitor's entry or exit so as to initiate a conversation with an operator at the center station terminal system, and
• wherein, when the center terminal station system received the conversation request notification signal from the second end station terminal system during a conversation with the first end station terminal system with a call, the system control means of the center terminal station system places the first end terminal station system in a call holding state and establishes a call with the second end station terminal system to establish a conversation therewith, and when the conversation with the second end station terminal system is completed, the system control means re-establishes the call with the first end station terminal system to resume the conversation.

A video conversation/monitoring system in which one or more end station terminal systems and one center station terminal system are linked through a communication line and video and audio information is transferred between said end station terminal systems and said center station terminal system,

• wherein said end station terminal systems each comprises:
• first video-phonic conversation means including first video input means for entering a monitoring image of a room, second video input means for entering an image of a visitor in the case of having a conversation, video output means for releasing an image, audio input means for entering a sound, audio output means for releasing a sound, video coding/decoding means that transacts video signals with said first or second video input means and said video output means and implements the coding and decoding between the video signals and a first digital signal, audio coding/decoding means that transacts audio signals with said audio input means and said audio output means and implements the coding and decoding between the audio signals and a second digital signal, and multi-media multiplex communication control means that implements the multiplex separation control for the first digital signal, second digital signal and a monitoring control signal of said end station terminal system, sends and receives the video and audio signals over a digital communication line, and controls said first video input means, said video output means, said audio input means, said audio output means, said video signal coding/decoding means and said audio signal coding/decoding means;
• detection means for detecting the entry and exit of a visitor to/from the room;
• first selection means for selecting one of said first video input means and second video input means;
• first notification means for indicating the presence or absence in the room of the manager of said first video-phonic conversation means;
• and a second notification means for indicating that the conversation of the visitor or the manager who is using said video conversation/monitoring system tells a matter of emergency,
• wherein said center station terminal system comprises:
• second video-phonic conversation means including video input means for entering an image, video output means for releasing an image, audio input means for entering a sound, audio output means for releasing a sound, video coding/decoding means that transacts video signals with said video input means and said video output means and implements the coding and decoding between the video signals and a first digital signal, audio coding/decoding means that transacts audio signals with said audio input means and said audio output means and implements the coding and decoding between the audio signals and a second digital signal, and multi-media multiplex communication control means that implements the multiplex separation/conversion for the first digital signal, second digital signal and a monitoring control signal of said center station terminal system, sends and receives the video and audio signals over the digital communication line, and controls said first video input means, said video output means, said audio input means, said audio output means, said video signal coding/decoding means and said audio signal coding/decoding means;
• call control means that implements the one-touch calling and disconnection for said end station terminal systems;
• second selection means for selecting one end station terminal system out of said end station terminal systems;
• switching means for controlling said first selection means of said end station terminal system to select one of said first video input means and second video input means;
• monitoring means that collects, stores, displays and monitors information provided by said detection means, said first notification means and said second notification means of said end station terminal systems;
• and video conversation/monitoring system control means for controlling said second video-phonic conversation means, said second selection means, said switching means, said monitoring means and the entirety of said end station terminal systems, and
• wherein said communication line comprises a digital communication line of an integrated-service digital communication network.

A video conversation/monitoring system in which at least one end station terminal system and one center station terminal system are linked through a communication line which carries video and audio information directly between said end station terminal system and said center station terminal system,

• wherein said end station terminal system includes a first video-phonic conversation unit comprising:
• first video input means for entering a monitoring image of a wide area of a room in which said unit is located,
• second video input means for entering an image of a visitor,
• video output means for displaying an image,
• audio input means for entering a sound,
• audio output means for broadcasting a sound,
• video coding/decoding means for transacting video signals with said first or second video input means and said video output means and for implementing coding and decoding between the video signals and a first digital signal,
• audio coding/decoding means for transacting audio signals with said audio input means and said audio output means and for implementing coding and decoding between the audio signals and a second digital signal, and
• multi-media multiplex communication control means for implementing multiplex separation control for the first digital signal, second digital signal, and a monitoring control signal of said end station terminal system, for sending and receiving the video and audio signals over a digital communication line, and for controlling said first video input means, said video output means, said audio input means, said audio output means, said video signal coding/decoding means, and said audio signal coding/decoding means;
• and first selection means for selecting one of said first video input means and second video input means;
• wherein said center station terminal system includes a second video-phonic conversation unit comprising:
• video input means for entering an image,
• video output means for displaying an image,
• audio input means for entering a sound,
• audio output means for broadcasting a sound;
• video coding/decoding means for transacting video signals with said video input means and said video output means and for implementing coding and decoding between the video signals and a first digital signal,
• audio coding/decoding means for transacting audio signal with said audio input means and said audio output means and for implementing coding and decoding between the audio signals and a second digital signal, and
• multi-media multiplex communication control means for implementing a multiplex separation/conversion for the first digital signal, second digital signal, and a monitoring control signal of said center station terminal system, for sending and receiving the video and audio signal over the digital communication line, and for controlling said first video input means, said video output means, said audio input means, said audio output means, said video signal coding/decoding means, and said audio signal coding/decoding means;
• call control means for controlling calls to said end station terminal systems;
• second selection means for selecting one end station terminal system out of said end station terminal systems;
• switching means for controlling remotely said first selection means to switch between said first video input means and said second video input means of said end station terminal system;
• and video conversation/monitoring system control means for controlling said second video-phonic conversation means, said second selection means, said switching means and all of said end station terminal systems;
• and
• wherein said communication line comprises a digital communication line formed within an integrated-service digital communication network.