System and method for real-time conversational tele-education service based on video conferencing service

A system and method for a tele-education service system based on video conferencing are provided. The tele-education service system includes a host terminal to manage a tele-education service system; at least one participating terminal to receive the tele-education service; and a media relay to acquire video images from the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal, to combine the acquired video images differently according to user information of the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal and the progress stages of video conferencing and to provide the differently combined video images to the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal, respectively.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of a Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0127871, filed on Dec. 21, 2009, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The following description relates to a tele-education service, and more particularly, to a real-time conversational tele-education service based on video conferencing.

2. Description of the Related Art

A video conferencing service system allows people at distant places to attend a conference and hold discussions in real time through video screens.

A tele-education service provides educational content to terminals through channel broadcasting or video-on-demand. In the tele-education service, a service provider provides the same educational content to users regardless of the users' learning levels and the users can selectively see and hear the educational content.

Meanwhile, a tele-education service system based on video conferencing allows a lecturer that manages a tele-education lecture to participate in video conferencing with students that have registered for the tele-education lecture and to hold the tele-education lecture in real time according to the students' learning levels.

In order to repeatedly hold a certain lecture or to improve the effect of education, the lecturer needs to hold lectures often using lecture materials in the form of video. In this case, in order to attend the lecture provided in the form of video, the students may need another type of a terminal application function for sharing the lecture materials, as well as a video conferencing function.

Furthermore, a video conferencing service system combines video images received from a plurality of terminals and provides the combined video images to all the terminals. However, while a lecturer needs to check the states of all students in order to answer questions and hold a discussion in the tele-education service, if receiving video images from all other students, the students may lose their concentration on the lecture.

SUMMARY

The following description relates to a system and method for a real-time conversational tele-education service that can provide an on-demand tele-education service based on video conferencing.

The following description also relates to a system and method for a real-time conversational tele-education service that can receive various types of video without having to installing any separate application program in a conferencing terminal.

In one general aspect, there is provided a media relay which relays a tele-education service based on video conferencing between terminals, including: an image acquiring unit to acquire video images from a plurality of terminals; and an image provider to combine the acquired video images differently according to user information of the plurality of terminals and the progress stages of video conferencing and to provide the differently combined video images to the plurality of terminals, respectively.

In another general aspect, there is provided a host terminal which manages a tele-education service based on video conferencing with at least one participating terminal, including: an image selector to select one of video images acquired through an interface connected to the host terminal and video images output through an application program of the host terminal; and a selected image provider to provide the selected video image to the at least one participating terminal through a network.

In another general aspect, there is provided a tele-education service system based on video conferencing, including: a host terminal to manage a tele-education service system; at least one participating terminal to receive the tele-education service; and a media relay to acquire video images from the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal, to combine the acquired video images differently according to user information of the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal and the progress stages of video conferencing and to provide the differently combined video images to the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal, respectively.

In another general aspect, there is provided a method of providing a tele-education service based on video conferencing, including: acquiring video images from a host terminal that manages a tele-education service and at least one participating terminal that receives the tele-education service; combining the acquired video images differently according to user information of the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal and the progress stages of video conferencing; and providing the differently combined video images to the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal, respectively.

Therefore, an on-demand tele-education service based on video conferencing may be provided. That is, the tele-education service system may combine acquired video images differently according to user information of a plurality of terminals that are to receive a video conferencing service and the progress of conferencing, and provide the differently combined video images to the plurality of terminals, respectively.

Accordingly, a lecturer may adjust lecture content according to students' learning levels by providing different video images to the students' terminals according to user information of the students' terminals.

Furthermore, it is also possible to provide different video images according to lectures and students. Accordingly, each lecturer may recognize the states of all students in real time by viewing video images acquired from the students' terminals. In addition, the students may concentrate on a lecture held by the lecturer by receiving video images only from the lecturer's terminal. Particularly, the tele-education service based on video conferencing may proved conversational education in a debate format such as small group education to provide an on-demand education service.

According to another example, a student can receive various formats of video images without having to install any separate application program in the student's terminal. Particularly, each student may receive multimedia education in real time with his or her video conferencing terminal or video phone terminal while sharing video images created through an application program of a lecturer's terminal.

Accordingly, when the same subject or content is repeatedly provided to a student, the lecturer may lecture in a manner to provide pre-stored video images to the student, and answer questions and hold a discussion as necessary in real time, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the lecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a configuration example of a tele-education service system1based on video conferencing.

Referring toFIG. 1, the tele-education service system1includes a host terminal10, a participating terminal12, a media relay14, a tele-education server16and a conferencing control server18.

A video conferencing service system provides video conferencing that is run while sharing multimedia data including video and voice between two or more terminals. The tele-education service system1according to the current example may provide a real-time video conferencing service combined with a tele-education service. The tele-education service is a type of multimedia education that allows a lecturer and a student to transmit and receive educational content in real time at remote places. The tele-education service system1supports a tele-education service based on video conferencing between the host terminal10that manages a tele-education service and the participating terminal12that receives the tele-education service. A user of the host terminal10may be a lecturer and a user of the participating terminal12may be a student. Also, there may be a plurality of participating terminals. When a user of the participating terminal12is a student, the student may participate in video conferencing to attend a lecture held through the tele-education server16and conduct conversational communications of asking a lecturer questions or answering questions from the lecturer while the lecture is in progress.

The host terminal10and participating terminal12include input/output devices that are supported for a general video conferencing service. For example, the host terminal10and participating terminal12each include a display for acquiring video images from a camera and displaying them and a replay unit for acquiring voice from a microphone and reproducing it.

Specifically, the host terminal10includes an application program which can output multimedia data including video images, still images and text onto a screen. Also, the host terminal10includes a communication unit which can transmit video images output onto the screen through the application program to a network.

Meanwhile, the media relay14acquires respective video images from the host terminal10and participating terminal12. Then, the media relay14combines the acquired video images differently according to user information of the host terminal10and participating terminal12and the progress stages of the video conferencing, and provides the differently combined video images to the host terminal10and the participating terminal12, respectively. At this time, the media relay14selectively mixes the video images to split screens and then performs codec conversion. A technique of mixing acquired video images to split screens and converting a codec is well-known in the related art and accordingly a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

User information of each terminal, which is information verifying the identity of a user using the terminal, may indicate a lecturer or student in the tele-education service. The progress stages of the video conferencing may be the progress of tele-education indicating that the lecturer is giving a lecture, that the student is asking a question, that the lecturer is responding to a question from the student, etc.

Meanwhile, the tele-education server16remotely manages an education service based on video conferencing. For example, the tele-education server16controls lecturers to open lectures, manages the opened lectures and supports students to register for a desired lecture after checking the content of the lectures, in order to provide a tele-education service. Then, the tele-education server16may notify the host terminal10so that the host terminal10starts a lecture according to a schedule of the opened lectures or request the host terminal10in the form of a request from a third party so that the host terminal10opens video conferencing.

The conferencing control server18receives a request signal for opening video conferencing from the tele-education server16or the host terminal10and establishes a video conferencing session. Then, the conferencing control server18controls a connection between the participating terminal12and the media relay14. The conferencing control server18controls the media relay14to perform image mixing and transcoding according to characteristics (user information?) of each terminal, the progress stages of the video conferencing such as control of the floor during the video conferencing, etc.

According to an example, control messages between the host terminal10, the participating terminal12, the conferencing control server18and the media relay14may be received and transmitted through an information management system call session control function (IMS CSCF).

FIG. 2is a diagram illustrating an example of the media relay14.

Referring toFIG. 2, the media relay14includes an image acquiring unit140and an image provider142.

The image acquiring unit140acquires video images from a plurality of terminals. In the current example, the image acquiring unit140may acquire video images from the host terminal10that manages a tele-education service and the participating terminal12that receives the tele-education service.

Meanwhile, the image provider142combines the acquired video images differently according to user information of a plurality of terminals and the progress stages of video conferencing and then provides the differently combined video images to the terminals, respectively. When the host terminal10is a lecturer's terminal and the participating terminal12is a student's terminal, user information of each terminal indicates whether a user using the terminal is a lecturer or a student. The progress stages of video conferencing may be the progress of tele-education indicating that the lecturer is giving a lecture, that the student is asking a question, that the lecturer is responding to a question from the student, etc.

According to an example, the image provider142mixes video images acquired by a plurality of participating terminals and provides the mixed video images to the host terminal10. Then, the image provider142may provide video images acquired by the host terminal10to the participating terminals12. At this time, the image provider142mixes the acquired video images to split screens and provides the split screens to the participating terminals12, respectively.

According to another example, the image acquiring unit140acquires video images from a host terminal10and the image provider142provides the acquired video images to a plurality of participating terminals12. Here, the video images acquired by the host terminal10may be video images acquired by a camera connected to the host terminal10or video images output through an application program of the host terminal10.

According to another example, when receiving a signal for requesting the floor from one of a plurality of participating terminals12, the image provider142mixes video images acquired by the plurality of participating terminals12and provides the mixed video images to the host terminal10. Then, the image provider142mixes video images acquired by the host terminal10with video images acquired by the participating terminal that has sent the signal for requesting the floor and provides the mixed video images to the participating terminals12.

According to another example, when receiving a signal for requesting the floor from the host terminal10, the image provider142mixes video images acquired by a plurality of participating terminals12and provides the mixed video images to the host terminal10. Then, the image provider142provides video images acquired by the host terminal10to the participating terminals12.

According to another example, the image provider142mixes acquired video images differently according to participating terminals12and provides the differently mixed video images to the participating terminals12, respectively. For example, the image provider142may mix video images acquired by a host terminal10and a second participating terminal and provide the mixed video images to a first participating terminal, and mix video images acquired by the host terminal10and the first participating terminal and provide the mixed video images to the second participating terminal.

According to another example, the image provider142may provide voice and video images received from a terminal that has sent a signal for requesting the floor to a plurality of terminals. For example, when a first participating terminal has sent a signal for requesting the floor, the image provider142may provide voice and video images received from the first participating terminal to other terminals.

As described above, an on-demand tele-education service can be provided. In other words, the media relay14provides different video images to different users according to user information of the users' terminals so as to adjust the content of an education service according to a learning level of a user who possesses a participating terminal12.

Particularly, when a tele-education service is provided, the media relay14may provide different video images to different lecturers or students. Accordingly, each lecturer can recognize the states of students in real time by viewing video images from the students. Also, since the students receive only video images from a lecturer or a speaker, they may maintain good concentration on the lecturer.

Meanwhile, examples of various scene-mapping techniques that are performed by the image provider142will be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 5A through 5E, later.

FIG. 3is a diagram illustrating an example of the host terminal10.

Referring toFIG. 3, the host terminal10includes an image selector100and a selected image provider110.

The image selector100selects one of video images acquired through an interface connected to the host terminal10or video images output through an application program of the host terminal10. The interface includes all electronic devices connectable to the host terminal10and may be a camera or a microphone. The application program is a program that outputs multimedia data including at least one of pre-stored video images, still images and text. For example, the application program may be a video replay program, an image viewer program or a text viewer program.

According to an example of a method in which the image selector100selects video images, the host terminal10whose user is a lecturer may select one of video screens of the lecturer photographed by a camera and video screens output through a video replay program, as a video screen that is to be provided to the participating terminal12.

According to an example, when receiving a signal for requesting proceeding of video conferencing from a user, the image selector100selects video images acquired through an interface. For example, when receiving a signal for requesting proceeding of video conferencing, such as the case of a lecturer resuming a lecture or the case of a lecturer answering questions from students, the image selector100may select video images acquired by a camera.

According to another example, when a lecture needing video images, still images or text files proceeds, the image selector100may select video images output through an application program. Accordingly, a participating terminal12whose user is a student can receive a tele-education service by sharing content with a lecturer through a screen, without having to install the same application program installed in the host terminal10.

The selected image provider110provides the video images selected by the image selector100to a plurality of terminals through a network.

The host terminal10may further include an input/output unit for a video conferencing service. The input/output unit includes a video display (not shown) and a voice reproducer (not shown). The video display acquires video images from a camera and displays the acquired video images thereon. The voice reproducer acquires voice from a microphone and reproduces the acquired voice. Also, the host terminal10may include an application program controller (not shown). The application program controller outputs video images through an application program to output a screen, captures the screen and transmits it to participating terminals.

Further, the host terminal10may further include a selection signal receiver (not shown). The selection signal receiver receives a selection signal for selecting one of video images acquired through an interface or video images output through an application program of the host terminal10, from a user. Then, the selected image provider110may provide video images selected according to the selection signal to the participating terminals.

In this way, each conferencing terminal may receive various types of video without having to install any separate application program therein. In other words, a student that has registered for a tele-education lecture can attend the tele-education lecture in real time while sharing video images created through an application program of a lecturer's terminal with a video conferencing terminal or a video phone terminal.

Accordingly, when the same subject or content is repeatedly provided to a student, the lecturer may lecture by providing pre-stored video images to the student, and answer questions or hold a discussion as necessary, thereby enhancing the efficiency of a lecture.

FIGS. 4A and 4Bare a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for a tele-education service based on video conferencing.

Referring toFIG. 4A, a lecturer requests a tele-education server16to open a lecture through a host terminal10using the real-time tele-education service system1(seeFIG. 1) (operation401). When the lecture is opened, the content, time, history, etc. of the lecture are established. If the tele-education server16is implemented in the form of a web portal, the content, time, history, etc. of the lecture may be established through a web and if the tele-education server16is implemented in the form of an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service, the content, time, history, etc. of the lecture may be established through an Electronic Program Guide (EPG).

Successively, a student accesses the tele-education server16through a participating terminal12to check the content of opened lectures and then registers a desired lecture (operation402). At this time, the lecturer may check students that have registered for his or her lecture through the host terminal10. Meanwhile, opening lectures and registering opened lectures through the tele-education server16may be performed through a third party terminal other than the host terminal10and the participating terminal12.

Thereafter, when a time at which a tele-education lecture is scheduled to start arrives, the tele-education server16requests a conferencing control server18to open video conferencing (operation403). At this time, the tele-education server16may designate a video conferencing host as a lecturer. Then, the conferencing control server18transmits an invitation message for inviting the video conferencing to the host terminal10(operation404), and the host terminal10accepts participation in the video conferencing in response to the invitation message (operation405).

Successively, the conferencing control server18requests a media relay14to open the video conferencing and assign resources for the host terminal10(operation406). Thus, the media relay14assigns resources for the tele-education lecture to the conferencing control server18and establishes a session connection for the host terminal10. After assigning the resources for the tele-education lecture, the media relay14transmits a response signal to the request for opening the video conferencing, to the conferencing control server18(operation407). Then, the conferencing control server18transmits media connection information to the host terminal10(operation408). As a result, a session connection between the host terminal10and the media relay14is established.

Successively, the tele-education server16transmits a request signal for inviting participants to the conferencing control server18, using a list of students that have registered the tele-education lecture (operation409). Then, the conferencing control server18transmits invitation messages to participating terminals12of the students that have registered the tele-education lecture so that the students can participate in video conferencing (operation410). Then, the participating terminals12accept participation in the video conferencing in response to the invitation messages through input signals from the students (operation411).

Next, the conferencing control server18transfers connection information of the participating terminals12that have accepted participation in the video conferencing, to the media relay14, and requests the media relay14to establish session connections (operation412). Then, the media relay14assigns resources for the students that participate in the video conferencing, establishes session connections and then transmits a response signal to the conferencing control server18(operation413). Successively, the conferencing control server18transfers the connection information received from the media relay14to the participating terminals12, thereby completing session connections between the participating terminals12and media relay14for the video conferencing.

Successively, referring toFIG. 4B, the tele-education lecture is started through the host terminal10(operation415). At this time, video images created by the host terminal10are transferred to the participating terminals12of the students via the media relay14. Also, video images created by the participating terminals12are transferred to the host terminal10via the media relay14so that the lecturer can recognize the states of the students in real time.

Meanwhile, when a student asks a question through his or her participating terminal12while the lecture is in progress, the participating terminal12transmits a signal for requesting the floor to the conferencing control server18(operation416). Then, the conferencing control server18transfers a request for the floor to the host terminal10which is possessed by the lecturer (operation417) and the host terminal10accepts the request for the floor (operation418). Successively, the conferencing control server18requests the media relay14to reassign resources in response to the acceptance of the request for the floor (operation419) and the media relay14reassigns resources in response to the request from the media relay14(operation420). The media relay14causes voice from the participating terminal12which is possessed by the student who has been given the floor to be transferred to the host terminal10which is possessed by the lecturer and participating terminals which are possessed by other students, and mixes video images so that video images of the participating terminal12are transferred to the other terminals.

Successively, the conferencing control server18transfers a response of accepting the request for the floor to the participating terminal12that has requested the floor (operation421). Then, the participating terminal12creates a question message (operation422). When a question is asked, the host terminal10requests the conferencing control server18to withdraw the floor from the participating terminal12(operation423). The conferencing control server18transfers the request to the participating terminal12(operation424) and receives a response signal from the participating terminal12(operation425).

Then, the conferencing control server18requests the media relay14to change a media connection in response to the withdrawal of the floor (operation426) and receives a response signal from the media relay14(operation427). At this time, the media relay14mixes video images to transfer video images of the host terminal10to the participating terminal12. Then, the conferencing control server18transfers a response to the withdrawal of the floor to the host terminal10(operation428) and the lecture continues (operation429).

Meanwhile, when the lecture ends, the host terminal10logs out of the lecture to request the conferencing control server18to terminate the lecture (operation430), and the conferencing control server18transmits connection release signals from students to the host terminal12(operation431). In addition, the conferencing control server18transfers a signal indicating that video conferencing has ended to the media relay14to release resources for video conferencing and resources for connections (operation432).

FIGS. 5A through 5Eillustrate examples of methods in which the media relay14combines video images.

Referring toFIGS. 5A through 5E, the media relay14acquires video images from a plurality of terminals (that is, a first conferencing terminal, a second conferencing terminal, . . . , an n-th conferencing terminal). Then, the media relay14selectively combines the acquired video images and provides the selectively combined video images to the first through n-th conferencing terminals, respectively.

In the tele-education service system1, it is assumed that the first conferencing terminal is a host terminal that is possessed by a lecturer and the second, third, . . . , n-th conferencing terminals are participating terminals that are possessed by students.

Referring toFIG. 5A, the media replay14collectively mixes video images acquired from all terminals and transmits the mixed video images to all the terminals. That is, the media relay14mixes video images received from the first, second, third, . . . , n-th conferencing terminals and transmits the mixed video images to the first, second, third, . . . , n-th conferencing terminals, respectively.

Referring toFIG. 5B, the media relay14distinguishes a first conferencing terminal which is possessed by a lecturer from participating terminals which are possessed by students to create two groups and combines video images for each group for a real-time tele-education service.

For example, when a lecturer lectures through the first conferencing terminal among the first, second, third, . . . , n-th conferencing terminals, the media relay14mixes video images acquired by all terminals and provides the mixed video images to the first conferencing terminal. Meanwhile, the media relay14provides video images including video images acquired by the first conferencing terminal to the second, third, . . . , n-th conferencing terminals which are possessed by students. However, the media relay14may provide only video images provided by the lecturer to the students.

Accordingly, since the lecturer can acquire video images from all the students, the lecturer may recognize the state of each student in real time. Also, since each student can receive only video images provided by the lecturer without receiving video images from other students, the student may maintain good concentration on a screen.

Referring toFIG. 5C, since a student who possesses the second conferencing terminal among the first, second, third, . . . n-th conferencing terminals transmits a question request message, the media relay14mixes video images acquired by all the first through n-th conferencing terminals and provides the mixed video images to the first conferencing terminal. Then, the media relay14mixes video images acquired by the first conferencing terminal with video images acquired by the second conferencing terminal that has sent the question request message and provides the mixed video images to the second, third, . . . , n-th conferencing terminals which are students' terminals, respectively.

Referring toFIG. 5D, when a lecturer who possesses the first conferencing terminal among the first, second, third, . . . , n-th conferencing terminals lectures, the media relay14provides voice acquired by the first conferencing terminal to the second, third, . . . , n-th conferencing terminals which are students' terminals.

Referring toFIG. 5E, when a student who possesses the second conferencing terminal among the first, second, third, . . . , n-th conferencing terminals transmits a question request message, the media relay14provides voice acquired by the second conferencing terminal to all the first, second, third, . . . , n-th conferencing terminals.

FIG. 6is a flowchart illustrating an example of a tele-education service-providing method based on video conferencing.

Referring toFIG. 6, the media relay14(seeFIG. 1) which relays a video conferencing-based tele-education service between terminals acquires video images from a plurality of terminals (operation600). The media relay14may acquire video images from a host terminal that manages a tele-education service and a participating terminal that receives the tele-education service.

Successively, the media relay14combines the acquired video images differently according to user information of the terminals and the progress stages of video conferencing (operation610). According to an example, the media relay14may mix video images acquired by the participating terminal, provide the mixed video images to the host terminal and provide video images acquired by the host terminal to the participating terminal. Successively, the media relay14provides the differently combined video images to the host terminal and participating terminal, respectively (operation620).