Patent ID: 8405704

Claim:
A TV conference apparatus installed in each of a plurality of conference rooms and connected to each other through a communication network, comprising: a central tower mounted on a base and housing inside a control unit; a plurality of monitors connected to the central tower; arms for connecting the plurality of monitors to the central tower so as to move the plurality of monitors separately; and a 360° camera connected to the control unit and disposed on a top of the central tower above the plurality of monitors, wherein the plurality of monitors and the camera are controlled by the control unit, wherein the arms are switchable between a first state in which the plurality of monitors are disposed in line with each other on a same side of the central tower, and a second state in which each of the plurality of monitors are disposed on different sides of the central tower, and wherein the control unit comprises image division means for dividing an image picked up by the camera and display selection means for selectively displaying an image before it is divided or an image after it is divided on each of the plurality of monitors, the TV conference apparatus further comprising microphones whose voice collecting directions are set corresponding to display directions of the plurality of monitors, and the microphones are disposed on the central tower.