Abstract: In a multi-location television conference system that connects five locations A, B, C, D, and E, when speeches take place at the four locations A, B, C, and D at the same time, at a listening location E, images of all the speaking locations A, B, C, and D are displayed on one screen with four divided screen areas. On the other hand, at the speaking location A, images of the speaking locations B, c, and D and an image of the former speaking location E are displayed on one screen with four divided screen areas. In addition, when images of speaking locations are displayed, locations names thereof are also displayed. Thus, a television conference held at a plurality of locations at a time can be smoothly managed as with a real conventional conference.

Abstract: A multi-site video conference control system comprising a number of video conference terminals respectively situated at a number of sites and a video conference control unit for controlling a video conference. A communication line interface provided at each terminal makes a single calling with respect to the video conference control unit. A connection data section, which is provided at each terminal, manages connection data for other terminals to be connected and transmits the connection data to the video conference control unit. A control calling section, which is provided at the video conference control unit, calls the terminal corresponding to the connection data to be transmitted from the connection data section, based on the single calling. A connection controller, which is provided at the video conference control unit, connects the calling terminal, whose communication line interface made the single calling, and the other terminals called by the control calling section, with communication lines.

Abstract: In a multi-location television conference system that connects five locations A, B, C, D, and E, when speeches take place at the four locations A, B, C, and D at the same time, at a listening location E, images of all the speaking locations A, B, C, and D are displayed on one screen with four divided screen areas. On the other hand, at the speaking location A, images of the speaking locations B, c, and D and an image of the former speaking location E are displayed on one screen with four divided screen areas. In addition, when images of speaking locations are displayed, locations names thereof are also displayed. Thus, a television conference held at a plurality of locations at a time can be smoothly managed as with a real conventional conference.

Abstract: A multipont TV conference system including a multipoint control unit connected with TV conference rooms through a communication network. The multipoint control unit includes: a register for registering names of TV conference rooms and groups, telephone numbers and seats of the rooms and flags indicating the room of a TV conference promoter, the room selected for participating the TV conference and the room not corresponding to calls from the multipoint control unit; and a control unit to control process, performed among the rooms by using registered matter in the register and images of the rooms, for selecting the room and the group, holding a TV conference, participating in a TV conference, intermediately participating in the TV conference and prohibiting the room not participating in a TV conference from observing images of and listening voice in other rooms under holding TV conferences.

Abstract: In a multipoint video conferencing system wherein two images of a selected primary conference room and a selected secondary conference room are distributed to each CT, an unnaturalness, such that an exchange of right and left images occurs while a conversation is held between two conference rooms, arises. The unnaturalness is avoided by constructing the conference room terminal so that images displayed on two screen are exchanged when both of the primary and the secondary conference rooms are altered.

Abstract: This invention discloses an electrically driven elevation bed apparatus which moves up and down while keeping its horizontal posture, in order to make effective use of indoor space. The elevation bed of this invention includes improved driving systems and safety devices for the driving systems. The driving systems includes a driving device including a spring to store biasing force on a supporting shaft thereof for the ascending of the bed frame. Also included is the use of steel belts as cord bodies to hand the bed frame to make the driving device compact and to eliminate troubles encountered with wireropes. The third aspect of the present invention also relates to an improvement of the driving systems. This aspect enables the bed frame to be positioned in inclined postures by introducing clutch means in the driving device to raise one side of the bed only. To the elevation bed, various safety devices are provided for movement of the furniture.