Abstract: A teleconferencing system has a speaker direction detection means, which detects the direction of a speaker from the phase difference of voice inputs to a plurality of microphones, and an imaging control means, which directs a camera in the detected direction. A movement pixel detection means detects a moving part of the image captured by the camera, using a frame differencing, the distribution of which is measured by a movement distribution measurement means, and the position of person is detected by a speaker position establishing means. Even in the case in which a speaker is not captured at the center of an image, the imaging control means can move the camera so as to enable capturing of the person at the center of the image with an appropriate picture angle, thereby enabling proper capturing of the image of the speaker.

Abstract: The contents distribution system for distributing contents to a terminal of each user through a communication network, including a distribution server which connects to each terminal through the communication network to distribute contents, in which the distribution server sequentially divides data of contents to be distributed into frames to generate frames coded by a predetermined plurality of different coding systems, selects, based on a request from the terminal of the user, a frame appropriate for the request from among the generated frames and transmits the selected frame to the terminal in question.

Abstract: A video conference system includes a camera, camera driving section, human figure extracting section, human figure picture storage section, camera parameter storage section, and human figure instructing section. The imaging direction and field angle of the view of the camera can be changed. The camera driving section controls the imaging direction and field angle of the camera view in accordance with camera parameters. The human figure extracting section extracts a human figure picture of each participant from a picture obtained by capturing an entire conference room, and calculates camera parameters associated with the imaging direction and field angle of the camera view on the basis of the extracted human figure picture. The human figure picture storage section stores the extracted human figure picture. The camera parameter storage section stores the camera parameters calculated by the human figure extracting section.

Abstract: A teleconferencing system has a speaker direction detection means, which detects the direction of a speaker from the phase difference of voice inputs to a plurality of microphones, and an imaging control means, which directs a camera in the detected direction. A movement pixel detection means detects a moving part of the image captured by the camera, using a frame differencing, the distribution of which is measured by a movement distribution measurement means, and the position of person is detected by a speaker position establishing means.

Abstract: The invention provides a multi-site television conference system which provide natural video images and acoustic images which provide a good feeling of presence to participants who participate in a conference through respective conference terminals. A plurality of cameras are connected to each of conference terminals located at different sites remote from each other and pick up video images of a participant who uses the conference terminal. A central control unit receives, at a multi-site image inputting section thereof, from the conference terminals, video images of participants of the respective conference terminals picked up in multi-directions.