Electronic conference system and method thereof and conference participant terminal device, computer data signal

Abstract

There is provided an electronic conference system, including a presenter terminal device that displays on a screen of a presenter display in an electronic conference, a conference participant terminal device that receives a screen image displayed on the presenter display and displays the screen image on a screen, a receiving unit that receives the screen image sent from the presenter terminal device, and a storage processing unit that writes a currently displayed screen image in a memory, when a screen image which is different from the currently displayed screen image has not been sent from the presenter terminal device within a predetermined time.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing an electronic conference system in this exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen layout displayed on a display of a participant terminal in this exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an automatic storage process in this exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing handling of screen images in this exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a general configuration diagram of an electronic conference system;

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing handling of the screen images in a conventional electronic conference system; and

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing handling of the screen images in the conventional electronic conference system.

Claims

1. An electronic conference system, comprising: a presenter terminal device that displays on a screen of a presenter display in an electronic conference;a conference participant terminal device that receives a screen image displayed on the presenter display and displays the screen image on a screen;a receiving unit that receives the screen image sent from the presenter terminal device; anda storage processing unit that writes a currently displayed screen image in a memory, when a screen image which is different from the currently displayed screen image has not been sent from the presenter terminal device within a predetermined time.

2. A computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer used by a conference participant, which receives a screen image displayed on a presenter terminal device and displays the screen image on a screen in an electronic conference, to execute a process for assisting the electronic conference, the process comprising: receiving the screen image sent from the presenter terminal device; andwhen a screen image which is different from a currently displayed screen image has not been sent from the presenter terminal device with in a predetermined time, writing the currently displayed screen image in a memory.

3. The computer readable medium according to claim 2, the process further comprising: when a second screen image which is different from a first screen image which has been temporarily retained is sent from the presenter terminal device, temporarily retaining the second screen image; andwhen the second screen image which is different from the first screen image is not sent from the presenter terminal device within the predetermined time, writing the first screen image in the memory.

4. The computer readable medium according to claim 3, the process further comprising: performing a process with respect to a noise of the screen images before determining whether the first screen image and the second screen image are different or not.

5. The computer readable medium according to claim 3, the process further comprising: editing the received screen image according to an operation by a user;displaying the received screen image being edited on a main display area of the computer while the editing process is being performed; andwhile the editing process is performed, displaying a newly received screen image on a display area different from the main display area of the computer.

6. The computer readable medium according to claim 2, the process further comprising: editing the received screen image according to an operation by a user;displaying the received screen image being edited on a main display area of the computer while the editing process is being performed; andafter the editing process is performed, writing the edited screen image in the memory.

7. The computer readable medium according to claim 2the process further comprising: classifying the received screen image and the edited screen image, and writing them in the memory.

8. The computer readable medium according to claim 7, the process further comprising: selectively displaying the classified and written screen images on a screen display area of the computer.

9. The computer readable medium according to claim 2, the process further comprising: deleting a screen image according to a user instruction, from the memory.

10. A conference participant terminal device included in an electronic conference system that receives a screen image displayed on a presenter terminal device and displays the screen image on a screen in an electronic conference, comprising: a receiving unit that receives the screen image sent from the presenter terminal device; anda storage processing unit that writes a currently displayed screen image in a memory, when a screen image which is different from the currently displayed screen image has not been sent from the presenter terminal device within a predetermined time.

11. An electronic conference assistance method performed in a computer that receives a screen image displayed on a presenter terminal device and displays the screen image on a screen in an electronic conference, comprising: receiving the screen image sent from the presenter terminal device; andwhen a screen image which is different from a currently displayed screen image has not been sent from the presenter terminal device with in a predetermined time, writing the currently displayed screen image in a memory.

12. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for enabling a computer used by a conference participant, which receives a screen image displayed on a presenter terminal device and displays the screen image on a screen in an electronic conference, to perform a process for assisting the electronic conference, the process comprising: receiving the screen image sent from the presenter terminal device; andwhen a screen image which is different from a currently displayed screen image has not been sent from the presenter terminal device within a predetermined time, writing the currently displayed screen image in a memory.