Abstract:
This disclosure relates to a video conference system for a plurality of groups of remotely located conferees. At each group location, a plurality of video cameras are used and the field of each is restricted to a small number of persons in the group. Voice voting and switching are used to determine the location of the person in the group who is talking and to ''''enable'''' the appropriate camera, in response thereto, so that the talker will be seen at the remote location. As different people in the group speak, the appropriate cameras covering the same are successively enabled so that the outgoing video signal matches the audio signal. Operational features include a graphic mode, for the remote display of written or graphic material, and a conference leader mode, in which the system is biased in favor of the leader so as to give him substantial control over the conference.