Teleconference system and terminal apparatus

Abstract

A teleconference system includes an audio data receiving section, a group information holding section, and an audio controller. The audio data receiving section receives audio data obtained by multiple terminal apparatuses of multiple users who participate in a conference. The group information holding section holds group information indicating multiple groups. The groups are obtained by grouping the users of the terminal apparatuses. Any of the terminal apparatuses is referred to as a certain terminal apparatus. Each of the groups includes one or more users. The audio controller controls volumes of sound output of the audio data independently for the respective groups based on the group information held by the group information holding section. The audio data is received by the audio data receiving section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A teleconference system comprising:
 an audio data receiving section that receives audio data obtained by a plurality of terminal apparatuses of a plurality of users who participate in a conference;   a group information holding section that holds group information indicating a plurality of groups, the plurality of groups being obtained by grouping the plurality of users of the plurality of terminal apparatuses, any of the plurality of terminal apparatuses being referred to as a certain terminal apparatus, each of the plurality of groups including one or more users; and   an audio controller that controls volumes of sound output of the audio data independently for the plurality of respective groups based on the group information held by the group information holding section, the audio data being received by the audio data receiving section.   
     
     
         2 . The teleconference system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the audio controller controls the volumes of the sounds of the audio data in such a manner that, among the plurality of groups based on the group information, a volume for a certain group is different from a volume for a different group, the certain group being a group including at least a user of the certain terminal apparatus, the audio data being received by the audio data receiving section.   
     
     
         3 . The teleconference system according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a volume-setting-operation receiving section that receives an operation of setting the volumes individually for the plurality of groups based on the group information,   wherein the audio controller controls the volumes of the sounds of the audio data for the plurality of respective groups in accordance with the setting operation received by the volume-setting-operation receiving section.   
     
     
         4 . The teleconference system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein, among the plurality of groups based on the group information, a range of settable volumes for the certain group is different from a range of settable volumes for the different group, the settable volumes indicating volumes settable through the operation received by the volume-setting-operation receiving section, the certain group including at least the user of the certain terminal apparatus.   
     
     
         5 . The teleconference system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an image data receiving section that receives image data obtained by the plurality of terminal apparatuses; and   an image controller that controls display forms of images of the image data independently for the plurality of respective groups based on the group information held by the group information holding section, the image data being received by the image data receiving section, and that causes a display section to display the images of the image data in the display forms in such a manner that a display form for a certain group is different from a display form for a different group, the image data being received by the image data receiving section, the certain group including at least a user of the certain terminal apparatus.   
     
     
         6 . The teleconference system according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a display-form-setting-operation receiving section that receives an operation of setting the display forms of images individually for the plurality of groups based on the group information,   wherein the image controller controls the display forms of the images of the image data for the plurality of respective groups in accordance with the setting operation received by the display-form-setting-operation receiving section.   
     
     
         7 . The teleconference system according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein, among the plurality of groups based on the group information, a range of settable display forms for the certain group is different from a range of settable display forms for the different group, the settable display forms indicating display forms settable through the operation received by the display-form-setting-operation receiving section, the certain group including at least the user of the certain terminal apparatus.   
     
     
         8 . A terminal apparatus comprising:
 a receiving section that receives data of sounds of a plurality of users who participate in a conference;   a group setting section that sets a plurality of groups for the plurality of users, each of the plurality of groups including one or more users; and   an audio output section that outputs the sounds of the plurality of users in such a manner that, among the plurality of groups being set by the group setting section, a volume of users' sounds for a certain group is different from a volume of users' sounds for a different group, the certain group including at least a user of the terminal apparatus.   
     
     
         9 . The terminal apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a volume setting section that enables volumes to be set individually for the plurality of groups, after the group setting section sets the plurality of groups.   
     
     
         10 . The terminal apparatus according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein, among the plurality of groups being set by the group setting section, a range of settable volumes for the certain group is different from a range of settable volumes for the different group, the settable volumes indicating volumes settable by the volume setting section, the certain group including at least the user of the terminal apparatus.