A multi-point control unit (MCU) for a multi-point connected conference
system is disclosed in which to attain low power consumption and enhance
sound quality, when a speaker detection circuit 4 judges that the number
of conference terminals having transmitted a voiced compressed code is
one, a first selector 6 directly transmits compressed voice to a second
selector 16 without decoding the voice, and the second selector 16 outputs
the compressed voice to a distribution circuit 18. Thereby, since a voice
signal is transmitted to the conference terminal without passing through a
decoder 8, and the like, the power necessary for a processing is reduced,
and the deterioration of sound quality by the voice processing, and the
like are prevented from occurring.