System and methods for automatic call initiation based on biometric data

• US 10,122,970 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polycom Incorporated (Plantronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosenberg, Koby
• Primary Examiner(s): Zenati, Amal
• Application Number:
  US13/231,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20130063548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,611 Days
• Field of Search: 37926502, 37926509, 37920201, 348 1408
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A videoconferencing endpoint can provides a caller with the ability to make unscheduled video calls to a callee without having knowledge of dialing information of a videoconferencing endpoint where the callee is currently located. The videoconferencing endpoint searches a location database using an identity of the callee provided by the caller, where the location database can store dialing information of a videoconferencing endpoint where the callee is known to be located. The videoconferencing endpoint can collect biometric data from a user and determine the identity of the user by matching the collected biometric data to biometric data stored in a biometric database. If a match is found, the videoconferencing endpoint updates the location database such that the location database indicates the videoconferencing endpoint as the current location of the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, using a first videoconferencing endpoint from amongst a plurality of videoconferencing endpoints, first biometric data corresponding to a callee;

receiving a request from a caller at a second videoconferencing endpoint for an unscheduled video call to the callee;

broadcasting, using the first videoconferencing endpoint, an identity of the callee to one or more third videoconferencing endpoints from amongst the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints, the identity based, at least in part, on the first biometric data, wherein each of the one or more third videoconferencing endpoints is configured to capture biometric data of one or more persons in the vicinity thereof;

capturing, responsive to the request from the caller for the unscheduled video call, second biometric data, using the one or more third videoconferencing endpoints, the second biometric data comprising third biometric data;

comparing the captured second biometric data with the first biometric data corresponding to the callee;

determining that the third biometric data matches the first biometric data;

identifying, responsive to such determination, the third videoconferencing endpoint from which the matching third biometric data was captured;

sending, to the second videoconferencing endpoint, a message indicating that the callee is located in the vicinity of the third videoconferencing endpoint so identified; and

initiating a videoconferencing session between the second videoconferencing endpoint and the third videoconferencing endpoint so identified,

wherein biometric data comprises face biometrics, voice biometrics, or a combination of face and voice biometrics.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request comprises receiving biometric data of the caller in the form of a voice signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring information by searching for a name of the callee in a location database to determine dialing information of the third videoconferencing endpoint.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the location database is located at a server communicably coupled to the second videoconferencing endpoint via a network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting fourth biometric data of one or more users located in the vicinity of the second videoconferencing endpoint;

identifying the one or more users based on the collected fourth biometric data; and

associating an identity of the one or more users with the second videoconferencing endpoint as a current location of the one or more users.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein collecting the fourth biometric data is performed when the one or more users log into the second videoconference endpoint.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein collecting the fourth biometric data is performed when motion of the one or more users around the second videoconferencing endpoint is detected.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein identifying the one or more users comprises comparing the collected fourth biometric data with biometric data stored in a database and accessing an identity of the one or more users associated with matched stored biometric data.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing the association of the identity of the one or more users with the second videoconferencing endpoint in a location database.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring information of a fourth videoconferencing endpoint from amongst the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints to which the callee is known to have relocated; and

initiating a video call with the fourth videoconferencing endpoint.

11. A non-transitory memory storage device having instructions stored thereon executable by a processor to perform the method of claim 1.

12. A second videoconferencing endpoint comprising a processing unit, the processing unit programmed to:

receive, using a first videoconferencing endpoint from amongst a plurality of videoconferencing endpoints, first biometric data corresponding to a callee;

receive a request from a caller at the second videoconferencing endpoint for an unscheduled video call to the callee;

broadcast, using the first videoconferencing endpoint, an identity of the callee to one or more third videoconferencing endpoints from amongst the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints, the identity based, at least in part, on the first biometric data, wherein each of the one or more third videoconferencing endpoints is configured to capture biometric data of one or more persons in the vicinity thereof;

capture, responsive to the request from the caller for the unscheduled video call, second biometric data, using the one or more third videoconferencing endpoints, the second biometric data comprising third biometric data;

compare the captured second biometric data with the first biometric data corresponding to the callee;

determine that the third biometric data matches the first biometric data;

identify, responsive to such determination, the third videoconferencing endpoint from which the matching third biometric data was captured;

send, to the second videoconferencing endpoint, a message indicating that the callee is located in the vicinity of the third videoconferencing endpoint so identified; and

initiate a videoconferencing session between the second videoconferencing endpoint and the third videoconferencing endpoint so identified,

wherein biometric data comprises face biometrics, voice biometrics, or a combination of face and voice biometrics.

13. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 12, further comprising:

at least one microphone configured to capture voice of the caller,

wherein the request is received in the form of a voice signal captured by the at least one microphone, the voice signal comprising biometric data of the caller.

14. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 13, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to use voice recognition to convert the identity of the callee from voice to text.

15. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to:

collect fourth biometric data of one or more users located in the vicinity of the second videoconferencing endpoint;

identify the one or more users based on the collected fourth biometric data; and

associate an identity of the one or more users with the second videoconferencing endpoint as a current location of the one or more users.

16. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to collect fourth biometric data of the one or more users at predetermined time intervals.

17. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to collect fourth biometric data of the one or more users when the one or more users log into the second videoconferencing endpoint.

18. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15, further comprising a motion detector communicably coupled to the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is triggered to collect the fourth biometric data by the motion detector.

19. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15, wherein the processing unit being programmed to identify the one or more users comprises the processing unit being programmed to compare the collected fourth biometric data of the one or more users with biometric data stored in a database and to access an identity of the one or more users associated with matched stored biometric data.

20. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to store the association of the identity of the one or more users and the second videoconferencing endpoint as a current location at a location database.

21. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 20, wherein the location database is located at a server communicably connected to the processing unit via a network.

22. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to:

acquire information of fourth videoconferencing endpoint from amongst the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints to which the callee is known to have relocated; and

initiate a video call with the fourth videoconferencing endpoint.

23. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to acquire information by searching for a name of the callee in a location database to determine dialing information of the third videoconferencing endpoint.

24. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 23, wherein the processing unit being programmed to acquire information comprises the processing unit being programmed to look up a name of the callee in a location database to determine dialing information of the third videoconferencing endpoint, and wherein the location database stores identities of users and dialing information of videoconferencing endpoints where each user is known to be located.

25. The second videoconferencing endpoint of claim 24, wherein the location database is located at a server communicably connected to the processing unit via a network.

26. A multipoint conference unit (MCU) communicably connected over a network to a plurality of videoconferencing endpoints, the MCU comprising:

a network interface configured to connect to the network;

an audio module coupled to the network interface and configured to communicate audio data with each of the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints;

a video module coupled to the network interface and configured to communicate video data with each of the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints;

at least one biometric unit coupled to the audio module and the video module and configured to generate and match biometric data; and

a control module coupled to the network interface, the audio module, the video module, and the at least one biometric unit and configured to;

receive, using a first videoconferencing endpoint from amongst the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints, first biometric data corresponding to a callee;

receive a request from a caller at a second videoconferencing endpoint for an unscheduled video call to the callee;

broadcast, using the first videoconferencing endpoint, an identity of the callee to one or more third videoconferencing endpoints from amongst the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints, the identity based, at least in part, on the first biometric data, wherein each of the one or more third videoconferencing endpoints is configured to capture biometric data of one or more persons in the vicinity thereof;

capture, responsive to the request from the caller for the unscheduled video call, second biometric data, using the one or more third videoconferencing endpoints, the second biometric data comprising third biometric data;

compare the captured second biometric data with the first biometric data corresponding to the callee;

determine that the third biometric data matches the first biometric data;

identify, responsive to such determination, the third videoconferencing endpoint from which the matching third biometric data was captured;

send, to the second videoconferencing endpoint, a message indicating that the callee is located in the vicinity of the third videoconferencing endpoint so identified; and

initiate a videoconferencing session between the second videoconferencing endpoint and the third videoconferencing endpoint so identified,

wherein biometric data comprises face biometrics, voice biometrics, or a combination of face and voice biometrics.

27. The MCU of claim 26, wherein the control module being configured to receive a request comprises the control module being configured to receive a voice signal, the voice signal comprising an identity of the callee.

28. The MCU of claim 26, wherein the control module is further configured to:

receive collected fourth biometric data of one or more users located in the vicinity of the second videoconferencing endpoint;

identify the one or more users based on the collected fourth biometric data; and

associate an identity of the one or more users with the second videoconferencing endpoint as a current location of the one or more users.

29. The MCU of claim 26, wherein the control module is further configured to:

acquire information of a fourth videoconferencing endpoint from amongst the plurality of endpoints to which the callee is known to have relocated; and

initiate a video call with the fourth videoconferencing endpoint.

30. The MCU of claim 26, wherein the control module is further configured to:

receive a call request from a fifth videoconferencing endpoint from amongst the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints for a second unscheduled video call; and

assign a second one of the at least one biometric unit to the second unscheduled video call.

31. The MCU of claim 26, wherein the control module is further configured to acquire information by searching for a name of the callee in a location database to determine dialing information of the third videoconferencing endpoint.

32. The MCU of claim 31, wherein the control module being configured to acquire information comprises the control module being configured to look up a name of the callee in a location database to determine dialing information of the second videoconferencing endpoint, and wherein the location database stores identities of users and dialing information of videoconferencing endpoints where each user is known to be located.

33. The MCU of claim 32, wherein the location database is located at a server communicably connected to the control module via a network.