Method and apparatus for automatic cross-media selection and scaling

• US 20010038638A1
• Filed: 01/25/2001
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Slowe, Thomas E., Hausman, Bogumil
• Granted Patent: US 6,928,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/465
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A method and apparatus is described wherein users distribute communication objects and multimedia applications over a network communication system. The capabilities of the users terminals are established. A control system analyzes the capabilities of the terminals to establish a state in which the terminals will appear. Heuristics are used to establish a channel mode in corresponding terminals, the channel mode optimizes communications associated with the multimedia application between the terminals.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information comprising the steps of:

determining the ability of a first and second terminal to reproduce information in a plurality of media formats;

producing a list of media formats which can be reproduced by the first and second terminals;

establishing a first channel mode for the first terminal to communicate information to the second terminal using the list of media formats, the performance of the first terminal and the bandwidth of the first terminal'"'"'s connection to the second terminal;

establishing a second channel mode for the second terminal to communicate information to the first terminal using the list of media formats, the performance of the second terminal and the bandwidth of the second terminal'"'"'s connection to the first terminal; and

communicating between the first and second terminal in accordance with their respective channel modes.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the first channel mode is established based upon one or more media which provide a user of the first terminal with a greatest level of understanding of the information to be transmitted.

3. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the provision of the greatest level of understanding of the information to be transmitted is determined by determining the media or combination of media which has the largest entropy per second taking into account the performance of the first terminal and the bandwidth of the first terminal'"'"'s connection to the second terminal.

4. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the one or more media which provide a user of the first terminal with a greatest level of understanding of the information to be transmitted is determined based upon user conditions.

5. The method of

claim 4

, wherein the user conditions are determined using face finding and position tracking, whereby it can be determined whether a user is looking at a screen associated with a terminal.

6. The method of

claim 2

, wherein the one or more media which provide a user of the first terminal with a greatest level of understanding of the information to be transmitted is determined based upon user preferences.

7. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the list of media formats includes a plurality of formats for each particular media.

8. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining the ability of a first and second terminal to reproduce information in a plurality of media formats;

means for producing a list of media formats which can be reproduced by the first and second terminals;

means for establishing a first channel mode for the first terminal to communicate information to the second terminal using the list of media formats, the performance of the first terminal and the bandwidth of the first terminal'"'"'s connection to the second terminal;

means for establishing a second channel mode for the second terminal to communicate information to the first terminal using the list of media formats, the performance of the second terminal and the bandwidth of the second terminal'"'"'s connection to the first terminal; and

means for communicating between the first and second terminal in accordance with their respective channel modes.

9. The apparatus of

claim 8

, wherein the first channel mode is established based upon one or more media which provide a user of the first terminal with a greatest level of understanding of the information to be transmitted.

10. The apparatus of

claim 9

, wherein the provision of the greatest level of understanding of the information to be transmitted is determined by determining the media or combination of media which has the largest entropy per second taking into account the performance of the first terminal and the bandwidth of the first terminal'"'"'s connection to the second terminal.

11. The apparatus of

claim 9

, wherein the one or more media which provide a user of the first terminal with a greatest level of understanding of the information to be transmitted is determined based upon user conditions.

12. The apparatus of

claim 11

, wherein the user conditions are determined using face finding and position tracking, whereby it can be determined whether a user is looking at a screen associated with a terminal.

13. The apparatus of

claim 9

, wherein the one or more media which provide a user of the first terminal with a greatest level of understanding of the information to be transmitted is determined based upon user preferences.

14. The apparatus of

claim 8

, wherein the list of media formats includes a plurality of formats for each particular media.