High resolution graphics side channel in video conference

• US 20020154209A1
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polycom Incorporated (Plantronics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kenoyer, Michael, Vanderwilt, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 8,279,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/12 Systems in which the television signal is transmitted via one channel or a plurality of parallel channels, the bandwidth of each channel being less than the bandwidth of the television signal H04N7/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A videoconference system can automatically transmit first and second images from a local site to a remote site where the first image is a high-resolution live image and the second image may be transmitted either as a high-resolution live or still frame image. Two video streams representing the first and second images are transmitted together to the remote site within a single carrier channel. The second image is transmitted as a still image whenever the second image is static to conserve bandwidth.

Claims

1. A videoconference system comprising:

a first image of a normal conference video source; and

a second image generated by an alternate video source, the second image being automatically transmitted with the first image from a local site to a remote site of a videoconference.

2. The videoconference system of claim 1 wherein the first image is a live image.

3. The videoconference system of claim 1 wherein the second image is a live image.

4. The videoconference system of claim 1 wherein the second image is a still frame image.

5. A videoconference system comprising:

a videoconference unit configured to receive at least two signals and to generate a carrier channel capable of carrying the at least two signals;

a first signal source configured to generate a first signal and in communication with the videoconference unit;

a second signal source configured to generate a second signal and in communication with the videoconference unit; and

a communications interface configured to receive the carrier channel from the videoconference unit and to transmit the carrier channel.

6. The videoconference system of claim 5 wherein the carrier channel includes a video subchannel.

7. The videoconference system of claim 5 wherein the carrier channel further includes an audio subchannel.

8. The videoconference system of claim 6 wherein the video subchannel includes a first video stream and a second video stream.

9. The videoconference system of claim 8 wherein the first video stream is derived from the first signal.

10. The videoconference system of claim 8 wherein the second video stream is derived from the second signal.

11. The videoconference system of claim 8 wherein the first video stream is in a high-resolution format.

12. The videoconference system of claim 8 wherein the second video stream is in a high-resolution format.

13. The videoconference system of claim 8 wherein the second video stream is configured to carry a live image only when the second signal changes.

14. The videoconference system of claim 5 wherein the first signal source is a video source, and the first signal includes a first video stream.

15. The videoconference system of claim 5 wherein the first signal further includes a first audio stream.

16. The videoconference system of claim 5 wherein the second signal source is an accessory module which includes a video source.

17. The videoconference system of claim 16 wherein the accessory module includes one or more microphone pods.

18. The videoconference system of claim 16 wherein the accessory module includes at least one input port.

19. The videoconference system of claim 5 wherein a side channel is utilized to communicate the second signal from the second signal source to the videoconference unit.

20. The videoconference system of claim 19 wherein the side channel includes a video component and an audio component.

21. The videoconference system of claim 5 wherein the second signal source is an interface card.

22. The videoconference system of claim 21 wherein the interface card is coupled to a computer.

23. The videoconference system of claim 21 wherein the interface card is coupled to a microphone pod.

24. The videoconference system of claim 23 wherein a side channel is utilized to communicate the second signal from the microphone pod to the videoconference unit.

26. The accessory module of claim 25 wherein the at least one input port is a LAN input port.

27. The accessory module of claim 25 wherein the at least one input port is a VGA input port.

28. The accessory module of claim 25 wherein the RGB analog-to-digital converter is further configured to sample an image source signal from the at least one input port and output the digitized signal as a digitized RGB image signal.

29. The accessory module of claim 28 wherein the field programmable gate array is further configured to convert the digitized RGB image signal into a YUV format.

30. The accessory module of claim 28 wherein the field programmable gate array uses the memory as a buffer to store multiple RGB data images.

31. The accessory module of claim 25 further including a sound A/D converter and wherein the at least one input includes an audio input coupled to the A/D converter.

25. An accessory module for providing an alternative source to a videoconference system comprising:

an RGB analog-to-digital converter coupled to at least one input port and configured to create a digitized signal;

a field programmable gate array coupled to the RGB analog-to-digital converter and configured to compress the digitized signal;

a processor coupled to the field programmable gate array; and

a memory coupled to both the field programmable gate array and the processor.

32. A videoconferenced system comprising:

a first videoconference unit configured to receive at least two signals and to generate a first carrier channel capable of carrying the at least two signals;

a first communications interface coupled to the first videoconference unit and configured to transmit the first carrier channel and receive a second carrier channel;

a second videoconference unit configured to receive at least two signals and to generate the second carrier channel capable of carrying the at least two signals; and

a second communications interface coupled to the second videoconference unit and configured to transmit the second carrier channel to the first videoconference system, and receive the first carrier channel from the first videoconference system.

33. The videoconferenced system of claim 32 wherein one of the at least two signals of the first videoconference unit is generated by an accessory module.

34. The videoconferenced system of claim 32 wherein the second videoconference unit includes a video monitor.

35. The videoconferenced system of claim 34 wherein the video monitor can alternately display the at least two signals from the first videoconference unit.

36. The videoconferenced system of claim 34 wherein the video monitor can display a first signal from the at least two signals of the first videoconference unit as a first picture and can display a second signal from the at least two signals of the first videoconference unit as a second picture within the first picture.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein each time the second image is changed a live image is transmitted to the remote site by sharing a bandwidth of the first signal within the carrier channel.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein whenever the second image is static, a still image is transmitted to the remote site.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein a change in the second image between a live image and a still image is performed automatically.

41. The method of claim 37 wherein providing a second signal includes processing the second image through an RGB A/D converter.

42. The method of claim 37 wherein providing a second signal includes processing the second image through a field programmable gate array.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein processing the second image through the RGB A/D converter includes sampling and digitizing the second image.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein processing the field programmable gate array includes compressing the second image.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein compressing the second image includes converting the second image into a YUV format.

46. The method of claim 37 wherein generating a carrier channel includes generating a video subchannel and an audio subchannel.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein generating a video subchannel includes generating first and second video streams.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the first and second video streams are high resolution.

37. A method for sending first and second images from a local site to a remote site, comprising:

providing a first signal carrying the first image to a videoconference unit at the first site;

providing a second signal carrying the second image to the videoconference unit;

generating a carrier channel to carry the first and second signals; and

transmitting the carrier channel to the remote site.

49. A method for sending first and second images from a local site to a remote site, comprising:

means for providing a first signal carrying the first image to a videoconference unit at the first site;

means for providing a second signal carrying the second image to the videoconference unit;

means for generating a carrier channel to carry the first and second signals; and

means for transmitting the carrier channel to the remote site.