System and method for graphically configuring a video call

• US 20030081110A1
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vtel Corporation
• Inventors: Seebaldt, Kurtis L., Lemieux, James Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,068,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A method and system for visual configuration of a video call represents video devices as graphical icons presented through a user interface. A directed graph relates the graphical icons to represent the configuration of the video devices in the video call and ensures that compatible video devices establish a valid video configuration by prohibiting invalid video call configurations. The user interface interacts with a video network platform that schedules and initiates video calls according to video call configurations. Video device types, identification, and configuration parameters are depicted along with state information for a video call to allow monitoring and correction of failures that may occur.

Claims

1. A user interface for visually configuring a video call, the user interface comprising:

a video call configuration window having plural icons, each icon representing a video device; and

a directed graph relating the icons to represent the configuration of the video devices in the video call;

wherein the directed graph relates compatible video devices and prohibits invalid video call configurations.

2. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a video device dialog box operable to add one or more video device types to the video call configuration window.

3. The user interface of claim 2 wherein selection of a video device type from the video device dialog box is operable to depict a library of available video devices of the selected video device type.

4. The user interface of claim 2 wherein addition of a video device type to a video call implicates one or more additional video devices to establish a valid video call configuration, the user interface further comprising a dialog box that identifies video devices needed for a valid video call configuration.

5. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the directed graph depicts one or more parameters for one or more of the video devices of the video call configuration.

6. The user interface of claim 5 wherein a parameter comprises the line speed of the video device associated with the directed graph.

7. The user interface of claim 5 wherein a parameter comprises the protocol of the video device associated with the directed graph.

8. The user interface of claim 5 wherein a parameter comprises the identification of the video device that initiates communication with one or more other video devices.

9. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the directed graph is operable to monitor a video call having the video call configuration by depicting changes in the state of the video call.

10. The user interface of claim 9 wherein changes in the state of the video call comprise failure of a video device.

11. The user interface of claim 10 wherein failure of a video device is depicted with a red color.

12. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a device list window associated with the video call configuration window, the device list window listing attributes of the video devices represented by the plural icons.

13. A method for visually configuring a video call with a computer user interface, the method comprising:

selecting a first video device for display as a first graphic by the user interface;

selecting a second video device for display as a second graphic by the user interface;

selecting the first graphic to initiate a directed graph arrow originating from the first graphic; and

selecting the second graphic to draw the directed graph arrow from the first graphic to the second graphic representing a video call between the first and second video devices.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining if a video call between the first and second video devices is a valid action; and

prohibiting the drawing of a directed graph arrow between the first and second graphics unless the video call between the first and second video devices is a valid action.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein a video call between the first and second video devices requires configuration through a third video device, the method further comprising:

determining that a video call configuration for a video call between the first and second video devices requires a third video device; and

presenting a graphic associated with the third video device to allow a valid video configuration using the third video device.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

scheduling a video call according to the video call configuration.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

initiating a video call according to the video call configuration.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

monitoring the video devices of the initiated video call; and

depicting the state of the monitored video devices through the user interface.

19. A video network comprising:

plural video devices;

a video network platform in communication with the plural video devices;

a user interface control associated with the video network platform and operable to depict the video devices as graphical icons having a video call configuration represented by a directed graph.

20. The video network of claim 19 wherein the user interface control is further operable to determine the validity of a video call configuration.

21. The video network of claim 19 wherein the user interface is further operable to direct the video network platform to initiate a video call according to the video call configuration.