System, method and computer program product for video teleconferencing and multimedia presentations

• US 20040098456A1
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: OpenPeak Inc.
• Inventors: Krzyzanowski, Paul, Trotter, John, Pitts, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0435 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13248 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13337 Picturephone, videotelephony

Abstract

A video teleconferencing and multimedia presentation system is provided. The system is integrated and network-ready to facilitate ease of set-up and operation, and also utilizes IP and/or wireless networking to provide advanced features and functionality, such as remote access and control and the ability to perform secure archiving and retrieval of recorded video and audio data. The system further utilizes a unique peer-to-peer conference network solution in order to address the bandwidth limitations that plague conventional systems and allow enhanced viewing of high-bandwidth applications.

Claims

1. A method for concurrently conducting a video teleconference and delivering a multimedia presentation, comprising:

transmitting a copy of a multimedia presentation from a first video teleconferencing system to a second video teleconferencing system, wherein said second video teleconferencing system is remotely located with respect to said first video teleconferencing system;

storing said copy of said multimedia presentation locally with respect to said second video teleconferencing system;

initiating a video teleconference between said first video teleconferencing system and said second video teleconferencing system; and

during said video teleconference, transmitting commands from said first video teleconferencing system to said second video teleconferencing system to initiate and control the delivery of said copy of said multimedia-presentation to said second video teleconferencing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting said copy of said multimedia presentation occurs concurrently with said transmitting said commands.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing audio and video data corresponding to said video teleconference to a storage system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said storing said audio and video data to a storage system comprises storing said audio and video data to one of:

an optical disk drive, a storage area network, or network attached storage.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising retrieving said audio and video data from said storage system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a copy of said multimedia presentation to a storage system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said storing a copy of said multimedia presentation to a storage system comprises storing a copy of said multimedia presentation to one of:

an optical disk drive, a storage area network, or network attached storage.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising retrieving said copy of said multimedia presentation from said storage system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting said copy of said multimedia presentation and transmitting said commands comprises transmitting data over a local area network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting said copy of said multimedia presentation and transmitting said commands comprises transmitting data over a wide area network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing said first video teleconferencing system from a computer system that is remotely located with respect to said first video teleconferencing system, wherein said accessing comprises using a web interface.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting said multimedia presentation from said computer system to said first video teleconferencing system using said web interface.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting commands for controlling said first video teleconferencing system from a handheld device to said first video teleconferencing system over a wireless network.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said handheld device comprises a personal digital assistant.

15. An integrated video teleconferencing system, comprising:

a memory that stores a multimedia presentation;

a processor configured to transmit a copy of said multimedia presentation from said memory to a remote video teleconferencing system for storage at said remote video teleconferencing system; and

a display configured to display a user interface, said user interface for receiving input from a user;

wherein said processor is further configured to initiate a video teleconference with said remote video teleconferencing system in response to said user input and to transmit commands to said remote video teleconferencing system during said video teleconference in response to said user input, said commands for initiating and controlling the delivery of said copy of said multimedia presentation to said remote video teleconferencing system.

16. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to transmit said copy of said multimedia presentation concurrently with transmitting said commands.

17. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 15, wherein said display comprises a touch sensitive display.

18. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 15, wherein said display comprises a first display area for displaying said video teleconference and a second display area for displaying said multimedia presentation.

19. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 15, further comprising an additional display, said additional display configured to display one of said video teleconference or said multimedia presentation.

20. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 15, further comprising a network interface for transmitting a copy of said multimedia presentation and said commands to said remote video teleconferencing system over a network.

21. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 20, wherein said network interface comprises an interface to a local area network.

22. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 20, wherein said network interface comprises an interface to a wide area network.

23. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 15, further comprising:

a storage system;

wherein said processor is further configured to store audio and video data corresponding to said video teleconference to said storage system in response to said user input.

24. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 23, wherein said processor is further configured to store a copy of said multimedia presentation to said storage system in response to said user input.

25. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 23, wherein said storage system comprises one of:

an optical disk drive, a storage area network, or network attached storage.

26. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 23, wherein said processor is further configured to retrieve said audio and video data from said storage system in response to said user input.

27. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 15, wherein said processor is further configured to provide a web interface to a remote computer system, and to receive input from a user of said remote computer system via said web interface.

28. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 27, wherein said processor is further configured to receive said multimedia presentation from said remote computer system via said web interface.

29. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 15, further comprising:

a wireless network interface;

wherein said processor is further configured to receive user input from a handheld device via said wireless network interface.

30. The integrated video teleconferencing system of claim 29, wherein said processor is further configured to receive user input from a personal digital assistant via said wireless network interface.

31. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a video teleconferencing system to concurrently conduct a video teleconference and deliver a multimedia presentation, said computer program logic comprising:

means for enabling the processor to transmit a copy of a multimedia presentation to a remote video teleconferencing system for storage at said remote video teleconferencing system;

means for enabling the processor to initiate a video teleconference with said remote video teleconferencing system; and

means for enabling the processor to transmit commands to said remote video teleconferencing system during said video teleconference, said commands for initiating and controlling the delivery of said copy of said multimedia presentation to said remote video teleconferencing system.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein said means for enabling the processor to transmit a copy of said multimedia presentation comprises means for enabling the processor to transmit said copy of said multimedia presentation concurrently with transmitting said commands.

33. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising means for enabling the processor to store audio and video data corresponding to said video teleconference to a storage system.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising means for enabling the processor to store a copy of said multimedia presentation to said storage system.

35. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising means for enabling the processor to retrieve said audio and video data from said storage system.

36. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising means for enabling the processor to transmit said copy of said multimedia presentation and said commands to said remote video teleconferencing system over a local area network.

37. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising means for enabling the process to transmit said copy of said multimedia presentation and said commands to said remote video teleconferencing system over a wide area network.

38. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising:

means for enabling the processor to provide a web interface to a remote computer system; and

means to enable the processor to receive input from a user of said remote computer system via said web interface.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, further comprising:

means for enabling the processor to receive said multimedia presentation from said remote computer system via said web interface.

40. The computer program product of claim 31, further comprising:

means for enabling the processor to receive user input from a handheld device via a wireless network interface.