Method and system for delivering produced content to passive participants of a videoconference

• US 20040230651A1
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Ivashin, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 7,454,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

A conferencing system supporting active and passive participants is disclosed. The conferencing system includes a client component defining active and passive participants, and a server component having a connection to each active and passive participant defined in the client component. The server component includes a connection manager for managing the connection between each active and passive participant and the server component, a media mixer for receiving conference media and for distributing conference media to active and passive participants, and a virtual producer for selecting conference media to be distributed to passive participants. The conference media provided to the passive participants is dynamically determined based upon activities and selections of a set of active participants.

Claims

1. A conferencing system supporting active and passive participants in which an active participant selects and configures media for the active participant and the conferencing system selects and provides media to a passive participant, the conferencing system comprising:

a client component defining active and passive participants; and

a server component having a connection to each of the active and passive participants defined in the client component, the server component including;

a connection manager for managing the connection between each of the active and passive participants and the server component;

a media mixer for receiving conference media and for distributing conference media to the active and passive participants; and

a virtual producer for selecting conference media to be distributed to the passive participant,

wherein the conference media provided to the passive participant is dynamically determined based upon activities and selections of a set of active participants.

2. The conferencing system of claim 1, further comprising an event handler, the event handler working in cooperation with the connection manager to monitor participant activity and provide information about participant activity to the media mixer.

3. The conferencing system of claim 1, further comprising a session manager, the session manager being a part of the server component and being configured to define rules of collaboration and media exchange, wherein the rules of collaboration and media exchange control availability of conference media to the active and passive participants.

4. The conferencing system of claim 1, wherein the virtual producer includes a media ranking module, a media analysis module, and a media selection and layout module.

5. The conferencing system of claim 4, wherein the media ranking module receives a list of all conference media of a particular conference, an active participant ranking of conference media, interest markers associated with conference media, and indications of triggering events associated with conference media, and provides a raw media ranking of all conference media.

6. The conferencing system of claim 4, wherein the media analysis module receives a raw media ranking of all conference media and analyzes all conference media to provide a media ranking of media suitable for providing to passive participants, the media analysis module using system rules and collaboration rules to analyze the raw media ranking.

7. The conferencing system of claim 4, wherein the media selection and layout module receives a media ranking of media suitable for providing to the passive participant and selects media content and a layout for selected media content to be provided to the passive participant.

8. The conferencing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of active participants; and

a plurality of passive participants.

9. A videoconferencing system supporting active and passive participants, comprising:

a client component defining active and passive participants; and

a server component having a connection to each active and passive participant defined in the client component, the server component including;

a virtual producer for analyzing conference media and for selecting conference media to be provided to passive participants,

wherein the conference media provided to the passive participants is dynamically determined by the virtual producer based upon activities and selections of a set of active participants.

10. The videoconferencing system of claim 9, wherein the virtual producer includes a media ranking module, a media analysis module, and a media selection and layout module.

11. The videoconferencing system of claim 10, wherein the media ranking module determines a raw ranking of all media provided for use in the videoconferencing system, the raw ranking being a sequencing of all media provided for use in the videoconferencing system in accordance with a measured and an expressed interest in media provided for use in the videoconferencing system by active participants.

12. The videoconferencing system of claim 10, wherein the media analysis module buffers a raw ranking of all media provided for use in the videoconferencing system by applying collaboration rules and system rules.

13. The videoconferencing system of claim 10, wherein the media ranking and layout module selects media content and presentation layout to be provided to passive participants.

14. A method for determining a set of multiple media streams to deliver to a participant n a videoconference, comprising:

determining a raw ranking of all media streams in the videoconference;

analyzing the raw ranking of all media streams;

filtering the raw ranking of all media streams;

selecting a set of multiple media streams from the filtered raw ranking; and

delivering the selected set of multiple media streams to the participant in the videoconference.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

defining a set of participants in the videoconference to be monitored for a media content selection, a media layout selection, and an expressed media interest;

defining a set of system rules for the videoconference;

defining a set of collaboration rules for the videoconference format; and

selecting a presentation layout for the selected set of multiple media streams in accordance with the system rules and the collaboration rules.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

predicting a content importance of all media streams in the videoconference from interest regions determined from monitoring the media content selection, the media layout selection, and the expressed media interest of the defined set of participants in the videoconference.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the filtering of the raw ranking of all media streams is in accordance with a set of system rules and a set of collaboration rules.

18. A method of producing a media presentation for passive participants in a multi-participant videoconference having active participants and passive participants, the method comprising:

determining a raw media ranking of all media in the multi-participant videoconference;

filtering the raw media ranking;

selecting media from the filtered raw media ranking to be provided to passive participants; and

providing the selected media to passive participants in the multi-participant videoconference,

wherein the multi-participant videoconference system produces and provides the media presentation to passive participants.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

monitoring each one of a defined set of active participants, the monitoring to include media selection, media layout, and expressed interest in identified media content.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

selecting a media layout for the selected media to be provided to passive participants.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the raw media ranking of all media in the multi-participant videoconference is a sequencing of all media in the multi-participant videoconference by aggregating the media selection and media layout of the defined set of active participants, and the expressed interest in identified media content.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the filtering of the raw media ranking is according to system rules and collaboration rules.

23. A computer readable media having program instructions for providing a media presentation to a passive participant in a multi-participant videoconference, comprising:

program instructions to determine a raw ranking of all media streams in the videoconference;

program instructions to analyze the raw ranking of all media streams;

program instructions to filter the raw ranking of all media streams;

program instructions to select a set of multiple media streams from the filtered raw ranking; and

program instructions to deliver the selected set of multiple media streams to the passive participant in the videoconference.

24. The computer readable media of claim 23, further comprising:

program instructions to monitor a set of participants in the videoconference, the monitoring to include a media content selection, a media layout selection, and an expressed media interest;

program instructions to define a set of system rules for the videoconference;

program instructions to define a set of collaboration rules for the videoconference format; and

program instructions to select a presentation layout for the selected set of multiple media streams in accordance with the system rules and the collaboration rules.

25. The computer readable media of claim 24, further comprising:

program instructions to predict a content importance of all media streams in the videoconference from interest regions determined from monitoring the media content selection, the media layout selection, and the expressed media interest of the defined set of participants in the videoconference.

26. The computer readable media of claim 23, wherein the filtering of the raw ranking of all media streams is in accordance with a set of system rules and a set of collaboration rules.

27. A method for adjusting system efficiencies and bandwidth utilization in a multi-participant videoconferencing system, comprising:

determining a media ranking of all media provided in the multi-participant videoconferencing system;

determining a utilization of media in a produced content by the multi-participant videoconferencing system; and

adjusting one or more of media delivery parameters including a media file size, a media quality, a media delivery frame rate, and a delivery of media content,

wherein the adjusting of one or more media delivery parameters is in accordance with determined media ranking and utilization.

28. The method for adjusting system efficiencies and bandwidth utilization in a multi-participant videoconferencing system of claim 27, wherein the determined media ranking is obtained by monitoring participants in the multi-participant videoconferencing system, the monitoring to include media content selection, media layout selection, and expressed interest in identified media content.

29. The method for adjusting system efficiencies and bandwidth utilization in a multi-participant videoconferencing system of claim 28, further comprising:

predicting a content importance of all available media in a multi-participant videoconference from identified interest regions determined from the monitoring of the media content selection, from the media layout selection, and from the expressed media interest of the monitored participants,

wherein the adjusting of one or more media delivery parameters is further in accordance with predicted media content importance.