Video Conferencing Device which Performs Multi-way Conferencing

• US 20080316297A1
• Filed: 06/19/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: King, Keith C., Mock, Wayne E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,237,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

In various embodiments, a video conferencing device (e.g., an endpoint) may generate a video frame that includes video images of two or more video conferencing endpoints. The video frame may then be sent to a video conferencing device that may receive the video frame and separate the two or more video images into separate video images. In some embodiments, coordinate information sent along with the video frame (e.g., in metadata) may be used by the video conferencing endpoint to determine the locations of the video images in the video frame to facilitate separation of the video images. By transmitting and receiving video frames with multiple video images (from different video conferencing endpoints), multiple video conferencing endpoints can implement a multi-way video conference call without using an MCU.

Claims

1. A video conferencing endpoint operable to perform multi-way video conferencing, the video conferencing endpoint comprising:

a video input operable to receive two or more first video images in a single video frame of a video stream;

a decoder coupled to the video input for decoding the received video frame;

a processor coupled to the decoder and operable to implement virtual decoder program instructions operable to;

receive the video frame from the decoder comprising the two or more first video images; and

separate the two or more first video images into separate video images;

wherein the video conferencing endpoint is a first video conferencing endpoint and wherein the first video conferencing endpoint is further operable to transmit an output video frame to a second video conferencing endpoint;

wherein the output video frame comprises two or more second video images, and wherein the two or more second video images comprise at least one of the separated video images.

2. The video conferencing endpoint of claim 1, wherein the output video frame comprises video images from at least two video conferencing endpoints.

3. The video conferencing endpoint of claim 1, wherein the video conferencing endpoint is further operable to generate coordinate information for the video images in the output video frame and transmit the coordinate information with the output frame to the second video conferencing endpoint.

4. The video conferencing endpoint of claim 1, further comprising:

a scaler coupled to or implemented in the hardware; and

a compositor coupled to the scaler;

wherein the first video conferencing endpoint is further operable to provide at least one of the separated video images to the scaler and/or compositor to arrange the at least one separated video image into a video image layout.

5. The video conferencing endpoint of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further operable to scale one or more of the separate video images.

6. The video conferencing endpoint of claim 1, wherein the first video conferencing endpoint is further operable to composite a video image layout comprising one or more of the separate video images.

7. The video conferencing endpoint of claim 6, wherein the first video conferencing endpoint is further operable to display the video image layout.

8. The video conferencing endpoint of claim 6, wherein the layout for the video image layout is selected by a local video conferencing participant using the first video conferencing endpoint.

9. The video conferencing endpoint of claim 1, wherein separating the video images is performed through the use of coordinate information received with the received video frame.

10. The video conferencing endpoint of claim 9, wherein separating the video images is performed by separating the video images at their respective boundaries, wherein the boundaries are identified through the coordinate information received with the received video frame.

11. The video conferencing endpoint of claim 9, wherein at least one of the two or more separate video images is from previous local video from the first video conferencing endpoint separating the two or more first video images and wherein the first video conferencing endpoint is further operable to generate a new video frame that comprises at least one of the separated video images and at least one video image from current local video of the first video conferencing endpoint.

12. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving a first video frame, comprising two or more first video images at a first video conferencing endpoint, wherein the two or more first video images are from at least two different video conferencing endpoints;

separating the two or more first video images in the first video frame into two or more separate video images;

compositing two or more second video images into a second video frame, wherein at least one of the two or more second video images is at least one of the two or more separate video images;

transmitting the second video frame to a second video conferencing endpoint; and

wherein the first video conferencing endpoint and the second video conferencing endpoint are operable to participate in a multi-way video conference between at least four total video conferencing endpoints without using an MCU.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein the second video frame comprises video images from at least two video conferencing endpoints.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 12,

wherein the first video conferencing endpoint and the second video conferencing endpoint are communicatively coupled to a third video conferencing endpoint and a fourth video conferencing endpoint;

wherein the first video conferencing endpoint is operable to transmit, to the second video conferencing endpoint, a first output video frame comprising video images from the first video conferencing endpoint and a second output video frame comprising video images from the third video conferencing endpoint and the fourth video conferencing endpoint;

wherein the first video conferencing endpoint is further operable to transmit the second output video frame to the fourth video conferencing endpoint;

wherein the second video conferencing endpoint is operable to transmit, to the fourth video conferencing endpoint, a third output video frame comprising video images from the first video conferencing endpoint and the second video conferencing endpoint;

wherein the third video conferencing endpoint is operable to transmit, to the first video conferencing endpoint, a fourth output video frame comprising video images from the third video conferencing endpoint and the fourth video conferencing endpoint;

wherein the fourth video conferencing endpoint is operable to transmit, to the third video conferencing endpoint, a fifth output video frame comprising video images from the first video conferencing endpoint and the second video conferencing endpoint and a sixth output video frame comprising video images from the fourth video conferencing endpoint; and

wherein the fourth video conferencing endpoint is further operable to transmit the fifth output video frame to the first video conferencing endpoint.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein the first video conferencing endpoint is further operable to composite third video images into a video image layout, wherein at least one of the third video images is at least one of the separated video images.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 12, further comprising scaling two or more second video images.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein the second video conferencing endpoint is further operable to composite fourth video images into a video image layout, wherein at least one of the fourth video images is at least one of the separated video images.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 17, further comprising displaying the video image layout.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 17, further comprising selecting a layout for the video image layout by a participant using the second video conferencing endpoint.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein separating the two or more video images is performed through the use of coordinate information received with the received video frame.

21. The computer implemented method of claim 20, wherein separating the two or more video images is performed by separating the two or more video images at their respective boundaries, wherein the boundaries are identified through the coordinate information received with the first video frame.

22. The computer implemented method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the two or more separate video images is from previous local video from the second video conferencing endpoint and wherein the second video conferencing endpoint is further operable to generate a new video frame that comprises at least one of the separated video images and at least one video image from current local video of the second video conferencing endpoint.

23. A computer implemented method for managing a multi-way video conference call, comprising:

using a pattern to determine which video conferencing endpoints in the multi-way video conference call will transmit combinations of video images to other video conferencing endpoints in the multi-way video conference call;

using the pattern to determine which video images to include in the various combinations transmitted between the video conferencing endpoints, wherein a plurality of the combinations include at least two video images, each from different video conferencing endpoints; and

transmitting instructions to one or more of the video conferencing endpoints participating in the video conference call.

24. The computer implemented method of claim 23, wherein the multi-way video conference call comprises four video conferencing endpoints including a first, second, third, and fourth video conferencing endpoint, the method comprising:

transmitting instructions to the first video conferencing endpoint to transmit, to the second video conferencing endpoint, a first output video frame comprising video images from the first video conferencing endpoint and a second output video frame comprising video images from the third video conferencing endpoint and the fourth video conferencing endpoint;

transmitting instructions to the first video conferencing endpoint to transmit to the fourth video conferencing endpoint, the second output video frame;

transmitting instructions to the second video conferencing endpoint to transmit, to the fourth video conferencing endpoint, a third output video frame comprising video images from the first video conferencing endpoint and the second video conferencing endpoint;

transmitting instructions to the third video conferencing endpoint to transmit, to the first video conferencing endpoint, a fourth output video frame comprising video images from the third video conferencing endpoint and the fourth video conferencing endpoint;

transmitting instructions to the fourth video conferencing endpoint to transmit, to the third video conferencing endpoint, a fifth output video frame comprising video images from the first video conferencing endpoint and the second video conferencing endpoint and a sixth output video frame comprising video images from the fourth video conferencing endpoint; and

transmitting instructions to the fourth video conferencing endpoint to transmit to the first video conferencing endpoint the fifth output video frame.