RECORDING AND VIDEOMAIL FOR VIDEO CONFERENCING CALL SYSTEMS

• US 20090086012A1
• Filed: 05/30/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Optical Fusion Inc.
• Inventors: Thapa, Mukund N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,243,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.80
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4046 with distributed floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/562 where the conference facilities are distributed
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/564 whereby the feature is a sub-conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/568 audio processing specific to telephonic conferencing, e.g. spatial distribution, mixing of participants echo suppression in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/02; sound field processing per se H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831

Abstract

In one aspect, a request to initiate a video conference is received from a caller. The request identifies one or more called parties for the video conference. A request for the video conference is sent to one of the called parties. The called party does not accept the request. In response to a lack of acceptance of the request by the called party, a videomail service is provided. A videomail message from the caller is recorded. The caller is the sender of the videomail message and the called party is the recipient of the videomail message. The called party is notified that he has a videomail message.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for implementing videomail for video conferencing, the method comprising:

a caller making a video conference call to a first called party;

in response to the first called party not accepting the video conference call, providing a videomail service that includes;

recording a videomail message from the caller as sender of the videomail message, to the first called party as recipient of the videomail message; and

notifying the first called party that the first called party has a videomail message.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the caller makes the video conference call also to a second called party, the method further comprising:

initiating a video conference between the caller and the second called party;

the step of recording the videomail message including recording the video conference as the videomail message.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the videomail message includes text chat during the video conference.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the videomail service permits the sender to send the videomail message to two or more recipients.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the videomail service permits the sender to edit the recorded videomail message before sending to the recipient.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the videomail service permits the sender to cancel the recorded videomail message.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 further comprising:

upon cancellation of the recorded videomail message, notifying the first called party that the first called party missed a video conference call.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

permitting the recipient to forward the videomail message.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein the videomail service further includes:

permitting the sender to limit the distribution of the videomail message.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 wherein the videomail service further includes:

permitting the sender to limit the number of times the videomail message is forwarded.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the videomail service further includes:

permitting the sender to limit a lifetime of the videomail message.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the videomail service further includes:

permitting the sender to set permissions for the videomail message.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first called party is notified before recording of the videomail message has been completed.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 further comprising:

in response to a request from the first called party, playing back the videomail message to the first called party, the play back beginning before recording of the videomail message has been completed.

15. A graphical user interface for display and/or play back of videomail messages for video conferencing, the graphical user interface comprising:

a main communicator element that includes top-level controls for video conferencing; and

a message center that identifies received videomail messages, at least some of the videomail messages generated in connection with video conferencing activities, the videomail messages played back within a playback window upon selection from the message center.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 15 wherein the message center can be docked or undocked, the message center displayed within the main communicator element when docked and displayed in a window separate from the main communicator element when undocked.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 15 wherein the playback window can be docked or undocked, the playback window displayed within the main communicator element when docked and displayed in a window separate from the main communicator element when undocked.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 17 wherein selecting a videomail message for play back automatically undocks the playback window for that videomail message.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 15 further comprising:

a user input element that, when activated, permits the recipient to reply all to the other addressees on the videomail message.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 15 further comprising:

a user input element that, when activated, permits the recipient to initiate a video conference with the other addressees on the videomail message.

21. A computer-implemented method for recording video conferencing as videomail messages, the method comprising:

receiving a video conference call from a caller to called party;

initiating a video conference between the caller and the called party;

recording the video conference;

storing the recorded video conference; and

sending the recorded video conference as a videomail message to a recipient.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the step of sending the recorded video conference as a videomail message to a recipient comprises:

storing the recorded video conference at a central server; and

sending to the recipient a notification of the recorded video conference.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the step of recording the video conference includes notifying participants in the video conference that the video conference is being recorded.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23 wherein the step of recording the video conference includes recording only those participants in the video conference who have agreed to recording.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the step of recording the video conference includes recording text chat during the video conference.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the step of recording the video conference includes:

selecting which participants in the video conference to record; and

recording only the selected participants.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the step of recording the video conference includes recording a separate video stream for different participants in the video conference.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the step of recording the video conference includes recording a separate audio stream for different participants in the video conference.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 wherein the step of recording the video conference includes recording private messages sent between participants during the video conference.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 further comprising:

playing back the videomail message.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 30 wherein the recipient has the same controls over play back of the videomail message as would have been available for original broadcast of the video conference.

32. A computer-implemented method for implementing video conferencing, the method comprising:

a caller making a video conference call to at least two called parties;

at least two of the called parties accepting the video conference call;

initiating a video conference, with the caller and the accepting called parties as participants;

receiving a request from one of the participants to send a private message to another participant; and

sending the private message from the requesting participant to the receiving participant without notifying the other participants.