TECHNIQUES TO MANAGE MEDIA CONTENT FOR A MULTIMEDIA CONFERENCE EVENT

• US 20090282103A1
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Singh, Noor-E-Gagan, Bhattacharjee, Avronil, Thakkar, Pulin, Jain, Stuti
• Granted Patent: US 8,316,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Techniques to manage media content for a multimedia conference event are described. An apparatus may comprise a media content manager component operative to generate a visual composition for a multimedia conference event. The media content manager component may comprise a video decoder module operative to decode multiple media streams for a multimedia conference event. The media content manager component may comprise a media stream manager module communicatively coupled to the video decoder module, the media stream manager module operative to determine a total number of decoded media streams is greater than a total number of available display frames in a visual composition. The media content manager component may comprise a media selection module communicatively coupled to the media stream manager module, the media selection module operative to select an active group of decoded media streams from among the total number of decoded media streams for mapping to the available display frames based on speech activity. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

decoding multiple media streams for a multimedia conference event;

determining a total number of decoded media streams is greater than a total number of available display frames in a visual composition; and

selecting an active group of decoded media streams from among the total number of decoded media streams for mapping to the available display frames based on speech activity.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising selecting a member of a non-active group of decoded media streams as a non-active replacement candidate to replace a member of the active group of decoded media streams based on speech activity.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising selecting a member of the active group of decoded media streams as an active replacement candidate to be replaced by a member of the non-active group of decoded media streams based on an activity score.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising replacing an active replacement candidate from the active group with a non-active replacement candidate from a non-active group.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising generating an activity score to represent characteristics of speech activity for participants of the decoded media streams.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising generating an activity score to represent a most recent time for speech activity by a participant.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising generating an activity score to represent a ratio value of speech activity to non-speech activity.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising generating an activity score to represent a count value for speech activity by a participant.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising generating an activity score to represent a length value for speech activity by a participant.

10. The method of claim 3, comprising mapping the active group of decoded media streams to the available display frames based on the activity scores, wherein the active group is a subset of the total number of decoded media streams.

11. An article comprising a storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to:

decode multiple media streams for a multimedia conference event;

determine a total number of decoded media streams is greater than a total number of available display frames in a visual composition; and

select an active group of decoded media streams from among the total number of decoded media streams for mapping to the available display frames based on speech activity.

12. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to select a member of a non-active group of decoded media streams as a non-active replacement candidate to replace a member of the active group of decoded media streams based on speech activity.

13. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to select a member of the active group of decoded media streams as an active replacement candidate to be replaced by a member of the non-active group of decoded media streams based on an activity score.

14. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to replace an active replacement candidate from the active group with a non-active replacement candidate from a non-active group.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a media content manager component operative to generate a visual composition for a multimedia conference event, the media content manager component comprising;

a video decoder module operative to decode multiple media streams for a multimedia conference event;

a media stream manager module communicatively coupled to the video decoder module, the media stream manager module operative to determine a total number of decoded media streams is greater than a total number of available display frames in a visual composition; and

a media selection module communicatively coupled to the media stream manager module, the media selection module operative to select an active group of decoded media streams from among the total number of decoded media streams for mapping to the available display frames based on speech activity.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, comprising an active speaker detector module communicatively coupled to the video decoder module, the active speaker detector module operative to detect speech activity for the participants in the decoded media streams.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, the media selection module operative to select a member of a non-active group of decoded media streams as a non-active replacement candidate to replace a member of the active group of decoded media streams based on speech activity.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, the media selection module operative to select a member of the active group of decoded media streams as an active replacement candidate to be replaced by a member of the non-active group of decoded media streams based on an activity score.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, the media stream manager module operative to replace an active replacement candidate from the active group with a non-active replacement candidate from a non-active group.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, comprising an activity score generating module communicatively coupled to the active speaker detector module, the activity score generating module operative to generate a first activity score to represent characteristics of speech activity for participants of the decoded media streams, a second activity score to represent a most recent time for speech activity by a participant, a third activity score to represent a ratio value of speech activity to non-speech activity, a fourth activity score to represent a count value for speech activity by a participant, or a fifth activity score to represent a length value for speech activity by a participant.