Establishing a Video Conference During a Phone Call

• US 20110249073A1
• Filed: 06/06/2010
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wu, Hsi-Jung, Lemay, Stephen O., Garcia, Roberto JR., Zhou, Xiaosong, Cranfill, Elizabeth C., Abuan, Joe S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• 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

Some embodiments provide a method for initiating a video conference using a first mobile device. The method presents, during an audio call through a wireless communication network with a second device, a selectable user-interface (UI) item on the first mobile device for switching from the audio call to the video conference. The method receives a selection of the selectable UI item. The method initiates the video conference without terminating the audio call. The method terminates the audio call before allowing the first and second devices to present audio and video data exchanged through the video conference.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium of a first mobile device, the computer readable medium storing a computer program, said computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

presenting, during an audio call through a wireless communication network with a second device, a selectable user-interface (UI) item on the first mobile device for switching from the audio call to a video conference;

receiving a selection of the selectable UI item;

without terminating the audio call, initiating the video conference; and

terminating the audio call before allowing the first and second devices to present audio and video data exchanged through the video conference.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for presenting the selectable UI item comprises continuously presenting the selectable UI item within a display area that is displayable on a display screen of the first mobile device during the audio call.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises sets of instructions for:

displaying in a first display area a first video captured with the first device while awaiting a second video captured from the second device to arrive at the first device;

reducing the size of the first display area when the second video has been received at the first device in order to show the second video in a second display area on the first device.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein once reduced in size, the first display area overlaps the second display area.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein once the first display area reduces in size, the first and second display areas form a picture-in-picture display, with the first display area serving as an inset picture that overlaps the second display area.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the audio call is terminated before allowing the first and second devices to exchange audio and video data through the video conference.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the audio call is terminated after the first and second devices start to exchange audio and video data through the video conference but before the first and second devices start presenting the exchanged audio and video data.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for establishing a communication channel with the second device from the first mobile device to establish the audio call between the first and second mobile devices.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device is a mobile communication device for communicating with another device in a wireless communication network.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device is a smart phone.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first and second mobile devices are provisioned with the wireless communication network to make audio calls with other devices through the wireless communication network.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first mobile device is provisioned with the wireless communication network to make audio calls with other devices through the wireless communication network, while the second mobile device is not provisioned to make audio calls with other devices through the wireless communication network.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first and second devices are smart phones.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a private wireless communication network.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the communication network is a public wireless communication network.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 1,

wherein the wireless communication network comprises circuit switch equipment for routing audio calls and packet switch equipment for routing data,

wherein the audio call is routed through the circuit switch equipment of the communication network while the audio and video data exchanged during the video conference are exchanged as packets through the packet switch equipment,

wherein the packets are transported between the first and second devices over an Internet Protocol (IP) communication link.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium of a first mobile device, the computer readable medium storing a computer program for setting up a video conference during a phone call between the first device and a second device, said computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

presenting, during the phone call between the first and second devices, a first user-interface (UI) layout on the first device, the first UI layout comprising a selectable UI item for switching from the phone call to the video conference;

upon receiving a selection of the selectable UI item, presenting a second UI layout comprising a first video captured by the first device; and

upon receiving an acceptance of the video conference request from the second device, presenting a third UI layout that shows the first video and a second video captured by the second device.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first and second devices are mobile devices that are provisioned for making phone calls through at least one public wireless communication network of one wireless service carrier.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the third UI layout comprises a picture-in-picture (PIP) display, the PIP display comprising a main display area showing the second video and an inset display area showing the first video, the inset display being smaller than the main display area and overlapping at least a portion of the main display area.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for providing an animated initial presentation of the second video upon receiving an acceptance of the video conference request from the second device, by reducing the size of a first display area displaying the first video to reveal a second display area displaying the second video behind the first display area.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the third UI layout comprises a composite display, the composite display comprising a first display area showing the first video and a second display area showing the second video, wherein the first display and the second display are of the same size and are situated side-by-side.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first UI layout, the second UI layout, and the third UI layout are in a same display area of a UI of the first device.