Systems and methods for shared multimedia experiences in virtual videoconference rooms

• US 20110283203A1
• Filed: 05/11/2011
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Blue Jeans Network, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Raghavan, Anand, Ramakrishnan, Krish, Grupenhoff, Michael, Periyannan, Alagu, Anand, Raghavan, Kalluri, Ravi Kiran, Weber, Emmanuel
• Granted Patent: US 8,875,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing
• 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 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support the operation of a Virtual Media Room or Virtual Meeting Room (VMR), wherein each VMR can accept from a plurality of participants at different geographic locations a variety of video conferencing feeds of audio and video streams from video conference endpoints. The approach provides collaborative viewing of an event through the VMR so that the participants at geographically distributed locations are able to simultaneously participate and share the experience of the event together. An initiating participant of the event sharing is further offered with in-meeting management and control over the content to be shared at the event. A globally distributed infrastructure supports the sharing of the event among the participants at geographically distributed locations through a plurality of MCUs (Multipoint Control Unit), each configured to process the plurality of audio and video streams from the plurality of video conference endpoints in real time.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a virtual meeting room (VMR) engine, which in operation,

accepts from a plurality of participants to the VMR a plurality of audio and video streams from a plurality of video conference endpoints each associated with one of the plurality of participants;

a user experience engine, which in operation, provides collaborative viewing of an event through the VMR so that the participants are able to simultaneously participate and share the experience of the live or recorded event together.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

locations of the participants sharing the event are geographically distributed.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a globally distributed infrastructure that supports the sharing of the event through a plurality of MCUs (Multipoint Control Unit) as media processing nodes, each configured to process the plurality of audio and video streams from the plurality of video conference endpoints in real time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the user experience engine enables one initiating participant to invite a group of other participants situated anywhere in the world for sharing the event in the VMR via a web or mobile interface.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the user experience engine enables the participants to continue to have conversations with other participants while watching the shared event.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the user experience engine enables the initiating participant to present a link to where content to be shared is located and to start streaming the content into the VMR for sharing with other participants.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the content is co-located with the initiating participant or located on the Internet on a 3^rd party web site or content store.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the user experience engine enables the initiating participant to control layout of the content being shared at the event.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the user experience engine enables the initiating participant to control where the shared content is visible geographically based on copyright restrictions.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the user experience engine enables the initiating participant to control the audio level of the shared content.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the user experience engine enables the initiating participant to control whether the shared content should be muted or not.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the user experience engine enables the initiating participant to control whether the shared content should be paused or removed temporarily from being shared with other participants.

13. A method, comprising:

accepting from a plurality of participants to a virtual meeting room (VMR) a plurality of audio and video streams from a plurality of video conference endpoints each associated with one of the plurality of participants;

providing collaborative viewing of an event through the VMR so that the participants are able to simultaneously participate and share the experience of the event together.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

supporting the sharing of the event through a plurality of MCUs (Multipoint Control Unit) as media processing nodes, each configured to process the plurality of audio and video streams from the plurality of video conference endpoints in real time.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

enabling one initiating participant to invite a group of other participants for sharing the event in the VMR via a web interface.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

enabling the participants to continue to have conversations with other participants while watching the shared event.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

enables the initiating participant to present a link to where content to be shared is located and to start streaming the content into the VMR for sharing with other participants.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

enabling the initiating participant to control layout of the content being shared.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

enabling the initiating participant to control where the shared content is visible.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

enabling the initiating participant to control the audio level of the shared content.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

enabling the initiating participant to control whether the shared content should be muted or not.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

enabling the initiating participant to control whether the shared content should be paused or removed temporarily from being shared with other participants.