Abstracting Bridge Control in a Videoconferencing System

• US 20140210938A1
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Mock, Wayne E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,019,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

Controlling a bridge in a videoconferencing system through a remote endpoint. The endpoint may receive a generic menu-navigation user input command, such as a navigation command from a simple remote control device. The endpoint may then convert the user input into a bridge control command comprising at least one of a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal or a far-end camera control (FECC) signal. The use of DTMF and FECC signals is transparent to the user.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a bridge in a videoconferencing system, wherein the method is performed by an endpoint of the videoconferencing system, the method comprising:

the endpoint calling the bridge to join a videoconference;

receiving, from the bridge, a video stream comprising a user interface menu generated by the bridge, wherein the video stream comprising the user interface menu is received in response to said calling the bridge to join the videoconference;

displaying the video stream comprising the user interface menu on a display of the endpoint;

wherein the endpoint

     1) does not receive from the bridge any information regarding how to navigate within the user interface menu; and

     2) does not present to a user any information regarding how to navigate within the user interface menu;

receiving, by the endpoint, user input navigating within the user interface menu and selecting one or more user interface elements within the user interface menu to control one or more aspects of the videoconference.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface menu generated by the bridge and displayed on the display of the endpoint has an appearance and feel of a locally generated user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving user input comprises:

receiving, by the endpoint, user input selecting a user input element comprised in the user interface menu;

converting the user input into at least one bridge control command comprising at least one of a far-end camera control (FECC) signal or a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal;

transmitting the at least one bridge control command to the bridge, wherein the bridge control command is configured to navigate the user interface menu;

receiving from the bridge an updated video stream, the updated video stream comprising an updated user interface menu which reflects the user input selecting the user input element.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the endpoint is not required to be placed in a FECC mode by the user to enable user interaction with the user interface menu.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the endpoint does not receive any instructions from the bridge to place the endpoint in a FECC mode to enable user interaction with the user interface menu.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the endpoint does not present to the user any information indicating that the at least one bridge control command comprises at least one of a FECC command or a DTMF signal.

7. The method of claim 3,

wherein the video stream further comprises metadata that indicates that the bridge is in virtual operator mode;

wherein the video stream comprises the user interface menu when the bridge is in the virtual operator mode;

the method further comprising the endpoint determining that the bridge is in the virtual operator mode based on the metadata comprised in the video stream;

wherein said receiving user input, said converting, and said transmitting are performed by the endpoint in response to the endpoint determining that the bridge is in the virtual operator mode.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the endpoint calling the bridge to join a videoconference comprises the endpoint providing metadata that indicates device-type information regarding the endpoint;

wherein the endpoint receives, from the bridge, the video stream comprising the user interface menu generated by the bridge in response to the bridge determining, based on the metadata, that it can couple the endpoint.

9. A method for controlling a bridge in a videoconferencing system, the method comprising:

receiving, at the bridge, a call from an endpoint in the videoconferencing system;

transmitting from the bridge to the endpoint, in response to said receiving a call, a video stream comprising a user interface menu generated by the bridge, wherein the video stream does not include any information regarding how to navigate within the user interface menu;

receiving, at the bridge, a bridge control command from the endpoint, wherein the bridge control command is configured to navigate the user interface menu, and wherein the bridge control command comprises at least one of a far-end camera control (FECC) signal or a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the call from the endpoint comprises metadata which indicates device-type information regarding the endpoint, and wherein said transmitting a video stream further comprises:

determining from the device-type information whether the bridge can couple with the endpoint;

if the bridge can couple with the endpoint, generating the user interface menu, wherein the user interface menu does not include any information regarding how to navigate within the user interface menu; and

if the bridge cannot couple with the endpoint, generating the user interface menu, wherein the user interface menu includes information regarding how to navigate within the user interface menu.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating an updated user interface menu in response to receiving the bridge control command; and

transmitting from the bridge to the endpoint an updated video stream, the updated video stream comprising the updated user interface menu.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the user interface menu has an appearance and feel of a user interface generated by the endpoint.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the video stream does not include any instructions to place the endpoint in a FECC mode to enable user interaction with the user interface menu.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the video stream does not include any information indicating that navigating the user interface menu may be performed by transmitting to the bridge a FECC signal or a DTMF signal.

15. The method of claim 9,

wherein the video stream further comprises metadata that indicates that the bridge is in virtual operator mode;

wherein the video stream comprises the user interface menu when the bridge is in the virtual operator mode.

16. A method for controlling a bridge in a videoconferencing system, the method comprising:

receiving, at the bridge, metadata from an endpoint in the videoconferencing system, wherein the metadata comprises device-type information regarding the endpoint;

determining from the device-type information whether the bridge can couple with the endpoint;

if the bridge cannot couple with the endpoint, transmitting from the bridge to the endpoint a video stream comprising information regarding how to configure the bridge, wherein the information identifies at least one of a far-end camera control (FECC) signal or a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal that may be used to configure the bridge;

if the bridge can couple with the endpoint, transmitting from the bridge to the endpoint a video stream that does not comprise information regarding how to configure the bridge; and

receiving, at the bridge, a bridge control command from the endpoint, wherein the bridge control command comprises at least one of a FECC signal or a DTMF signal.

17. A method for controlling a bridge in a videoconferencing system, wherein the method is performed by an endpoint of the videoconferencing system, the method comprising:

receiving, from the bridge, a video stream comprising metadata, wherein the metadata comprises device-type information regarding the bridge;

determining, based on the device-type information, command conversion information for the bridge, wherein the command conversion information comprises information regarding converting generic menu-navigation user input commands into bridge control commands, wherein the bridge control commands comprise at least one of a far-end camera control (FECC) signal or a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal;

receiving user input comprising generic menu-navigation user input commands;

converting, based on the command conversion information, the user input into at least one bridge control command comprising at least one of a FECC signal or a DTMF signal.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the metadata further comprises an operating mode of the bridge;

and

wherein said determining the command conversion information for the bridge is further based on the operating mode of the bridge.