System and method for videoconferencing and simultaneously viewing a supplemental video source

• US 6,243,129 B1
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 8X8, Inc.
• Inventors: Deierling, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US09/005,235
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.714, 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 370/260, 379/93.17
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/14 Picture signal circuitry for video frequency region cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• 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 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/64 Circuits for processing colour signals H04N9/77 takes precedence; camera processing pipelines for processing colour signals H04N23/84

Abstract

A videoconferencing arrangement that selectively creates a composite arrangement of videoconferencing data along with video data from a supplemental video source. In one embodiment, a first analog-to-digital converter provides digital videoconferencing data from a camera source, and a second analog-to-digital converter is arranged to provide digital video data from a supplemental analog video signal source, such as a broadcast television signal. Digital video signals from a remote videoconferencing arrangement are decompressed and provided as input, along with the video data from the camera and supplemental video data, to a video processor. Responsive to selection signals, the video processor scales selected video data and overlays the scaled video data on selected other video data. For example, a live television broadcast can be overlaid with remote videoconferencing data.

Claims

1. A videoconferencing arrangement for simultaneous viewing of videoconferencing data along with video data from a supplemental video source, comprising:

a codec configured and arranged to provide decompressed videoconferencing data from a first source;

a first analog-to-digital converter, configured and arranged to provide digital videoconferencing data from a second source;

a second analog-to-digital converter, configured and arranged to provide digital video data from the supplemental source;

a video processor coupled to the codec, first converter, and second converter, the video processor configured and arranged to receive selection signals and responsive thereto, generate composite video data including selected scaled video data from the first source and second source overlaid on video data from the supplemental source;

a selector coupled to the codec the first converter and responsive to the selection signals, and arranged to output selected video data in response to the selection signals;

a first register arranged for storage of a value indicative of a horizontal screen position at which display of scaled video data begins;

a second register arranged for storage of a value indicative of a horizontal screen position at which display of scaled video data ends;

a third register arranged for storage of a value indicative of a vertical screen position at which display of scaled video data begins;

a second register arranged for storage of a value indicative of a vertical screen position at which display of scaled video data ends; and

means coupled to the first, second, third, and fourth registers for generating the selection signals responsive to values in the registers and a present pixel position.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a digital-to-analog converter coupled to the video processor and arranged to provide analog video signals.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the video processor is directly coupled to the second converter.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the codec includes a DSP circuit for compression and decompression of video data.

5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the video processor includes a general purpose processor circuit.

6. A videoconferencing arrangement for simultaneous viewing of videoconferencing data along with video data from a supplemental video source, comprising:

a codec configured and arranged to provide decompressed videoconferencing data from a first source;

a first analog-to-digital converter, configured and arranged to provide digital videoconferencing data from a second source;

a second analog-to-digital converter, configured and arranged to provide digital video data from the supplemental source; and

a video processor coupled to the codec, first converter, and second converter, configured and arranged to receive selection signals and responsive thereto, generate composite video data including selected scaled video data overlaid on other selected video data;

a selector coupled to the codec, the first converter and responsive to the selection signals, and arranged to output selected video data in response to the selection signals;

a first register arranged for storage of a value indicative of a horizontal screen position at which display of scaled video data begins;

a second register arranged for storage of a value indicative of a horizontal screen position at which display of scaled video data ends;

a third register arranged for storage of a value indicative of a vertical screen position at which display of scaled video data begins;

a fourth register arranged for storage of a value indicative of a vertical screen position at which display of scaled video data ends;

means coupled to the first, second, third, and fourth registers for generating the selection signals responsive to values in the registers and a present pixel position.