System and user interface for multiparty conferencing

• US 6,496,201 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 12/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Meriwether, Vincent J., Cardwell, Travis Madison, Baldwin, Wayne Ross, Talbot, Richard Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US09/409,449
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 345/700, 345/716, 345/719, 345/727, 345/733, 345/751, 345/753, 345/756, 345/758, 345/759, 345/764, 345/781, 345/788, 345/798-800, 345/810, 345/821, 345/823, 345/835, 345/840, 345/866, 348/14.01, 348/14.03, 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.1, 348/14.11, 709/204
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A system, conferencing application, and graphical user interface for supporting standards based, multiparty teleconferencing, video conferencing, and application sharing are disclosed. The system includes a hardware platform such as a desktop computer, a network computer, or a workstation computer. The hardware platform includes one or more processors, and a system memory as well as input and output devices for user interaction. Conferencing hardware such as a microphone and speakers for audio content and a video camera for video content are interfaced to the hardware platform, typically through an I/O bus of the hardware platform. The system further includes operating system software residing at least in part in memory. The operating system controls execution of application programs on the hardware platform. The system further includes an application for participating in a multi-party conferencing session. The conferencing application generates a graphical user interface that includes a call control section for managing an active conferencing session, a phone control section, including video windows displaying video content of one or more parties to the conferencing session, and a mode section for facilitating access to another conferencing system.

Claims

1. A conferencing system, comprising:

a hardware platform including processor, memory, input, and display means;

conferencing hardware;

an operating system, at least partially residing in the memory of the hardware platform and suitable for controlling execution of application programs; and

a conferencing application suitable for supporting a multi-party conferencing session;

wherein the conferencing application generates a graphical user interface (GUI) including a call control section for managing an active conferencing session, a phone control section, including means for generating video windows that are detachable from the GUI and that display video images of one or more parties to the conferencing session, and a mode section for facilitating access to another conferencing system; and

wherein the GUI is further configured to generate a first external window responsive to a first type of event and a second external window responsive to a second type of event, wherein the GUI includes means for determining placement on the display of the external window according to the event type.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the call control section includes at least one icon selected from a group of icons including a hang-up icon for terminating the conferencing system, a hold icon for placing a party to the conferencing session on hold, and a join icon for adding an additional party to the conferencing session.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein access to another conferencing system is facilitated by a speed dialing menu appearing in response to clicking on a mode key in the mode section.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein access to another conferencing system is facilitated by a directory server listing appearing in response to clicking on a mode key in the mode section.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein access to another conferencing system is facilitated by a call log history menu appearing in response to clicking on a mode key in the mode section.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each of a set of mode keys in the mode section is associated with a color and further wherein clicking on a selected one of the set of mode keys changes the background color of the graphical user interface to the color associated with the selected mode key.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the phone control section includes speaker volume and mute controls.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the phone control section includes microphone sensitivity and mute controls.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the phone control section includes a local video display window and a remote video display for each remote party to the conferencing application.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the video windows includes a detach button for detaching the corresponding video window from the graphical user interface.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the video windows are scaleable by dragging the side of a video window.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the conferencing application is adapted to spawn message windows, and wherein the message windows are consistently positioned in a predetermined location on a desktop of the display means.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the conferencing application is adapted to spawn message windows, and wherein the message windows are positioned according to an algorithm such that interference with existing windows on a desktop of the display is minimized.

14. A graphical user interface (GUI) for use for use in conjunction with a multiparty conferencing application, comprising:

a call control section for managing an active conferencing session;

a phone control section, including means for generating video windows that are detachable from the GUI and that display video images of one or more parties to the conferencing session;

a mode section for facilitating access to another conferencing system; and

wherein the GUI is further configured to generate a first external window responsive to a first type of event and a second external window responsive to a second type of event, wherein the GUI includes means for determining placement on the display of the external window according to the event type.

15. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the call control section includes at least one icon selected from a group of icons including a hang-up icon for terminating the conferencing system, a hold icon for placing a party to the conferencing session on hold, and a join icon for adding an additional party to the conferencing session.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein access to another conferencing system is facilitated by a speed dialing menu appearing in response to clicking on a mode key in the mode section.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein access to another conferencing system is facilitated by a directory server listing appearing in response to clicking on a mode key in the mode section.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein access to another conferencing system is facilitated by a call log history menu appearing in response to clicking on a mode key in the mode section.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein each of a set of mode keys in the mode section is associated with a color and further wherein clicking on a selected one of the set of mode keys changes the background color of the graphical user interface to the color associated with the selected mode key.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the phone control section includes speaker volume and mute controls.

21. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the phone control section includes microphone sensitivity and mute controls.

22. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the phone control section includes a local video display window and a remote video display for each remote party to the conferencing application.

23. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the video windows include detach buttons for detaching the corresponding video window from the graphical user interface.

24. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the video windows are scaleable by dragging the side of a video window.

25. A conferencing application for facilitating a multiparty conferencing session, comprising:

an operating system interface for communicating with an operating system of a hardware platform; and

a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising;

a call control section for managing an active conferencing session;

a phone control section, including means for generating video windows that are detachable from the GUI and that display video images of one or more parties to the conferencing session;

a mode section for facilitating access to another conferencing system; and

wherein the GUI is further configured to generate a first external window responsive to a first type of event and a second external window responsive to a second type of event, wherein the GUI includes means for determining placement on the display of the external window according to the event type.

26. The conferencing application of claim 25, wherein the call control section includes at least one icon selected from a group of icons including a hang-up icon for terminating the conferencing system, a hold icon for placing a party to the conferencing session on hold, and a join icon for adding an additional party to the conferencing session.

27. The conferencing application of claim 25, wherein each of a set of mode keys in the mode section is associated with a color and further wherein clicking a selected one of the set of mode keys changes the background color of the graphical user interface to the color associated with the selected mode key.

28. The conferencing application of claim 25, wherein the phone control section includes a local video display window and a remote video display for each remote party to the conferencing application.

29. The conferencing application of claim 25, wherein the video windows include detach buttons for detaching the corresponding video window from the graphical user interface.