Automatic teleconferencing control system

• US 6,807,563 B1
• Filed: 05/20/2000
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Terayon Communications Systems Incorporated (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Edward M., Christofferson, Frank C.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/574,862
• Time in Patent Office: 1,613 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/207, 709/217, 709/218, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227, 709/238, 719/329
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/562 where the conference facilities are distributed
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/568 audio processing specific to telephonic conferencing, e.g. spatial distribution, mixing of participants echo suppression in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/02; sound field processing per se H04S7/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

An automatic teleconferencing control system uses a trigger definition database to define trigger criteria and corresponding conference control commands for corresponding trigger functions. Trigger criteria may relate to configuration profiles set for each participant or to conference level policy decisions. Participant attribute changes and media flows among participant stations on a conference are analyzed in accordance with the trigger criteria, and when trigger criteria are identified a corresponding conference control command is issued.

Claims

1. A system for automatically controlling a teleconference, comprising:

means for establishing a trigger definition database in accordance with participant configuration profiles, there being a participant configuration profile for each of a plurality of endpoints connected to said teleconference through a media bridge;

means for identifying trigger criteria defined in said trigger definition database, said identifying means further comprising

means for analyzing media flows, and

means for extracting direct commands from said media flows, said media flows originating from an endpoint for distribution through said media bridge to other endpoints on said teleconference;

means for generating conference control commands, in accordance with said trigger definition database, when said trigger criteria are identified by said analysis or said direct commands.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said analyzing means is a bridge analyzer.

3. The system claim 2, wherein said bridge analyzer is located within an automatic bridge controller on a network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said bridge analyzer is located in part at an automatic bridge controller and in part at an endpoint, in accordance with design criteria for operation of a network of one or more of said teleconferences.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said trigger criteria include speech recognition of media flow from an endpoint and wherein said conference control commands include switching said endpoint to another teleconference on said network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said trigger criteria include collision detection and wherein said conference control commands include changing background music at an endpoint responsive to said collision detection.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said trigger criteria include participant attribute change and wherein said conference control commands include invoking real time translation of media flows distributed to said participant.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said participant configuration profile is modifiable during said teleconference.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said analyzing means further comprises:

means for associating a media flow with an endpoint;

means for using said trigger definition database to determine trigger criteria applicable to said endpoint;

means for applying said determined trigger criteria to said media flow.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said generating means further comprises:

means for receiving an identification of trigger criteria from said analyzing means;

means for using said trigger definition database to determine conference control commands applicable to said trigger criteria;

means for issuing said conference control commands.

11. A method for automatically controlling a teleconference, comprising the steps of:

establishing a trigger definition database in accordance with participant configuration profiles, there being a participant configuration profile for each of a plurality of endpoints connected to said teleconference through a media bridge,

identifying trigger criteria defined in said trigger definition database, said identifying step further comprising the mutually exclusive steps of

analyzing media flows, and

extracting direct commands from said media flows, said media flows originating from an endpoint for distribution through said media bridge to other endpoints on said teleconference;

generating conference control commands, in accordance with said trigger definition database, when said trigger criteria are identified by said analysis or said direct commands.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said analyzing step is performed by a bridge analyzer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said bridge analyzer is located within an automatic bridge controller on a network.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said bridge analyzer is located in part at an automatic bridge controller and in part at an endpoint, in accordance with design criteria for operation of a network of one or more of said teleconferences.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said trigger criteria include speech recognition of media flow from an endpoint and wherein said conference control commands include switching said endpoint to another teleconference on said network.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said trigger criteria include collision detection and wherein said conference control commands include changing background music at an endpoint responsive to said collision detection.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said trigger criteria include participant attribute change and wherein said conference control commands include invoking real time translation of media flows distributed to said participant.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said participant configuration profile is modifiable during said teleconference.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said analyzing step further comprises the steps of:

associating a media flow with an endpoint;

using said trigger definition database to determine trigger criteria applicable to said endpoint;

applying said determined trigger criteria to said media flow.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said generating step further comprises the steps of:

receiving an identification of trigger criteria from said analyzing step;

using said trigger definition database to determine conference control commands applicable to said trigger criteria;

issuing said conference control commands.

21. A system for automatically controlling a conference, wherein a plurality of participant stations, including at least a first participant station, are operatively connected by a media bridge, the system comprising:

a trigger definition database, including trigger criteria and trigger control commands associated with trigger functions;

at least a first bridge analyzer, operatively connected to the trigger definition database and the media bridge, adapted to;

analyze media flow from at least the first participant station to the media bridge;

extract direct commands from said media flow, said analysis and said extraction being mutually exclusive;

implement at least a first of the trigger functions identified in the trigger database;

identify whether at least a first of the trigger criteria for the first trigger function are satisfied by said analysis of the media flow; and

generate at least a first control command when the first trigger criteria is satisfied.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein at least part of the first bridge analyzer is located within an automatic bridge controller on a network.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the first bridge analyzer is located in part at an automatic bridge controller and in part at one of the plurality of participant stations.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the first trigger function includes speech recognition and the trigger criteria include key words in the media flow from a second of the participant stations and wherein said conference control commands include switching the first participant station to another teleconference on said network.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the first trigger function includes speech recognition and the trigger criteria include key words in the media flow from the first participant station and wherein the conference control commands include switching the first participant station to another teleconference on the network.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein said first trigger function includes collision detection, the trigger criteria include intersection of objects, and wherein the control commands include causing an audible event at the first participant station responsive to said collision detection.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the audible event is a change in conference background music at the first participant station.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the first trigger function includes attribute monitoring, the trigger criteria include participant attribute change and wherein said conference control commands include invoking real time translation of media flows distributed to the first participant station.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the trigger database includes at least a first profile for at least the first participant station and the first profile is modifiable during the conference.

30. The system of claim 21, further comprising a second bridge analyzer, operatively connected to the media bridge and the trigger database.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first bridge analyzer is located on an automatic bridge controller on a network and the second bridge analyzer is locate on the first participant station.

38. The method of claim 31, wherein the trigger database includes at least a first profile for at least the first participant station and the first profile is modifiable during the conference.

32. A method for automatically controlling a conference, wherein a plurality of participant stations, including at least a first participant station, are operatively connected by a media bridge and the media bridge is operatively connected to a trigger definition database, including trigger criteria and trigger control commands associated with trigger functions, the method comprising the steps of:

analyzing media flow from at least the first participant station to the media bridge;

extracting direct commands from said media flow, said analyzing step and said extracting step being mutually exclusive;

implementing at least a first of the trigger functions identified in the trigger database;

identifying whether at least a first of the trigger criteria for the first trigger function are satisfied by said analysis of the media flow; and

generating at least a first control command when the first trigger criteria is satisfied.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first trigger function includes speech recognition and the trigger criteria include key words in the media flow from a second of the participant stations and wherein said conference control commands include switching the first participant station to another conference.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the first trigger function includes speech recognition and the trigger criteria include key words in the media flow from the first participant station and wherein the conference control commands include switching the first participant station to another teleconference.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein said first trigger function includes collision detection, the trigger criteria include intersection of objects, and wherein the control commands include causing an audible event at the first participant station responsive to said collision detection.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the audible event is a change in conference background music at the first participant station.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the first trigger function includes attribute monitoring, the trigger criteria include participant attribute change and wherein said conference control commands include invoking real time translation of media flows distributed to the first participant station.

39. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to facilitate a conference process among a plurality of participant stations, including at least a first participant station, wherein the participant stations are operatively connected to a media bridge and the media bridge is operatively connected to a trigger definition database, including trigger criteria and trigger control commands associated with trigger functions, the process comprising:

analyzing media flow from at least the first participant station to the media bridge;

extracting direct commands from said media flow, said analyzing and said extracting step being mutually exclusive;

implementing at least a first of the trigger functions identified in the trigger database;

identifying whether at least a first of the trigger criteria for the first trigger function are satisfied by said analysis of the media flow; and

generating at least a first control command when the first trigger criteria is satisfied.

40. An automatic teleconferencing control system comprising:

a plurality of media conferencing bridges on a network, each said media bridge controlling a conference among a plurality of participant stations, each said participant station being connected to one of said media bridges at a time;

at least one automatic bridge controller, said automatic bridge controller further comprising a trigger definition database and a bridge analyzer;

wherein media flows are generated at a participant station and are communicated through said automatic bridge controller to other participant stations on said conference;

wherein said bridge analyzer identifies trigger criteria defined in said trigger definition database by analyzing said media flows and, extracting direct commands from said media flows; and

wherein said automatic bridge controller uses said trigger definition database to control said media flow in accordance with participant configuration profiles at each said participant station.