System and method for graphically configuring a video call

• US 7,068,299 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tandberg Telecom AS (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seebaldt, Kurtis L., Lemieux, James Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMAKRISHNAIAH, MELUR
• Application Number:
  US10/002,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20030081110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1404, 348 1407- 1409, 348/14.1, 348/14.11, 379/88.11, 379/93.17, 379/93.21, 379/202, 345/716, 345/718, 345/744, 345/753, 345/758, 370260-261, 709/204
• US Class Current: 348/14.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A method and system for visual configuration of a video call represents video devices as graphical icons presented through a user interface. A directed graph relates the graphical icons to represent the configuration of the video devices in the video call and ensures that compatible video devices establish a valid video configuration by prohibiting invalid video call configurations. The user interface interacts with a video network platform that schedules and initiates video calls according to video call configurations. Video device types, identification, and configuration parameters are depicted along with state information for a video call to allow monitoring and correction of failures that may occur.

Claims

1. A user interface for visually configuring a video call, the user interface comprising:

a video call configuration window having plural icons, each icon representing a video device; and

a directed graph relating the icons to represent the configuration of the video devices in the video call, the directed graph depicting one or more parameters for one or more of the video devices of the video call configuration;

wherein the video call configuration window is operable to allow a user to draw a directed graph between icons that represent compatible video devices in a valid video call configuration and to prohibit a user to draw a directed graph between icons that represent an invalid video call configuration.

2. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a video device dialog box operable to add one or more video device types to the video call configuration window.

3. The user interface of claim 2 wherein selection of a video device type from the video device dialog box is operable to depict a library of available video devices of the selected video device type.

4. The user interface of claim 2 wherein addition of a video device type to a video call implicates one or more additional video devices to establish a valid video call configuration, the user interface further comprising a dialog box that identifies video devices needed for a valid video call configuration.

5. The user interface of claim 1 wherein a parameter comprises the line speed of the video device associated with the directed graph.

6. The user interface of claim 1 wherein a parameter comprises the protocol of the video device associated with the directed graph.

7. The user interface of claim 1 wherein a parameter comprises the identification of the video device that initiates communication with one or more other video devices.

8. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the directed graph is operable to monitor a video call having the video call configuration by depicting changes in the state of the video call.

9. The user interface of claim 8 wherein changes in the state of the video cell comprise failure of a video device.

10. The user interface of claim 9 wherein failure of a video device is depicted with a red color.

11. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a device list window associated with the video call configuration window, the device list window listing attributes of the video devices represented by the plural icons.

12. A method for visually configuring a video call with a computer user interface, the method comprising:

selecting a first video device for display as a first graphic by the user interface;

selecting a second video device for display as a second graphic by the user interface;

selecting the first graphic to initiate a directed graph arrow originating from the first graphic;

selecting the second graphic to draw the directed graph arrow from the first graphic to the second graphic representing a video call between the first and second video devices;

determining if a video call between the first and second video devices is a valid action; and

prohibiting the drawing of a directed graph arrow between the first and second graphics unless the video call between the first and second video devices is a valid action.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein a video call between the first and second video devices requires configuration through a third video device, the method further comprising:

determining that a video call configuration for a video call between the first and second video devices requires a third video device; and

presenting a graphic associated with the third video device to allow a valid video configuration using the third video device.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

scheduling a video call according to the video call configuration.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

initiating a video call according to the video call configuration.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

monitoring the video devices of the initiated video call; and

depicting the state of the monitored video devices through the user interface.

17. A video network comprising:

plural video devices;

a video network platform in communication with the plural video devices;

a user interface control associated with the video network platform and operable to depict the video devices as graphical icons, the user interface control further operable to depict plural of the video devices requested by a user for inclusion in a video call configuration as graphical icons related by a directed graph if the video call configuration is valid, the user interface control further operable to determine that one or more of the video devices requested by a user for inclusion in the video call configuration have an invalid configuration and to prohibit relating of the graphical icons associated with the invalid configuration by a directed graph.

18. The video network of claim 17 wherein the user interface is further operable to direct the video network platform to initiate a video call according to the video call configuration.