Method and apparatus for controlling a conference call

• US 7,312,809 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tandberg Products UK Ltd. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Codian Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bain, John Robert, Pepperell, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US10/962,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 37910201-10203
• US Class Current: 348/14.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

Provided is a method for controlling a Video Multi-Conference Unit (MCU) using an endpoint device. The MCU intercepts, interprets and acts upon commands sent across the communications network from the endpoint device. The commands may be sent using a user control device such as a control for controlling far-end cameras (FECC device) or by using dial-tones from a touchpad telephone. Also provided is a method for controlling a secondary device also connected to a conference call using the MCU. This secondary device may be another user endpoint or alternatively a video conference recorder (VCR). In order to control another user endpoint, the user may select a second mode in which the MCU forwards the commands to the endpoint rather than intercepting FECC or other commands sent to it using the user device. Alternatively, the MCU may interpret the FECC device commands and instruct the user device or VCR accordingly.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a multi-point control unit (MCU) in a communications network having a terminal device, the method comprising:

(a) sending a user command message to said MCU using said terminal device, wherein the user command message is for controlling a camera device;

(b) receiving said user command message sent by said terminal device across said network at said MCU;

(c) said MCU identifying whether the received user command message is intended for said MCU; and

(d) said MCU performing an action based on the at least one command included in said user command message received by and intended for said MCU.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein in response to a user command message received from said terminal device said MCU forwards said command over the network.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said user command message is forwarded to a second device, said second device comprising a video conference recorder.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said user command message comprises a far end camera control command message operable for controlling an operation of the video conference recorder.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the user command message is forwarded to a second device, the second device comprising another terminal device.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said user command message comprises a far end camera control message.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said terminal device is selected from the group comprising an H.320, H.323 and SIP Video Endpoint.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said user command messages are selected from the group comprising H.320, H.323 and SIP messages.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said MCU alters the composition of a video communication in response to the at least one command included in said user command message.

10. A method of controlling a multi-point control unit (MCU) in a communications network having a terminal device, the method comprising:

(a) sending a user command message to said MCU using said terminal device;

(b) receiving said user command message sent by said terminal device across said network at said MCU;

(c) said MCU identifying whether the received user command message is intended for said MCU; and

(d) said MCU carrying out at least one command included in said user command message received by and intended for said MCU, wherein a command is operable to cause said MCU to forward said user command message for a predetermined period of time.

11. A multi-point control unit (MCU) connectable to a communications network comprising a terminal device, the MCU comprising:

(a) an input couplable to the network and adapted for receiving a user command message from a terminal device connected to said communications network wherein said user command message is for controlling a camera device; and

(b) a processor coupled to the input and adapted to process said user command message intended for said MCU wherein said MCU is configured to perform commands contained within said command message, and wherein one or both of said input and processor are configured to identify whether said user command message is intended for said MCU..

12. An MCU as claimed in claim 11 further comprising an output coupled to said processor and adapted for transmitting a user interface to said communications network.

13. An MCU as claimed in claim 11 further comprising an output coupled to said processor and adapted for transmitting received commands to a second terminal device connected to the communications network.

14. An MCU as claimed in claim 13 wherein said second terminal device is a video conference recorder.

15. An MCU as claimed in claim 13 wherein the transmitted commands are transmitted in a format for receipt by a terminal device selected from the group comprising an H.320, H.323 and SIP Video Endpoint.

16. An MCU as claimed in claim 11 wherein said input is adapted to couple to a communications network selected from the group comprising an ISDN and IP communications network.

17. An MCU as claimed in claim 11 wherein said user command messages are selected from the group comprising H.320, H.323 and SIP messages.

18. A MCU as claimed in claim 11 wherein said user command message comprises a far end camera control command message.

19. A MCU as claimed in claim 18 wherein said far end camera control command message is operable to control an operation of the MCU and alter a characteristic of a video conference.

20. A MCU as claimed in claim 11 wherein said MCU alters the composition of a video communication in response to said user command message.

21. Video conference appartus comprising:

(a) a multi-point control unit (MCU) having a processor and couplable to a link;

(b) a terminal device configured for sending a user command message over the link;

wherein;

said user command message is for controlling a camera device;

said processor is adapted to process said user command message;

said MCU is configured to identify whether said user command message is intended for said MCU;

said MCU including an input for receiving said user command message from said link; and

said MCU is configured to perform commands including said user command message intended for said MCU.

22. A method of controlling a control unit adapted for coupling to a communication network for controlling multi-point communications, the method comprising:

receiving over the network at the control unit a user command message from a terminal device coupled to the network, wherein said user command message is for controlling a camera device;

identifying at the control unit whether the user command message is intended for the control unit; and

carrying out at least one command in the identified user command message.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising forwarding at least one command in the identified user command message to a second terminal device via the network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second terminal device is a video conference recorder.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the user command message comprises a command for controlling a remote video camera.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the user command message comprises a far end control command message.

27. A method of controlling a control unit adapted for coupling to a communication network for controlling multi-point communications, the method comprising:

receiving over the network at the control unit a user command message from a terminal device coupled to the network;

identifying at the control unit whether the user command message is intended for the control unit;

carrying out at least one command in the identified user command message; and

forwarding at least one command in the identified user command message to a second terminal device via the network, wherein the control unit forwards the at least one command in the identified user command message for a predetermined period of time.

28. A control unit adapted for coupling to a communication network for controlling multi-point communications, the control unit comprising:

an input adapted to receive a user command message from a terminal device coupled to the network, wherein said user command message is for controlling a camera device, and to identify if the user command message is intended for the control unit; and

a processor coupled to the input and adapted to process the user command message and to perform at least one command in the user command message.

29. The control unit of claim 28, wherein the user command message comprises a command for controlling a remote video camera and operation of the control unit is responsive to the command.

30. The control unit of claim 28, wherein the user command message comprises a far end camera control message.

31. A control unit adapted for controlling a video multi-point conference and connectable to a communication network, the control unit comprising:

ab input for receiving a user command message from a terminal device, wherein said user command message comprises a far end camera control message;

a processor coupled to the input and adapted to proces the far end camera control message and alter the composition of a video conference communication.

32. The control unit of claim 31, wherein the control unit is adapted to identify whether the far end camera control message is intended for the control unit and perform in response to the far end camera control message if intended for the control unit.

33. The control unit of claim 31, wherein the control unit is configured to:

identify whether the far end camera control message is intended for the control unit or a second terminal device;

perform the far end camera control message if intended for the control unit; and

forward the far end camera control message if not intended for the control unit.

34. The control unit of claim 31, wherein the second terminal device comprises a video conference recorder.

35. The control unit of claim 31, wherein the second terminal device comprises a remote video camera.

36. The control unit of claim 31, further comprising an output coupled to the processor for forwarding the received far end camera control message.