Video conference recorder

• US 7,532,231 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Codian Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Codian Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holloway, David John, Pepperell, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/015,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20060146124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 375/240.29, 345/748, 345/721, 345/728
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A Video Conference Recorder (VCR) provided with integral input transcoders which convert received video call data into an intermediate format. Once the input transcoder has processed the data it passes it to a memory in the VCR where it is stored until a user requires it to be played back. If required the data can be converted into more than one output format using multiple input transcoders. On receiving a request to play back a recording the VCR locates the data in its memory and sends it to an output transcoder, integral to the VCR. If the stored data format is one that the endpoint can receive then the output transcoder transmits the data across the network to the endpoint. If, however, the endpoint cannot receive the stored data format then the output transcoder converts the data into a format which the endpoint can receive before onward transmission.

Claims

1. A video conference recorder connectable to a communications network having at least one video enabled endpoint comprising:

an input configured to receive video data in an endpoint generated format produced by said endpoint from said network during a conference call;

an input transcoder configured to convert a format of said video data into an intermediate format from the endpoint generated format received from said endpoint while the video data is being received, wherein the input transcoder causes video data in the intermediate format to include more keyframes than are in the video data in the endpoint generated format;

a memory configured to store the video data in the intermediate format as stored data; and

an output device configured to send said stored data across said network to an endpoint.

2. The video conference recorder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said output device includes an output transcoder configured to convert said stored data from the intermediate format into an output format for sending across said network.

3. The video conference recorder as claimed in claim 2, wherein said output transcoder is a digital signal processor.

4. The video conference recorder as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an input device configured to receive signals from said endpoint; and

a processor configured to receive said signals and to move through the keyframes in said stored data according to said signals.

5. The video conference recorder as claimed in claim 4, wherein said signals comprises one of fast forward, rewind, pause and skip.

6. The video conference recorder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediate format includes keyframes dispersed within the stored data at a predetermined interval.

7. The video conference recorder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said intermediate format is one of MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4.

8. The video conference recorder as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to relay data between two endpoints connected to said network.

9. The video conference recorder as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to seek backwards through the stored data.

10. The video conference recorder as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to seek forwards through the stored data.

11. The video conference recorder as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to skip through the stored data.

12. A method of recording data sent across a communications network by a video enabled endpoint comprising the steps of:

receiving video data in an endpoint generated format produced by said video enabled endpoint from said network during a conference call;

converting a format of said video data into an intermediate format from the endpoint generated format received from said endpoint while the video data is being received, wherein said converting causes video data in the intermediate format to include more keyframes than are in the video data in the endpoint generated format; and

storing said video data in the intermediate format.

13. The method of recording data as claimed in claim 12, wherein said receiving includes receiving video data formatted as one of H.320, H.323, 3G and SIP.

14. The method of recording data as claimed in claim 12, wherein said converting includes configuring the video data in the intermediate format to include keyframes dispersed in the video data in the intermediate format at a predetermined interval.

15. The method of recording data as claimed in claim 13, wherein said converting includes converting the video data in the endpoint generated format into one of MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 as the intermediate format.