System and method for managing virtual collaboration systems
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a management subsystem including;
an interface coupled to a network;
a data storage module containing for each of multiple nodes coupled to the network, a node type and a record of prioritized intents;
wherein the management subsystem is configured to;
dynamically configure an event topology of a virtual collaborative event wherein the event topology simulates spatial relationships among attendees of the event, andreceive and process requests originating from at least one node, wherein the configuration of said event topology includes the determination of media stream connections among multiple nodes based on at least one policy, wherein said media stream connections establish and maintain virtual relationships among said nodes with the connection of video streams to appropriate displays among multiple nodes to maintain natural eye contact and facilitate natural communication among the attendees; and
at least one event focus coupled to the event management system configured to;
receive node requests from at least one node,receive from the management subsystem a selected intent from the record of prioritized intents and media connection assignments for the node type, wherein a selected intent includes information about relationships among multiple devices at a node and specifies a subset of the capabilities of the at least one node to be utilized during a given event, andtranslate the selected intent and media connection assignments to directives for the at least one node.
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Abstract
A system includes a communication network, a plurality of nodes communicatively coupled to the communication network, a gateway subsystem communicatively coupled to the communication network, and a management subsystem communicatively coupled to the gateway subsystem. The gateway subsystem is configured to receive and translate signals from the plurality of nodes for use by the management subsystem. Further, the management subsystem is configured to dynamically manage the topology of a virtual collaborative event based on the node signals.
76 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a management subsystem including; an interface coupled to a network; a data storage module containing for each of multiple nodes coupled to the network, a node type and a record of prioritized intents; wherein the management subsystem is configured to; dynamically configure an event topology of a virtual collaborative event wherein the event topology simulates spatial relationships among attendees of the event, and receive and process requests originating from at least one node, wherein the configuration of said event topology includes the determination of media stream connections among multiple nodes based on at least one policy, wherein said media stream connections establish and maintain virtual relationships among said nodes with the connection of video streams to appropriate displays among multiple nodes to maintain natural eye contact and facilitate natural communication among the attendees; and at least one event focus coupled to the event management system configured to; receive node requests from at least one node, receive from the management subsystem a selected intent from the record of prioritized intents and media connection assignments for the node type, wherein a selected intent includes information about relationships among multiple devices at a node and specifies a subset of the capabilities of the at least one node to be utilized during a given event, and translate the selected intent and media connection assignments to directives for the at least one node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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a communication network communicatively coupled to a plurality of nodes; a gateway subsystem including an event focus communicatively coupled to said communication network; a management subsystem including a data storage module containing for each of the plurality of nodes, a node type and a record of prioritized intents, the management subsystem communicatively coupled to said gateway subsystem; wherein said event focus of the gateway subsystem is configured to receive node requests from the plurality of nodes and selected intents from the record of prioritized intents and media stream connection assignments from the management subsystem and translate the node requests from said plurality of nodes for use by said management subsystem and the event focus is further configured to create directives to establish the correct media stream connections and initialize the selected intents to the respective plurality of nodes, and wherein a selected intent includes information about relationships among multiple devices at a node and specifies a subset of the capabilities of a respective node to be utilized during the virtual collaborative event; and wherein said management subsystem is configured to dynamically manage the event topology to simulate spatial relationships among attendees with the connection of video streams to appropriate displays among the plurality of nodes to maintain natural eye contact and facilitate natural communication among the attendees of a virtual collaborative event based on said node requests and to transmit to said event focus a complete and detailed specification of the event for all nodes that are connected to the particular event focus.
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14. A method of managing configuration of virtual collaboration systems during event adjustment, the method comprising:
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transmitting a request for a node to alter participation in an event; forwarding said request to an event management subsystem through an event focus; formulating a new event topology based on at least one policy taking into account a current event topology and additional stored information including prioritized intents of the nodes participating in the event and varying node capabilities, wherein said new event topology creates and maintains virtual relationships among participating nodes to simulate spatial relationships among attendees of the event; communicating new media stream assignments and selected intents to the event focus which creates directives to each node affected by the new event topology to initialize the respective selected intent, wherein a selected intent includes information about relationships among multiple devices at a node and specifies a subset of the capabilities of a respective node to be utilized during the event; and configuring each affected node to establish media streams according to said media assignments with the connection of video streams to appropriate displays among nodes participating in the event to maintain natural eye contact and facilitate natural communication among the attendees without assigning media connections that a node cannot support. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for an event for virtual collaboration, comprising:
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a network coupled to an event focus configured to communicate to an event manager; and at least one node communicatively coupled to said network, the at least one node including; at least one physical device capable of transmitting and receiving media information; at least one physical device capable of presenting media information; a node manager including a node type indicating unchanging capabilities of the node and at least one policy of preferences configured prior to participation in an event including a list of prioritized intents, wherein an intent includes information about relationships among multiple physical devices at the at least one node and specifies a subset of the capabilities of the at least one node to be utilized during the event, wherein the node manager is configured to; send a node request to the event focus when the list of prioritized intents is modified to be interpreted and converted to a format meaningful to the event manager, wherein said event manager includes a data storage module for storing the node type and the list of prioritized intents and is configured to dynamically manage the event topology of the event based on said node request and to transmit to said event focus a complete and detailed specification of the event for all at least one nodes that are connected to the event focus, wherein the event topology simulates spatial relationships among attendees of the event; and receive directives from the event focus including a selected intent and media connection assignments between the at least one node and other respective participating nodes of the event including the connection of video streams to appropriate displays among participating nodes to maintain natural eye contact and facilitate natural communication among the attendees of the event.
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Specification