Communicating by video without replicating data

• US 7,698,371 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Mitchell, April Slayden, Vorbau, William Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman; Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US11/581,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20080091839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/227, 709/231, 709/219, 707/1, 707/104.1, 715/716, 715/733, 715/751, 370/259, 370/328
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

Communicating by video is described. A video of a menu is streamed to a client device. A signal that identifies a selection from the menu is received. A first video associated with the selection is streamed to the client device. The first video is a member of video conversation that may include a number of videos. A second video is received from the client device. The second video is streamed by the client device as it is recorded by the client device. The second video is a response to the first video. The second video is associated with the video conversation.

Claims

1. A method of communicating by video, said method comprising:

accessing videos;

storing information associated with said videos in a database, wherein said information comprises preferences and past viewing experiences of said client devices and is used to organize said videos into groups of available selections, said available selections comprising a plurality of videos comprising video conversations, said information being used to control access to said videos according to said preferences and said past viewing experiences of said client devices;

streaming a video of a customized menu comprising a portion of said groups to a client device of said client devices based on said information, said portion of said groups comprising a listing of groups of video conversations accessible to said client device;

receiving a signal that identifies a selection from said menu, wherein said selection identifies a group of said listing of groups of video conversations;

streaming to said client device a first video associated with said selection, wherein said first video is a member of said plurality of videos comprising a video conversation corresponding to said listing of groups of video conversations;

receiving from said client device a second video that is streamed from said client device as it is recorded by said client device, wherein said second video is a response to said first video; and

associating said second video with said video conversation corresponding to said listing of groups of video conversations.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing said second video.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said signal comprises a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) code.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said customized menu comprises a listing of video conversations accessible to said client device, wherein said selection identifies said video conversation.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving from said client device a signal that controls playback of said first video.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving from said client device a signal that controls recording of said second video.

7. A system for video communication, said system comprising:

a video service subsystem configured for communicating with client devices using Web-based protocols; and

a video streaming subsystem communicatively coupled to said video service subsystem, wherein said video streaming subsystem is configured for accessing videos that are organized into groups, storing information associated with said videos in a database, wherein said information comprises preferences and past viewing experiences of said client devices and is used to organize said videos into groups of available selections, said available selections comprising a plurality of videos comprising video conversations, said information being used to control access to said videos according to said preferences and said past viewing experiences of said client devices, and said video streaming subsystem configured for streaming a video of a customized menu comprising a portion of said groups to a client device of said client devices based on said information, said portion of said groups comprising a listing of groups of video conversations accessible to said client device;

wherein said video streaming subsystem is also configured for streaming a first video associated with one of said groups to said client device in response to a signal from said client device identifying a choice from said customized menu; and

wherein said video streaming subsystem is also configured for associating a second video, streamed from said client device, with said one of said groups of video conversations.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a video logic unit coupled to said video service subsystem and said video streaming subsystem, wherein said video logic unit is configured for organizing said videos into said groups and for organizing videos in said groups into video conversations.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said video service subsystem is accessible using a Web browser.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein said groups include a group comprising a plurality of video conversations, wherein said first video and said second video are associated with a same one of said video conversations and wherein said second video is a response to said first video.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein said video service subsystem is configured for providing a Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feed to said client device.

12. The system of claim 7 further comprising memory for storing said videos including said first and second videos.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein said customized menu comprises a listing of video conversations accessible to said client device, wherein said selection identifies one of said video conversations.

14. The system of claim 7 wherein said customized menu comprises a listing of groups of video conversations accessible to said client device, wherein said selection identifies a group of video conversations.

15. A computer usable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed enable a first client device to communicate by video without replicating data, said method comprising:

accessing videos;

storing information associated with said videos in a database, wherein said information comprises preferences and past viewing experiences of said client devices and is used to organize said videos into groups of available selections, said available selections comprising a plurality of videos comprising video conversations, said information being used to control access to said videos according to said preferences and said past viewing experiences of said client devices;

streaming a video of a customized menu comprising a portion of said groups to a client device of said client devices based on said information, said portion of said groups comprising a listing of groups of video conversations accessible to said client device;

receiving a signal that identifies a selection from said menu, wherein said selection identifies a group of said listing of groups of video conversations;

streaming to a first client device a first video associated with said selection, wherein said first video is a member of said plurality of videos comprising a video conversation corresponding to said listing of groups of video conversations;

streaming a video of a menu to said first client device;

receiving a signal that identifies a selection from said menu, said signal indicating that a second video associated with said video conversation is to be streamed from said first client device, wherein said second video is in response to said first video;

receiving from said first client device said second video that is streamed from said first client device as it is recorded by said first client device; and

associating said second video with said video conversation corresponding to said listing of groups of video conversations.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising sending a message to a second client device, wherein said message indicates that said first video is being streamed.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising sending a message to a second client device, wherein said message indicates that said second video is being streamed.