Set top box videoconferencing system

• US 7,986,335 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Kenoyer, Michael L., Malloy, Craig B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harold; Jefferey
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESIR, JEAN WICEL
• Application Number:
  US11/405,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20070009113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,926 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.08, 348/14.01, 348/14.09, 348/14.13, 348/211.12, 709/204, 379/202.01, 725/110, 725/100
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A videoconferencing system may include a camera, microphones, speakers, and a codec. In some embodiments, the codec functionality may be incorporated in a set-top box (e.g., a cable box, a satellite box, or a gaming box). The codec functionality may also be split between different components of the videoconferencing system. The camera and speakers may be coupled to or placed around a display. The videoconferencing system may send/receive signals through a network coupled to the computer system. The various functions to support the videoconference (e.g., compression and decompression of video signals) may be performed by circuitry in the camera base, codec/set top box, and/or on the computer system. The computer system may be a laptop computer. In some embodiments, ported speakers may be used to maximize sound quality for the provided speaker size.

Claims

1. A set-top box videoconferencing system, comprising:

a set-top box;

a microphone;

a speaker;

a network connection;

a camera, comprising;

a lens portion;

a camera base coupled to the lens portion; and

a codec implemented in the set-top box for processing videoconferencing signals;

wherein the set-top box is coupled to the microphone, speaker, network connection, and camera, wherein the set-top box includes a digital video recorder (DVR), wherein the codec is configured to;

transmit first audio and video captured by the microphone and camera to one or more other videoconferencing systems over a wide area network using the network connection during a videoconference;

receive second audio and video from the one or more other videoconferencing systems over the wide area network using the network connection during the videoconference, wherein said transmitting and said receiving are performed simultaneously;

wherein the DVR is configured to record at least a portion of the videoconference during said transmitting and said receiving, wherein the recording includes at least a portion of the first audio and video and at least a portion of the second audio and video.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the DVR is configured to record a message left by a participant calling the videoconferencing system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the DVR is configured to record the at least a portion of the videoconference and replay a second portion of the videoconference substantially simultaneously.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is a high definition camera.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a microphone array which includes the microphone;

wherein the microphone array is comprised in the camera base.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote control communicatively coupled to the set-top box.

7. A set-top box videoconferencing system, comprising:

a set-top box;

an array of microphones;

at least two speakers;

a network connection;

a high definition (HD) camera, comprising;

a lens portion;

a camera base coupled to the lens portion; and

a codec implemented in the set-top box for processing videoconferencing signals;

wherein the set-top box is coupled to the array of microphones, at least two speakers, network connection, and the high definition camera, wherein the set-top box includes a digital video recorder (DVR), wherein the codec is configured to;

transmit audio and video captured by the microphone and camera to one or more other videoconferencing systems over a wide area network using the network connection during a videoconference;

receive audio and video from the one or more other videoconferencing systems over the wide area network using the network connection during the videoconference, wherein said transmitting and said receiving are performed simultaneously;

wherein the DVR is configured to record at least a portion of the videoconference during said transmitting and said receiving, wherein the recording includes at least a portion of the first audio and video and at least a portion of the second audio and video.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising an overhead camera for sharing documents.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least two speakers are ported speakers.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the array of microphones is comprised in the camera base.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a remote control communicatively coupled to the set-top box.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the DVR is configured to record a message left by a participant calling the videoconferencing system.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the DVR is configured to record the at least a portion of the videoconference and replay a second portion of the videoconference substantially simultaneously.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein video processing for the videoconference is distributed between the codec and the camera base.