Method and apparatus for controlling data delivery with user-maintained modes

• US 8,022,989 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Szymanski, Margaret H, Grinter, Rebecca E, Aoki, Paul M, Woodruff, Allison G, Thornton, James D
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/423,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/158
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

Communication is carried out using devices with user-maintained modes that enable synchronous content sharing and communication. Each user-maintained mode enables a lightweight interface for positioning content in a conversation by initiating and terminating data transmission through user produced feedback to create a shared conversational experience.

Claims

1. A transmitting electronic apparatus for communicating data streams with a receiving electronic apparatus, the transmitting electronic apparatus comprising:

a camera for recording a first video data stream on a transmitting electronic apparatus;

a memory for storing at least a portion of a second video data stream;

a first display area for viewing one of the first and the second video data streams;

a first user-maintained mode activated by a user on the transmitting electronic apparatus to transmit the one of the first and the second video data streams to a receiving electronic apparatus, wherein the other of the first and the second video data streams is suspended while the first user-maintained mode actively senses user feedback and further wherein the one of the first and the second video data streams displayed in the first display area is synchronized with the one of the first and the second video data streams transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus to allow the user of the transmitting electronic apparatus and a user of the receiving electronic apparatus to share the video data in a coordinated manner.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of the other of the first and the second video data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a second display area for viewing a video data stream received from the receiving electronic apparatus.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker for playing one or more of an audio data stream received from the receiving electronic apparatus and an audio data stream transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus;

a microphone for recording a first audio data stream;

a memory for storing a second audio data stream;

a second user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of one of the first and the second audio data streams when at least the other of the first and the second audio data streams is being transmitted to the electronic apparatus;

wherein the one of the first and the second audio data streams is suspended while the first user-maintained mode actively senses user feedback.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a third user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of the other of the first and the second audio data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a coordinating mode module to coordinate delivery of multiple streams of data to the transmitting electronic apparatus and the receiving electronic apparatus, wherein the multiple streams of data comprise the video data streams and the audio data stream.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as the user operating the transmitting electronic apparatus applies sufficient force to cause a button to maintain an active state.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as the user operating the transmitting electronic apparatus maintains an eye gaze on a target to cause an eye gaze monitor to maintain an active state.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as the user operating the transmitting electronic apparatus maintains a sound to cause a sound monitor to maintain an active state.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as the user operating the transmitting electronic apparatus maintains a biological response to cause an affective monitor to maintain an active state.

11. A method for communicating data streams, comprising:

monitoring a transmitting electronic apparatus and a receiving electronic apparatus in communication;

recording a first video data stream on the transmitting electronic apparatus;

storing at least a portion of a second video data stream on the transmitting electronic apparatus;

displaying one of the first and second video data streams on a first display on the transmitting electronic apparatus; and

activating a first user-maintained mode initiated by a user on the transmitting electronic apparatus to transmit the one of the first and the second video data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus, wherein the the other of the first and the second video data streams is suspended while the first user-maintained mode actively senses user feedback and further wherein the one of the first and the second video data streams displayed in the first display area is synchronized with the one of the first and the second video data streams transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus to allow the user of the transmitting electronic apparatus and a user of the receiving electronic apparatus to share the video data in a coordinated manner.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

controlling transmission of the other of the first and the second video data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus via a second user-maintained mode.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

providing a second display area on the transmitting electronic apparatus for viewing a video data stream received from the receiving electronic apparatus.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

playing on the transmitting electronic apparatus, one or more of an audio data stream received from the receiving electronic apparatus and an audio data stream transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus;

recording a first audio data stream on the transmitting electronic apparatus;

storing a second audio data stream on the transmitting electronic apparatus;

controlling transmission of one of the first and the second audio data streams via a second user-maintained mode when at least the other of the first and the second audio data streams is being transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus;

wherein the one of the first and the second audio data streams is suspended while the first user-maintained mode actively senses user feedback.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

controlling transmission of the other of the first and the second audio data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus via a third user-maintained mode.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

coordinating delivery of multiple streams of data to the transmitting electronic apparatus and the receiving electronic apparatus, wherein the multiple streams of data comprise the video data stream and the audio data stream.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as the user operating the transmitting electronic apparatus applies sufficient force to cause a button to maintain an active state.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as the user operating the transmitting electronic apparatus maintains an eye gaze on a target to cause an eye gaze monitor to maintain an active state.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as the user operating the transmitting electronic apparatus maintains a sound to cause a sound monitor to maintain an active state.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as the user operating the transmitting electronic apparatus maintains a biological response to cause an affective monitor to maintain an active state.