Methods, systems and program products for managing video conferences
First Claim
1. A video conference system in which multiple users communicate video and audio data to one another over a data network, the system comprising:
- at least one conference server linking the plurality of users over a data network whereby each of the plurality of users can communicate at least one video data stream and at least one audio data stream to others of the users;
a hierarchical arrangement of communications control parameters that control communications between the users over the at least one conference server comprising;
a first level of communications control parameters that apply to all audio and video communications occurring over the conference server between the users;
a second level of communications control parameters that includes a subset of the first level parameters that cannot violate the first level parameters, the second level of parameters applying only to a selected portion of video and audio communications occurring over the server between the users; and
,wherein at least one of the first and second level of control parameters include a bandwidth limit and a number of video data streams limit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer program product for managing communications during a videoconference includes computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium that when executed by one or more computers causes the one or more computers to receive an input first set of communications control parameters that apply to all videoconferences to be conducted over one or more videoconference servers. The computer stores the input first set of control parameters in a memory, and receives an input second set of communications control parameters that includes a subset of the first set and that applies to only a portion of videoconferences to be conducted over the one or more videoconference servers. The computer compares the second set of communications control parameters to the first set of control parameters and retains the second set of communications control parameters in a memory for use during the conference if they do not violate the first set of control parameters.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A video conference system in which multiple users communicate video and audio data to one another over a data network, the system comprising:
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at least one conference server linking the plurality of users over a data network whereby each of the plurality of users can communicate at least one video data stream and at least one audio data stream to others of the users; a hierarchical arrangement of communications control parameters that control communications between the users over the at least one conference server comprising; a first level of communications control parameters that apply to all audio and video communications occurring over the conference server between the users; a second level of communications control parameters that includes a subset of the first level parameters that cannot violate the first level parameters, the second level of parameters applying only to a selected portion of video and audio communications occurring over the server between the users; and
,wherein at least one of the first and second level of control parameters include a bandwidth limit and a number of video data streams limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer program product for managing communications during a videoconference, the program product including computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform the steps of:
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receive an input first set of communications control parameters that apply to all videoconferences to be conducted over one or more videoconference servers; store the input first set of control parameters in a memory; receive an input second set of communications control parameters that includes a subset of the first set and that apply only to a first portion of videoconferences to be conducted over the one or more videoconference servers; compare the second set of communications control parameters to the first set of control parameters; and
,retain the second set of communications control parameters in a memory for application during the only a portion of videoconferences if they do not violate the first set of control parameters. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product for managing communications during a videoconference, the program product including computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform the steps of:
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receive an input first set of communications control parameters that apply to all videoconferences to be conducted over one or more videoconference servers, the control parameters including at least a maximum number of video data streams to be communicated during any videoconference and a maximum number of video data streams to be communicated by any user during a videoconference; store the input first set of control parameters in a memory; receive an input second set of communications control parameters that is a subset of the first set, the second set of control parameters applying to only a portion of videoconferences to be conducted over the one or more videoconference servers; compare each parameter from the second parameter set to corresponding parameters from the first set of control parameters; retain the parameters from the second parameter set in a memory only if they do not violate corresponding parameters from the first set of control parameters; receive an input third set of communications control parameters that is a subset of the first set and the second set, the third set of parameters only applying to different portion of videoconference to be conducted over the one or more videoconference servers; compare each parameter from the third parameter set to corresponding parameters from the first set of control parameters and to corresponding parameters from the second set of control parameters; retain parameters from the third parameter set in a memory for application during the different portion of videoconferences only if they do not violate the corresponding parameters from the first or second parameter sets; apply the first, second and third set of communications control parameters to one or more videoconferences conducted over the one or more conference servers and to ensure that the first or second sets of control parameters are not violated during the videoconferences; and
,wherein one of the second or third sets of control parameters applies only to one specified videoconference and to all of the attendees of that videoconference except for a conference moderator.
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Specification