Method and apparatus for controlling multipoint conference

• US 8,339,440 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wang, Jing
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US12/951,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20110063407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 370260-261, 709/204, 709/205, 715/753
• US Class Current: 348/14.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/12 Selection from among a plurality of transforms or standards, e.g. selection between discrete cosine transform [DCT] and sub-band transform or selection between H.263 and H.264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/164 Feedback from the receiver or from the transmission channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/187 the unit being a scalable video layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/33 in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440227 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• 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 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64792 Controlling the complexity of the content stream, e.g. by dropping packets intermediate media network packet handling H04L65/765; proxy provisioning conversion or adaptation for reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data H04L67/5651; negotiation of resources in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 : Transmission by the client directed to the server
• 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 7/15 : Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for controlling a multipoint conference are disclosed. The method includes: determining resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal, and sending them to their corresponding terminals; receiving the code streams sent by each terminal, selecting code streams to be displayed by each terminal among the received code streams according to the display requirements of each terminal, and transcoding or mapping the selected code streams to the code streams decodable by the terminal; and sending the code streams decodable by each terminal to their corresponding terminals. The embodiments of the present invention use an MCU to control the resolution-layered coding, and therefore, the system can include both the terminal supporting the layering protocol and the terminal supporting no layering protocol. In addition, the calculation is reduced, and the system efficiency is improved.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a multipoint conference, comprising:

determining resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal of a plurality of terminals, and sending the resolution-layered coding parameters to a corresponding terminal; and

receiving code streams sent by each terminal;

selecting a code stream to be displayed by each terminal among the received code streams according to display requirements of each terminal;

transcoding or mapping the selected code stream to a code stream decodable by the corresponding terminal; and

sending the decodable code stream to the corresponding terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal comprises:

determining an elementary-layer resolution of each terminal; and

determining the resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal according to the determined elementary-layer resolution.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the elementary-layer resolution of each terminal comprises:

receiving terminal resolution capability information communicated from each terminal;

determining that a common highest resolution of decoding resolutions of the plurality of terminals is the elementary-layer resolution according to each terminal'"'"'s resolution capability information received.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the elementary-layer resolution of each terminal comprises:

presetting the elementary-layer resolution that is not higher than a highest decoding resolution of the plurality of terminals.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal according to the determined elementary-layer resolution of each terminal comprises:

determining, for a first terminal with a resolution equal to the elementary-layer resolution, that a coding protocol of the first terminal is an elementary-layer coding protocol, and a coding resolution is the elementary-layer resolution; and

determining, for a second terminal with a resolution higher than the elementary-layer resolution and that is incapable of layered coding, that a coding protocol of the second terminal is the elementary-layer coding protocol, and the coding resolution is the elementary-layer resolution; and

determining, for a third terminal with a resolution higher than the elementary-layer resolution and that is capable of layered coding, that a coding protocol of the third terminal is a layered coding protocol, and an elementary-layer coding resolution is the elementary-layer resolution, and determining enhanced-layer parameters.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein transcoding or mapping the selected code stream to code stream decodable by the corresponding terminal comprises:

selecting, for the first terminal, elementary-layer code streams to be decoded;

selecting, for the third terminal, the elementary-layer code streams to be decoded and enhanced-layer code streams to be decoded;

or, transcoding or mapping, for the third terminal, layered code streams that comprise an elementary layer and an enhanced layer to the code streams of an elementary-layer coding standard; and

selecting, for the second terminal, the elementary-layer code streams to be decoded;

or, transcoding or mapping the layered code streams that comprise the elementary layer and the enhanced layer to the code streams of the elementary-layer coding standard.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein determining the enhanced-layer parameters comprises:

determining the enhanced-layer parameters according to whether a) the resolution is greater than the elementary-layer resolution, b) at least two resolutions supported by the terminal exist, and c) each resolution corresponds to an enhanced layer; and

/or

clustering the resolution, wherein each clustered resolution corresponds to an enhanced layer.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal comprises:

receiving the resolution capability information sent by each terminal;

determining a subpicture resolution and a combo picture resolution according to the resolution capability information and the display requirements; and

determining the resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal according to the subpicture resolution and the combo picture resolution.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein determining the resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal according to the subpicture resolution and the combo picture resolution comprises:

determining, for a first terminal with a resolution that is equal to the subpicture resolution, that a coding protocol of the first terminal is an elementary-layer coding protocol, and the coding resolution is the subpicture resolution;

determining, for a second terminal with a resolution that is higher than the subpicture resolution and that is incapable of layered coding, that a coding protocol of the second terminal is the elementary-layer coding protocol, and the coding resolution is the subpicture resolution; and

determining, for a third terminal with a resolution that is higher than the subpicture resolution and that is capable of layered coding, that a coding protocol of the third terminal is a layered coding protocol, the elementary-layer coding resolution is the subpicture resolution, and the enhanced-layer coding resolution is the combo picture resolution, and determining enhanced-layer parameters.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein transcoding or mapping the selected code stream to code stream decodable by the corresponding terminal comprises:

selecting, for a terminal capable of layered decoding, subpicture code streams to be decoded and enhanced-layer code streams to be decoded;

or, transcoding or mapping, for the terminal capable of layered decoding, layered code streams that comprise the subpicture code streams and the enhanced-layer code streams to the code streams of an elementary-layer coding standard; and

transcoding or mapping, for a terminal incapable of layered decoding, the layered code streams that comprise the subpicture code streams and the enhanced-layer code streams to the code streams of the elementary-layer coding standard.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein transcoding or mapping the selected code stream to code stream decodable by the corresponding terminal comprises:

combining one or more selected code streams to be decoded into an elementary-layer code stream;

decoding the one or more selected code streams to be decoded;

combining decoded pictures into a large picture; and

encoding the large picture to obtain an elementary-layer code stream.

12. A Multipoint Control Unit (MCU), comprising:

a first processing unit, configured to determine resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal of a plurality of terminals, and send the resolution-layered coding parameters to a corresponding terminal of the plurality of terminals; and

a second processing unit configured to select a code stream to be displayed by each terminal among received code streams, and transcode or map the selected code stream to code stream decodable by the corresponding terminal, and send the decodable code stream to the corresponding terminal.

13. The MCU according to claim 12, wherein the first processing unit comprises:

an information receiving unit, configured to receive display requirements and resolution capability information of each terminal;

a parameter determining unit configured to determine a common highest resolution of decoding resolutions of the plurality of terminals as an elementary-layer resolution according to each terminal'"'"'s display requirements and resolution capability information received by the information receiving unit;

or determine resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal according to the resolution capability information and each user'"'"'s display requirements; and

a parameter sending unit, configured to send each terminal'"'"'s resolution-layered coding parameters determined by the parameter determining unit to the corresponding terminals of the parameters.

14. The MCU according to claim 12, wherein the second processing unit comprises:

a code stream selecting unit;

a code stream transcoding or mapping unit; and

a code stream sending unit,

wherein the code stream selecting unit is configured to select the code stream to be displayed by each terminal among the received code streams, and

wherein the code stream transcoding or mapping unit is configured to transcode or map the code stream selected by the code stream selecting unit to the code stream decodable by the corresponding terminal, wherein the code stream transcoding or mapping unit further comprises;

first, second, and third transcoding or mapping subunits;

wherein the first transcoding or mapping subunit is configured to

select elementary-layer code streams to be decoded for a terminal with a that is equal to an elementary-layer resolution;

select the elementary-layer code streams to be decoded and enhanced-layer code streams to be decoded for a terminal with a resolution that is higher than the elementary-layer resolution and that is capable of layered decoding;

or, transcode or map layered code streams that comprise an elementary layer and an enhanced layer to code streams of an elementary-layer coding standard; and

select the elementary-layer code streams to be decoded for a terminal with a resolution that is higher than the elementary-layer resolution and that is incapable of layered decoding;

or, transcode or map the layered code streams that comprise the elementary layer and the enhanced layer to the code streams of the elementary-layer coding standard;

wherein the second transcoding or mapping subunit is configured to;

combine one or more selected code streams for decoding into an elementary-layer code stream directly;

decode the one or more selected code streams

combine decoded pictures into a large picture, and

encode the large picture to obtain an elementary-layer code stream; and

wherein the third transcoding or mapping subunit is configured to;

select subpicture code streams to be decoded and enhanced-layer code streams to be decoded for the terminal capable of layered decoding;

transcode or map layered code streams that comprise the subpicture code streams and the enhanced-layer code streams to the code streams of the elementary-layer coding standard;

transcode or map the layered code streams that comprise the subpicture code streams and the enhanced-layer code streams to the code streams of the elementary-layer coding standard for the terminal incapable of layered decoding; and

wherein the code stream sending unit is configured to send the transcoded or mapped code streams to their corresponding terminals.

15. A multipoint conference system, comprising:

a Multipoint Control Unit (MCU), configured to determine resolution-layered coding parameters of each terminal of a plurality of terminals, and send the resolution-layered coding parameters to a corresponding terminal of the plurality of terminals, select a code stream to be displayed by each terminal among received code streams, and transcode or map the selected code stream to code stream decodable by the corresponding terminal, and send the decodable code stream to the corresponding terminal; and

a terminal, configured to perform resolution-layered coding on an image to be sent according to received resolution-layered coding parameters, and send the coded streams; and

decode the received code streams.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the terminal comprises:

a parameter receiving unit, configured to receive the resolution-layered coding parameters;

a coding unit, configured to perform resolution-layered coding on the image to be sent according to the resolution-layered coding parameters received by the parameter receiving unit, and send the coded streams; and

a decoding unit, configured to decode the received code streams.