Videcoconferencing method and system for connecting a host with a plurality of participants

• US 8,345,081 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Forkner, Terry Ray, Melton, Richard Lee, LaMar, George Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US12/057,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20080174656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

An improved videoconferencing system and method are provided for connecting a host to a plurality of participants. Unlike other videoconferencing methods and systems, the videoconferencing system and method of these preferred embodiments allow each of the parties of a videoconference to benefit from the interaction between the host and the selected participant without limiting the number of participants that can join the videoconference. The host and participants can interact with the videoconferencing system by issuing voice commands or DTMF signals to a voice response unit or by using a computer to access the videoconferencing system directly or indirectly though a network such as the World Wide Web.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first party device, a request from a second party device;

transmitting, by the first party device, video of the first party device to the second party device;

receiving, by the first party device, video from the second party device, wherein while receiving video from the second party device, the first party device does not receive video from any of a plurality of party devices other than the second party device; and

transmitting, by the first party device, combined video of the first party device and the second party device to the plurality of party devices other than the second party device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second party device does not receive video from other plurality of party devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second party device does not receive its own video.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first party device does not receive its own video.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request from the second party device is received via the World Wide Web.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

transmitting, by the first party device, audio of the first party device to the second party device;

receiving, by the first party device, audio of the second party device, wherein the first party device does not receive audio from the plurality of party devices other than the second party device; and

transmitting, by the first party device, combined audio of the first and second parties to the parties of the plurality of parties other than the second party.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second party device does not receive audio from other party devices of the plurality of party devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of party devices comprises a third party device, and wherein the method comprises:

receiving, by the first party device, a second request from the third party device;

transmitting, by the first party device, video of the first party device to the third party device;

receiving, by the first party device, video of the third party device, wherein while receiving video from the third party device, the first party device does not receive video from the plurality of party devices other than the third party device; and

transmitting, by the first party device, combined video of the first party device and third party device to the plurality of party device other than the third party device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding, by the first party device, the second party device to a queue in response to receiving the request from the second party device; and

selecting, by the first party device, the second party device from the queue;

wherein the acts of transmitting video of the first party device to the second party device, receiving video of the second party device at the first party device, and transmitting combined video of the first party device and the second party device are performed in response to selecting the second party device from the queue.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer instructions, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request from a second party device;

transmitting video of a first party device to the second party device;

receiving video of the second party device at the first party device, wherein while receiving video of the second party device, the first party device does not receive video from a plurality of devices other than the second party device; and

transmitting combined video of the first and second party devices to the plurality of devices other than the second party device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the request from the second party device is received over the World Wide Web.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising computer instructions which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

adding the second party device to a queue in response to receiving the request from the second party device; and

selecting the second party device from the queue;

wherein the acts of transmitting video of the first party to the second party device, receiving video of the second party device at the first party device, and transmitting combined video of the first and second devices is performed in response to selecting the second party device from the queue.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising computer instructions which when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a second request from a third party device;

transmitting video of the first party device to the third party device;

receiving video of the third party device at the first party device, wherein while receiving video of the third party device, the first party device does not receive video from the plurality of devices other than the third party device; and

transmitting combined video of the first and third devices the plurality of devices other than the third party device.

14. A system comprising:

a network element coupled to a network coupling a first party device with a plurality of party devices comprising a second party device, the network element comprising;

a memory storing computer instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the comprising instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving a request from the second party device;

transmitting video of the first party device to the second party device;

wherein while receiving video of the second party device, the first party does not receive video from the plurality of party devices other than the second party device; and

transmitting combined video of the first and second party devices to the plurality of party devices other than the second party device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the request from the second party device is received over the World Wide Web.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising:

adding the second party to a queue in response to receiving the request from the second party device; and

selecting the second party device from the queue;

wherein the acts of transmitting video of the first party device to the second party device, receiving video of the second party device at the first party device, and transmitting combined video of the first and second party devices are performed in response to selecting the second party device from the queue.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising:

receiving a second request from a third party device;

transmitting video of the first party device to the third party device;

receiving video of the third party device at the first party device, wherein while receiving video of the third party device, the first party device does not receive video from the plurality of party devices other than the third party device; and

transmitting combined video of the first and third party devices to the plurality of party devices other than the third party device.