Using a touch interface to control a videoconference

• US 8,654,941 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Mock, Wayne E., King, Keith C., Brandt, Matthew K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US13/169,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.03, 379/93.21, 379/158, 379/202.01
• US Class Current: 379/93.21
• 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 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

Initiating a conference in a conferencing system (e.g., a videoconferencing or audioconferencing system). Input may be received to the conferencing system from a mobile communication device. The input may specify one or more participants in the videoconference, e.g., by selecting from contact information stored on the mobile communication device. Accordingly, the conferencing system may initiate the conference based on the received input. The videoconference may include the one or more participants selected from the contact information stored on the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions for controlling a videoconference using a touch screen, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

display a first visual configuration of the videoconference on a display, wherein the first visual configuration comprises a composite video display comprising a plurality of participant portions, wherein each of the participant portions displays a component video stream of a respective participant in the videoconference;

display, on the touch screen, a representation of the first visual configuration, wherein the touch screen is separate from the display of the videoconference;

receive user input via the touch screen, wherein the user input comprises a touch gesture to perform a videoconference action in a videoconference, wherein the touch gesture comprises at least a single touch combined with additional touch input;

perform the videoconference action based on the touch gesture, wherein said performing the videoconference action comprises modifying the first visual configuration of the videoconference.

2. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the videoconference action comprises switching a position of a first user in a visual configuration with a position of a second user in the visual configuration.

3. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of participant portions comprises a first participant portion displaying a component video stream of a first participant in the videoconference;

wherein said performing the videoconference action comprises displaying a second visual configuration, wherein a portion of the second visual configuration for the component video stream of the first participant is larger than the first participant portion of the first visual configuration.

4. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the touch gesture comprises a drag gesture;

wherein the videoconference action comprises switching a position of a first participant portion of the first visual configuration with a position of a second participant portion of the first visual configuration in response to the drag gesture.

5. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the touch gesture comprises a double tap gesture;

wherein the program instructions are further executable to;

wherein the plurality of participant portions comprises a first participant portion displaying a component video stream of a first participant in the videoconference;

wherein said performing the videoconference action comprises displaying a second visual configuration in response to the double tap gesture, wherein a portion of the second visual configuration for the component video stream of the first participant is larger than the first participant portion of the first visual configuration for the at least one participant.

6. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the touch gesture comprises a multi-touch gesture;

wherein the videoconference action comprises modifying a visual configuration of a videoconference based on the multi-touch gesture.

7. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the touch gesture comprises a pinch gesture;

wherein the videoconference action comprises maximizing a portion of the visual configuration on a videoconference display in response to the pinch gesture.

8. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1,

wherein the touch gesture comprises a reverse pinch gesture;

wherein the videoconference action comprises minimizing a portion of the visual configuration on a videoconference display in response to the reverse pinch gesture.

9. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the touch gesture comprises a drag gesture.

10. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the touch gesture comprises a double tap gesture.

11. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the touch gesture comprises a multi-touch gesture.

12. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the touch gesture comprises a pinch gesture.

13. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the touch gesture comprises a reverse pinch gesture.

14. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the display is comprised within a videoconferencing system, and wherein the touch screen is comprised in a mobile communications device that is separate from the videoconferencing system, wherein the mobile communications device communicates wirelessly with the videoconferencing system.

15. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the display is comprised within a videoconferencing system, and wherein the touch screen is comprised in a phone that is separate from the videoconferencing system, wherein the phone communicates wirelessly with the videoconferencing system.

16. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the touch screen is comprised in a speaker phone.

17. A non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions for controlling a videoconference using a touch screen, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

display, on the touch screen, a user interface representing a first visual configuration of the videoconference, wherein the touch screen is separate from a display of the videoconference;

receive user input from at least one finger via the touch screen to modify the first visual configuration of the videoconference, wherein the first visual configuration is displayed on a display of the videoconference, wherein the first visual configuration comprises a composite video display comprising a plurality of participant portions, wherein each of the participant portions displays a component video stream of a respective participant in the videoconference, wherein the user input is received at least partially at a position within one of the participant portions that is to be modified;

provide an output to modify the first visual configuration of the videoconference in response to the user input from the at least one finger to modify the first visual configuration, wherein the modified first visual configuration constitutes a second visual configuration.

18. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 17, wherein the touch screen is comprised in a mobile communications device that is separate from the display of the videoconference.

19. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 17,

wherein the plurality of participant portions comprises a first participant portion displaying a component video stream of a first participant in the videoconference;

wherein the second visual configuration comprises a portion for the component video stream of the first participant which is larger than the first participant portion of the first visual configuration.

20. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 17,

wherein the plurality of participant portions comprises a first participant portion displaying a component video stream of a first participant in the videoconference

wherein the second visual configuration comprises a portion for the component video stream of the first participant which is smaller than the first participant portion of the first visual configuration.

21. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 17,

wherein the plurality of participant portions comprises a first participant portion displaying a component video stream of a first participant in the videoconference;

wherein the second visual configuration comprises only a single portion for the component video stream of the first participant.

22. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 17,

wherein the first visual configuration comprises the plurality of participant portions having a first order;

wherein the second visual configuration comprises the plurality of participant portions having a second order that is different than the first order.

23. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 17, wherein the user input comprises a double touch gesture to the touch screen.

24. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 17, wherein the user input comprises a drag gesture to the touch screen.

25. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 17, wherein the user input comprises a pinch gesture to the touch screen.

26. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 17, wherein the user input comprises a reverse-pinch gesture to the touch screen.

27. A method for controlling a videoconference using a touch screen, comprising:

displaying, on a display, a first visual configuration of a videoconference, wherein the first visual configuration comprises a composite video display comprising a plurality of participant portions, wherein each of the participant portions displays a component video stream of a respective participant in the videoconference;

displaying, on the touch screen, a user interface representing the first visual configuration, wherein the touch screen is separate from the display of the videoconference;

receiving user input from at least one finger via the touch screen to modify the first visual configuration of the videoconference;

displaying, on the display, a second visual configuration of the videoconference in response to the user input from the at least one finger to modify the first visual configuration.

28. The method of claim 27,

wherein the touch screen is comprised in a mobile communications device that is separate from the display.

29. The method of claim 27,

wherein the plurality of participant portions comprises a first participant portion displaying a component video stream of a first participant in the videoconference;

wherein the second visual configuration comprises a portion for the component video stream of the first participant which is differently sized than the first participant portion of the first visual configuration.

30. The method of claim 27,

wherein the first visual configuration comprises the plurality of participant portions having a first order;

wherein the second visual configuration comprises the plurality of participant portions having a second order that is different than the first order.

31. A non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions for controlling a videoconference using a touch screen, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

display, on a display, a visual configuration of the videoconference, wherein the visual configuration comprises a composite video display comprising a plurality of participant portions, wherein each of the participant portions displays a component video stream of a respective participant in the videoconference;

display, on the touch screen, a user interface resembling the visual configuration, wherein the touch screen is separate from the display of the videoconference;

receive multi-touch input via the touch screen to zoom a first participant portion of the visual configuration, wherein the multi-touch input is received at least partially at a position within the first participant portion;

zoom the first participant portion of the visual configuration according to the multi-touch input to the touch screen, wherein said zooming comprises (1) adjusting the size of the first participant portion based on the multi-touch input, and (2) adjusting the size of at least a subset of the other participant portions of the plurality of participant portions based on the space remaining of the visual configuration.

32. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 31, wherein the multi-touch input specifies zooming in on the first participant portion of the visual configuration, wherein said zooming the visual configuration comprises zooming in on the first participant portion of the visual configuration, wherein said zooming in comprises (1) increasing the size of the first participant portion based on the multi-touch input, and (2) decreasing the size of at least a subset of the other participant portions of the plurality of participant portions to fit within the space remaining of the visual configuration.

33. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 32, wherein the user input comprises a reverse-pinch gesture to the touch screen.

34. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 31, wherein the multi-touch input specifies zooming out on the first participant portion of the visual configuration, wherein said zooming the visual configuration comprises zooming out on the first participant portion of the visual configuration, wherein said zooming out comprises (1) decreasing the size of the first participant portion based on the multi-touch input, and (2) increasing the size of at least a subset of the other participant portions of the plurality of participant portions to substantially fill the space vacated by the first participant portion.

35. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 34, wherein the user input comprises a pinch gesture to the touch screen.

36. A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions for controlling a videoconference using a touch screen, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

display a visual configuration of the videoconference on a display, wherein the visual configuration comprises a composite video display comprising a plurality of participant portions, wherein each of the participant portions displays a component video stream of a respective participant in the videoconference;

display, on the touch screen, a representation of the visual configuration, wherein the touch screen is separate from the display of the videoconference;

receive user input via the touch screen, wherein the user input comprises a drag gesture to modify the visual configuration of the videoconference, wherein the drag gesture initiates at a first participant portion of the plurality of participant portions, and terminates at a second participant portion of the plurality of participant portions;

modify the visual configuration of the videoconference based on the drag gesture user input received to the touch screen, wherein said modifying the visual configuration comprises reordering the first and second participant portions.

37. A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions for controlling a videoconference using a touch screen, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

display a visual configuration of the videoconference on a display, wherein the visual configuration comprises a composite video display comprising a plurality of participant portions, wherein each of the participant portions displays a component video stream of a respective participant in the videoconference;

display, on the touch screen, a representation of the visual configuration, wherein the touch screen is separate from the display of the videoconference;

receive user input via the touch screen, wherein the user input comprises a double tap gesture to modify the visual configuration of the videoconference, wherein the user input is received at a position within a first participant portion of the plurality of participant portions;

modify the visual configuration of the videoconference based on the double tap gesture user input received to the touch screen, wherein said modifying the visual configuration comprises changing the size of the first participant portion.

41. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 37, wherein said modifying the visual configuration further comprises increasing the size of the first participant portion and decreasing the size of at least one other participant portion.

42. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 37, wherein said modifying the visual configuration further comprises maximizing the size of the first participant portion and removing other participant portions from the visual configuration.

38. A method for controlling a videoconference using a touch screen, comprising:

displaying a visual configuration of the videoconference on a display, wherein the visual configuration comprises a composite video display comprising a plurality of participant portions, wherein each of the participant portions displays a component video stream of a respective participant in the videoconference;

displaying on the touch screen a representation of the first visual configuration, wherein the touch screen is separate from the display of the videoconference;

receiving user input via the touch screen, wherein the user input comprises a drag gesture to modify the visual configuration of the videoconference, wherein the drag gesture initiates at a first location within a first participant portion of the plurality of participant portions, and terminates at a second location outside of the first participant portion;

modifying the visual configuration of the videoconference based on the user input received via the touch screen, wherein said modifying the visual configuration comprises moving the first participant portion to a position including the second location.

39. A method for controlling a videoconference using a touch screen, comprising:

displaying a first visual configuration of the videoconference on a display, wherein the first visual configuration comprises a composite video display comprising a plurality of participant portions, wherein each of the participant portions displays a component video stream of a respective participant in the videoconference;

displaying on the touch screen a representation of the first visual configuration, wherein the touch screen is separate from the display of the videoconference;

receiving user input via the touch screen, wherein the user input comprises a touch gesture to perform a videoconference action in a videoconference, wherein the touch gesture comprises at least a single touch combined with additional touch input;

performing the videoconference action based on the touch gesture, wherein said performing the videoconference action comprises modifying the first visual configuration of the videoconference.

40. A method for controlling a videoconference using a touch screen, comprising:

display, on the touch screen, a user interface representing a first visual configuration of the videoconference, wherein the touch screen is separate from a display of the videoconference;

receiving user input from at least one finger via the touch screen to modify the first visual configuration of the videoconference, wherein the first visual configuration is displayed on a display of the videoconference, wherein the first visual configuration comprises a composite video display comprising a plurality of participant portions, wherein each of the participant portions displays a component video stream of a respective participant in the videoconference, wherein the user input is received at least partially at a position within one of the participant portions that is to be modified;

providing an output to modify the first visual configuration of the videoconference in response to the user input from the at least one finger to modify the first visual configuration, wherein the modified first visual configuration constitutes a second visual configuration.