Recording a videoconference based on recording configurations

• US 8,717,404 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Goyal, Ashish, Shanmukhadas, Binu Kaiparambil
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US13/093,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20110261148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.03, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.1, 709/204, 709/205, 370/401, 375/240.03, 386/224
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831

Abstract

A videoconference may be initiated between a plurality of endpoints. At least one of the endpoints may be coupled to a recording server, which may be configured to record the videoconference. A configuration may be selected (e.g., automatically or manually) for performing the recording. The endpoint (e.g., acting as an MCU) may transmit information to endpoints and may transmit recording information to the recording server. The recording information may be different from the videoconference information. For example, it may be in a “streaming friendly” format, at a different bit rate, encoded differently, have different inputs, etc. The manner in which the videoconference is stored and/or recorded may be based on the selected configuration. Clients may be configured to receive and display the videoconference from the recording server and may be configured to change the provided layout to different layouts, e.g., based on user input.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for recording a videoconference, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

select one or more recording configurations for the videoconference, wherein each of the one or more recording configurations specifies recording characteristics for recording of the videoconference, wherein a first recording configuration of the one or more recording configurations specifies a bit rate of the recording;

receive videoconference information during performance of the videoconference, wherein the videoconference information comprises video of and from at least one endpoint of the videoconference;

store the videoconference information based on the selected one or more recording configurations.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein said selecting the one or more recording configurations is based on user input selecting at least one of the one or more recording configurations.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein said selecting the one or more recording configurations comprises automatically selecting at least one of the one or more recording configurations without receiving user input specifying the at least one recording configuration.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 3, wherein said automatically selecting the at least one recording configuration is performed based on one or more participants of the videoconference, wherein the at least one recording configuration is associated with the one or more participants of the videoconference.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more recording configurations is associated with one or more respective participants of the videoconference.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein a first recording configuration of the one or more recording configurations is associated with an endpoint of the videoconference.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein a first recording configuration of the one or more recording configurations specifies a resolution of the recording.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein a first recording configuration of the one or more recording configurations specifies viewing rights of the recording.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein a first recording configuration of the one or more recording configurations specifies a channel for publishing the recording.

10. A method for recording a videoconference, comprising:

store a plurality of recording configurations, wherein each of the plurality of recording configurations is configured to specify recording characteristics for recording of a videoconference, wherein a first recording configuration specifies first recording characteristics for recording of a videoconference, wherein the first recording characteristics comprise a bit rate of the recording;

select the first recording configuration for a first videoconference;

record a first recording of the first videoconference based on the selected first recording configuration, wherein said recording the first recording is performed according to the first recording characteristics.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of recording configurations also specifies playback information.

12. The method of claim 10,

wherein the first recording configuration specifies one or more of a resolution of the recording, viewing rights of the recording, or a channel of the first recording.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving videoconference information from an endpoint of the videoconference, wherein the videoconference information comprises video of and from at least one endpoint of the videoconference, and wherein said recording is performed using the videoconference information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the videoconference information specifies the first recording configurations, wherein said selecting is performed based on the videoconference information.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for recording a videoconference, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

select one or more recording configurations for the videoconference, wherein each of the one or more recording configurations specifies recording characteristics for recording of the videoconference, wherein a first recording configuration of the one or more recording configurations specifies a bit rate of the recording;

provide videoconference information to a recording server during performance of the videoconference, wherein the videoconference information comprises video of and from at least one endpoint of the videoconference;

wherein the videoconference information is provided to the recording server based on the selected at least one recording configuration.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 15, wherein said selecting the one or more recording configurations is based on user input selecting at least one of the one or more recording configurations.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 15, wherein said selecting the one or more recording configurations comprises automatically selecting at least one of the one or more recording configurations without receiving user input specifying the at least one recording configuration.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 17, wherein said automatically selecting the at least one recording configuration is performed based on one or more participants of the videoconference, wherein the at least one recording configuration is associated with the one or more participants of the videoconference.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for recording a videoconference, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

select at least one recording configuration for the videoconference, wherein the at least one recording configuration specifies recording characteristics for recording of the videoconference, wherein a first recording configuration of the one or more recording configurations specifies a bit rate of the recording;

provide videoconference information to a recording server during performance of the videoconference, wherein the videoconference information comprises video of and from at least one endpoint of the videoconference;

wherein the recording server is configured to record the videoconference using the videoconference information based on the one or more recording configurations.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 19, wherein said providing the videoconference information is also performed based on the at least one recording configuration.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 20, wherein the at least one recording configuration specifies an address of the recording server.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for streaming a videoconference, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

select one or more streaming configurations for the videoconference, wherein the one or more streaming configurations specify recording characteristics for recording of the videoconference, wherein a first streaming configuration of the one or more streaming configurations specifies a bit rate of the streaming;

receive videoconference information during performance of the videoconference wherein the videoconference information comprises video of and from at least one endpoint of the videoconference;

stream the videoconference information based on the selected one or more streaming configurations.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 22, wherein said selecting the one or more streaming configurations is based on user input selecting at least one of the one or more streaming configurations.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 22, wherein said selecting the one or more streaming configurations comprises automatically selecting at least one of the one or more streaming configurations without receiving user input specifying the at least one recording configuration.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 22, wherein each of the one or more streaming configurations is associated with one or more respective participants of the videoconference.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 22, wherein a first streaming configuration of the one or more streaming configurations is associated with an endpoint of the videoconference.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 22, wherein a first streaming configuration of the one or more streaming configurations specifies a resolution of the recording.