Collaborative recording of a videoconference using a recording server

• US 8,780,166 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Shanmukhadas, Binu Kaiparambil, Kulkarni, Hrishikesh G., Belur, Raghuram, Lakshmipathy, Sandeep
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US13/094,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20120274731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.1, 348/14.13, 386/224, 386/329, 709/204, 370/261, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• 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 7/155 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 execute during a videoconference, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

in response to a request to record a videoconference, determining a first endpoint, from among a plurality of endpoints participating in the videoconference, having a high quality connection between the first endpoint and a recording server, wherein the recording server is configured to record the videoconference, and wherein each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints comprises a camera, microphone, display device, and speakers for enabling a videoconference participant to participate in the videoconference;

wherein the first endpoint is configured to provide videoconference information to the recording server for recording the videoconference based on said determining that the first endpoint has the high quality connection between the first endpoint and the recording server, wherein the videoconference information provided from the first endpoint to the recording server comprises audio and video from multiple endpoints in the videoconference.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein the request is received from an endpoint or MCU of the videoconference.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein the request is provided by a user of an endpoint in the videoconference.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein the request is received by an endpoint of the videoconference.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein said determining is performed by a recording server.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein said determining is performed by the first endpoint.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein said determining is performed by a second endpoint of the videoconference.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein said determining the first endpoint having the high quality connection comprises determining that the first endpoint and the recording server are on a same local area network.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein said determining the first endpoint having the high quality connection comprises determining that a connection between the first endpoint and the recording server exceeds a threshold bandwidth.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein said determining the first endpoint having the high quality connection comprises determining that a connection between the first endpoint and the recording server is less than a threshold amount of packet loss.

11. A method for recording a videoconference, wherein the videoconference is performed among a plurality of endpoints, the method comprising:

in response to a request to record a videoconference, determining a first endpoint, from among the plurality of endpoints, having a high quality connection to the recording server, wherein the recording server is configured to record the videoconference, and wherein each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints comprises a camera, microphone, display device, and speakers for enabling a videoconference participant to participate in the videoconference;

wherein the first endpoint is configured to provide videoconference information to the recording server for recording the videoconference based on said determining that the first endpoint has the high quality connection to the recording server, wherein the videoconference information provided from the first endpoint to the recording server comprises audio and video from multiple endpoints in the videoconference.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the request is received from an endpoint or MCU of the videoconference.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the request is provided by a user of an endpoint in the videoconference.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the request is received by an endpoint of the videoconference.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said determining is performed by a recording server.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said determining is performed by the first endpoint.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said determining is performed by a second endpoint of the videoconference.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said determining the first endpoint having the high quality connection comprises determining that the first endpoint and the recording server are on a same local area network.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein said determining the first endpoint having the high quality connection comprises determining that a connection between the first endpoint and the recording server exceeds a threshold bandwidth.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein said determining the first endpoint having the high quality connection comprises determining that a connection between the first endpoint and the recording server is less than a threshold amount of packet loss.

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

in response to a request to stream a videoconference, determining a first endpoint, from among a plurality of endpoints participating in the videoconference, having a high quality connection between the first endpoint and a streaming server, wherein the streaming server is configured to stream the videoconference, and wherein each endpoint of the plurality of endpoints comprises a camera, microphone, display device, and speakers for enabling a videoconference participant to participate in the videoconference;

wherein the first endpoint is configured to provide videoconference information to the streaming server for streaming the videoconference based on said determining that the first endpoint has the high quality connection between the first endpoint and the streaming server, wherein the videoconference information provided from the first endpoint to the streaming server comprises audio and video from multiple endpoints in the videoconference.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein the request is received from an endpoint or MCU of the videoconference.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein the request is provided by a user of an endpoint in the videoconference.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein the request is received by an endpoint of the videoconference.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein said determining is performed by a streaming server.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein said determining is performed by the first endpoint.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein said determining is performed by a second endpoint of the videoconference.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein said determining the first endpoint having the high quality connection comprises determining that the first endpoint and the streaming server are on a same local area network.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein said determining the first endpoint having the high quality connection comprises determining that a connection between the first endpoint and the streaming server exceeds a threshold bandwidth.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein said determining the first endpoint having the high quality connection comprises determining that a connection between the first endpoint and the streaming server is less than a threshold amount of packet loss.