Providing separate video and presentation streams to a recording server

• US 8,786,666 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2011
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Shanmukhadas, Binu Kaiparambil, Goyal, Ashish
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US13/094,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20110261142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.1, 348/14.13, 348/14.04, 386/224, 715/753, 725/115
• 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 execute during a videoconference, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

provide first videoconference information to a recording server for recording during the videoconference, wherein the first videoconference information corresponds to participants in the videoconference, and wherein said providing the first videoconference information begins at a first time;

provide second videoconference information to the recording server for recording during the videoconference, wherein the second videoconference information corresponds to a presentation presented during the videoconference, wherein the second videoconference information is provided to the recording server during the provision of the first videoconference information, and wherein said providing the second videoconference information begins after the first time;

provide a timeline of the second videoconferencing information to the recording server for recording, wherein the timeline specifies when the second videoconferencing information was present in the videoconference;

wherein the timeline is used during playback of the recorded videoconference to indicate when the second videoconference information is available for display.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first videoconference information, the second videoconference information, and the timeline are configured for recording by the recording server.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein the first videoconference information and the second videoconference information are configured for provision to clients by the recording server without substantial modification.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

provide third videoconference information to the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints, wherein the third videoconference information is different from the first videoconference information.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 4, wherein the first videoconference information comprises periodic iframes, wherein the third videoconference information does not comprise periodic iframes.

6. A method for recording a videoconference, comprising:

providing first videoconference information to a recording server for recording during the videoconference, wherein the first videoconference information corresponds to participants in the videoconference, and wherein said providing the first videoconference information begins at a first time;

providing second videoconference information to the recording server for recording during the videoconference, wherein the second videoconference information corresponds to a presentation presented during the videoconference, wherein the second videoconference information is provided to the recording server during the provision of the first videoconference information, and wherein said providing the second videoconference information begins after the first time;

providing a timeline of the second videoconferencing information to the recording server for recording, wherein the timeline specifies when the second videoconferencing information was present in the videoconference;

wherein the timeline is used during playback of the recorded videoconference to indicate when the second videoconference information is available for display.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first videoconference information, the second videoconference information, and the timeline are configured for recording by the recording server.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first videoconference information and the second videoconference information are configured for provision to clients by the recording server without substantial modification.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing third videoconference information to the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints, wherein the third videoconference information is different from the first videoconference information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first videoconference information comprises periodic iframes, wherein the third videoconference information does not comprise periodic iframes.

11. 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:

receive first videoconference information during the videoconference, wherein the first videoconference information corresponds to participants in the videoconference, and wherein said receiving the first videoconference information begins at a first time;

receive second videoconference information during the videoconference, wherein the second videoconference information corresponds to a presentation presented during the videoconference, wherein the second videoconference information is received during the reception of the first videoconference information, and wherein said receiving the second videoconference information begins after the first time;

receive a timeline of the second videoconferencing information, wherein the timeline specifies when the second videoconferencing information was present in the videoconference;

wherein the timeline is used during playback of the videoconference to indicate when the second videoconference information is available for display.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 11, wherein said receiving the first videoconference information, said receiving the second videoconference information, and said receiving the timeline is performed by a recording server to record the videoconference.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further configured to:

provide the first videoconference information, the second videoconference information, and the timeline of the second videoconference information to one or more clients, wherein the one or more clients are configured to use the timeline during playback to present the second videoconference information.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 11, wherein said receiving the first videoconference information, said receiving the second videoconference information, and said receiving the timeline is performed by a client to playback the videoconference.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further executable to provide the videoconference for playback on a display, wherein said providing comprises:

providing the first videoconference information for playback on the display;

determining a first point in the videoconference when a portion of the second videoconferencing information begins using the timeline; and

providing the second videoconference information for playback on the display at the first point.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 15, wherein said providing the videoconference for playback on the display further comprises:

determining a second point in the videoconference when the portion of the second videoconferencing information ends using the timeline; and

cease providing the second videoconference information for playback on the display at the second point.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 11, wherein the first videoconference information, the second videoconference information, and the timeline are received from an endpoint of the videoconference.

18. A method for recording a videoconference, comprising:

receiving first videoconference information for recording during the videoconference, wherein the first videoconference information corresponds to participants in the videoconference, and wherein said receiving the first videoconference information begins at a first time;

receiving second videoconference information for recording, wherein the second videoconference information corresponds to a presentation presented during the videoconference, wherein the second videoconference information is received during the reception of the first videoconference information, and wherein said receiving the second videoconference information begins after the first time;

receiving a timeline of the second videoconferencing information for recording during the videoconference, wherein the timeline specifies when the second videoconferencing information was present in the videoconference;

wherein the timeline is used during playback of the recorded videoconference to indicate when the second videoconference information is available for display.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said receiving the first videoconference information, said receiving the second videoconference information, and said receiving the timeline is performed by a recording server to record the videoconference.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing the first videoconference information, the second videoconference information, and the timeline of the second videoconference information to one or more clients, wherein the one or more clients are configured to use the timeline during playback to present the second videoconference information.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said receiving the first videoconference information, said receiving the second videoconference information, and said receiving the timeline is performed by a client to playback the videoconference.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing the videoconference for playback on a display, wherein said providing comprises;

providing the first videoconference information for playback on the display;

determining a first point in the videoconference when a portion of the second videoconferencing information begins using the timeline; and

providing the second videoconference information for playback on the display at the first point.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said providing the videoconference for playback on the display further comprises:

determining a second point in the videoconference when the portion of the second videoconferencing information ends using the timeline; and

cease providing the second videoconference information for playback on the display at the second point.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the first videoconference information, the second videoconference information, and the timeline are received from an endpoint of the videoconference.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the first videoconference information is different from videoconference information provided to videoconference endpoints of the videoconference.

26. 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:

provide first videoconference information to a streaming server for recording during the videoconference, wherein the first videoconference information corresponds to participants in the videoconference, and wherein said providing the first videoconference information begins at a first time;

provide second videoconference information to the streaming server for recording during the videoconference, wherein the second videoconference information corresponds to a presentation presented during the videoconference, wherein the second videoconference information is provided during the provision of the first videoconference information, and wherein said providing the second videoconference information begins after the first time;

provide a timeline of the second videoconferencing information to the streaming server for streaming, wherein the timeline specifies when the second videoconferencing information was present in the videoconference;

wherein the timeline is used while viewing the streamed videoconference to indicate when the second videoconference information is available for display.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 26, wherein the first videoconference information and the second videoconference information are configured for provision to clients by the streaming server without substantial modification.