Sharing participant information in a videoconference

• US 8,786,668 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Kenoyer, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US13/407,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20120176467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 370260-261, 715/753, 709/204
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4046 with distributed floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/14 Systems for two-way working H04N7/12, H04N7/173 take precedence
• 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 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

A method for displaying information in a videoconference is disclosed. Video information from a first endpoint of the videoconference may be received. The video information may include an image of a participant at the first endpoint. Participant information for the participant (e.g., name, phone number, job title, etc.) may also be received. The video information and the participant information for the participant may be displayed together on a display screen at a second endpoint of the videoconference.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information in a videoconference, comprising:

utilizing a computer to perform;

receiving video information, at a second endpoint, from a first endpoint of the videoconference, wherein the video information represents a first scene at the first endpoint including images of a plurality of participants, wherein the plurality of participants include a first participant;

determining which of the plurality of participants is the first participant in the video information;

determining first participant information for the first participant, wherein the first participant information comprises distinguishing information associated with the first participant;

displaying the video information on a display screen at the second endpoint of the videoconference; and

displaying the first participant information for the first participant on the display screen at the second endpoint of the videoconference, wherein the first participant information is displayed proximally to an image of the first participant in the video information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first participant information for the first participant comprises one or more of:

a name of the first participant;

a phone number of the first participant;

an email address of the first participant;

a mailing address of the first participant;

a job title of the first participant;

or

an employer of the first participant.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein said displaying the first participant information for the first participant comprises displaying the first participant information for the first participant substantially simultaneously with the image of the first participant.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying the first participant information comprises moving the displayed first participant information relative to the displayed first participant to visually associate the first participant information with the displayed first participant when the first participant moves relative to a camera capturing the video information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of participants include a second participant, wherein the method further comprises:

determining which of the plurality of participants is the second participant in the video information;

determining second participant information for the second participant, wherein the second participant information comprises distinguishing information associated with the second participant;

displaying the second participant information for the second participant on the display screen at the second endpoint of the videoconference, wherein the second participant information is displayed proximally to an image of the second participant in the video information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining which of the plurality of participants is the first participant comprises:

analyzing the images in the scene to determine which of the plurality of participants is the first participant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the first participant information for the first participant comprises:

receiving the first participant information for the first participant.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the first participant information for the first participant to one or more participants at the second endpoint of the videoconference.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said transmitting the first participant information to the one or more participants at the second endpoint of the videoconference comprises one or more of:

wirelessly transmitting the first participant information to a personal wireless device of a participant at the second endpoint of the videoconference; and

/or

sending an email comprising the first participant information to an email address of a participant at the second endpoint.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying the video information and said displaying the first participant information comprises:

a videoconferencing device at the second endpoint of the videoconference creating a composite video output signal configured for display of the first participant information with the video information; and

the videoconferencing device at the second endpoint displaying the composite video output signal on the display screen at the second endpoint.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving the video information and said determining the first participant information comprises a videoconferencing device at the second endpoint of the videoconference receiving the video information and the participant information from a videoconferencing device at the first endpoint of the videoconference.

12. The method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving the video information comprises a videoconferencing device at the second endpoint of the videoconference receiving the video information from a videoconferencing device at the first endpoint of the videoconference;

and

wherein said determining the first participant information comprises the videoconferencing device at the second endpoint of the videoconference receiving the first participant information from a database.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of an extent of the first participant information to display on the display screen at the second endpoint of the videoconference; and

wherein said displaying the participant information comprises displaying the first participant information to the indicated extent.

14. A videoconferencing device, comprising:

one or more input ports configured to receive video information from a first endpoint of a videoconference, wherein the video information represents a first scene at the first endpoint including images of a plurality of participants, wherein the plurality of participants include a first participant;

one or more computational elements configured to;

determine which of the plurality of participants is the first participant in the video information;

determine first participant information for the first participant, wherein the first participant information comprises distinguishing information associated with the first participant;

create a composite video output signal configured for display of the first participant information with the video information, wherein the first participant information is proximate to an image of the first participant in the video output signal; and

an output port operable to provide the composite video output signal for displaying on a display screen.

15. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein the first participant information for the first participant comprises one or more of:

a name of the first participant;

a phone number of the first participant;

an email address of the first participant;

a mailing address of the first participant;

a job title of the first participant;

or

an employer of the first participant.

16. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein said creating the composite video output moving the displayed first participant information relative to the image of the first participant to visually associate the first participant information with the first participant when the first participant moves relative to a camera capturing the video information.

17. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of participants include a second participant, wherein the one or more computational elements are further configured to:

determine which of the plurality of participants is the second participant in the video information;

determine second participant information for the second participant, wherein the second participant information comprises distinguishing information associated with the second participant;

wherein the second participant information is proximate to an image of the second participate in the video output signal.

18. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein said determining which of the plurality of participants is the first participant comprises:

analyzing the images in the scene to determine which of the plurality of participants is the first participant.

19. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein said determining the first participant information for the first participant comprises:

receiving the first participant information for the first participant.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to:

receive video information, at a second endpoint, from a first endpoint of the videoconference, wherein the video information represents a first scene at the first endpoint including images of a plurality of participants, wherein the plurality of participants include a first participant;

determine which of the plurality of participants is the first participant in the video information;

determine first participant information for the first participant, wherein the first participant information comprises distinguishing information associated with the first participant;

display the video information on a display screen at the second endpoint of the videoconference; and

display the first participant information for the first participant on the display screen at the second endpoint of the videoconference, wherein the first participant information is displayed proximally to an image of the first participant in the video information.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the first participant information for the first participant comprises one or more of:

a name of the first participant;

a phone number of the first participant;

an email address of the first participant;

a mailing address of the first participant;

a job title of the first participant;

or

an employer of the first participant.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20,

wherein said displaying the first participant information for the first participant comprises displaying the first participant information for the first participant substantially simultaneously with the image of the first participant.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein said displaying the first participant information comprises moving the displayed first participant information relative to the displayed first participant to visually associate the first participant information with the displayed first participant when the first participant moves relative to a camera capturing the video information.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the plurality of participants include a second participant, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

determine which of the plurality of participants is the second participant in the video information;

determine second participant information for the second participant, wherein the second participant information comprises distinguishing information associated with the second participant;

display the second participant information for the second participant on the display screen at the second endpoint of the videoconference, wherein the second participant information is displayed proximally to an image of the second participant in the video information.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein said determining which of the plurality of participants is the first participant comprises:

analyzing the images in the scene to determine which of the plurality of participants is the first participant.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein said determining the first participant information for the first participant comprises:

receiving the first participant information for the first participant.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

transmit the first participant information for the first participant to one or more participants at the second endpoint of the videoconference.