Multiparty communications systems and methods that employ composite communications
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the method comprising:
- determining a number of live video communications being received, wherein the live video communications being received comprises at least a first live video communication and a second live video communication;
receiving the first live video communication sent by a first transmitting device and directed to a receiving device;
receiving the second live video communication sent by a second transmitting device and directed to the receiving device;
assigning a first arbitrary spatial location within a display of the receiving device to the first received live video communication;
assigning a second arbitrary spatial location within the display of the receiving device to the second received live video communication;
creating a combined audio signal which indicates to a user at the receiving device that the first received live video communication is occurring at the first arbitrary spatial location within the display of the receiving device and the second received live video communication is occurring at the second arbitrary spatial location within the display of the receiving device;
generating a composite video communication based at least on the first received live video communication, the second received live video communication, and the combined audio signal; and
transmitting the composite video communication to the receiving device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Improved methods, systems, and devices for managing communications are provided. A user device may display all ongoing communications so that a user can visualize the communications network or some subset thereof (e.g., a subgroup or group of users). A system may maintain the user device in an instant ready-on mode of communication with the other user devices. A user may then initiate communications with a subgroup (e.g., a pair) or group without initiating a new connection. Accordingly, a user can simultaneously and fluidly communicate at the subgroup level, at the group level, or at the inter-group level. Moreover, users can function as independent actors that can freely form and leave subgroups as well as groups.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the method comprising:
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determining a number of live video communications being received, wherein the live video communications being received comprises at least a first live video communication and a second live video communication; receiving the first live video communication sent by a first transmitting device and directed to a receiving device; receiving the second live video communication sent by a second transmitting device and directed to the receiving device; assigning a first arbitrary spatial location within a display of the receiving device to the first received live video communication; assigning a second arbitrary spatial location within the display of the receiving device to the second received live video communication; creating a combined audio signal which indicates to a user at the receiving device that the first received live video communication is occurring at the first arbitrary spatial location within the display of the receiving device and the second received live video communication is occurring at the second arbitrary spatial location within the display of the receiving device; generating a composite video communication based at least on the first received live video communication, the second received live video communication, and the combined audio signal; and transmitting the composite video communication to the receiving device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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7. A method for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the method comprising:
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determining a number of live video communications being received, wherein the live video communications being received comprises at least a first live video communication and a second live video communication; and identifying arbitrary spatial locations to assign to the received live communications based on the number of received live video communications such that each of the arbitrary spatial locations corresponds to one of the received live video communications; creating a combined audio signal which indicates to a user at a receiving device that the first received live video communication is occurring at a first arbitrary spatial location of the identified arbitrary spatial locations within a display of the receiving device and the second received live video communication is occurring at a second arbitrary spatial location of the identified arbitrary spatial locations within the display of the receiving device; and generating a composite video communication based at least on the first received live video communication and the second received live video communication. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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24. A method for facilitating dynamic communications amongst multiple users, the method comprising:
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receiving a first live video communication sent by a first transmitting device and directed to a receiving device; receiving a second live video communication sent by a second transmitting device and directed to the receiving device; determining a number of live video communications received, the live video communications received comprising at least the received first live video communication and the received second live video communication; identifying arbitrary spatial locations to assign to the received live video communications based on the number of received live video communications such that each of the arbitrary spatial locations corresponds to one of the received live video communications; assigning a first arbitrary spatial location of the identified arbitrary spatial locations within a display of the receiving device to the first received live video communication; assigning a second arbitrary spatial location of the identified arbitrary spatial locations within the display of the receiving device to the second received live video communication; creating a combined audio signal which indicates to a user at the receiving device that the first received live video communication is occurring at the first arbitrary spatial location within the display of the receiving device and the second received live video communication is occurring at the second arbitrary spatial location within the display of the receiving device; generating a composite video communication based at least on the first received live video communication, the second received live video communication, and the combined audio signal; and transmitting the composite video communication to the receiving device. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification