System and method for video conferencing through a television forwarding device

• US 9,032,461 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tucker, Curtis E., Gupta, Shekhar, Morrill, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): El-Zoobi, Maria
• Application Number:
  US12/209,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20100066805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,433 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 348 1401- 1408, 348/143, 725/62, 725/106, 725/118, 725/110, 725/123, 725/131, 725/139, 715740-743
• US Class Current: 725/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44245 Monitoring the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. its availability, bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A system and method for implementing a video conference through a television forwarding device. A remote user is authenticated through a website. A selection of a user is received for the remote user to communicate with through the video conference. An invitation is sent to the television forwarding device. The invitation being configured to prompt the user to accept implementation of the video conference. The video conference is implemented between the remote user and the user in response to the user accepting the invitation.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a video conference through a television forwarding device, the method comprising:

authenticating a remote user through a website;

receiving a selection of a user for the remote user to communicate with through the video conference, the selection is received through the website;

sending an invitation from the website to the television forwarding device in response to receiving the selection from the remote user, the invitation being configured to prompt the user to accept implementation of the video conference; and

implementing the video conference between the remote user and the user in response to the user accepting the invitation;

enabling the remote user to utilize the website to control a resolution of video images streamed from the user to the remote user, while automatically adjusting a resolution of video images streamed from the remote user to the user based on available bandwidth of the television forwarding device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the remote user utilizes a communications device that includes a video camera to perform the video conference.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the user is made using a network address book that lists a plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of contacts are received based on user input through the set-top box.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the television forwarding device is a Sling box.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the authenticating is performed through the website configured to stream the video conference to the remote user.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input from the remote user to control a video camera integrated with the television forwarding device.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an image of the remote user to the user through a display in communication with the television forwarding device; and

displaying an image of the user to the remote user through a display in communication with the television forwarding device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the implementing further comprises:

decoding a video conference signal for display utilizing a set-top box in communication with the television forwarding device.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

encoding the video conference signal for transmission from the television forwarding device based on an available bandwidth.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the encoding further comprises:

encrypting the video conference signal for receipt by the remote user with access to a digital rights management key.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the decoding further comprises:

decrypting the video conference signal for display by a television in communication with the television forwarding device.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

automatically implementing the video conference without requiring the user to accept implementation of the video conference; and

granting the remote user control of the video conference including at least directional camera controls and resolution for the video conference.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the authenticating further comprises:

accessing a user database to determine that the remote user is authorized to communicate with the television forwarding device; and

verifying an identifier received from the remote user.

14. A system for implementing a video conference through a television forwarding device, the system comprising:

a server configured to provide a website accessible by a remote user through a network connection, wherein the remote user selects to initiate a video conference with a user utilizing the website, and wherein the server generates an invitation in response to the selection from the remote user received through the website, and wherein the remote user is enabled to utilize the website to control a resolution of video images streamed from the user to the remote user; and

a television forwarding device in communication with the server configured to receive the invitation from the remote user to begin a video conference, wherein the television forwarding device implements the video conference with the remote user in response to a selection by a user to accept the video conference, and wherein a resolution of video images streamed from the remote user to the user is automatically adjusted based on available bandwidth of the television forwarding device.

15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a communications device in communication with the server, wherein the communications device is utilized by the remote user to perform the video conference; and

a database in communication with the server, the database configured to verify that the remote user is authorized to communicate with the television forwarding device, wherein the remote user controls the television forwarding device including at least directional camera controls and resolution for the video conference.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein the server includes a digital rights management (DRM) server configured to send and receive the user a DRM key for encrypting and decrypting the video conference, and wherein the website sends invitation to the television forwarding device.

17. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

a set-top box in communication with the server through a network connection, the set-top box communicates with the television forwarding device through an interface, and wherein the set-top box communicates video conference signals received by a video camera in communication with the television forwarding device to the server for communication to the remote user.

18. A television forwarding device for video conferencing, the television forwarding device comprising:

a data interface operable to communicate video conference signals with a remote user through a set-top box;

video conference logic in communication with the data interface, the video conference logic operable to present an invitation to a user to implement a video conference between the remote user and the user, wherein the invitation is generated by the remote user utilizing a website and selecting the user as a receiving party for the video conference, and wherein the remote user is enabled to utilize the website to control a resolution of video images streamed from the user to the remote user, and wherein the video conference logic is operable to control a video camera in communication with the television forwarding device;

an audio/video decoder in communication with the video conference logic, wherein the audio/video decoder is operable to decode the video conference signals received from the remote user to be displayed to the user;

an audio/video encoder in communication with the video conference logic, wherein the audio/video encoder is operable to encode the video conference signals received through the video camera for communication to the remote user;

a user interface operable in communication with the audio/video encoder, wherein the user interface is operable to receive user input form the user and the video conference signals recorded by the video camera; and

a display interface in communication with the audio/video decoder, wherein the display interface is operable to communicate the video conference signals formatted by the audio/video decoder to a display device, wherein a resolution of video images streamed from the remote user to the user is automatically adjusted based on available bandwidth of the television forwarding device, and wherein the video conference logic stores preferences for enabling the remote user to control at least directional camera controls and resolution for the video conference signals.

19. The television forwarding device according to claim 18, wherein the audio/video decoder and audio/video encoder utilize a DRM key to secure the video conference signals.

20. The television forwarding device according to claim 18, wherein the remote user and the user are authenticated by a database before the video conference signals are communicated to and from the television forwarding device.