Bandwidth modulation system and method

• US 9,035,992 B1
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Leske, Matthew J., Lachapelle, Serge
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US13/858,401
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.12, 370/468, 709/219, 709/231
• US Class Current: 348/14.04
• 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

Abstract

A method and computing system for monitoring an AV synchronous communication session of a user. The AV synchronous communication session includes an audio channel and a video channel. A performance characteristic is determined for the audio channel. The performance characteristic is compared to a defined audio performance threshold. If the performance characteristic does not meet the defined audio performance threshold, the video channel is adjusted to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the video channel.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

monitoring an AV synchronous communication session of a user, wherein the AV synchronous communication session includes an audio channel and a video channel;

determining a performance characteristic for the audio channel;

comparing the performance characteristic to a defined audio performance threshold; and

if the performance characteristic does not meet the defined audio performance threshold, adjusting the video channel to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the video channel, wherein adjusting the video channel includes;

transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network if a client electronic device operated by the user of the AV synchronous communication session includes public switched telephone network capabilities; and

eliminating the video channel.

2. A computer-implemented method comprising:

monitoring an AV synchronous communication session of a user, wherein the AV synchronous communication session includes an audio channel and a video channel;

determining a performance characteristic for the audio channel;

comparing the performance characteristic to a defined audio performance threshold; and

if the performance characteristic does not meet the defined audio performance threshold, adjusting the video channel to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the video channel wherein adjusting the video channel includes transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the performance characteristic is based upon one or more of:

a packet loss statistic;

a jitter statistic; and

a latency statistic.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein adjusting the video channel to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the video channel includes:

reducing the resolution of the video channel.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein adjusting the video channel to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the video channel includes:

reducing the frame rate of the video channel.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein adjusting the video channel to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the video channel includes:

eliminating the video channel.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining if a client electronic device operated by the user of the AV synchronous communication session includes public switched telephone network capabilities prior to transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network includes:

initiating contact with a client electronic device operated by the user of the AV synchronous communication session.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network includes:

receiving contact from a client electronic device operated by the user of the AV synchronous communication session.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network includes:

routing the audio channel on the public switched telephone network in accordance within one or more routing criteria.

11. A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising:

monitoring an AV synchronous communication session of a user, wherein the AV synchronous communication session includes an audio channel and a video channel;

determining a performance characteristic for the audio channel;

comparing the performance characteristic to a defined audio performance threshold; and

if the performance characteristic does not meet the defined audio performance threshold, adjusting the video channel to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the video channel wherein adjusting the video channel includes transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network.

12. The computing system of claim 11 wherein the performance characteristic is based upon one or more of:

a packet loss statistic;

a jitter statistic; and

a latency statistic.

13. The computing system of claim 11 wherein adjusting the video channel to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the video channel includes:

reducing the resolution of the video channel.

14. The computing system of claim 11 wherein adjusting the video channel to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the video channel includes:

reducing the frame rate of the video channel.

15. The computing system of claim 11 wherein adjusting the video channel to reduce the bandwidth requirements of the video channel includes:

eliminating the video channel.

16. The computing system of claim 11 further configured to perform operations comprising:

determining if a client electronic device operated by the user of the AV synchronous communication session includes public switched telephone network capabilities prior to transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network.

17. The computing system of claim 11 wherein transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network includes:

initiating contact with a client electronic device operated by the user of the AV synchronous communication session.

18. The computing system of claim 11 wherein transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network includes:

receiving contact from a client electronic device operated by the user of the AV synchronous communication session.

19. The computing system of claim 11 wherein transferring the audio channel to a public switched telephone network includes:

routing the audio channel on the public switched telephone network in accordance within one or more routing criteria.