System and method for displaying a videoconference

• US 9,065,973 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Graham, Philip R., Eisenberg, Blane A., Dunn, Chris A.
• Primary Examiner(s): El-Zoobi, Maria
• Application Number:
  US13/793,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20130258041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for displaying a videoconference includes receiving a first video feed. The first video feed includes a first plurality of video signals, each video signal from at least one source and originating from one or more sites. The method also includes assigning for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window. Each zone of the plurality of zones is able to display one video signal at a time. The method further includes, for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, switching the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on a switching protocol.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a videoconference, comprising:

receiving a first video feed, the first video feed comprising a first plurality of video signals, each video signal from at least one source and originating from one or more sites;

assigning for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window based on positions of the zones, each zone of the plurality of zones able to display at least one video signal at a time;

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, switching the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on a switching protocol; and

wherein assigning for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window based on positions of the zones comprises assigning at least some video signals of the first plurality of video signals to zones of the plurality of zones based on relative positions of users in the at least some video signals at a particular remote site to maintain the relative positions on the display window.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying:

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which one video signal has been assigned, the one video signal assigned to the respective zone; and

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, the currently switched video signal to be displayed in the respective zone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a second video feed comprising a second plurality of video signals, each of the second plurality of video signals corresponding to a video signal currently switched to be displayed in a zone of the plurality of zones.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a default video signal comprising a default image to be displayed within each zone of the plurality of zones to which a video signal of the first video feed was not assigned.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a data video signal comprising a video representation of data to be displayed within at least one zone of the plurality of zones to which a video signal of the first video feed was not assigned.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein generating a second video feed comprising a second plurality of video signals comprises multiplexing the second plurality of video signals into the second video feed.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein generating a second video feed comprising a second plurality of video signals comprises transmitting the second plurality of video signals as separate video streams within the second video feed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein switching the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on a switching protocol comprises switching the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on which video signal of the plurality of video signals assigned to the zone has the highest audio level.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

at least two video signals of the plurality of video signals are received from at least two separate cameras located at a first remote site of the one or more sites; and

assigning for the videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of the plurality of zones of the display window comprises assigning for the videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone based on a relative location of the at least two separate cameras located at the first remote site.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window comprises balancing the video signals between the plurality of zones of the display window such that no zone of the plurality of zones is assigned more than two video signals more than any other zone of the plurality of zones.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording:

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which one video signal has been assigned, the one video signal assigned to the respective zone; and

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, the currently switched video signal to be displayed in the respective zone.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window comprises assigning for a duration of the videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window based on a total number of video signals assigned to each zone, at least two zones comprising at least two video signals assigned thereto.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window comprises assigning for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window based on relative priority of users in at least some video signals of the first plurality of video signals.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching protocol utilizes a relative priority of users in video signals assigned to a particular zone.

13. A system for displaying a videoconference, comprising:

an interface operable to receive a first video feed, the first video feed comprising a first plurality of video signals, each video signal from at least one source and originating from one or more sites; and

a processor coupled to the interface and operable to;

assign for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window based on positions of the zones, each zone of the plurality of zones able to display at least one video signal at a time; and

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, switch the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on a switching protocol; and

wherein a processor operable to assign for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window based on positions of the zones comprises a processor operable to assign at least some video signals of the first plurality of video signals to zones of the plurality of zones based on relative positions of users in the at least some video signals at a particular remote site to maintain the relative positions on the display window.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a monitor coupled to the processor and operable to display:

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which one video signal has been assigned, the one video signal assigned to the respective zone; and

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, the currently switched video signal to be displayed in the respective zone.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to generate a second video feed comprising a second plurality of video signals, each of the second plurality of video signals corresponding to a video signal currently switched to be displayed in a zone of the plurality of zones.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable to generate a default video signal comprising a default image to be displayed within each zone of the plurality of zones to which a video signal of the first video feed was not assigned.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable to generate a data video signal comprising a video representation of data to be displayed within at least one zone of the plurality of zones to which a video signal of the first video feed was not assigned.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor operable to generate a second video feed comprising a second plurality of video signals comprises a processor operable to multiplex the second plurality of video signals into the second video feed.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor operable to generate a second video feed comprising a second plurality of video signals comprises a processor operable to transmit the second plurality of video signals as separate video streams within the second video feed.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor operable to switch the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on a switching protocol comprises a processor operable to switch the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on which video signal of the plurality of video signals assigned to the zone has the highest audio level.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein:

at least two video signals of the plurality of video signals are received from at least two separate cameras located at a first remote site of the one or more sites; and

the processor operable to assign for the videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of the plurality of zones of the display window comprises a processor operable to assign for the videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone based on a relative location of the at least two separate cameras located at the first remote site.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor operable to assign for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window comprises a processor operable to balance the video signals between the plurality of zones of the display window such that no zone of the plurality of zones is assigned more than two video signals more than any other zone of the plurality of zones.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to record:

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which one video signal has been assigned, the one video signal assigned to the respective zone; and

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, the currently switched video signal to be displayed in the respective zone.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor operable to assign for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window comprises the processor operable to assign for a duration of the videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window based on a total number of video signals assigned to each zone, at least two zones comprising at least two video signals assigned thereto.

25. Logic embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive a first video feed, the first video feed comprising a first plurality of video signals, each video signal from at least one source and originating from one or more sites;

assign for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window based on positions of the zones, each zone of the plurality of zones able to display at least one video signal at a time;

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, switch the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on a switching protocol; and

wherein code operable to assign for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality window based on positions of the zones comprises code operable to assign at least some video signals of the first plurality of video signals to zones of the plurality of zones based on relative positions of users in the at least some video signals at a particular remote site to maintain the relative positions on the display window.

26. The medium of claim 25, wherein the code is further operable to display:

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which one video signal has been assigned, the one video signal assigned to the respective zone; and

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, the currently switched video signal to be displayed in the respective zone.

27. The medium of claim 25, wherein the code is further operable to generate a second video feed comprising a second plurality of video signals, each of the second plurality of video signals corresponding to a video signal currently switched to be displayed in a zone of the plurality of zones.

28. The medium of claim 27, wherein the code is further operable to generate a default video signal comprising a default image to be displayed within each zone of the plurality of zones to which a video signal of the first video feed was not assigned.

29. The medium of claim 27, wherein the code is further operable to generate a data video signal comprising a video representation of data to be displayed within at least one zone of the plurality of zones to which a video signal of the first video feed was not assigned.

30. The medium of claim 27, wherein the code operable to generate a second video feed comprising a second plurality of video signals comprises code operable to multiplex the second plurality of video signals into the second video feed.

31. The medium of claim 27, wherein the code operable to generate a second video feed comprising a second plurality of video signals comprises code operable to transmit the second plurality of video signals as separate video streams within the second video feed.

32. The medium of claim 25, wherein the code operable to switch the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on a switching protocol comprises code operable to switch the current video signal to be displayed in the zone to another video signal assigned to the zone based on which video signal of the plurality of video signals assigned to the zone has the highest audio level.

33. The medium of claim 25, wherein:

at least two video signals of the plurality of video signals are received from at least two separate cameras located at a first remote site of the one or more sites; and

the code operable to assign for the videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of the plurality of zones of the display window comprises code operable to assign for the videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone based on a relative location of the at least two separate cameras located at the first remote site.

34. The medium of claim 25, wherein the code operable to assign for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window comprises code operable to balance the video signals between the plurality of zones of the display window such that no zone of the plurality of zones is assigned more than two video signals more than any other zone of the plurality of zones.

35. The medium of claim 25, wherein the code is further operable to record:

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which one video signal has been assigned, the one video signal assigned to the respective zone; and

for each zone of the plurality of zones of the display window to which more than one video signal has been assigned, the currently switched video signal to be displayed in the respective zone.

36. The medium of claim 25, wherein the code operable to assign for a videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window comprises the code operable to assign for a duration of the videoconference each video signal of the first plurality of video signals to a zone of a plurality of zones of a display window based on a total number of video signals assigned to each zone, at least two zones comprising at least two video signals assigned thereto.