Distributed recording or streaming of a videoconference in multiple formats

• US 9,407,867 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2014
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Shanmukhadas, Binu Kaiparambil, Kulkarni, Hrishikesh G., Belur, Raghuram, Lakshmipathy, Sandeep
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US14/270,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20140240443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.1, 348/14.13, 370/260, 375/240.16, 709/203, 709/204, 709/231, 709/219, 386/224, 705/315
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/79 Processing of colour television signals in connection with recording

Abstract

A videoconference may be initiated between a plurality of endpoints. At least one of the endpoints may be coupled to a recording server, which may be configured to record the videoconference. A configuration may be selected (e.g., automatically or manually) for performing the recording. The endpoint (e.g., acting as an MCU) may transmit information to endpoints and may transmit recording information to the recording server. The recording information may be different from the videoconference information. For example, it may be in a “streaming friendly” format, at a different bit rate, encoded differently, have different inputs, etc. The manner in which the videoconference is stored and/or recorded may be based on the selected configuration. Clients may be configured to receive and display the videoconference from the recording server and may be configured to change the provided layout to different layouts, e.g., based on user input.

Claims

1. A method for recording a videoconference, wherein the program instructions execute during a videoconference, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

receiving a request to record the videoconference;

receiving videoconference information of the videoconference, wherein said receiving videoconference information is performed during the videoconference, wherein the videoconference is conducted among a plurality of videoconference endpoints;

recording the videoconference information according to a first recording format, wherein the first recording format uses a first bitrate and wherein said recording generates a first recording of the videoconference;

receiving a second recording from at least one videoconference endpoint of the plurality of videoconference endpoints, wherein the second recording is recorded according to a second recording format, wherein the second recording format uses a second bitrate that is different from the first bitrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request specifies a plurality of recording formats, wherein the first recording format and the second recording format is comprised in the plurality of recording formats.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said receiving the second recording from the at least one videoconference endpoint is performed in response to the request specifying the plurality of recording formats.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a request to the at least one videoconference endpoint to record the videoconference in a second recording;

wherein said receiving the second recording is performed in response to the request.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said providing the request to the at least one videoconference endpoint is performed based on a high quality connection from the at least one videoconference endpoint.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first recording format is specified by a recording configuration.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the recording configuration is specified in response to user input.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said recording the videoconference information according to the first recording format does not require substantial modification from the received videoconference information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a first request to view the videoconference from a first client;

receiving a second request to view the videoconference from a second client;

providing the first recording to the first client in response to the first request; and

providing the second recording to the second client in response to the second request.

10. The method of claim 9,

wherein the first request specifies the first recording format, wherein said providing the first recording is performed in response to the first request specifying the first recording format;

wherein the second request specifies the second recording format, wherein said providing the second recording is performed in response to the second request specifying the second recording format.

11. A computer system configured for recording a videoconference in a plurality of formats, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium; and

one or more processors couple to the non-transitory computer-readable memory medium, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable memory medium stores program instructions executable by the one or more processor to;

receive videoconference information of the videoconference, wherein said receiving videoconference information is performed during the videoconference, wherein the videoconference is conducted among a plurality of videoconference endpoints;

record the videoconference information according to a first recording format of the plurality of recording formats, wherein the first recording format uses a first codec, wherein said recording generates a first recording of the videoconference;

provide a request to at least one videoconference endpoint to record the videoconference in a second recording format; and

receive a second recording from the at least one videoconference endpoint, wherein the second recording is recorded according to the second recording format, wherein the second recording format uses a second codec that is different than the first codec.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive a request to record the videoconference.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the request specifies a plurality of recording formats, wherein the first recording format and the second recording format is comprised in the plurality of recording formats.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein said providing the request is performed in response to the plurality of recording formats.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said providing the request to the at least one videoconference endpoint is performed based on a high quality connection with the at least one videoconference endpoint.

16. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the first recording format is specified by a recording configuration.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the recording configuration is specified in response to user input.

18. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the recording configuration is associated with a participant of the videoconference.

19. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive a first request to view the videoconference from a first client;

receive a second request to view the videoconference from a second client;

provide the first recording to the first client in response to the first request; and

provide the second recording to the second client in response to the second request.

20. The computer system of claim 19,

wherein the first request specifies the first recording format, wherein said providing the first recording is performed in response to the first request specifying the first recording format;

wherein the second request specifies the second recording format, wherein said providing the second recording is performed in response to the second request specifying the second recording format.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium comprising program instructions for streaming a videoconference, wherein the program instructions execute during a videoconference, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

receive a request to stream the videoconference;

receive videoconference information of the videoconference, wherein said receiving videoconference information is performed during the videoconference, wherein the videoconference is conducted among a plurality of videoconference endpoints;

stream the videoconference information according to a first streaming format, wherein the first streaming format uses a first bitrate, wherein said streaming composes a first stream of the videoconference;

receive second videoconference information of the videoconference from at least one videoconference endpoint of the plurality of videoconference endpoints, wherein the at least one videoconference endpoint is configured to generate the second videoconference information in response to the request to stream the videoconference;

stream the videoconference information according to a second streaming format based on second videoconference information, wherein the second streaming format uses a second bitrate that is different than the first bitrate.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein the request specifies a plurality of streaming formats, wherein the first streaming format and the second streaming format is comprised in the plurality of recording formats.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 22, wherein said receiving the second videoconference information from the at least one videoconference endpoint is performed in response to the request specifying the plurality of streaming formats.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

provide a request to the at least one videoconference endpoint to provide the second videoconference information according to the second streaming format;

wherein said receiving the second videoconference information is performed in response to the request.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 24, wherein said providing the request to the at least one videoconference endpoint is performed based on a high quality connection from the at least one videoconference endpoint.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable memory medium of claim 21, wherein the first streaming format is specified by a streaming configuration.

27. A method for streaming a videoconference, comprising:

receiving a request to stream the videoconference;

receiving videoconference information of the videoconference, wherein said receiving videoconference information is performed during the videoconference, wherein the videoconference is conducted among a plurality of videoconference endpoints;

streaming the videoconference information according to a first streaming format, wherein the first streaming format uses a first codec, wherein said streaming composes a first stream of the videoconference;

receiving second videoconference information of the videoconference from at least one videoconference endpoint of the plurality of videoconference endpoints, wherein the at least one videoconference endpoint is configured to generate the second videoconference information in response to the request to stream the videoconference;

streaming the videoconference information according to a second streaming format based on second videoconference information, wherein the second streaming format uses a second codec that is different than the first codec.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the request specifies a plurality of streaming formats, wherein the first streaming format and the second streaming format is comprised in the plurality of recording formats.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said receiving the second videoconference information from the at least one videoconference endpoint is performed in response to the request specifying the plurality of streaming formats.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

providing a request to the at least one videoconference endpoint to provide the second videoconference information according to the second streaming format;

wherein said receiving the second videoconference information is performed in response to the request.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said providing the request to the at least one videoconference endpoint is performed based on a high quality connection from the at least one videoconference endpoint.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the first streaming format is specified by a streaming configuration.