Multimedia conference broadcast system

• US 9,414,018 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Leske, Matthew J., Groves, Loren, Schmelcher, Tristan, Milligan, Timothy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US14/678,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20150215582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.03, 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing
• 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 7/152 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

Abstract

A multimedia conference broadcast system may include one or more processors and a memory. The one or more processors may receive video streams and audio streams from participant devices. The one or more processors may transmit, to each of the participant devices, the video streams and the audio streams corresponding to the other devices. The one or more processors may receive a request to broadcast the video streams and the audio streams from one of the participant devices. The one or more processors may generate a composite multimedia stream based on the video streams and the audio streams received from the participant devices. The one or more processors may broadcast the composite multimedia stream to viewer devices that are separate from the participant devices.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request to broadcast a hosted multimedia conference from one of a plurality of participant devices participating in the multimedia conference;

providing a control user interface to the one of the plurality of participant devices that requested the broadcast of the multimedia conference;

receiving a control command via the control user interface;

generating a composite multimedia stream based on a plurality of multimedia streams received from the plurality of participant devices, wherein the composite multimedia stream is arranged based on the received control command; and

broadcasting the composite multimedia stream to a plurality of viewer devices that are separate from the plurality of participant devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the composite multimedia stream further comprises generating a layout of the composite multimedia stream that indicates a number of pixels of the composite multimedia stream allocated to each of a plurality of video streams, a position of each of the plurality of video streams in the composite multimedia stream, and a volume level of each of a plurality of audio streams in the composite multimedia stream.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the control user interface comprises at least one of controls for modifying the number of pixels of the composite multimedia stream allocated to any of the plurality of video streams, controls for modifying a position of any of the plurality of video streams in the composite multimedia stream, or controls for modifying a volume level of any of the plurality of audio streams in the composite multimedia stream.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a second control command comprising a request to modify the layout of the composite multimedia stream, wherein the request is initiated by an interaction with the control user interface; and

wherein the method further comprises modifying the layout of the composite multimedia stream based on the received second control command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the control user interface comprises controls for setting a maximum number of viewer devices allowed to receive the composite multimedia stream, and

wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second control command setting the maximum number of view devices; and

denying access to the composite multimedia stream to a new viewer device once the number of viewer devices receiving the composite multimedia stream reaches the maximum number.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the control user interface further comprises a displayed indication of a current number of the plurality of viewer devices receiving the composite multimedia stream.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the control user interface comprises controls for identifying viewer devices authorized to receive the composite multimedia stream, and

wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second control command identifying authorized viewer devices; and

controlling access to the composite multimedia stream based on the second control command.

5. A computer-implemented method for requesting broadcast of a multimedia conference, the method comprising:

participating in a multimedia conference with a plurality of participant devices;

sending a request to a broadcast server to broadcast the multimedia conference;

presenting a control user interface for modifying a broadcast of the multimedia conference;

sending a control command received via the control user interface to the broadcast server; and

receiving an indication that the multimedia conference is being broadcast based on the control command to a plurality of viewer devices that are separate from the plurality of participant devices.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the control user interface comprises at least one of controls for modifying a number of pixels of the broadcast allocated to a video stream of any of the plurality of participant devices, controls for modifying a position of the video stream of any of the plurality of participant devices in the broadcast, or controls for modifying a volume level of an audio stream corresponding to any of the plurality of participant devices in the broadcast.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising

sending a second control command requesting a modification of a layout of the broadcast, the second control command received via the control user interface,

wherein the layout of the broadcast is modified based on the second control command.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the control user interface comprises controls for setting a maximum number of viewer devices allowed to receive the broadcast of the multimedia conference, the method further comprising:

sending a second control command to the broadcast server received via the control user interface setting the maximum number of view devices,

wherein new view devices are denied access by the broadcast server once the number of view devices receiving the broadcast reaches the maximum number.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting a current number of viewer devices receiving the broadcast for display in the control user interface.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the control user interface comprises controls for identifying viewer devices authorized to receive the broadcast of the multimedia conference, the method further comprising:

sending a second control command identifying authorized viewer devices,

wherein access to the broadcast is controlled based on the second control command.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request to broadcast a hosted multimedia conference from one of a plurality of participant devices participating in the multimedia conference;

providing a control user interface to the one of the plurality of participant devices that requested the broadcast of the multimedia conference;

receiving a control command via the control user interface;

generating a composite multimedia stream based on a plurality of multimedia streams received from the plurality of participant devices, wherein the composite multimedia stream is arranged based on the received control command; and

broadcasting the composite multimedia stream to a plurality of viewer devices that are separate from the plurality of participant devices.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein generating the composite multimedia stream further comprises generating a layout of the composite multimedia stream that indicates a number of pixels of the composite multimedia stream allocated to each of a plurality of video streams, a position of each of the plurality of video streams in the composite multimedia stream, and a volume level of each of a plurality of audio streams in the composite multimedia stream.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the control user interface comprises at least one of controls for modifying the number of pixels of the composite multimedia stream allocated to any of the plurality of video streams, controls for modifying a position of any of the plurality of video streams in the composite multimedia stream, or controls for modifying a volume level of any of the plurality of audio streams in the composite multimedia stream.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second control command comprising a request to modify the layout of the composite multimedia stream, wherein the request is initiated by an interaction with the control user interface; and

wherein the method further comprises modifying the layout of the composite multimedia stream based on the received second control command.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

participating in a multimedia conference with a plurality of participant devices;

sending a request to a broadcast server to broadcast the multimedia conference;

presenting a control user interface for modifying a broadcast of the multimedia conference;

sending a control command received via the control user interface to the broadcast server; and

receiving an indication that the multimedia conference is being broadcast based on the control command to a plurality of viewer devices that are separate from the plurality of participant devices.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the control user interface comprises controls for setting a maximum number of viewer devices allowed to receive the broadcast of the multimedia conference, the method further comprising:

sending a second control command to the broadcast server setting the maximum number of viewer devices, the second control command received via the control user interface,

wherein new viewer devices are denied access by the broadcast server once the number of viewer devices receiving the broadcast reaches the maximum number.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises presenting a current number of viewer devices receiving the broadcast for display in the control user interface.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the control user interface comprises controls for identifying viewer devices authorized to receive the broadcast of the multimedia conference, the method further comprising:

sending a second control command identifying authorized viewer devices,

wherein access to the broadcast is controlled based on the second control command.