Media communication

• US 9,681,094 B1
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Faulkner, Jason Thomas, Hill, Michael Howard, Astavans, Ruchir, Davis Kannuthottiyil, Ewin, Swift, Mark Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US15/167,200
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401, 348 1403, 348 1407, 348 1408, 348 1412
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• 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: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

Embodiments obtain a content item representing graphic content suitable for display as part of a shared media event, determine an activity metric for said content item, determine an activity metric for a participant of said shared media event, comparing the activity metric of the content item and the activity metric the participant, cause a display to render the graphic content associated with said content item, and render a representation of said participant. In at least some implementations, the relative displayed positions of said graphic content and said representation of the participant are based on the result of the comparison of the activity metric of the content item and the activity metric the participant.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a content item representing graphic content suitable for display as part of a shared media event,

determining an activity metric for said content item, said activity metric based on activity of a plurality of participants of the shared media event directed to said content item;

determining an activity metric for a participant of said shared media event;

comparing the activity metric of the content item and the activity metric of the participant; and

causing a display to render the graphic content associated with said content item, and to render a representation of said participant;

wherein relative displayed positions of said graphic content and said representation of the participant are based on a result of said comparison.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said shared media event is one or more of an audio/video call, a group chat, a presentation, a live document collaboration, or a broadcast.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the content item is an electronic document.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the activity metric for said content item is determined based on a measure of editing activity occurring with said content item.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the activity metric for said content item is determined based on a number of participants having said content item active in an editable state.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the activity metric for said content item is determined based on a proportion of participants having said content item active in the editable state.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising defining at least first and second display areas, said first area being larger than said second area, wherein said graphic content and said representation of the participant are allocated to said first and second display areas according to the result of said comparison.

8. A method comprising:

obtaining a content item representing graphic content suitable for display as part of a shared media event;

determining a number of participants of said shared media event actively engaged with said content item;

obtaining, as an activity metric for said content item, a proportion of the number of participants actively engaged with said content item;

comparing said activity metric with a threshold value corresponding to a display area; and

causing a display to render the graphic content associated with said content item in said display area, responsive to said activity metric being greater than or equal to said threshold.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said shared media event is one of an audio/video call, a group chat, a presentation, a live document collaboration, or a broadcast.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the content item is an electronic document.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein a participant is determined to be actively engaged with the content item if that participant is editing said content item.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform operations including:

obtaining a content item representing graphic content suitable for display as part of a shared media event;

determining a number of participants of said shared media event actively engaged with said content item;

obtaining, as an activity metric for said content item, a proportion of the number of participants actively engaged with said content item;

comparing said activity metric with a threshold value corresponding to a display area; and

causing a display to render the graphic content associated with said content item in said display area, responsive to said activity metric being greater than or equal to said threshold.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 12, wherein a participant is determined to be actively engaged with the content item if that participant is editing said content item.

14. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform operations including;

obtaining a content item representing graphic content suitable for display as part of a shared media event,

determining an activity metric for said content item, said activity metric based on activity of a plurality of participants of the shared media event directed to said content item;

determining an activity metric for a participant of said shared media event;

comparing the activity metric of the content item and the activity metric of the participant; and

causing a display to render the graphic content associated with said content item, and to render a representation of said participant,

wherein relative displayed positions of said graphic content and said representation of the participant are based on a result of said comparison.

15. A system as described in claim 14, wherein said shared media event is one or more of an audio/video call, a group chat, a presentation, a live document collaboration, or a broadcast.

16. A system as described in claim 14, wherein the content item is an electronic document.

17. A system as described in claim 14, wherein the activity metric for said content item is determined based on a measure of editing activity occurring with said content item.

18. A system as described in claim 14, wherein the activity metric for said content item is determined based on a number of participants having said content item active in an editable state.

19. A system as described in claim 14, wherein the activity metric for said content item is determined based on a proportion of participants having said content item active in an editable state.

20. A system as described in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise defining at least first and second display areas, said first area being larger than said second area, wherein said graphic content and said representation of the participant are allocated to said first and second display areas according to the result of said comparison.