Method, device, and system for reducing bandwidth usage during a communication session

• US 9,712,782 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2016
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Karimi-Cherkandi, Bizhan, Kouchri, Farrokh Mohammadzadeh, Ali, Schah Walli
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US15/040,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• 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: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A communication system, method and communication terminal are configured to permit bandwidth reduction when communication partners are engaged in a communication session. In one embodiment, a communication terminal such as a cellular phone or tablet may turn off at least one of its display and camera sensor within a predetermined amount of time when the terminal is detected as being positioned near a user'"'"'s ear via at least one sensor of the terminal. In some embodiments, the communication terminal may also transmit one or more messages to communication devices of communication partners engaged in the communication session to inform those devices that video transmissions should no longer be sent to the communication terminal. The communication terminal and other communication devices involved in the communication session may also stop transmitting video as a result of the detection of the communication terminal being positioned near a user'"'"'s ear.

Claims

1. A method of reducing bandwidth used in a communication session comprising:

a first communication terminal establishing the communication session with a first communication device;

after the communication session is established and has been ongoing, the first communication terminal determining that video data is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device during the communication session, the first communication terminal determining that video data is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device during the communication session comprising;

at least one detector of the first communication terminal detecting the first communication terminal being moved from a first position to a second position, the first position being a position used for recording a face of a user of the first communication terminal via a camera sensor of the first communication terminal, the second position being a position in which a speaker of the first communication terminal is adjacent to an ear of the user; and

in response to the determining that the video data is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device during the communication session, the first communication terminal sending a first message to the first communication device that is configured to cause the first communication device to stop the transmitting video data to the first communication terminal during the communication session;

prior to the first communication terminal sending the first message, a display of the first communication terminal displaying a warning to the user to inform the user that video will no longer be available during the first communication session, the display of the warning including first indicia indicating that the cessation of video is acceptable and second indicia indicating that the cessation of video is unacceptable;

the first communication terminal determining that the video is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device in response to receiving input via the displayed first indicia; and

the first communication terminal determining that the video is still desired to be received from the first communication device in response to receiving input via the displayed second indicia.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication terminal determining that video data is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device during the communication session also comprises:

the camera sensor of the first communication terminal recording light at or below a predetermined level for a predetermined amount of time.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

deactivating the camera sensor of the first communication terminal so that video is no longer recorded by the camera sensor of the first communication terminal in response to determining that video data is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

in response to the at least one detector detecting the first communication terminal being moved from the first position to the second position, the first communication terminal stopping the transmitting of video data during the communication session such that only audio data is transmitted by the first communication terminal to the first communication device after the transmitting of video data during the first communication session is stopped by the first communication terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is a computer device that is communicatively coupled to the first communication terminal and at least one other communication terminal participating in the communication session, the computer device overseeing the communication session.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is a communication terminal and wherein the method further comprising:

in response to receiving the first message, first communication device turning off a display of the first communication device such that any video data received during the first communication session is not displayed on the display of the first communication device during the first communication session.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is a communication terminal and wherein the method further comprising:

in response to receiving the first message, the first communication device turning off a camera sensor of the first communication device such that the camera sensor of the first communication device no longer records video during the first communication session.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

preconfiguring the first communication terminal to preselect a response to the warning to facilitate providing input via the first indicia in response to the displaying of the warning via the display of the first communication terminal.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions defining a method that is executed when the instructions are processed by a first communication terminal, the method comprising:

the first communication terminal establishing the communication session with a first communication device;

after the communication session is established and has been ongoing, the first communication terminal determining that video data is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device during the communication session, the first communication terminal determining that video data is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device during the communication session comprising;

detecting the first communication terminal being moved from a first position to a second position via at least one detector of the first communication terminal, the first position being a position used for recording a face of a user of the first communication terminal via a camera sensor of the first communication terminal, the second position being a position in which a speaker of the first communication terminal is adjacent to an ear of the user; and

in response to the determining that the video data is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device during the communication session, the first communication terminal sending a first message to the first communication device that is configured to cause the first communication device to stop the transmitting video data to the first communication terminal during the communication session;

prior to the first communication terminal sending the first message, a display of the first communication terminal displaying a warning to the user to inform the user that video will no longer be available during the first communication session, the display of the warning including first indicia indicating that the cessation of video is acceptable and second indicia indicating that the cessation of video is unacceptable wherein;

the first communication terminal determining that the video is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device in response to receiving input via the displayed first indicia, and

the first communication terminal determining that the video is still desired to be received from the first communication device in response to receiving input via the displayed second indicia.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first communication terminal determining that video data is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device during the communication session also comprises:

the camera sensor of the first communication terminal recording light at or below a predetermined level for a predetermined amount of time.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, comprising:

deactivating the camera sensor of the first communication terminal so that video is no longer recorded by the camera sensor of the first communication terminal in response to determining that video data is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, comprising:

in response to the at least one detector detecting the first communication terminal being moved from the first position to the second position, the first communication terminal stopping the transmitting of video data during the communication session such that only audio data is transmitted by the first communication terminal to the first communication device after the transmitting of video data during the first communication session is stopped by the first communication terminal.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the warning is displayed based on a preconfiguration of the warning defined by input received by the first communication terminal.

14. A communication terminal comprising:

a processor unit connected to at least one of a detector and a camera sensor;

the communication terminal configured to detect an occurrence indicating that video data is no longer desired to be received from a communication device communicating with the communication terminal in an ongoing communication session with the communication terminal that involves exchanging video data, the occurrence being one of;

the detector of the communication terminal detecting a movement of the communication terminal from a first position to a second position, the first position being a position used for recording a face of a user of the communication terminal via the camera sensor of the communication terminal, the second position being a position in which a speaker of the communication terminal is adjacent an ear of the user, and

the camera sensor of the communication terminal recording light at or below a predetermined level for a predetermined amount of time, and

the communication terminal configured to send a first message to the communication device during the communication session in response to the processor unit detecting the occurrence, the first message comprising data requesting the communication device to stop transmitting video data to the communication terminal during the communication session;

the communication terminal configured such that, prior to the communication terminal sending the first message, a display of the first communication terminal displaying a warning to to inform the user that video will no longer be available during the first communication session, the display of the warning including first indicia indicating that cessation of video is acceptable and second indicia indicating that cessation of video is unacceptable wherein;

the first communication terminal configured to determine that the video is no longer desired to be received from the first communication device in response to receiving input via the displayed first indicia, and

the first communication terminal configured to determine that the video is still desired to be received from the first communication device in response to receiving input via the displayed second indicia.

15. The communication terminal of claim 14, wherein the processor unit is configured to deactivate the camera sensor of the communication terminal so that video of the user of the communication terminal is no longer recorded by the camera sensor in response to detection of the occurrence.

16. The communication terminal of claim 14, wherein the processor unit is configured to stop the transmitting of video data during the communication session by the communication terminal such that only audio data is transmitted by the communication terminal to the communication device during the communication session in response to detection of the occurrence.

17. The communication terminal of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to turn off a display of the communication terminal such that video data received during the communication session is no longer displayed on the display during the communication session in response to detection of the occurrence.

18. The communication terminal of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to turn off a display of the communication terminal such that video data received during the communication session is no longer displayed on the display during the communication session in response to detection of the occurrence.

19. The communication terminal of claim 14, wherein the communication terminal is configured so the warning is displayed in accordance with a preconfiguration for the warning.

20. The communication terminal of claim 14, wherein the first message is a Session Initiation Protocol REINVITE message and the detector is comprised of a proximity sensor.