Collaboration environments and views

• US 9,813,255 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Tandon, Ankit, Verthein, William, Velayutham, Senthil, Cutler, Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US13/561,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20140032679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,926 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206, 709208, 709231, 348 1416, 348 1407, 348 1408, 715753, 715756, 715716
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Provided herein are systems, methods, and software for facilitating collaboration environments. In at least one implementation, a presentation of an initial view of a collaboration scene is presented within a collaboration environment. A portion of the collaboration scene is identified that corresponds to an object of interest selected for separate viewing. A separate presentation within the collaboration environment is initiated related to the portion of the scene corresponding to the object of interest.

Claims

1. One or more computer readable storage devices having stored thereon program instructions for facilitating a collaboration environment that, when executed by a computing system, direct the computing system to at least:

initiate a presentation, within the collaboration environment, of an initial view of a collaboration scene captured in a video stream;

identify a portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to an object of interest in the collaboration scene selected for separate viewing;

initiate a separate presentation, within the collaboration environment, of a separate view comprising the portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to the object of interest;

modify the initial view of the collaboration scene to a modified view and present the modified view of the collaboration environment simultaneously with the separate view of the collaboration environment; and

wherein the program instructions further direct the computing system to present a remote view simultaneously with the separate view, the remote view comprising a scene remote from the collaboration scene.

2. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1 wherein the program instructions further direct the computing system to present a plurality of collaboration options within a collaboration option menu with respect to at least the object of interest and initiate a collaboration function, with respect to the object of interest, corresponding to a collaboration option selected from the plurality of collaboration options.

3. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 2 wherein the program instructions further direct the computing system to receive a selection of the object of interest, and wherein the program instructions direct the computing system to identify the portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to the object of interest in response to receiving the selection.

4. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 3 wherein the program instructions further direct the computing system to identify a second portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to a second object of interest in the scene also selected for separate viewing and present a second separate view simultaneously with the separate view, the second separate view comprising the second portion of the collaboration scene.

5. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1 wherein the modified view is smaller than the initial view.

6. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1 wherein the object of interest comprises a participant in a collaboration session with a plurality of other participants.

7. The one or more computer readable storage devices of claim 1 wherein the initial view comprises a video presentation window and wherein the collaboration environment comprises the video presentation window and an instant message presentation window.

8. A method for facilitating a collaboration environment, the method comprising:

presenting within the collaboration environment an initial view of a collaboration scene captured in a video stream;

identifying a portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to an object of interest in the collaboration scene selected for separate viewing;

presenting within the collaboration environment a separate view in a separate presentation, the separate view comprising the portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to the object of interest;

modifying the initial view of the collaboration scene to a modified view;

presenting the modified view of the collaboration environment simultaneously with the separate view of the collaboration environment;

presenting a plurality of collaboration options within a collaboration option menu with respect to at least the object of interest and initiating a collaboration function, with respect to the object of interest, corresponding to a collaboration option selected from the plurality of collaboration options; and

presenting a remote view simultaneously with the separate view, the remote view comprising a scene remote from the collaboration scene.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a selection of the object of interest, wherein identifying the portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to the object of interest occurs in response to receiving the selection.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising identifying a second portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to a second object of interest in the scene also selected for separate viewing and presenting a second separate view simultaneously with the separate view, the second separate view comprising the second portion of the collaboration scene.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the modified view is smaller than the initial view.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the initial view comprises a video presentation window and wherein the collaboration environment comprises the video presentation window and an instant message presentation window.

13. A computing apparatus comprising:

one or more computer readable storage devices;

a processing system operatively coupled with the one or more computer readable storage devices; and

program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices for facilitating a collaboration environment that, when executed by the processing system, direct the processing system to at least;

initiate a presentation, within the collaboration environment, of an initial view of a collaboration scene captured in a video stream;

identify a portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to an object of interest in the collaboration scene selected for separate viewing;

initiate a separate presentation, within the collaboration environment, of a separate view comprising the portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to the object of interest;

modify the initial view of the collaboration scene to a modified view and present the modified view of the collaboration environment simultaneously with the separate view of the collaboration environment; and

wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to present a remote view simultaneously with the separate view, the remote view comprising a scene remote from the collaboration scene.

14. The computing apparatus of claim 13 wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to present a plurality of collaboration options within a collaboration option menu with respect to at least the object of interest and initiate a collaboration function, with respect to the object of interest, corresponding to a collaboration option selected from the plurality of collaboration options.

15. The computing apparatus of claim 14 wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to receive a selection of the object of interest, and wherein the program instructions direct the processing system to identify the portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to the object of interest in response to receiving the selection.

16. The computing apparatus of claim 15 wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to identify a second portion of the collaboration scene corresponding to a second object of interest in the scene also selected for separate viewing and present a second separate view simultaneously with the separate view, the second separate view comprising the second portion of the collaboration scene.

17. The computing apparatus of claim 15 wherein the modified view is smaller than the initial view.