Videoconference application user interface with messaging system

• US 20050010638A1
• Filed: 12/13/2002
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Cahnbley, Jens, Ramaswamy, Kumar, Richardson, John William
• Application Number:
  US10/498,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20050010638A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5069 for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• 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 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/14 Systems for two-way working H04N7/12, H04N7/173 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

There is provided a playback control system for a videoconference system, the latter spanning a wide area network. The playback control system includes a user interface having multiple display windows that alow different resolutions and frame rates, and a messaging system for managing display and transport characteristics with a policy and QoS manager in accordance with individual display requirements.

Claims

1. A playback control system for a videoconference system, the videoconference system spanning a network, the playback control system comprising:

a user interface having multiple display windows that allow different resolutions and frame rates; and

a messaging system for managing display and transport characteristics in accordance with individual display requirements.

2. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein the display and transport characteristics comprise an encoding resolution and a transmitting bit rate.

3. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein the messaging system includes an ability to at least one of transmit and receive a message that indicates a change from one of an active participant to a passive participant and from the passive participant to the active participant with respect to a current videoconference session.

4. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein said user interface and said messaging system are adapted such that active participants in a videoconference session transmit video data at, at least one of, a higher resolution and a higher frame rate than passive participants in the videoconference session.

5. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein said user interface is capable of switching between the multiple display windows based on whether a corresponding participant is an active participant or a passive participant with respect to a current videoconference session.

6. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein the messaging system includes an ability to at least one of transmit and receive a message that indicates a resolution and a frame rate at which video data should be transmitted with respect to a current videoconference session.

7. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein said user interface has a capability of creating multiple decoders during a videoconference session.

8. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein said user interface has a capability of creating one decoder for each received stream of video data.

9. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein said user interface has a capability of creating, interchanging and employing different decoders during a same videoconference session.

10. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein said user interface has a capability of creating, interchanging and employing different decoders for different videoconference sessions.

11. The playback control system of claim 1, further comprising an audio/video capture interface for at least capturing at least one of local audio data and local video data.

12. The playback control system of claim 11, wherein said audio/video capture interface comprises at least one of a camera interface, a microphone interface, and a file interface.

13. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein said user interface comprises a paging button for indicating that a corresponding participant is requesting a switch from one of an active participant to a passive participant and from a passive participant to an active participant with respect to a current videoconference session.

14. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein the network includes at least two client devices and at least one server, and said user interface is adapted for use by any of the at least two client devices.

15. The playback control system of claim 1, wherein the network includes at least two client devices and at least one server, and said messaging system is adapted for use by any of the server and the at least two client devices.

16. A user interface for a videoconferencing system, comprising:

a video playback device having multiple display windows that are capable of being displayed concurrently and that allow different resolutions and frame rates.

17. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said video playback device is adapted such that active participants in a videoconference session transmit video data at, at least one of, a higher resolution and a higher frame rate that passive participants in the videoconference session.

18. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said video playback device has a capability of creating multiple decoders during a videoconference session.

19. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said video playback device has a capability of creating one decoder for each received stream of video data.

20. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said video playback device has a capability of creating, interchanging and employing different decoders during a same videoconference session.

21. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said video playback device has a capability of creating, interchanging and employing different decoders for different videoconference sessions.

22. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said user interface further comprises an audio/video capture interface for at least capturing at least one of local audio data and local video data.

23. The user interface of claim 22, wherein said audio/video capture interface comprises at least one of a camera interface, a microphone interface, and a file interface.

24. The user interface of claim 16, wherein said user interface comprises a paging button for indicating that a corresponding participant is requesting a switch from one of an active participant to a passive participant and from a passive participant to an active participant with respect to a current videoconference session.

25. A server for a videoconference system that spans a network, the server comprising:

a messaging system for managing display and transport characteristics in accordance with individual display requirements.

26. The server of claim 25, wherein the messaging system includes an ability to at least one of transmit and receive a message that indicates a change from one of an active participant to a passive participant and from a passive participant to an active participant with respect to a current videoconference session.

27. The server of claim 25, wherein the messaging system includes an ability to at least one of transmit and receive a message that indicates a resolution and a frame rate at which content should be transmitted with respect to a current videoconference session.

28. A method for displaying content corresponding to a videoconference session, comprising the step of:

providing multiple display windows that are capable of being displayed concurrently and that allow different resolutions and frame rates.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said providing step comprises the step of providing an ability to switch between the multiple display windows based upon whether a corresponding participant is an active participant or a passive participant with respect to the videoconference session.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of providing an ability to create multiple decoders during the videoconference session.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of providing an ability to create one decoder for each received stream of content.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of providing an ability to at least one of create, interchange and employ different decoders during the videoconference session.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of providing an ability to manage display and transport characteristics in accordance with individual display requirements.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the display and transport characteristics comprise an encoding resolution and transmitting bit rate.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said step of providing the ability to manage display and transport characteristics comprises the step of providing a capability to at least one of transmit and receive a message that indicates a change from one of an active participant to a passive participant and from the passive participant to the active participant with respect to the videoconference session.

36. The method of claim 28, further providing active participants in the videoconference session an ability to encode and transmit content at a higher resolution than passive participants in the videoconference session.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein said step of providing the ability to manage display and transport characteristics comprises the step of providing a capability to at least one of transmit and receive a message that indicates a resolution and a frame rate for transmitting content corresponding to the videoconference session.

38. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of providing an ability to output a paging signal that indicates that a corresponding participant is requesting a switch from one of an active participant to a passive participant and from the passive participant to the active participant.