Transmission control in multiparty conference

• US 20060098086A1
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Chandra, Umesh, Azizoglu, Cemil
• Granted Patent: US 7,477,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, terminal device and conference server device for providing a multiparty conference in a data network, wherein an individual presentation layout for participants in a composite video image is selected by a participant and transmitted to the conference serving function. Based on the layout information, a composite signal is generated so that the requesting participant has knowledge of the locations of individual participants'"'"' information streams, e.g. video stream, within the composite signal. Thereby, the participant can allocate specific information, such as names, titles or functions, to audio or video streams of the multiparty conference.

Claims

1. A method of requesting a presentation layout of a composite signal of a multiparty conference, said method comprising the steps of:

a) generating a list of participants of said multiparty conference in response to information on participants received from a conference serving function;

b) selecting at least one participant from said participant list to be included in a composite signal;

c) selecting the presentation layout for said selected participants of said multiparty conference at a user terminal of a participant; and

d) transmitting to said conference serving function a request with a layout information indicating said selected presentation layout.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of generating said composite signal at said conference serving function based on said layout information.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said multiparty conference is a multiparty videoconference and said presentation layout information indicates coordinates for images of said selected participants in a two-dimensional coordinate system.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said layout information comprises a tuple of horizontal and vertical coordinates of a display matrix.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said request is a request message of a media control protocol.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said layout information is transmitted as an XML attribute of an advanced video template.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said presentation layout selection step is automatically performed by said user terminal.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of adding a label to information streams of said selected participants according to said layout information.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said label comprises at least one of a URI name, part of URI name, item retrieved from an address book, or label defined manually.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step for transmitting an acknowledgement to said request.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said acknowledgement indicates at least one of a success or a failure of said request in said composite signal.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising repeating the participant selection step, the presentation layout selection step and the transmitting step, for redefining said composite signal.

25. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable code means for performing the steps of the method according to claim 1, when loaded into the memory of a terminal device.

13. A terminal device for providing connection to a communication system having a multiparty conferencing service, said terminal device comprising:

a) receiving means for receiving information on participants of a multiparty conference;

b) selecting means for selecting a presentation layout of an information stream of at least one of said participants of said multiparty conferencing service; and

c) generating means for generating a request with a layout information indicating said selected presentation layout.

14. A terminal device according to claim 13, further comprising a display means for displaying a composite signal.

15. A terminal device according to claim 14, further comprising a labeling means for labeling at least one information stream displayed on said displaying means.

16. A terminal device according to claim 15, wherein said labeling means is adapted to label said at least one information stream with at least one of a URI name, part of URI name, item retrieved from an address book, or label defined manually.

17. A terminal device according to claim 13, wherein said generating means is configured to generate said layout information as an XML attribute of a video template.

18. A terminal device according to claim 13, wherein said layout information comprises horizontal and vertical coordinates of a display matrix.

24. A multiparty conference system comprising;

a terminal device according to claim 13;

and a conference server device for providing a multiparty conference in a communication system, said conference server comprising signal construction means for arranging information streams of participants of said multiparty conference in a composite signal in response to the layout information in a request received from a participant.

19. A conference server for providing a multiparty conference in a communication system, said conference server comprising signal construction means for arranging information streams of participants of said multiparty conference in a composite signal in response to a layout information in a request received from a participant.

20. A conference server according to claim 19, wherein said layout information is received as an XML attribute of a video template.

21. A conference server according to claim 19, wherein said information streams of said participants are video streams.

22. A conference server according to claim 19, further comprising acknowledging module for acknowledging said request received from said participant.

23. A conference server according to claim 22, wherein said acknowledging means is configured to indicate at least one of a success or a failure of said request.