Method And Apparatus For Controlling Data Delivery With User-Maintained Modes

• US 20070040892A1
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Thornton, James, Grinter, Rebecca, Woodruff, Allison, Szymanski, Margaret, Aoki, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,022,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

Communication is carried out using devices with user-maintained modes that enable synchronous content sharing and communication. Each user-maintained mode enables a lightweight interface for positioning content in a conversation by initiating and terminating data transmission through user produced feedback to create a shared conversational experience.

Claims

1. A transmitting electronic apparatus for communicating data streams with a receiving electronic apparatus, the transmitting electronic apparatus comprising:

a first display area for viewing a video data stream sent to the receiving electronic apparatus;

a camera for recording a first video data stream;

a memory for storing at least a portion of a second video data stream; and

a first user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of one of the first and the second video data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus when at least the other of the first and the second video data streams is being sent to the receiving electronic apparatus;

wherein the one of the first and the second video data streams is transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus and the other of the first and the second video data streams is suspended while the first user-maintained mode actively senses user feedback;

wherein video data displayed in the first display area is synchronized with the one of the first and the second video data streams transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus to allow users of the transmitting and receiving electronic apparatuses to share the video data in a coordinated manner.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of the other of the first and the second video data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a second display area for viewing a video data stream received from the receiving electronic apparatus.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker for playing one or more of an audio data stream received from the receiving electronic apparatus and an audio data stream transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus;

a microphone for recording a first audio data stream;

a memory for storing a second audio data stream;

a second user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of one of the first and the second audio data streams when at least the other of the first and the second audio data streams is being transmitted to the electronic apparatus;

wherein the one of the first and the second audio data streams is transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus and the other of the first and the second audio data streams is suspended while the first user-maintained mode actively senses user feedback.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a third user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of the other of the first and the second audio data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as a user operating the electronic apparatus applies sufficient force to cause a button to maintain an active state.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as a user operating the electronic apparatus maintains an eye gaze on a target to cause an eye gaze monitor to maintain an active state.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as a user operating the electronic apparatus maintains a sound to cause a sound monitor to maintain an active state.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as a user operating the electronic apparatus maintains a biological response to cause an affective monitor to maintain an active state.

10. A transmitting electronic apparatus for communicating data streams with a receiving electronic apparatus, the transmitting electronic apparatus comprising:

a speaker for playing one or more of an audio data stream received from the receiving electronic apparatus and an audio data stream transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus;

a microphone for recording a first audio data stream;

a memory for storing a second audio data stream;

a first user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of one of the first and the second audio data streams when at least the other of the first and the second audio data streams is being transmitted to the electronic apparatus;

wherein the one of the first and the second audio data streams is transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus and the other of the first and the second audio data streams is suspended while the second user-maintained mode actively senses user feedback;

wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as a user operating the electronic apparatus maintains an eye gaze on a target to cause an eye gaze monitor to maintain an active state.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a second user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of the other of the first and the second audio data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus.

12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a first display area for viewing a video data stream sent to the receiving electronic apparatus;

a camera for recording a first video data stream;

a memory for storing at least a portion of a second video data stream; and

a second user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of one of the first and the second video data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus when at least the other of the first and the second video data streams is being sent to the receiving electronic apparatus;

wherein the one of the first and the second video data streams is transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus and the other of the first and the second video data streams is suspended while the second user-maintained mode actively senses user feedback;

wherein video data displayed in the first display area is synchronized with the one of the first and the second video data streams transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus to allow users of the transmitting and receiving electronic apparatuses to share the video data in a coordinated manner.

13. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a second display area for viewing a video data stream received from the receiving electronic apparatus.

14. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a third user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of the other of the first and the second video data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus.

15. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second user-maintained mode is activated as long as a user operating the electronic apparatus applies sufficient force to cause a button to maintain an active state.

16. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second user-maintained mode is activated as long as a user operating the electronic apparatus maintains an eye gaze on a target to cause an eye gaze monitor to maintain an active state.

17. The electronic apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second user-maintained mode is activated as long as a user operating the electronic apparatus maintains a sound to cause a sound monitor to maintain an active state.

18. A transmitting electronic apparatus for communicating data streams with a receiving electronic apparatus, the transmitting electronic apparatus comprising:

a speaker for playing one or more of an audio data stream received from the receiving electronic apparatus and an audio data stream transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus;

a microphone for recording a first audio data stream;

a memory for storing a second audio data stream;

a first user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of one of the first and the second audio data streams when at least the other of the first and the second audio data streams is being transmitted to the electronic apparatus;

wherein the one of the first and the second audio data streams is transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus and the other of the first and the second audio data streams is suspended while the second user-maintained mode actively senses user feedback;

wherein the first user-maintained mode is activated as long as a user operating the electronic apparatus maintains a biological response to cause an affective monitor to maintain an active state.

19. The electronic apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising a second user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of the other of the first and the second audio data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus.

20. The electronic apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

a first display area for viewing a video data stream sent to the receiving electronic apparatus;

a camera for recording a first video data stream;

a memory for storing at least a portion of a second video data stream; and

a second user-maintained mode for controlling transmission of one of the first and the second video data streams to the receiving electronic apparatus when at least the other of the first and the second video data streams is being sent to the receiving electronic apparatus;

wherein the one of the first and the second video data streams is transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus and the other of the first and the second video data streams is suspended while the second user-maintained mode actively senses user feedback;

wherein video data displayed in the first display area is synchronized with the one of the first and the second video data streams transmitted to the receiving electronic apparatus to allow users of the transmitting and receiving electronic apparatuses to share the video data in a coordinated manner.