SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATIC CALL INITIATION BASED ON BIOMETRIC DATA

• US 20130063548A1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polycom Incorporated (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: ROSENBERG, KOBY
• Granted Patent: US 10,122,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A videoconferencing endpoint can provides a caller with the ability to make unscheduled video calls to a callee without having knowledge of dialing information of a videoconferencing endpoint where the callee is currently located. The videoconferencing endpoint searches a location database using an identity of the callee provided by the caller, where the location database can store dialing information of a videoconferencing endpoint where the callee is known to be located. The videoconferencing endpoint can collect biometric data from a user and determine the identity of the user by matching the collected biometric data to biometric data stored in a biometric database. If a match is found, the videoconferencing endpoint updates the location database such that the location database indicates the videoconferencing endpoint as the current location of the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a caller at a first videoconferencing endpoint for an unscheduled video call to a callee;

acquiring information of a second videoconferencing endpoint at which the callee is known to be located; and

initiating a videoconferencing session between the first and second videoconferencing endpoints using the acquired information,

wherein a determination of location of the callee at the second videoconferencing endpoint is based on biometric data collected from the callee.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises an identity of the callee in the form of a voice signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein biometric data comprises face biometrics, voice biometrics, or a combination of face and voice biometrics.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring information comprises looking up a name of the callee in a location database to determine dialing information of the second videoconferencing endpoint.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the location database is located at a server communicably coupled to the first videoconferencing endpoint via a network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring information of the second videoconferencing endpoint comprises:

broadcasting a message to search the callee to a plurality of videoconferencing endpoints, wherein the plurality of videoconferencing endpoints include the second videoconferencing endpoint; and

receiving a reply from the second videoconferencing endpoint, the reply indicating that the callee is located at the second videoconferencing endpoint.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting biometric data of one or more user located near the first videoconferencing endpoint;

identifying the one or more users based on the collected biometric data; and

associating an identity of the one or more users with the first videoconferencing endpoint as a current location of the one or more users.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein collecting the biometric data is performed when the one or more users log into the first videoconference endpoint.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein collecting the biometric data is performed when motion of the one or more users around the first videoconferencing endpoint is detected.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying the user comprises comparing the collected biometric data with biometric data stored in a database, and accessing an identity of the one or more user associated with matched stored biometric data.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising storing the association of the identity of the one or more user with the first videoconferencing endpoint at a location database.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring alternate contact information of the callee if the callee is determined not to be present at the second videoconferencing endpoint; and

sending a message to the callee using the alternate contact information.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

acquiring information of a third videoconferencing endpoint at which the callee is known to have relocated; and

initiating a video call with the third videoconferencing endpoint.

14. A non-transitory memory storage device having instructions stored thereon for causing a programmable processor to perform the method of claim 1.

15. A near end videoconferencing endpoint comprising:

a processing unit programmed to;

receive a request from a caller for an unscheduled video call to a callee;

acquire information of a far end videoconferencing endpoint at which the callee is known to be located,

wherein a determination of location of the callee at the far end videoconferencing endpoint is based on biometric data collected from the callee.

16. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15, further comprising:

at least one microphone configured to capture voice of the caller,

wherein the request is received in the form of a voice signal captured by the at least one microphone, the voice signal comprising an identity of the callee.

17. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 16, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to use voice recognition to convert the identity of the callee from voice to text.

18. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15, wherein biometric data collected from the callee comprises face biometrics, voice biometrics or a combination of face and voice biometrics.

19. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15 wherein the programmed act to acquire information comprises looking up a name of the callee in a location database to determine dialing information of the far end videoconferencing endpoint, and wherein the location database stores identities of users and dialing information of videoconferencing endpoints where each user is known to be located.

20. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 19, wherein the location database is located at a server communicably connected to the processing unit via a network.

21. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15, wherein the programmed act to acquire information comprises broadcasting a message for searching the callee to a plurality of far end videoconferencing units communicably coupled to the first videoconferencing unit;

and receiving a reply from the far end videoconferencing endpoint, the reply indicating that the callee is located at the far end videoconferencing endpoint.

22. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to:

collect biometric data of a user;

identify the user based on the collected biometric data; and

associate an identity of the user with the near end videoconferencing endpoint as a current location of the caller.

23. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 22, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to collect biometric data of the user at predetermined time intervals.

24. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 22, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to collect biometric data of the user when the user logs into the near end videoconferencing endpoint.

25. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 22, further comprising a motion detector communicably coupled to the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is triggered to collect biometric data by the motion detector.

26. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 22, wherein the programmed act to identify the user comprises comparing the collected biometric data of the user with biometric data stored in a database, and accessing an identity of the user associated with matched stored biometric data.

27. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 22, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to store the association of the identity of the user and the near end videoconferencing endpoint as a current location at a location database.

28. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 27, wherein the location database is located at a server communicably connected to the processing unit via a network.

29. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to:

establish a video call with the far end videoconferencing endpoint;

acquire alternate contact information of the callee if the callee is determined not to be present at the far end videoconferencing endpoint; and

send a message to the callee using the alternate contact information;

30. The near end videoconferencing endpoint of claim 29, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to:

acquire information of another far end videoconferencing endpoint at which the callee is known to have relocated; and

initiate a video call with the another far end videoconferencing endpoint.

31. A multipoint conference unit (MCU) communicably connected over a network to a plurality of endpoints, comprising:

a network interface configured to connect to the network;

an audio module coupled to the network interface and configured to communicate audio data with the endpoints;

a video module coupled to the network interface and configured to communicate video data with the endpoints;

at least one biometric unit coupled to the audio module and the video module configured to generate and match biometric data; and

a control module coupled to the network interface, the audio module, the video module, and the at least one biometric unit, and configured to;

receive a call request from a first of the plurality of endpoints via the network interface, for a first unscheduled video call to a callee,

acquire information of a second of the plurality of endpoints at which the callee is known to be located, and

initiate the unscheduled video call between the first and second endpoints using the acquired information;

wherein a determination of location of the callee at the second endpoint is based on biometric data collected from the callee.

32. The MCU of claim 31, wherein the programmed act to acquire information comprises looking up a name of the callee in a location database to determine dialing information of the second endpoint, and wherein the location database stores identities of users and dialing information of endpoints where each user is known to be located.

33. The MCU of claim 32, wherein the location database is located at a server communicably connected to the control unit via a network.

34. The MCU of claim 31, wherein the act to receive a call request comprises receiving a voice signal, the voice signal comprising an identity of the callee.

35. The MCU of claim 31, wherein the biometric data collected from the callee comprises face biometrics, voice biometrics, or a combination of face and voice biometrics.

36. The MCU of claim 31, wherein the control module is further configured to:

assign a first one of the at least one biometric unit to the first unscheduled video call;

receive collected biometric data of one or more users from the first endpoint;

identify the one or more users based on the collected biometric data; and

associate an identity of the one or more users with the first endpoint as a current location of the one or more users.

37. The MCU of claim 31, wherein the control module is further configured to:

acquire alternate contact information of the callee if the callee is determined not to be present at the second endpoint;

send a message to the callee using the alternate contact information;

38. The MCU of claim 37, wherein the control module is further configured to:

acquire information of a third of the plurality of endpoints at which the callee is known to have relocated; and

initiate a video call with the third endpoint.

39. The MCU of claim 31, wherein the control module is further configured to:

receive a call request from another one of the plurality of endpoints for a second unscheduled video call; and

assign a second one of the at least one biometric unit to the second unscheduled video call.