Establishing a Video Conference During a Phone Call

• US 20140354759A1
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cranfill, Elizabeth C., Lemay, Stephen O., Abuan, Joe S., Wu, Hsi-Jung, Zhou, Xiaosong, Garcia, Roberto Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,787,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• 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 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method for initiating a video conference using a first mobile device. The method presents, during an audio call through a wireless communication network with a second device, a selectable user-interface (UI) item on the first mobile device for switching from the audio call to the video conference. The method receives a selection of the selectable UI item. The method initiates the video conference without terminating the audio call. The method terminates the audio call before allowing the first and second devices to present audio and video data exchanged through the video conference.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A non-transitory machine-readable medium of a first mobile device, the machine-readable medium storing a program comprising sets of instructions for:

during an audio call through a wireless communication network with a second device, presenting a first selectable user-interface (UI) item for switching from the audio call to a video conference;

upon receiving a selection of the first selectable UI item;

displaying a first video captured by a first camera of the first mobile device, and

presenting a second selectable UI item for switching between the first camera and a second camera of the first mobile device;

before the video conference is initiated, receiving a selection of the second selectable UI item in order to replace the first video captured by the first camera with a second video captured by the second camera; and

initiating the video conference by displaying a third video captured by the second device concurrently with the second video captured by the second camera.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the set of instructions for presenting the second selectable UI item comprises a set of instructions for presenting the second selectable UI item during the initiation of the video conference and after the video conference has initiated.

25. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the set of instructions for presenting the second selectable UI item comprising ceasing to present the second selectable UI item after a predefined amount of time.

26. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 23, the program further comprising a set of instructions for sending a video conference request to the second device once the first selectable UI item is selected.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the set of instructions for initiating the video conference comprises a set of instructions for receiving an acceptance of the video conference request from the second device prior to concurrently displaying the second and third videos.

28. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the set of instructions for concurrently displaying the videos comprises a set of instructions for displaying the second video as an inset video that overlaps at least a portion of the third video.

29. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first camera of the first mobile device is a front camera and the second camera of the first mobile device is a back camera.

30. A method for a first device conducting a video conference with a second device, the method comprising:

presenting a first selectable user interface (UI) item for initiating a video conference with the second device;

upon receiving a selection of the first selectable UI item,

displaying a first video captured by a first camera of the first device, and

presenting a second selectable UI item for switching between the first camera and a second camera of the first device;

before the video conference is initiated, receiving a selection of the second selectable UI item in order to replace the first video captured by the first camera with a second video captured by the second camera; and

initiating the video conference with the second device by displaying a third video captured by the second device concurrently with the second video captured by the second camera.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein presenting the second selectable UI item comprises presenting the second selectable UI item during the initiation of the video conference and after the video conference has initiated.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein presenting the second selectable UI item comprising ceasing to present the second selectable UI item after a predefined amount of time.

33. The method of claim 30 further comprising sending a video conference request to the second device once the first selectable UI item is selected.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein initiating the video conference comprises receiving an acceptance of the video conference request from the second device prior to concurrently displaying the second and third videos.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein displaying the videos concurrently displaying the videos comprises displaying the second video as an inset video that overlaps at least a portion of the third video.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the first camera of the first device is a front camera and the second camera of the first device is a back camera.

37. A non-transitory machine-readable medium of a first device, the machine-readable medium storing a program comprising sets of instructions for:

presenting a first selectable user interface (UI) item for initiating a video conference with a second device;

upon receiving a selection of the first selectable UI item,

displaying a first video captured by a first camera of the first device, and

presenting a second selectable UI item for switching between the first camera and a second camera of the first device;

before the video conference is initiated, receiving a selection of the second selectable UI item in order to replace the first video captured by the first camera with a second video captured by the second camera; and

initiating the video conference with the second device by displaying a third video captured by the second device concurrently with the second video captured by the second camera.

38. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 37, the program further comprising a set of instructions for sending a video conference request to the second device once the first selectable UI item has received the selection.

39. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 38, wherein the set of instructions for initiating the video conference comprises a set of instructions for receiving an acceptance of the video conference request from the second device prior to concurrently displaying the second and third videos.

40. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 39, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the videos concurrently comprises a set of instructions for presenting the third video as an inset video that overlaps at least a portion of the second video.

41. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the first camera of the first device is a front camera and the second camera of the first device is a back camera.

42. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the first device and the second device are smart phones.