Video teleconferencing for networked workstations

• US 5,375,068 A
• Filed: 06/03/1992
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Palmer, Larry G., Palmer, Ricky S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEESO, THOMAS R
• Application Number:
  US07/893,074
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 364/514, 379/96, 379/94, 379/202, 370/60, 370/62, 395/152
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• 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

A video teleconferencing method and apparatus for computer workstations connected by a digital data network includes a transmission source portion for a local workstation to send audio and video teleconference data across the network to one or more remote workstations, and, a receiver for the local workstation to receive audio and video teleconference data back from the remote workstations. The local workstation sends teleconference data to each of the remote workstations over a variable bandwidth digital data connection, and each of the remote workstations returns teleconference data back to the local workstation over another variable bandwidth digital data connection. The transmission source portion includes a master software process executing on the local workstation, and the receiver includes a slave software process executing the remote workstation. The master process of a local workstation causes execution of a slave process on a remote workstation for receiving video teleconference data from the local workstation. An audio data transmitter for sends an audio data stream to the remote workstation such that the audio data can be reconstructed into a continuous audio signal. A video transmitter sends video data so that each frame of video data to be sent is inserted into the audio data stream without affecting the continuity of the reconstructed audio signal at the remote workstation.

Claims

1. The video teleconferencing apparatus for a distributed data processing system having a plurality of computer workstations connected by a digital data network, the computer workstations comprising:

a) a master process executing on a processor of a local workstation formating and sending audio and video data across the digital data network as digital data packets to a remote workstation over a first variable bandwidth digital data connection;

b) a slave process executing on a processor of the remote workstation receiving and reconstructing the audio and video data from across the digital data network from the master process of the local workstation for audible and visual reproduction, respectively;

c) a master process executing on the processor of the remote workstation formatting and sending audio and video data across the digital data network as digital data packets to the local workstation over a second variable bandwidth digital data connection; and

d) a slave process executing on the processor of the local workstation receiving the audio and video data from across the digital data network from the master process of the remote workstation for audible and visual reproduction, respectively;

wherein the master process of the local workstation causes the execution of the slave process on the remote workstation to receive the audio and video data sent by the master process of the local workstation, the slave process of the remote workstation causes the execution of the master process on the remote workstation to send the audio and video data to the local workstation, and the master process of the remote workstation causes execution of the slave process on the local workstation to receive the audio and video data sent by the master process of the remote workstation.

2. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the local workstation executes a slave process for each master process executing on remote workstations and sending audio and video data to the local workstation.

3. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the master process of the local workstation comprises

a) audio transmission means for sending an audio data stream from the local workstation to the remote workstation via the digital data network such that the audio data can be reconstructed by the remote workstation into a continuous audio signal, and

b) video transmission means for sending video data from the local workstation to the remote workstation via the digital data network such that each frame of video data sent to the remote workstation is inserted into the audio data stream by the local workstation without affecting the continuity of the reconstructed audio signal at the remote workstation.

4. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 3 wherein

a) the video transmission means further comprises means for precluding a frame of video data from being sent to the remote workstation in response to a system overload condition;

and

b) the audio transmission means further comprises means for sending the audio data stream corresponding to the precluded frame of video data to the remote workstation to prevent loss of continuity of the audio signal reconstructed by the remote workstation during a system overload condition.

5. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 4 wherein

a) the slave process of the remote workstation comprises acknowledgement transmission means for issuing a frame acknowledge message to the local workstation for each frame of video data successfully received from the local workstation by the remote workstation;

and

b) the master process of the local workstation comprises acknowledgement receiver means for receiving the acknowledgement message from the remote workstation and for deferring the sending of another frame of video data from the local workstation to the remote workstation until an acknowledgement message for the most recently sent frame of video data is received from the remote workstation.

6. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 5 wherein the system overload condition is determined by the elapsed time between sending a frame of video data to the remote workstation and receiving an acknowledgement message for that frame of video data from the remote workstation.

7. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 6 wherein

a) the audio transmission means further comprises means for sending any audio data accumulated by the local workstation since the last video frame was sent to the remote workstation immediately upon receipt of the acknowledgement message from the remote workstation for the last video frame if an overload condition exists;

and

b) the video transmission means further comprises means for sending the most recently available frame of video data from the local workstation to the remote workstation and dropping any other intervening frames of video data which became available during the elapsed time of the overload condition; and

c) the audio transmission means comprises means for sending to the remote workstation any audio data accumulated by the local workstation, since the last video frame was sent to the remote workstation, when another video frame becomes available at the local workstation for sending to the remote workstation if no overload condition exists; and

d) the video transmission means comprises means for sending the most recently available frame of video data from the local workstation to the remote workstation if no overload condition exists.

8. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 3 wherein

a) the video transmission means further comprises means for precluding a frame of video data from being sent to the remote workstation in response to a system failure condition;

b) the audio transmission means further comprises

1) accumulating means for accumulating audio data at the local workstation corresponding to a predetermined time interval;

2) means for sending the accumulated audio data to the remote workstation immediately after the system failure condition is corrected; and

c) the video transmission means also further comprises means for sending the most recently available frame of video data to the remote workstation after sending the accumulated audio data.

9. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 3 wherein

a) the master process of the local workstation further comprises means for attaching timing information to each frame of video data sent to the remote workstation by the video transmission means, the timing information indicating a point in the continuous audio data stream which corresponds in time to the frame of video data;

and

b) the slave process of the remote workstation comprises synchronization means for displaying a received frame of video on the display of the remote workstation when the point in the audio stream corresponding to the timing information of the received video frame is audibly reproduced at the remote workstation.

10. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 9 wherein

a) the slave process of the remote workstation further comprises timing means for generating timing information by counting the amount of audio data received from the local workstation in the continuous audio stream;

and

b) the synchronization means further comprises comparison means for comparing the timing information generated by the timing means with the timing information sent along with the most recently received video frame to determine when to display the most recently received frame of video data on the display of the remote workstation.

11. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the digital data connections comprise a TCP/IP protocol data socket.

12. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the digital data connections comprise a DECnet protocol data socket.

13. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the digital data connections are established across an FDDI data network.

14. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the digital data connections are established across an ISDN data network.

15. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the digital data connections are established across an ethernet data network.

16. Video teleconferencing apparatus for a distributed data processing system having a plurality of computer workstations connected by a digital data network, the computer workstations comprising:

a) source means for a local workstation to send audio and video data across the digital data network as digital data packets to a remote workstation, the source means comprising a master process executing on a processor of the local workstation;

b) receiver means for the local workstation to receive audio and video data from across the digital data network as digital data packets sent from source means of the remote workstation, the receiver means comprising a slave process executing on a processor of the remote workstation;

wherein the master process of a local workstation causes execution of a slave process on a remote workstation for receiving audio and video data sent by the master process of the local workstation over one variable bandwidth digital data connection, the slave process on the remote workstation causes execution of a master process on the remote workstation for sending audio and video data to the local workstation, and the master process of the remote workstation causes execution of a slave process on the local workstation for receiving audio and video data sent by the master process of the remote workstation over another variable bandwidth digital data connection.

17. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 16, wherein

a) the source means further comprises means for a local workstation to send audio and video data to a plurality of remote workstations;

and

b) the receiver means further comprises means for the local workstation to receive audio and video data from the source means of the plurality of remote workstations;

wherein the source means of the local workstation sends audio and video data to the receiver means of the plurality of remote workstations over a like plurality of variable bandwidth digital data connections, and the source means of each of the plurality of remote workstations sends audio and video data to the receiver means of the local workstation over another like plurality of variable bandwidth digital data connections.

18. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 17, wherein a local workstation executes a slave process for each master process executing on a remote workstation sending audio and video data to the local workstation.

19. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 16 wherein

the source means comprises:

a) audio transmission means for sending an audio data stream from the local workstation to the remote workstation via the digital data network such that the audio data can be reconstructed by the remote workstation into a continuous audio signal,

b) video transmission means for sending video data from the local workstation to the remote workstation via the digital data network such that each frame of video data sent to the remote workstation is inserted into the audio data stream by the local workstation without affecting the continuity of the reconstructed audio signal at the remote workstation, and

c) time stamping means for attaching timing information to each frame of video data sent to the remote workstation by the video transmission means, the timing information indicating a point in the continuous audio data stream which corresponds in time to the frame of video data; and

the receiver means comprises;

d) synchronization means for displaying a received frame of video on the display of the remote workstation when the point in the audio stream corresponding to the timing information of the received video frame is audibly reproduced at the remote workstation.

20. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 19 wherein

a) the receiver means further comprises timing means for generating timing information by counting the amount of audio data received from the local workstation in the continuous audio stream;

and

b) the synchronization means further comprises comparison means for comparing the timing information generated by the timing means with the timing information sent along with the most recently received video frame to determine when to display the most recently received frame of video data on the display of the remote workstation.

21. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 19 wherein

a) the video transmission means further comprises means for precluding a frame of video data from being sent to the remote workstation in response to a system overload condition;

and

b) the audio transmission means further comprises means for sending the audio data stream corresponding to the precluded frame of video data to the remote workstation to prevent loss of continuity of the audio signal reconstructed by the remote workstation during a system overload condition.

22. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 21 wherein

a) the receiver means comprises acknowledgement transmission means for issuing a frame acknowledge message to the local workstation for each frame of video data successfully received from the local workstation by the remote workstation;

and

b) the source means comprises acknowledgement receiver means for receiving the acknowledgement message from the remote workstation and for deferring the sending of another frame of video data from the local workstation to the remote workstation until an acknowledgement message for the most recently sent frame of video data is received from the remote workstation.

23. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 22 wherein the system overload condition is determined by the elapsed time between sending a frame of video data to the remote workstation and receiving an acknowledgement message for that frame of video data from the remote workstation.

24. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 23 wherein

a) the audio transmission means further comprises means for sending any audio data accumulated by the local workstation since the last video frame was sent to the remote workstation immediately upon receipt of the acknowledgement message from the remote workstation for the last video frame if an overload condition exists;

and

b) the video transmission means further comprises means for sending the most recently available frame of video data from the local workstation to the remote workstation and dropping any other intervening frames of video data which became available during the elapsed time of the overload condition; and

c) the audio transmission means comprises means for sending to the remote workstation any audio data accumulated by the local workstation, since the last video frame was sent to the remote workstation, when another video frame becomes available at the local workstation for sending to the remote workstation if no overload condition exists; and

d) the video transmission means comprises means for sending the most recently available frame of video data from the local workstation to the remote workstation if no overload condition exists.

25. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 19 wherein

a) the video transmission means further comprises means for precluding a frame of video data from being sent to the remote workstation in response to a system failure condition;

b) the audio transmission means further comprises

1) accumulating means for accumulating audio data at the local workstation corresponding to a predetermined time interval;

2) means for sending the accumulated audio data to the remote workstation immediately after the system failure condition is corrected; and

c) the video transmission means also further comprises means for sending the most recently available frame of video data to the remote workstation after sending the accumulated audio data.

26. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 16 wherein the digital data connections comprise a TCP/IP protocol data socket.

27. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 16 wherein the digital data connections comprise a DECnet protocol data socket.

28. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 16 wherein the digital data connections are established across an FDDI data network.

29. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 16 wherein the digital data connections are established across an ISDN data network.

30. The video teleconferencing apparatus of claim 16 wherein the digital data connections are established across an ethernet data network.

31. A video teleconferencing computer workstation comprising:

a video frame grabber for generating local video data by digitizing analog video signals received from a video source, and for accumulating said local video data to provide frames of said local video data;

a video buffer for receiving and temporarily storing said frames of local video data;

a network controller for transmitting said frames of local video data temporarily stored by said video buffer to a remote computer workstation via a first one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection providing a first virtual circuit connection across a digital data network;

a central processor for executing a local slave application program for configuring said video teleconferencing computer workstation to receive frames of remote video data generated by said remote computer workstation under control of a remote master application program controlling said local slave application program, said frames of said remote video data being transmitted via a second one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection providing a second virtual circuit connection across said digital data network, said central processor further executing a local master application program for establishing said first one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection to said remote computer workstation and invoking a corresponding remote slave application program in said remote computer workstation to configure said remote computer workstation to receive said frames of local video data transmitted by said network controller.

32. A video teleconferencing computer workstation as claimed in claim 31, further comprised of said central processor, in response to sending a first frame of said local video data and receiving an acknowledge signal indicative of receipt of said first frame by said remote computer workstation only after a second frame of said local video data has been accumulated in said frame grabber, transmitting local audio data prior to transmitting said second frame.

33. A video teleconferencing computer workstation as claimed in claim 31, wherein said central processor, in response to sending a first frame of said local video data and receiving an acknowledge signal indicative of receipt of said first frame by said remote computer workstation only after a plurality of frames of said local video data have been accumulated in said frame grabber, transmitting only a most recent one of said plurality of frames.

34. A video teleconferencing computer workstation as claimed in claim 31, wherein said digital data network comprises a fiber distributed data interface.

35. A video teleconferencing computer workstation comprising:

a video frame grabbar for generating local video data by digitizing analog video signals received from a video source, and for accumulating said local video data to provide frames of said local video data;

a video buffer for receiving and temporarily storing said frames of local video data;

a network controller for transmitting said frames of local video data temporarily stored by said video buffer to a remote computer workstation via a first one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection providing a first virtual circuit connection across a digital data network; and

a central processor for executing a local master application program establishing said first one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection to said remote computer workstation and invoking a corresponding remote slave application program in said remote computer workstation to enable said remote computer workstation to receive said frames of local video data transmitted by said network controller;

wherein said remote slave application program running on said central processor of said remote computer workstation invokes a remote master application for controlling generation of frames of remote video data, said remote master application program signalling said video teleconferencing computer workstation to enable a local slave application program for receiving said frames of remote video data.

36. A video teleconferencing computer workstation as claimed in claim 35, wherein said remote master application is invoked in response to a remote user of said remote workstation sanctioning a video teleconference between said video teleconferencing computer workstation and said remote workstation.

37. A two-way video teleconferencing connection between a local workstation and a remote workstation across a digital data network, said two-way video teleconferencing connection comprising:

a first one-way connection between a local-master application of said local workstation and a remote-slave application of said remote workstation for providing locally-generated video data generated by said local workstation to said remote workstation for display by said remote workstation; and

a second one-way connection between a remote-master application of said remote workstation and a local-slave application of said local workstation for providing remotely-generated video data generated by said remote workstation to said local workstation for display by said local workstation.

38. A two-way video teleconferencing connection as claimed in claim 37, wherein said first one-way connection and said second one-way connection are different variable bandwidth digital data connections across said digital data network.

39. A video teleconferencing connection between a plurality of workstations across a digital data network for providing audio and video data, said video teleconferencing connection comprising a multiplicity of one-way connections from master applications running on each of said workstations to corresponding slave applications running on every other one of said workstations so that every one of said slave applications of each of said workstations is dedicated to communication with a single master application of a different one of said workstations.

40. A video teleconferencing connection as claimed in claim 39, wherein said one-way connections are different variable bandwidth digital data connections across said digital data network.

41. A method for establishing and maintaining video teleconferencing link between a local computer workstation and a remote computer workstation, said method comprising:

executing a local master application program by said local computer workstation establishing a first one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection providing a first virtual circuit connection across a digital data network to said remote computer workstation; and

invoking a corresponding remote slave application program by said local master application in said remote computer workstation to enable said remote computer workstation to receive frames of local video data generated by said local computer workstation;

executing a local slave application program in said local computer workstation by said remote computer workstation for configuring said local computer workstation to receive frames of remote video data generated by said remote computer workstation under control of a remote master application program controlling said local slave application program, said frames of remote video data being transmitted via a second one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection providing a second virtual circuit connection across said digital data network.

42. A method as claimed in claim 41, further comprising:

generating said local video data by digitizing analog video signals received from a video source at said local computer workstation, and for accumulating said local video data to provide said frames of local video data; and

transmitting said frames of said local video data to said remote slave application program of said remote computer workstation via said first one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection.

43. A method as claimed in claim 41, further comprising, in response to sending a first frame of local video data and receiving an acknowledge signal indicative of receipt of said first frame by said remote computer workstation only after a second frame of said local video data has been accumulated, transmitting local audio data prior to transmitting said second frame.

44. A method as claimed in claim 41, further comprising, in response to sending a first frame of local video data and receiving an acknowledge signal indicative of receipt of said first frame by said remote computer workstation only after a plurality of frames of said local video data have been accumulated, transmitting only a most recent one of said plurality of frames.

45. A method for establishing and maintaining video teleconferencing link between a local computer workstation and a remote computer workstation, said method comprising:

executing a local master application program by said local computer workstation establishing a first one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection providing a first virtual circuit connection across a digital data network to said remote computer workstation;

invoking a corresponding remote slave application program by said local master application in said remote computer workstation to enable said remote computer workstation to receive frames of local video data generated by said local computer workstation; and

invoking a remote master application in said remote computer workstation by said remote slave application for controlling generation of frames of remote video data, said remote master application signalling said local computer workstation to enable a local slave application program for receiving said frames of remote video data.

46. A method for establishing and maintaining video teleconferencing link between a local computer workstation and a remote computer workstation, said method comprising:

executing a local master application program by said local computer workstation estabilishing a first one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection providing a first virtual circuit connection across a digital data network to said remote computer workstation;

invoking a corresponding remote slave application program by said local master application in said remote computer workstation to enable said remote computer workstation to receive frames of local video data generated by said local computer workstation;

invoking a remote master application in said remote computer workstation by said remote slave application for controlling generation of frames of remote video data, said remote master application signalling said local computer workstation to enable a local slave application program for receiving said frames of remote video data being transmitted via a second one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection providing a second virtual circuit connection across said digital data network;

generating said remote video data by digitizing analog video signals received from a video source at said remote computer workstation, and for accumulating said remote video data to provide said frames of remote video data; and

transmitting said frames of remote video data to said local slave application program of said local computer workstation via said second one-way variable bandwidth digital data connection.