Computer-processor based interface for telepresence system, method and computer program product

• US 8,300,078 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mellingen, Torkel Steffen, Shaw, Eamonn, Lovhaugen, Norma
• Primary Examiner(s): Ni, Suhan
• Application Number:
  US12/561,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20100073454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1403, 348 1408- 1409, 348/14.1, 348/14.12
• US Class Current: 348/14.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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: 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 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

A computer-implemented interface for a local telepresence video conferencing facility, pre-assigns displays at the local telepresence video conferencing facility to respective video images from remote telepresence video conference facilities such that respective video images from the remote telepresence video conference facilities will be displayed on corresponding displays at the local telepresence video conferencing facility once communications connections are made. A controller pre-assigns the displays according to control commands from a tactile input device prior to establishing the communication connections with the remote telepresence video conference facilities. A touchscreen display presents avatars of remote conference participants to illustrate pre-assignments of displays to particular remote telepresence video conference facilities prior to the communication connections being made.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented interface for a local telepresence video conferencing facility that communicates with remote telepresence video conferencing facilities each including a plurality of cameras and a plurality of displays, said computer-implemented interface comprising:

a tactile input device having a touchscreen display that converts forces applied by a user into control commands, said touchscreen display positioned within reach of a user of the local telepresence video conferencing facility when the user is positioned at a station captured by one of the plurality of cameras, said touchscreen display includes a displayed replica of a physical layout of the plurality of displays arranged in the local telepresence video conference facility;

a signal interface that exchanges video signals and voice signals between the local telepresence video conferencing facility and the remote telepresence video conferencing facilities; and

a controller circuit that pre-assigns the plurality of displays at the local telepresence video conferencing facility to respective video images from the remote telepresence video conference facilities such that respective video images from the remote telepresence video conference facilities will be displayed on corresponding displays at the local telepresence video conferencing facility once communications connections are made, said controller pre-assigns the plurality of displays according to control commands from the tactile input device prior to establishing the communication connections with the remote telepresence video conference facilities, wherein

said touchscreen display presents avatars of remote conference participants to illustrate pre-assignments of displays to particular remote telepresence video conference facilities prior to the communication connections being made.

2. The interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a teleconference server that receives input from said controller and provides the controller with initial pre-assignments of displays to respective of the remote telepresence video conference facilities, wherein

said controller is configured to change the initial pre-assignments based on control commands received from the user via the touchscreen display.

3. The interface of claim 1, wherein

said touchscreen display is mounted to a table in front of the user at the station at an inclination with respect to an upper surface of the table, such that a top edge of said touchscreen display is closer to the one of the plurality of cameras that captures said station than a bottom edge of the touchscreen display, and said top edge is at a higher elevation than said bottom edge with respect to the upper surface of the table.

4. The interface of claim 1, wherein said touchscreen display includes a drag-drop feature that permits said user to drag and drop avatars to different displays within the displayed replica of the physical layout of the plurality of displays.

5. The interface of claim 1, wherein said touchscreen display includes a selection mechanism that provides user-selection of a voice-switched mode of operation and round-table mode of operation for displaying the remote telepresence video conference facilities.

6. The interface of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen display provides a pixel-to-pixel mapping between respective of the plurality of displays and displays included in the displayed replica.

7. The interface of claim 1, further comprising:

an RFID detector; and

a plurality of RFID transmitters, said RFID detector configured to wirelessly receive pre-assignments selections transmitted from one of the RFID transmitters when said one of the RFID transmitter is within an operable range of said RFID detector.

8. The interface of claim 1, wherein:

said tactile input device includes a mobile telephone programmed with a downloaded application that permits the user to pre-assign the plurality of displays on the mobile telephone prior to entering a room hosting the local telepresence video conferencing facility.

9. The interface of claim 1, wherein said touchscreen display provides a close-down mode of operation for closing down connections by dragging and dropping the avatars away from images of the displays presented on the touchscreen in response to forces applied by the user to the touchscreen display.

10. A computer-implemented method for pre-assigning displays of a local telepresence video conferencing facility with video images of remote telepresence video conferencing facilities, each of the local and remote telepresence video conferencing facilities including a plurality of cameras and a plurality of displays, said method comprising:

applying forces from a user to a tactile input device having a touchscreen display and converting the forces into control commands, said touchscreen display positioned within reach of a user of the local telepresence video conferencing facility when the user is positioned at a station captured by one of the plurality of cameras;

displaying on said touchscreen display a displayed replica of a physical layout of the plurality of displays arranged in the local telepresence video conference facility;

exchanging video and voice signals through a signal interface between the local telepresence video conferencing facility and the remote telepresence video conferencing facilities;

pre-assigning through a controller circuit the plurality of displays at the local telepresence video conferencing facility to respective video images from the remote telepresence video conference facilities such that respective video images from the remote telepresence video conference facilities will be displayed on corresponding displays at the local telepresence video conferencing facility once communications connections are made, said pre-assigning step includes assigning the plurality of displays according to control commands from the tactile input device prior to establishing the communication connections with the remote telepresence video conference facilities; and

presenting avatars of remote conference participants on said touchscreen display to illustrate pre-assignments of displays to particular remote telepresence video conference facilities prior to the communication connections being made.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving inputs at a teleconference server from said controller and providing the controller with initial pre-assignments of displays to respective of the remote telepresence video conference facilities;

receiving control commands from the user via the touchscreen display to change the initial pre-assignments; and

changing via the controller the initial pre-assignments based on control commands.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

dragging and dropping avatars to different displays within the displayed replica of the physical layout of the plurality of displays based on input from the touchscreen display.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting on the touchscreen display between a voice-switched mode of operation and round-table mode of operation for displaying the remote telepresence video conference facilities.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein:

said pre-assigning step includes moving an RFID transmitter within an operable range of an RFID detector that is coupled to said controller; and

receiving wirelessly at the RFID detector pre-assignment selections transmitted from the RFID transmitter.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

downloading an application to a mobile telephone that programs a processor in the mobile telephone that permits the user to pre-assign the plurality of displays on the mobile telephone prior to entering a room hosting the local telepresence video conferencing facility.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

closing down connections to the remote telepresence video conferencing facilities by dragging and dropping the avatars away from images of the displays presented on the touchscreen display in response to forces applied by the user to the touchscreen display.

17. A non-transitory computer program product having instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method that pre-assigns displays of a local telepresence video conferencing facility with video images of remote telepresence video conferencing facilities, each of the local and remote telepresence video conferencing facilities including a plurality of cameras and a plurality of displays, said method comprising:

converting forces applied by a user to a tactile input device having a touchscreen display into control commands, said touchscreen display positioned within reach of a user of the local telepresence video conferencing facility when the user is positioned at a station captured by one of the plurality of cameras;

displaying on said touchscreen display a displayed replica of a physical layout of the plurality of displays arranged in the local telepresence video conference facility;

exchanging video and voice signals through a signal interface between the local telepresence video conferencing facility and the remote telepresence video conferencing facilities;

pre-assigning through a controller circuit the plurality of displays at the local telepresence video conferencing facility to respective video images from the remote telepresence video conference facilities such that respective video images from the remote telepresence video conference facilities will be displayed on corresponding displays at the local telepresence video conferencing facility once communications connections are made, said pre-assigning step includes assigning the plurality of displays according to control commands from the tactile input device prior to establishing the communication connections with the remote telepresence video conference facilities; and

presenting avatars of remote conference participants on said touchscreen display to illustrate pre-assignments of displays to particular remote telepresence video conference facilities prior to the communication connections being made.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving inputs at a teleconference server from said controller and providing the controller with initial pre-assignments of displays to respective of the remote telepresence video conference facilities;

receiving control commands from the user via the touchscreen display to change the initial pre-assignments; and

changing via the controller the initial pre-assignments based on control commands.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

dragging and dropping avatars to different displays within the displayed replica of the physical layout of the plurality of displays based on input from the touchscreen display.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting on the touchscreen display between a voice-switched mode of operation and round-table mode of operation for displaying the remote telepresence video conference facilities.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

downloading an application to a mobile telephone that programs a processor in the mobile telephone that permits the user to pre-assign the plurality of displays on the mobile telephone prior to entering a room hosting the local telepresence video conferencing facility.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

closing down connections to the remote telepresence video conferencing facilities by dragging and dropping the avatars away from images of the displays presented on the touchscreen display in response to forces applied by the user to the touchscreen display.