Systems and methods for enhancing teleconferencing collaboration

• US 9,058,055 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2012
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Minds LLC
• Original Assignee: Applied Minds LLC
• Inventors: Ferren, Bran, Hillis, W. Daniel, McKnight, Thomas, Yukich, Rudy, Gaskill, Braddock
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US13/418,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20120236108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• 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 7/147 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

An advanced video teleconferencing system facilitates an engaging and realistic video conferencing experience. Key design elements and video, audio, and control capabilities are provided for a video conferencing experience that cannot be attained with conventional methods, which elements and capabilities include careful design of the table and room at each site, supplementary displays showing imagery in a mirrored manner, networked environmental control, an AutoDirector with keyword and gesture recognition, and audio reflection from a display or beam splitter.

Claims

1. An apparatus for enhancing a same-room experience among participants at each of two or more conference sites, comprising:

a computer programmed for synchronous control of at least one environmental variable at a first site and at any synchronized remote sites when a participant at said first site adjusts said at least one environmental variable; and

a database structure configured to store a conference state for each of the conference sites to enable synchronization between each of the conference sites.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one environmental variable comprises at least one of:

a lighting level, an audio level, a climate setting, and a security level at both of said first conference site and at least one of said synchronized, remote conference sites.

3. An apparatus for enhancing a same-room experience among participants at each of two or more conference sites, comprising:

a computer programmed for synchronous control of at least one environmental variable at a first site and at any synchronized remote sites when a participant at said first site adjusts said at least one environmental variable;

a storage element containing a database for storing conference state in a tree data structure to effect synchronization between each of said two or more conference sites;

wherein a root node of said tree data structure corresponds to an entire conference state.

4. An apparatus for enhancing a same-room experience among participants at each of two or more conference sites, comprising:

a computer programmed for synchronous control of at least one environmental variable at a first site and at any synchronized remote sites when a participant at said first site adjusts said at least one environmental variable; and

a storage element containing a database for storing conference state in a tree data structure to effect synchronization between each of said two or more conference sites.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one primary branch of said tree data structure represents any of lighting, audio, climate, and security.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a sub-branch of said tree data structure corresponds to an individual bank of lights.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one primary branch of said tree data structure tracks any of:

which participant stations are occupied; and

a state of collaboration tools associated with at least one participant station at least one conference site.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said associated collaboration tools comprise any of:

collaborative whiteboard contents and senders, recipients, and contents of private messages.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each conference site maintains a local copy of an entire conference state and wherein, at any time, one conference site is designated as a conference master.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein conference sites synchronize a portion of a conference state by notifying said conference master, said notifying comprising subscribing as a listener to a particular node within said tree data structure;

wherein if a subscribing conference site detects a change in said conference state within a portion of said tree data structure radiating from a subscribed node representing a subscribed conference site, it informs said conference master of said change in state;

wherein said conference master then notifies all conference sites subscribed to said portion of said tree data structure affected by said change in state;

wherein a notification contains updated values of said conference state in said affected portion of said tree data structure; and

wherein, responsive to receipt of said notification, each notified conference site updates its local copy of said conference state accordingly.

11. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said conference state is maintained in an event-driven manner.

12. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said conference state is stored in a distributed fashion.

13. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a computer programmed for polling said database for all or a portion of said conference state;

wherein conference sites can join a conference already in progress;

wherein upon joining a conference and subscribing to one or more nodes within said tree data structure, a joining conference site polls said database for a subscribed portion of said tree data structure and synchronizes its state to a state shared by conference sites already present in said conference.

14. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each conference site additionally stores a local state for site-specific information.

15. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a network transparent programming language for implementing said database, comprising means for linking multiple interpreters together over a network and for providing network transparency of stack symbol lookups.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, said programming language further comprising:

an event-notification system for notifying conference sites of changes;

wherein conference sites can subscribe as listeners to a node and receive notification of changes made to said node.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, said event notification system further comprising:

a communications layer for passing and broadcasting at least one message to interested parties anywhere on a teleconference site network by setting a value field of a known node to the content of said message.

18. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said at least one environmental variable comprises at least one of:

a lighting level, an audio level, a climate setting, and a security level at both of said first conference site and at least one of said synchronized, remote conference sites.

19. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said conference state ensures that a new conference master is selected should an existing conference master become unavailable.

20. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said database effects redundant storage of said conference state.

21. An apparatus for enhancing a same-room experience among participants at each of a plurality of conference sites, comprising:

a database structure that is configured to store a conference state for each of the conference sites; and

a mechanism configured for synchronous control of at least one environmental variable at a first conference site of the plurality of conference sites and at at least one other conference site of the plurality of conference sites, wherein the mechanism is configured to synchronize the conference state of the at least one other conference site with the conference state of the first conference site upon a receipt of an input from a user at the first conference site.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said at least one environmental variable comprises at least one of:

a lighting level, an audio level, a climate setting, and a security level at both of said first conference site and the at least one conference site.

23. An apparatus for enhancing a same-room experience among participants at a plurality of conference sites, comprising:

a mechanism for storing a conference state for each of the plurality of conference sites in a distributed fashion in regard to at least one environmental variable; and

a mechanism for maintaining synchronization of the conference state in an event driven manner to synchronize the least one environmental variable between at least two of the plurality of conference sites.