IP Library Granted Patent US 8,400,489
Granted Patent B2
US 8,400,489 · App. 12/667,463 · Granted Mar 19, 2013

Method of controlling a video conference

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,400,489
App. No.
12/667,463
Granted
Mar 19, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention concerns a method of controlling a video conference with two or more participants ( 1, 2, 3, 4 ), and a video conference server and a computer program product to execute this method. A topic of the video conference is dynamically determined ( 303, 313 ). A participant data base comprising associations of one or more of the participants ( 1, 2, 3, 4 ) with one or more respective attributes is accessed ( 304, 314 ). The determined topic is mapped to one or more of the one or more respective attributes. From the one or more participants ( 1, 2, 3, 4 ) associated with the one or more respective attributes one or more participants ( 1, 2, 3, 4 ) who are associated with the determined topic according to said mapping are selected ( 305, 315 ). One or more of the selected participants ( 1, 2, 3, 4 ) are displayed ( 307, 317 ) on a screen.

Claims (38)

1. A method of controlling a video conference with two or more participants, the method comprising:

dynamically determining a topic of the video conference;

accessing a participant data base including associations of one or more of the participants with one or more respective attributes;

mapping the determined topic to one or more of the one or more respective attributes;

selecting from the one or more participants associated with the one or more respective attributes one or more participants who are associated with the determined topic according to said mapping; and

displaying one or more of the selected participants on a screen.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

monitoring a voice traffic exchanged between the two or more participants during the video conference;

converting the monitored voice traffic to a sequence of textual entities; and

extracting keywords from the sequence of textual entities for determination of the topic of the video conference.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising:

establishing a dynamic statistics of the keywords;

deducing the topic of the video conference from the established dynamic statistics of the keywords.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

determining the topic of the video conference based on a pre-defined agenda of the video conference.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

determining a change of the topic of the video conference; and

continuously adapting the display of the one or more of the selected participants on the screen corresponding to the change.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

automatically and/or manually generating the participant data base, the one or more respective attributes referring to a skill and/or a task of the respective participants.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

displaying simultaneously at least one speaking participant of the video conference and all of the selected participants on the screen, each in a separate window.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

storing one or more pre-defined attributes in a directory;

upon a participant joining the video conference, providing the joining participant with a selection menu for selecting one or more of the pre-defined attributes from the directory as being associated with the joining participant; and

storing an entry in the participant data base, the entry comprising an association of the joining participant with the selected one or more attributes.

9. A video conference server for controlling a video conference with two or more participants, the video conference server comprising:

a control unit adapted to dynamically determine a topic of the video conference;

access a participant data base comprising associations of one or more of the participants with one or more respective attributes;

map the determined topic to one or more of the one or more respective attributes;

select from the one or more participants associated with the one or more respective attributes one or more participants who are associated with the determined topic according to said mapping; and

control the display of one or more of the selected participants on a screen.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying instructions for controlling a video conference with two or more participants, when executed by a video conference server by:

dynamically determining a topic of the video conference;

accessing a participant data base comprising associations of one or more of the participants with one or more respective attributes;

mapping the determined topic to one or more of the one or more respective attributes;

selecting from the one or more participants associated with the one or more respective attributes one or more participants who are associated with the determined topic according to said mapping; and

triggering the display of one or more of the selected participants on a screen.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2020
From: SOUND VIEW INNOVATIONS, LLC
To: PIECE FUTURE PTE LTD
Reel/Frame 052519/0440 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2014
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG
To: ALCATEL LUCENT
Reel/Frame 033868/0555 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2014
From: ALCATEL LUCENT
To: SOUND VIEW INNOVATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 033416/0763 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 30, 2013
From: ALCATEL LUCENT
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG
Reel/Frame 029821/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2009
From: LE GOFF, PASCAL; BLANCHARD, YVES
To: ALCATEL LUCENT
Reel/Frame 023724/0716 →