Videoconferencing systems with recognition ability

1. A method implemented using a videoconferencing system, the method comprising:

rendering video and audio information based on a videoconferencing data stream, the video and audio information including time alignment information operative for aligning the video information with the audio information; and

rendering text data received with the video and audio information in the videoconferencing data stream in response to an indication that text information has been received, wherein at least a portion of the video and audio information is received from a first videoconference source having priority input to the videoconferencing stream, the rendered text data including a visual indication that the text information has been received, the text data being received from a second videoconference source having limited input to the videoconferencing stream.

2. The videoconferencing method of claim 1 , wherein the visual indication is indicative that the text information includes a question.

3. The videoconferencing method of claim 1 , wherein the first videoconference source is a master source.

4. The videoconferencing method of claim 1 , wherein the video and audio information is rendered on a first panel of a screen image, and the text data is rendered on a second panel of the screen image.

5. The videoconferencing method of claim 1 , wherein the visual indication is one of a raised hand icon and a question pending icon.

6. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions tangibly embodied on the computer readable storage medium, the medium comprising:

instructions for rendering video and audio information based on a videoconferencing data stream; and

instructions for rendering text data transmitted with the video and audio information in the videoconferencing data stream in response to an indication that text information has been received, wherein at least a portion of the video and audio information is received from a first videoconference source having priority input to the videoconferencing stream, the rendered text data including a visual indication that the text information has been received, the text data being received from a second videoconference source having limited input to the videoconferencing stream.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the visual indication is indicative that the text information includes a question.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the first videoconference source is a master source.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the video and audio information is rendered on a first panel of a screen image, and the text data is rendered on a second panel of the screen image.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the visual indication is one of a raised hand icon and a question pending icon.

11. A videoconferencing system comprising a processor and memory, the memory comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the process, cause the videoconferencing system to at least:

render video and audio information based on a videoconferencing data stream, the video and audio information including time alignment information operative for aligning the video information with the audio information; and

render text data multiplexed with the video and audio information in the videoconferencing data stream in response to an indication that text information has been received, wherein at least a portion of the video and audio information is received from a first videoconference source having priority input to the videoconferencing stream, the rendered text data including a visual indication that the text information has been received, the text data being received from a second videoconference source having limited input to the videoconferencing stream.

12. The videoconferencing system of claim 11 , wherein the visual indication is indicative that the text information includes a question.

13. The videoconferencing system of claim 11 , wherein the first videoconference source is a master source and the second videoconference source is a slave source.

14. The videoconferencing system of claim 11 , wherein the video and audio information is rendered on a first panel of a screen image, and the text data is rendered on a second panel of the screen image.

15. The videoconferencing system of claim 11 , wherein the visual indication is one of a raised hand icon and a question pending icon.

16. A videoconferencing system comprising:

means for rendering video and audio information based on a videoconferencing data stream, the video and audio information including time alignment information operative for aligning the video information with the audio information; and

means for rendering text data included with the video and audio information in the videoconferencing data stream in response to an indication that text information has been received, wherein at least a portion of the video and audio information is received from a first videoconference source having priority input to the videoconferencing stream, the rendered text data including a visual indication that the text information has been received, the text data being received from a second videoconference source having limited input to the videoconferencing stream.

17. The videoconferencing system of claim 16 , wherein the visual indication is indicative that the text information includes a question.

18. The videoconferencing system of claim 16 , wherein the text data is rendered while a source of the videoconferencing data stream has priority access to videoconference data transmission.

19. The videoconferencing system of claim 16 , wherein the video and audio information is rendered on a first panel of a screen image, and the text data is rendered on a second panel of the screen image.

20. The videoconferencing system of claim 16 , wherein the visual indication is one of a raised hand icon and a question pending icon.