Selecting a video data stream of a video conference
Computer program code receives input information for setup a video conference, and attributes of participants associated with one or more video endpoints in the video conference. The program code parses the input information to determine whether there are video data streams available for broadcast, and parameters in an access control file granting one or more of the participants a right to control which of the video data streams available for broadcast they view. The program code extracts parameters from the input information. The program code stores the parameters that are extracted as metadata. The program code compares the metadata with the attributes of the participants associated with the one or more video endpoints to determine matches. The program code requests a multipoint control unit to send one or more of the video data streams based on the access control file, criteria specified by the participants, and the matches determined.
1. A computer implemented method for selecting a video data stream of a video conference to send to a video endpoint, the method comprising:
receiving input information set(s) respectively corresponding to one or more video endpoints in a video conference, with input information of each input information set including: (i) participant attributes related to characteristics of participant(s) located at the corresponding video endpoint, and (ii) preference parameters related to preferred video streams of the participant(s) located at the corresponding video endpoint;
for each video endpoint, parsing the corresponding set of input information for preference parameters to determine whether there are video data streams available for broadcast that meet the preference parameters;
for each video endpoint, parsing the corresponding set of input information for participant attributes to determine whether, based on the participant attributes of the set of input information, an access control file grants the participant(s) located at the video endpoint corresponding to the set of input information a right to control which of the video data streams available for broadcast will be sent to their video endpoint location; and
for each video endpoint, on condition that the participant(s) located at the video endpoint corresponding to the set of input information a right to control which of the video data streams available for broadcast will be sent to their video endpoint location, sending, to the video endpoint, a set of video stream(s) indicated by the preference parameters in the input information set corresponding to the video endpoint;
wherein the access control file includes at least one record for each of the participants in the video conference in which each record has a field for a participant identifier (ID), a field for a video endpoint ID that is associated with the participant ID, and a field for a video data stream control parameter that is also associated with the participant ID; and
wherein the preference parameters include at least one of the following types of specifying criteria: collocated participants, internal participants, most active speaker, and/or presenter(s) only.
2. A computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory storage device structured to store machine executable instructions; and
machine executable instructions stored on the non-transitory storage device, the machine executable instruction including a plurality of instruction sets respectively programmed to:
receive input information set(s) respectively corresponding to one or more video endpoints in a video conference, with input information of each input information set including: (i) participant attributes related to characteristics of participant(s) located at the corresponding video endpoint, and (ii) preference parameters related to preferred video streams of the participant(s) located at the corresponding video endpoint,
for each video endpoint, parse the corresponding set of input information for preference parameters to determine whether there are video data streams available for broadcast that meet the preference parameters,
for each video endpoint, parse the corresponding set of input information for participant attributes to determine whether, based on the participant attributes of the set of input information, an access control file grants the participant(s) located at the video endpoint corresponding to the set of input information a right to control which of the video data streams available for broadcast will be sent to their video endpoint location, and
for each video endpoint, on condition that the participant(s) located at the video endpoint corresponding to the set of input information a right to control which of the video data streams available for broadcast will be sent to their video endpoint location, send, to the video endpoint, a set of video stream(s) indicated by the preference parameters in the input information set corresponding to the video endpoint;
wherein the access control file includes at least one record for each of the participants in the video conference in which each record has a field for a participant identifier (ID), a field for a video endpoint ID that is associated with the participant ID, and a field for a video data stream control parameter that is also associated with the participant ID; and
wherein the preference parameters include at least one of the following types of specifying criteria: collocated participants, internal participants, most active speaker, and/or presenter(s) only.
3. A computer system comprising:
set of processor(s) structured execute machine executable instructions; and
machine logic structured and/or programmed to cause the set of processor(s) to:
receive input information set(s) respectively corresponding to one or more video endpoints in a video conference, with input information of each input information set including: (i) participant attributes related to characteristics of participant(s) located at the corresponding video endpoint, and (ii) preference parameters related to preferred video streams of the participant(s) located at the corresponding video endpoint,
for each video endpoint, parse the corresponding set of input information for preference parameters to determine whether there are video data streams available for broadcast that meet the preference parameters,
for each video endpoint, parse the corresponding set of input information for participant attributes to determine whether, based on the participant attributes of the set of input information, an access control file grants the participant(s) located at the video endpoint corresponding to the set of input information a right to control which of the video data streams available for broadcast will be sent to their video endpoint location, and
for each video endpoint, on condition that the participant(s) located at the video endpoint corresponding to the set of input information a right to control which of the video data streams available for broadcast will be sent to their video endpoint location, send, to the video endpoint, a set of video stream(s) indicated by the preference parameters in the input information set corresponding to the video endpoint;
wherein the access control file includes at least one record for each of the participants in the video conference in which each record has a field for a participant identifier (ID), a field for a video endpoint ID that is associated with the participant ID, and a field for a video data stream control parameter that is also associated with the participant ID; and
wherein the preference parameters include at least one of the following types of specifying criteria: collocated participants, internal participants, most active speaker, and/or presenter(s) only.