Method, computer-readable storage medium, and apparatus for modifying the layout used by a video composing unit to generate a composite video signal
In one embodiment, a method that includes providing, on a display, an object configured to be moved by a user along an axis, associating a plurality of predefined layouts with respective intervals along the axis, detecting a user action on the object indicating a position on the axis, and composing, in response to the detecting of the user action, a composite video signal using a layout, of the plurality of predefined layouts, associated with an interval among the intervals within which the position is lying.
1. A method comprising:
providing a composite video signal including frames arranged in a first layout;
providing, on a display, a user controllable setting with an axis extending across video for a plurality of video conference streams;
detecting, using a processor, a position of the user controllable setting along the axis;
defining, using the processor, a size of a frame for the composite video signal as a function of the position of the user controllable setting;
identifying when the position of the user controllable setting crosses an interval threshold along the axis; and
providing the composite video signal including frames arranged in a second layout in response to the user controllable setting crossing the interval threshold.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layout is a picture in picture layout and the second layout is a picture outside picture layout.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layout includes a first number of frames simultaneously and the second layout includes a second number of frames simultaneously.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the first layout or the second layout to a video composing unit, wherein the video composing unit is configured to compose a composite video signal from a plurality of video conference streams based on the first layout or the second layout.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composite video signal includes a spatial mix of the plurality of video conference streams, and the first layout or second layout defines one or more frames for containing the plurality of video conference streams.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frame is positioned at a first location in the first layout and a second position in the second layout.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first location includes a first X-position and a second Y-position for the display, and the second location includes a second X-position and a second Y-position for the display.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user controllable setting is determined by a slider or track bar that moves along the axis.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layout includes all participants and the second layout includes a subset of the participants.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the subset is defined according to presence data.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layout includes a first subset of the participants and the second layout includes a second subset of the participants.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second subset is only an active participant.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:
providing a composite video signal including frames arranged in a first layout;
providing, on a display, a user controllable setting with an axis extending across video for a plurality of video conference streams;
detecting a position of the user controllable setting along the axis;
defining a size of a frame for the composite video signal as a function of the position of the user controllable setting;
identifying when the position of the user controllable setting crosses an interval threshold along the axis; and
providing the composite video signal including frames arranged in a second layout in response to the user controllable setting crossing the interval threshold.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first layout is a picture in picture layout and the second layout is a picture outside picture layout.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first layout includes a first number of frames simultaneously and the second layout includes a second number of frames simultaneously.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first layout includes all participants and the second layout includes a subset of the participants.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first layout includes a first subset of the participants and the second layout includes a second subset of the participants.
18. An apparatus comprising:
a processing unit configured to provide, on a display, an object configured to be moved by a user along an axis and detect a user action on the object indicating a position on the axis; and
a video composing unit configured to compose, in response to the user action being detected by the processing unit, a composite video signal using a first layout,
wherein the processing unit is further configured to
define a size of a frame in the first layout for the composite video signal as a function of the position of the user controllable setting;
identify when the position of the user controllable setting crosses a threshold along the axis; and
provide the composite video signal including frames arranged in a second layout in response to the user controllable setting crossing the interval threshold.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first layout includes all participants and the second layout includes a subset of the participants.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first layout includes a first subset of the participants and the second layout includes a second subset of the participants.