Intelligent layouts for call scaling and layout persistence
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and techniques for creating media conferencing layouts that are intelligent (i.e., based on some underlying principle to enhance user-perceived conference quality) and persistent (i.e., consistent within a call and from one call to the next).
1. A method of establishing persistent, intelligent video layouts, executed by a multipoint control unit operatively coupled to two or more endpoints in a videoconference, the method comprising:
determining by a presentation and layout manager of the multipoint control unit a call type of a current call;
retrieving layout parameters of a last call having a same type as the current call from a storage medium associated with the multipoint control unit, at least one of the layout parameters having been previously changed during the last call; and
providing by the presentation and layout manager to at least one of the endpoints display configuration instructions according to the retrieved parameters.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein call type includes whether the call is a point-to-point or multipoint call, a number of participants on the call, and whether multi monitor emulation is in use for one or more endpoints on the call.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the layout parameters include one or more items selected from the group consisting of: whether a self view is on or off, a location of the self view, multi monitor emulation, discussion mode, and full screen mode.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing by the presentation and layout manager to the at least one of the endpoints instructions to cause the endpoint to present a user interface presenting one or more options for layout parameters to a user located at the endpoint;
receiving by the presentation and layout manager from the user one or more layout parameter changes;
storing by the presentation and layout manager the one or more layout parameter changes in the storage medium associated with the multipoint control unit; and
providing by the presentation and layout manager to the endpoint display configuration instructions according to the layout parameter changes.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include whether a self view is on or off and a location of the self view.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include whether multi monitor emulation is to be used.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include whether a discussion mode or a full screen mode is to be used.
8. The method of claim 4 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include whether the MCU is to composite video streams from a plurality of endpoints into a single stream.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining by the presentation and layout manager of the multipoint control unit whether the call type of the current call has changed; and
if the call type has changed, providing by the presentation and layout manager to the at least one of the endpoints display configuration instructions according to the change in call type.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the multipoint control unit is integrated with one of the one or more endpoints.
11. A videoconferencing device comprising:
an endpoint module comprising endpoint hardware and software;
interfaces for at least one camera, at least one microphone, at least one speaker, and one or more displays operatively coupled to the endpoint module; and
a multipoint control unit module operatively coupled to the endpoint module and to a network interface, the multipoint control unit module comprising multipoint control unit hardware and software, the multipoint control unit hardware and software including a presentation and layout manager configured to:
determine a call type of a current call;
retrieve layout parameters of a last call having a same type as the current call from a storage medium associated with the multipoint control unit, at least one of the layout parameters having been previously changed during the last call; and
provide to the endpoint module display configuration instructions according to the retrieved parameters.
12. The videoconferencing device of claim 11 wherein call type includes whether the call is a point-to-point or multipoint call.
13. The videoconferencing device of claim 11 wherein call type includes a number of participants on the call.
14. The videoconferencing device of claim 11 wherein call type includes whether multi monitor emulation is in use for one or more endpoints on the call.
15. The videoconferencing device of claim 11 wherein the layout parameters include one or more items selected from the group consisting of: whether a self view is on or off, a location of the self view, multi monitor emulation, discussion mode, and full screen mode.
16. The videoconferencing device of claim 11 wherein the presentation and layout manager is further configured to:
provide to the endpoint module instructions to present a user interface of one or more options for layout parameters to a user;
receive from the user one or more layout parameter changes;
store the received one or more layout parameter changes in the storage medium associated with the multipoint control unit; and
providing by the presentation and layout manager to the endpoint display configuration instructions according to the layout parameter changes.
17. The videoconferencing device of claim 16 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include whether a self view is on or off and a location of the self view.
18. The videoconferencing device of claim 16 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include whether multi monitor emulation is to be used.
19. The videoconferencing device of claim 16 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include whether a discussion mode or a full screen mode is to be used.
20. The videoconferencing device of claim 16 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include whether the MCU is to composite video streams from a plurality of endpoints into a single stream.
21. The videoconferencing device of claim 11 wherein the presentation and layout manager is further configured to:
determine whether the call type of the current call has changed; and
if the call type has changed, provide display configuration instructions according to the change in call type to the endpoint module.
22. A multipoint control unit for videoconferencing configured to be operatively coupled to two or more endpoints in a video conference, the multipoint control unit including a presentation and layout manager configured to:
determine a call type of a current call;
retrieve layout parameters of a last call having a same type as the current call from a storage medium associated with the multipoint control unit, at least one of the parameters having been previously changed during the last call; and
provide to at least one of the two or more endpoints display configuration instructions according to the retrieved parameters and according to a role of each of a plurality of media streams in the video conference;
determine, during the video conference, whether the call type of the current call has changed; and
if the call type has changed, provide display configuration instructions according to the change in call type to the endpoint module.
23. The multipoint control unit of claim 22 wherein the role is included as part of an identifier of each of the plurality of media streams.
24. The multipoint control unit of claim 22 wherein the role is permanent.
25. The multipoint control unit of claim 22 wherein the role is permanent only for the duration of the video conference.
26. The multipoint control unit of claim 22 wherein the role can change during the duration of the video conference.
27. The multipoint control unit of claim 22 wherein the presentation and layout manager is further configured to provide to the at least one of the two or more endpoints display configuration instructions according to an assigned role of one or more displays associated with the at least one of the two or more endpoints.