Intelligent layouts for call scaling and layout persistence
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 current call type during a call, the call having at least one current participant;
identifying a last call having a last call type, wherein the last call type is the same as the current call type;
retrieving layout parameters of the identified last call from a storage medium associated with the multipoint control unit, at least one of the layout parameters having been previously configured by the current participant during the identified 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 the at least one of the layout parameters previously configured includes changes to default layout parameters established by an administrator associated with the multipoint control unit.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein retrieving layout parameters involves retrieving layout preferences associated with the current participant.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising overriding, at least temporarily, the display configuration instructions based on a role of a current call participant.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining call type includes determining whether the call is a point-to-point or multipoint call, a number of participants on the call, whether multi monitor emulation is in use for one or more endpoints on the call, and whether dual monitor emulation is in use for one or more endpoints on the call.
6. 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 active, a location of the self-view, multi monitor emulation, discussion mode, and full screen mode.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing, by the presentation and layout manager to at least one of the endpoints, instructions to cause the endpoint to render an interface including one or more user-selectable layout parameter options for layout parameters to a user located at the endpoint;
receiving, by the presentation and layout manager from the current participant, 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.
8. The method of claim 7 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.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include whether multi monitor emulation is to be used.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include whether a discussion mode or a full screen mode is to be used.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein the one or more options for layout parameters include compositing, by a multipoint control unit, video streams from a plurality of endpoints into a single stream.
12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining by the presentation and layout manager of the multipoint control unit that the current call type has changed;
upon such determination, retrieving layout parameters of a last call of a same type as the current call type from a storage medium associated with the multipoint control unit, at least one of the layout parameters having been previously configured by a user of at least one of the endpoints; and
providing, by the presentation and layout manager to at least one of the endpoints, display configuration instructions according to the retrieved parameters.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the multipoint control unit is integrated with one of the one or more endpoints.
14. 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 current call type of a current call, the current call having at least one participant;
identify a last call having a last call type, wherein the last call type is the same as the current call type;
retrieve layout parameters of the identified last call from a storage medium associated with the endpoint module or the multipoint control unit, at least one of the layout parameters having been previously configured by the participant during the identified last call; and
provide display configuration instructions to the endpoint module in accordance with the retrieved parameters.
15. The videoconferencing device of claim 14 wherein call type includes whether the call is a point-to-point or multipoint call.
16. The videoconferencing device of claim 14 wherein call type includes a number of participants on the call.
17. The videoconferencing device of claim 14 wherein call type includes whether multi monitor emulation is in use for one or more endpoints on the call.
18. 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, the current call having at least one participant;
identify a last call having a last call type, wherein the last call type is the same as the call type of the current call;
retrieve layout parameters of the identified last call from a storage medium associated with the multipoint control unit, at least one of the layout parameters having been previously configured by the participant during the identified 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, that call type of the current call has changed; and
provide, to at least one of the two or more endpoints, display configuration instructions according to the change in call type.
19. The multipoint control unit of claim 18 wherein the role is included as part of an identifier of each of the plurality of media streams.
20. The multipoint control unit of claim 18 wherein the role is permanent.