Collaboration system for a virtual session with multiple types of media streams
A method for controlling data streams of a virtual session with several participants who access at least access one application in the virtual session can include use of a selected media processing and a signaling mode in a centralized process for each participant according to the individual requirements of the participant. The process can be controlled by a server. The selection of the media processing and/or signaling mode can be made on the basis of an evaluation of the terminal of the respective participant and the network bandwidth available to the respective participant. An evaluation scheme with a plurality of evaluation criteria can be provided for the evaluation, and possible media processing and/or signaling modes are ascertained for the respective participant.
1. A computer-implemented method by a collaboration server for converting collaboration media, the method comprising:
identifying a virtual room source media type for a virtual room source media associated with a virtual room and a first set of evaluation criteria;
converting the virtual room source media type to a generic signaling protocol used internally by the collaboration server;
identifying a plurality of potential conversion rules for converting the generic signaling protocol to a first target media type associated with a client device, wherein the first set of evaluation criteria comprise a first evaluation criterion associated with a parameter of the client device and a second evaluation criterion associated with a transformation cost for converting the generic signaling protocol to the first target media type;
for each of the potential conversion rules:
determining a first sub-score based on the first evaluation criterion and a second sub-score based on the second evaluation criterion; and
determining a score based, at least in part, on the first sub-score and the second sub-score;
rating the potential conversion rules based on their respective scores;
selecting, among the potential conversion rules, a first conversion rule based on the rating;
converting the generic signaling protocol to the first target media type based on the first conversion rule; and
transmitting the first target media type to the client device.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting a transmission protocol, and wherein transmitting the first target media type comprises transmitting using the transmission protocol.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein selecting the transmission protocol comprises selecting at least one of: a session initiation protocol (SIP), an H.323 protocol, a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), or a WebRTC protocol.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to determining a bi-directional data channel, identifying a client source media type for a client source media and one or more second evaluation criteria;
selecting a second conversion rule by rating one or more potential conversion rules based on the one or more second evaluation criteria;
converting the client source media to the generic signaling protocol and then to a second target media type based on the second conversion rule; and
causing the second target media type to be displayed through the virtual room.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the client source media comprises media data associated with at least one of: an audio conference, a video conference, a shared desktop data exchange, a shared whiteboard data exchange, or a webcast.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a change in the first set of evaluation criteria;
in response to determining the change in the first set of evaluation criteria, selecting an updated first conversion rule by rating one or more potential conversion rules based on the change in the first set of evaluation criteria; and
converting the generic signaling protocol to an updated first target media type based on the updated first conversion rule.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the first set of evaluation criteria comprises identifying at least one of the parameter of the client device, a bandwidth, or the transformation cost.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the first set of evaluation criteria comprises identifying at least one of an application type, an application layout, a screen resolution, a media density, an audio sampling rate, or a device performance data.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual room source media comprises media data associated with at least one of: an audio conference, a video conference, a shared desktop data exchange, a shared whiteboard data exchange, or a webcast.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein converting the generic signaling protocol to the first target media type comprises at least one of: adjusting image formats, converting text into speech, or converting speech into text.
11. A system, comprising:
a processor;
a memory operatively connected to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
identifying a virtual room source media type for a virtual room source media associated with a virtual room and a first set of evaluation criteria;
converting the virtual room source media type to a generic signaling protocol used internally by the collaboration server;
identifying a plurality of potential conversion rules for converting the generic signaling protocol to a first target media type associated with a client device, wherein the first set of evaluation criteria comprise a first evaluation criterion associated with a parameter of the client device and a second evaluation criterion associated with a transformation cost for converting the generic signaling protocol to the first target media type;
for each of the potential conversion rules:
determining a first sub-score based on the first evaluation criterion and a second sub-score based on the second evaluation criterion; and
determining a score based, at least in part, on the first sub-score and the second sub-score;
rating the potential conversion rules based on their respective scores;
selecting, among the potential conversion rules, a first conversion rule based on the rating;
converting the generic signaling protocol to the first target media type based on the first conversion rule; and
transmitting the first target media type to the client device.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the memory stores further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause:
selecting a transmission protocol, and wherein transmitting the first target media type comprises transmitting using the transmission protocol.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the memory stores further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause:
in response to determining a bi-directional data channel, identifying a client source media type for a client source media and one or more second evaluation criteria;
selecting a second conversion rule by rating one or more potential conversion rules based on the one or more second evaluation criteria;
converting the client source media to the generic signaling protocol and then to a second target media type based on the second conversion rule; and
causing the second target media type to be displayed through the virtual room.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the memory stores further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause:
determining a change in the first set of evaluation criteria;
in response to determining the change in the first set of evaluation criteria, selecting an updated first conversion rule by rating one or more potential conversion rules based on the change in the first set of evaluation criteria; and
converting the generic signaling protocol to an updated first target media type based on the updated first conversion rule.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first set of evaluation criteria further comprise a bandwidth.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein identifying the first set of evaluation criteria comprises identifying at least one of: an application type, an application layout, a screen resolution, a media density, an audio sampling rate, or a device performance data.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein converting the generic signaling protocol to the first target media type comprises at least one of: adjusting image formats, converting text into speech, or converting speech into text.
18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the transmission protocol comprises at least one of: a session initiation protocol (SIP), an H.323 protocol, a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), or a WebRTC protocol.
19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the virtual room source media comprises media data associated with at least one of: an audio conference, a video conference, a shared desktop data exchange, a shared whiteboard data exchange, or a webcast.
20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the client source media comprises media data associated with at least one of: an audio conference, a video conference, a shared desktop data exchange, a shared whiteboard data exchange, or a webcast.