Split screen for video sharing
A video stream of image or a first video stream generated by a first application is captured by a second application. The first and the second application run on the same device. The first video stream or a video stream generated from the image of the first application is sent from a first communication device by the second application to a second communication device. A second video stream that is generated by the second application is sent to the second communication device too. The first video stream and the second video stream are transmitted to the second communication device and there displayed.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a second user communication device, a first video stream, wherein the first video stream is generated by a first application on a first user communication device;
receiving, at the second user communication device, a second video stream, wherein the second video stream is of a first user of the first user communication device;
receiving, at the second user communication device, a third video stream, wherein the third video stream is generated by a second application on the first user communication device;
displaying the first video stream in a first portion of a first split screen;
displaying the second video stream in a second portion of the first split screen, wherein the first split screen is displayed on the second user communication device; and
displaying the third video stream in a third portion of the first split screen, wherein the first portion, second portion, and third portion of the first split screen are controllable to be proportioned by the second user of the second communication device using two separate split bars.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the second video stream in the second portion of the first split screen is accomplished by overlaying the second video stream on top of the first video stream.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user communication device displays a second split screen, wherein the first video stream is displayed in a first portion of the second split screen, wherein a fourth video stream of the second user of the second user communication device is displayed in a second portion of the second split screen, wherein the first user of the first user communication device is enabled to change a first proportion of the second split screen, and wherein the second user of the second user communication device is enabled to change a second proportion of the first split screen independently from the first proportion of the second split screen.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving control information, wherein the control information identifies how the first split screen is to be proportioned by the second user communication device; and
in response to receiving the control information, proportioning the displayed first split screen according to the received control information.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a conference bridge, wherein the first user communication device and the second user communication device are in a video conference with at least a third user communication device via the conference bridge, and wherein the conference bridge manages which one of the user communication devices sends the first video stream in the video conference.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
receiving a fourth video stream, wherein the fourth video stream is of a third user of the third user communication device, wherein the fourth video stream is also displayed in the second portion of the first split screen;
receiving control information, wherein the control information identifies how the first split screen is to be proportioned by the second user communication device; and
in response to receiving the control information, changing an organization of the second portion.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the control information is forwarded by the conference bridge to both the second user communication device and the third user communication device.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein changing the organization of the second portion comprises least one of: removing one or more of the second and fourth video streams in the second portion of the first split screen, adding one or more new video streams of one or more additional users in the video conference for display in the second portion of the first split screen, replacing one or more of the second and fourth video streams with avatars for display in the second portion of the first split screen, changing a location of one or more of the second and fourth video streams for display in the second portion of the first split screen, and changing a size of one or more of the second and fourth video streams for display in the second portion of the first split screen.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein changing the organization of the plurality of video streams is based on at least one of: when one of the second and third users last spoke, a title of the second and third users, and a number of other users at a location.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first video stream is encoded from a user selected portion of a video image.
11. A second user communication device comprising:
a microprocessor; and
a computer readable medium, coupled with the microprocessor and comprising microprocessor readable and executable instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to:
receive a first video stream, wherein the first video stream is generated by a first application on a first user communication device;
receive a second video stream, wherein the second video stream is of a first user of the first user communication device;
receive a third video stream, wherein the third video stream is generated by a second application on the first user communication device;
display the first video stream in a first portion of a first split screen;
display the second video stream in a second portion of the first split screen; and
display the third video stream in a third portion of the first split screen, wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion of the first split screen are controllable to be proportioned by the second user of the second communication device using two separate split bars.
12. The second user communication device of claim 11 , wherein the first user communication device displays a second split screen, wherein the first video stream is displayed in a first portion of the second split screen, wherein a fourth video stream of the second user of the second user communication device is displayed in a second portion of the second split screen, wherein the first user of the first user communication device is enabled to change a first proportion of the second split screen, and wherein the second user of the second user communication device is enabled to change a second proportion of the first split screen independently from the first proportion of the second split screen.
13. The second user communication device of claim 11 , wherein the microprocessor readable and executable instructions cause the microprocessor to:
receive control information, wherein the control information identifies how the first split screen is to be proportioned by the second user communication device; and
in response to receiving the control information, proportion the displayed first split screen according to the received control information.
14. The second user communication device of claim 11 , further comprising a conference bridge, wherein the first user communication device and the second user communication device are in a video conference with at least a third user communication device via the conference bridge, and wherein the conference bridge manages which one of the user communication devices sends the first video stream in the video conference.
15. The second user communication device of claim 14 , wherein the microprocessor readable and executable instructions cause the microprocessor to:
receive a fourth video stream, wherein the fourth video stream is of a third user of the third user communication device, wherein the fourth video stream is also displayed in the second portion of the first split screen;
receive control information, wherein the control information identifies how the first split screen is to be proportioned by the second user communication device; and
in response to receiving the control information, change an organization of the second portion.
16. The second user communication device of claim 14 , wherein the control information is forwarded by the conference bridge to both the second user communication device and the third user communication device.
17. The second user communication device of claim 14 , wherein changing the organization of the second portion comprises least one of: removing one or more of the second and fourth video streams in the second portion of the first split screen, adding one or more new video streams of one or more additional users in the video conference for display in the second portion of the first split screen, replacing one or more of the second and fourth video streams with avatars for display in the second portion of the first split screen, changing a location of one or more of the second and fourth video streams for display in the second portion of the first split screen, and changing a size of one or more of the second and fourth video streams for display in the second portion of the first split screen.
18. A method comprising:
capturing, by a first application, an image or a first video stream generated by a first application;
sending, from a first user communication device, the first video stream or a video stream generated from the captured image;
sending, from the first user communication device, a second video stream that is generated by a second application, wherein the second video stream is of a first user of the first user communication device, wherein the first video stream and the second video stream are encoded to be displayed on a first split screen of a second user communication device;
receiving, from the second user communication device, a third video stream; and
displaying, on the first user communication device, a second split screen, wherein the second split screen has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, and wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion of the second split screen are controllable to be proportioned using two separate split bars.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first video stream is encoded to be displayed on a first portion of the first split screen and wherein the second video stream is encoded to be displayed on a second portion of the first split screen.
20. The methods of claim 18 , wherein the first user of the first user communication device is enabled to change a first proportion of the second split screen independently from the second user communication device.