WO2012112139A1

WO2012112139A1 - Video conferencing client with support for multiple video conferencing protocols

Info

Publication number: WO2012112139A1
Application number: PCT/US2011/024866
Authority: WO
Inventors: Byron A. Alcorn; Jeffrey Joel Walls; Karen Ellen THAYER
Original assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Priority date: 2011-02-15
Filing date: 2011-02-15
Publication date: 2012-08-23

Abstract

A video conferencing manager architecture is provided that supports multiple video conferencing protocols. The video conferencing manager may include a video conferencing client that selects a video conferencing protocol from a plurality of video conferencing protocols based on the protocols available to the participants of the video conference. The selected protocol may be a peer-to-peer protocol, a centralized management protocol, and may be independent of the participants' instant messaging protocols and/or authentication protocols.

Description

VIDEO CONFERENCING CLIENT WITH SUPPORT

FOR MULTIPLE VIDEO CONFERENCING PROTOCOLS

BACKGROUND

[0001] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure that are described or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

[0002] Computer systems are generally employed in numerous

configurations to provide a variety of computing functions. For example, computer systems may include personal computer systems (e.g., desktop and laptop computers), as well as, commercial systems (e.g., servers or industrial

computers). Such computer systems may communicate with other systems over a network, such as the Internet. Various technologies have emerged to provide for communication between users of these computer systems to enable the transfer of audio and visual data.

[0003] Video conferencing is one such technology for enabling

communication between users of computer systems. Video conferencing provides an effective and inexpensive way to hold meetings with remote participants. The conferees (also referred to as "participants") may connect to one another over a network, exchanging streaming audio and video streams, which may be displayed at each respective conferencing device. To create the outgoing video stream, a conferencing device may obtain video from a camera. [0004] Each participant in a video conference may be a user having different computer systems. Such computer systems may have different capabilities and resources for executing the video conference. Further, each video conference may include a group of computer systems having different capabilities, software, and resources.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a video conferencing system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0006] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the system of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0007] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a video conferencing client and video conferencing protocols in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0008] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a video conferencing process in

accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0009] FIG. 5 if a process diagram of a video conferencing client in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation are described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual

implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0011] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a video

conferencing manager architecture (e.g., implemented in video conferencing clients) that supports multiple video conferencing protocols. The video conferencing manager provides for selection and use of a video conferencing protocol for peer-to-peer and centralized management models. Additionally, the protocols used by the video conferencing manager may be independent of the other communication protocols and servers used by the participants. The video conferencing manager also provides for the dynamic addition of protocols. As described below, such protocols may include SkyRoom protocol, Halo protocol, Sametime protocol, AOL instant messaging protocol, MSN messenger protocol, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), OCS protocol, XMPP protocol or any other suitable protocol or combination thereof

[0012] FIG. 1 depicts an arrangement 10 of electronic devices 12 illustrating various types of video conferencing and other communication between electronic devices 12. The electronic devices 12 may be any suitable computer system having, for example, one or more processor, memory, display, input devices, network devices, and other components. For example, computer systems 12A and 12B may be desktop computers and computer system 12C may be a laptop computer. Computer systems 12D, 12E, and 12F may be desktop computers. [0013] The electronic devices 12 may communicate over a network 14. The network 14 may be any suitable network, such as the Internet, an intranet, a wide are network, a local network, etc. For example, computer systems 12A, 12B, and 12C may be communicate over the Internet and computer systems 12D, 12E, and 12F may communicate over the intranet. Additionally, the electronic devices 12 may communicate and be coupled to the network 14 by wired and wireless connections.

[0014] The electronic devices 12 may participate in a video conference using the video conferencing manager architecture described herein. As described further below, computer systems 12A and 12B may participate in a video conference using a first protocol, computer systems 12B and 12C may participate in a video conference using a second protocol, and computer systems 12D, 12E, and 12F may participate in a video conference using a third protocol. Additionally, different types of video conferencing may be enabled by the video conferencing manager. For example, computers 12A, 12B, and 12C may participate in peer-to-peer video conferencing and computer systems 12D, 12E, and 12F may participate in a centralized management video conferencing through a management server 16.

[0015] Computer systems 12A and 12B may participate in a peer-to-peer video conference 18 using the video conferencing manager of a respective video conferencing clients. As described in detail below, the video

conferencing manager may select and use a protocol supported by both computer systems 12A and 12B. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 1 , computer systems 12A and 12B may also communicate over an instant messaging (IM) server 20. As described below, the video conference 18 may be independent of the instant messaging server 20 and the IM protocol.

[0016] Similarly, computer systems 12B and 12C may participate in a peer-to-peer video conference 22 using the video conferencing manager. As described in detail below, the video conferencing manager may select and use a protocol supported by both computer systems 12B and 12C that is different from the protocol used in video conference 18. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 1 , computer systems 12B and 12C may also communicate over an

authentication server 24. As described below, the video conference 20 may be independent of the authentication server 24 and the authentication protocol. In some embodiments, the authentication server 24 may comprise an Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) server, an Office Communications Server (OCS), or any suitable authentication server.

[0017] In contrast, computer systems 12D, 12E, and 12F may

communicate in a centralized management video conference 26 through the centralized server 16. The video conference 26 may use a third protocol different from the protocols used in video conferences 18 and 22. In one embodiment, the centralized server 16 may be a Halo server manufactured by Hewlett Packard Company of Palo Alto, CA, and the video conference 26 may be a Halo video conference.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Each computer system 12 may include a video conferencing client 28 stored on a memory 30 of each of the electronic devices 12, and a video camera 31 for providing video (and, in some embodiments, audio) to the video conferencing client 28 for a video

conference. In other embodiments, the audio may be provided by a separate device, such as separate microphone or headset. The memory 30 may be a non-transitory tangible computer readable medium and may include volatile memory, such as dynamic random access memory or any suitable volatile memory. The memory 30 may also include non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, resistive random access memory, magnetic storage device (e.g., hard drives), read only memory (ROM), Compact discs (CD's), digital video discs (DVD's), etc. The video camera 31 may include a webcam and may be integrated with each computer system 12 or may be a separate component coupled to the computer system 12, such as by a Universal Serial Bus (USB), Firewire, etc. In some embodiments, the video conferencing client 28 may comprise SkyRoom manufactured by Hewlett Packard Company of Palo Alto, CA. As explained below, each video conferencing client includes a conference manager 32.

[0019] Turning now to video conference 18, computer system 12A may include multiple video conferencing protocols, such as Protocol 1 (block 34) and Protocol 2 (block 36). Computer system 12B may also include multiple video conferencing protocols, such as Protocol 1 (block 38) and Protocol 3 (block 40). As shown in computer system 12A, the video conferencing client 28A selects and uses the appropriate protocol supported by the participants of the conference, i.e., computer system 12A and computer system 12B. Thus, the video conferencing client 28A selects and uses protocol 1 for the video conference 18, and the conference manager 32A provides an abstraction layer for the selected Protocol 1 , such that the selection of the protocol is hidden from the user of computer system 12A. As shown in computer system 12B, the video conferencing client 28B selects and uses protocol 1 for the video conference 18, and the conference manager 32B provides a similar abstraction layer for the selected protocol and enables conferencing with the video conferencing client 28A of computer system 12A. In this manner, the video conferencing clients 28A and 28B select and use a protocol for video conference 18 that is supported by both computer systems 12A and 12B.

[0020] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2, the computer systems 12A and 12B may communicate with IM server 20, through IM clients 42A and 42B. In some embodiments, the selected protocol for the video conference 18, i.e., Protocol 1 , may be the IM protocol for communication with the IM server 20. In other embodiments, the selected protocol for the video conference, Protocol 1 , may be a different protocol than the IM protocol. However, the video conferencing client 28 may enable selection of users visible through the IM client. In such an embodiment, the video conferencing client 28 will select the appropriate protocol for the video conference 18 that is supported by all participants of the video conference.

[0021] Turning now to video conference 22, the video conferencing client 28B selects and uses the appropriate protocol supported by the participants of the video conference 22, i.e., computer system 12B and computer system 12C for the video conference 22. As shown in FIG. 2, for video conference 22, the video conferencing client 28B selects and uses protocol 3 of computer system 12C, and the conference manager 32B provides an abstraction layer for the selected protocol. The computer system 12C includes only a single protocol, protocol 3 (block 44). The conference manager 32C of the video conferencing client 28C thus provides and abstraction layer for protocol 3 of computer system 12C, such that the selection of the protocol is hidden from a user.

Thus, the video conferencing client 28C selects and uses the protocol 3 for the video conference 22, ensuring that both computer system 12B and computer system 12C utilize the same protocol for the video conference 22, i.e., a protocol that is available to both computer system 12B and 12C. It should be appreciated that, for the video conference 22, the video conferencing client 28B did not select a protocol that was unsupported by computer system 28C, the other participant in the video conference 22. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2, the computer systems 12B and 12C may authenticate and communicate with authentication server 24. The selected protocol for the video conference 22, i.e., Protocol 3, may be separate from the protocol for communicating with the authentication server 24.

[0022] The video conferencing manager may also support centralized management video conferencing. As shown in FIG. 2, the computer systems 12D, 12E, and 12F may participate in the video conference 26 through the centralized management server 16. In such an embodiment, the video conferencing client 28 may select the appropriate protocol supported by the centralized management server 16 and each of the computer systems 12D, 12E, and 13F. For example, the centralized management server 16 may communicate using a video conferencing protocol, Protocol 4 (block 46).

Computer system 12D may include multiple video conferencing protocols, such as Protocol 4 (block 48) and Protocol 5 (block 52). Additionally, computer system 12E may include multiple video conferencing protocols, such as

Protocol 4 (block 54), and computer system 12F may include Protocol 4 (block 56) and Protocol 6 (block 58).

[0023] When initializing and conducting the video conference 26, the video conferencing client 28D may select and use Protocol 4, i.e., the appropriate video conferencing protocol supported by the centralized

management server 16, and the protocol supported by the other conference participants, computer systems 12E and 12F. The conference manager 32D provides an abstraction layer for Protocol 4, such that the selection of the protocol is hidden from the user. Similarly, the video conferencing client 28E of computer system 12E uses Protocol 4 for the video conference 26, and provides an abstraction layer using conference manager 32A. Finally, the video conference client 28F selects and uses Protocol 4 of computer system 28F for the video conference 26. Again, the conference manger 30F provides an abstraction layer for the selected protocol, Protocol 4. In this manner, the video conferencing manager ensures that each client 28D, 28E, and 28F selects the appropriate video conferencing protocol for the video conference 26 and the centralized management server 16, while hiding the selection from the respective users of each client.

[0024] The video conferencing manager may also support the addition of video conferencing protocols selectable and usable by the video conferencing clients 28. FIGS. 3A and 3B depict the addition of video conferencing protocols to a video conferencing client 28 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 3A, the video conference client 28 may include the conference manager 32 and a conference protocol manager 35. The conference manager 32 and conference protocol manager 35 may be stored as instructions on a non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium, such as the memory 30. The conference protocol manager 35 is an interface for the protocols 39, and may manage the addition, removal, and selection of the protocols 39, such as Protocol 1 , Protocol 2, and Protocol 3 illustrated in FIG. 3A. In some embodiments, as mentioned above, the protocols 39 may include SkyRoom protocol, Halo protocol, Sametime protocol, AOL instant messaging protocol, MSN messenger protocol, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), OCS protocol, XMPP protocol or any other suitable protocol or combination thereof.

[0025] Each protocol 39 may be added to the video conferencing client 26 through the use of dynamic linked libraries (DLL's) 37. In some

embodiments, each DLL 37 may support a single protocol 39. In other embodiments, a single DLL 37 may support multiple protocols 39. The DLL's 37 may be "pluggable," such that DLL's 37 may added or removed without restarting or reinstalling the video conferencing client 26.

[0026] FIG. 3B depicts the addition of a protocol 41 (Protocol 4) to the video conferencing client 28. As mentioned above, the protocol 40 may be added through a pluggable DLL 43. For example, the DLL 43 may be a DLL file added to a computer system executing the video conferencing client 26. The conference protocol manager may dynamically and automatically add Protocol 4 to the available video conferencing protocols after addition of the DLL 43.

[0027] FIG. 4 depicts a process 50 illustrating a video conference using the video conferencing manager architecture described above in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. A video conference may be initiated (block 52) by starting the video conferencing client 26 and selecting participants for the conference, such as from a contact list.

[0028] A conference manager of the video conference client 26 may determine a protocol for the video conference, such as by determining if a valid protocol exists for the selected participants (block 52). As described above, this determination is based on the protocols available to the video conference client of each participant of the video conference. As also described above, the protocols available to a video conference client may be provided as DLL's and may be dynamically added or removed. The conference manager of each participant may then select the protocol for the video conference (block 56). The selected participants for the video conference may be invited to the video conference using the selected protocol (block 58), or a selected participant may join an existing conference. Finally, the video conference client 26 may conduct the video conference (block 60).

[0029] FIG. 5 depicts a detailed process for initiating a video conference or joining an existing conference in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The embodiment of Fig. 5 illustrates various functional components of a video conference client 62 and various functions that may be invoked by these functional components. Such functional components may be stored as instructions on non-transitory tangible computer-readable media, such as the memory 30. However, other embodiments may have different functional components and functions to implement the techniques described herein.

[0030] Turning now to the figure, a user 64 may start a conference with a second user (b), through a Ul 64 of the video conference client 26. The Ul may provide the request to a conference manager 66. The conference manager 66 may communicate with the Ul 64 through a Ul Bridge 68, such as by providing the status of the invite and video conference.

[0031] The conference manager 66 may interact with a conference participant manager 70 to obtain information on the participants invited to the video conference or, if joining an existing conference, the participants in an existing video conference. The conference manager 66 may also

communicate with a video engine manager 72 that initiates and manages a video engine 74 for the video conference.

[0032] As mentioned above, the conference manager 66 may interface with a conference protocol manager 76 that selects the appropriate protocol for the video conference. For example, the conference protocol manager 76 may select a conference protocol 78 for and provide the protocol to the conference manager 66. In one embodiment, the conference protocol 78 may be implemented using Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). For example, the conference protocol 78 may be implemented using a Java-based SOAP fagade, such the SoapRemoteCommandFacade 80, and a

SoapControl Protocol 82 depicted in Fig. 5. In other embodiments, the conference protocol 78 may be implemented using other web service protocols implemented in any suitable programming language.

Claims

1 . A method, comprising:

initiating a video conference on a computer system having a plurality of participants; and

selecting a video conferencing protocol from a first plurality of video conferencing protocols of the computer system, wherein the selection is based on a second plurality of video conferencing protocols of the plurality of participants, wherein the selected video conferencing protocol is among the first plurality of video conferencing protocols and the second plurality of video conferencing protocols.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of video conferencing protocols, the second plurality of video conferencing protocols, or a combination thereof comprise a peer-to-peer video conferencing protocol.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of video conferencing protocols, the second plurality of video conferencing protocols, or a combination thereof comprise a centralized management video conferencing protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of video conferencing protocols and second plurality of video conferencing protocols comprises an instant messaging protocol.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selected video conferencing protocol comprises the instant messaging protocol.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the selected video conferencing protocol comprises a video conferencing protocol independent of the instant messaging protocol.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein initiating the video conference

comprising inviting one of the plurality of participants to the video conference.

8. The method of claim 4, comprising adding a video conferencing protocol to the first plurality of video conferencing protocols via a dynamic linked library.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising authenticating with a server via a authentication protocol, wherein the selected protocol is independent of the authentication protocol.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instruction set, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

receive a request for initiating a video conference; and

select a video conferencing protocol for the video conference from a first plurality of video conferencing protocols of a first participant, wherein the selected video conferencing protocol is based on the first plurality of video conferencing protocols of the first participant and a second plurality of video conferencing protocols of a second participant.

1 1 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instruction set further causes the processor to initiate a peer-to-peer video conference between the first participant and the second participant via the selected video conferencing protocol.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instruction set further causes the processor to initiate a centralized management video conference between the first participant and the second participant via the selected video conferencing protocol.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instruction set further causes the processor to execute a conference protocol manager that provides an interface for each of the first plurality of video conferencing protocols.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the instruction set further causes the processor to add a video conferencing protocol to the first plurality of video conferencing protocols via a dynamic linked library.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein instruction set further causes the processor to invite the second participant to the conference.

16. A system, comprising:

a first computer system, comprising:

a first video camera;

a first memory; and

a first video conferencing client stored on the first memory and in communication with the first video camera, wherein the first video conferencing client comprises a first plurality of video conferencing protocols, wherein the first video conferencing client selects one of the first plurality of video conferencing protocols for a video conference based on a plurality of participants of the video conference.

17. The system of claim 16, comprising a second computer system

comprising:

a second video camera;

a second memory; and

a second video conferencing client stored on the second memory and in communication with the second video camera and comprising a second plurality of video conferencing protocols.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the video conference comprises a peer- to-peer video conference between the first computer system and the second computer system, wherein the selected one of the first plurality of video conferencing protocols is a peer-to-peer video conferencing protocol.

19. The system of claim 17, comprising a centralized management server, wherein the first computer system and second computer system authenticate with the centralized management server.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the video conference comprises a centralized management video conference between the first computer system and the second computer system via the centralized management server, wherein the selected one of the first plurality of video conferencing protocols is a centralized management video conferencing protocol