Dynamic transition from video messaging to video communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9232188-B2
Application number	US-201414296354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2014
Priority date	Jun 4, 2014
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

Computing devices may implement dynamic transitions from video messages to video communications. Video communication data for a video message may be received at a recipient device. The video communication data may be displayed as it is received, and recorded for subsequent playback. An indication of a selection to establish a video communication with the sender of the video message may be received, or an indication that display of the video communication is to be ceased may be received. If a video communication is to be established, then a video communication connection with the sender of the video message may be created so that subsequent video communication data may be sent via the established connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an electronic display;
one or more processors;
a memory comprising program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to implement a video communication module and a user interface;
the user interface, configured to detect user input;
the video communication module, configured to:
receive, from a remote mobile computing device via a video messaging protocol, video communication data that is part of a video message from the remote mobile computing device;
display, as the video communication data is received, the video message on the electronic display;
record the video communication data for subsequent display at the portable multi-function device;
receive via the user interface an indication of user input to initiate a video communication with the remote mobile computing device; and
in response to receipt of the indication to initiate the video communication, establish a video communication connection with the remote mobile computing device such that subsequently received video communication data from the remote computing device and subsequently transmitted video communication data to the remote computing device is sent via the established video communication connection, wherein the video communication connection is different than the video message protocol.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic display is a touch-sensitive display, and wherein to detect the user input, the user interface is configured to detect a touch-gesture on the electronic display.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the video communication module is further configured to:
monitor the video communication connection to determine a connection quality value;
determine that the connection quality value is below a connection tolerance threshold;
in response to the determination that the connection quality value is below the connection tolerance threshold:
display an indication of a transition to the video message protocol on the electronic display; and
record additional video communication data to send as another video message via the video message protocol to the remote mobile computing device.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a data store;
wherein, to record the video communication data, the video communication module is configured to store a version of the video communication data in the data store for playback;
wherein the video communication model is further configured to store a version of the subsequently received video communication data and a version of the subsequently transmitted video communication data for playback.

5. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the program instructions cause the one or more processors to further implement a currently executing application module, configured to display image data on the electronic display;
wherein, to display the video message on the electronic display, the video communication module is configured to determine a display location within the electronic display currently displaying the image data for the application module.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is a mobile phone.

7. A method, comprising:
performing, by a portable multi-function device:
receiving, from a remote mobile computing device via a video messaging protocol, video communication data that is part of a video message from the remote mobile computing device;
displaying, as the video communication data is received, the video message at the portable multi-function device;
recording, as the video communication data is received, the video message for subsequent display at the portable multi-function device; and
in response to receiving an indication to initiate a video communication with the remote mobile computing device, establishing a video communication connection with the remote mobile computing device such that subsequently received video communication data from the remote computing device and subsequently transmitted video communication data to the remote computing device is sent via the established video communication connection, wherein the video communication connection is different than the video message protocol.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving, from another remote mobile computing device via the video messaging protocol, other video communication data as part of another video message from the other remote mobile computing device;
performing said displaying and said recording for the other video communication data of the other video message; and
in response to receiving an indication to cease the display of the other video, ceasing said displaying of the other video message at portable multi-function device.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said recording the video communication data further includes recording the subsequently received video communication data from the remote computing device, and wherein the method further comprises:
in response to a playback request, displaying the recorded video communication data and the subsequently received video communication data.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein at least some of the subsequently received video communication data to be displayed is obtained from a remote data store hosting the recorded subsequently received video communication data.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
monitoring the video communication connection to determine a connection quality value;
determining that the connection quality value is below a connection tolerance threshold; and
in response to said determining that the connection quality value is below the connection tolerance threshold, recording additional video communication data to send as another video message via the video message protocol to the remote mobile computing device.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
subsequent to determining that the connection quality value is below the connection tolerance threshold, determining that the connection quality value is equal to or above the connection tolerance threshold;
in response to determining that the connection quality value is equal to or above the connection tolerance threshold resuming transmission of the captured video communication data via the established video communication connection.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the portable multi-function device and the remote mobile computing device are two of a larger plurality of computing devices participating in a group message thread, wherein the method further comprises:
in response to receiving the indication to initiate the video communication with the remote mobile computing device, establishing respective additional video communication connections with one or more remaining computing devices in the group message thread different than the remote mobile device, wherein the established video connection with the remote mobile computing device and the respective additional video communication connections with the one or more remaining computing devices together comprise a multi-way video communication.

14. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium, storing program instructions that when executed by a mobile computing device causes the mobile computing device to implement:
receiving, from a remote mobile computing device via a video messaging protocol, video communication data as part of a video message from the remote mobile computing device;
displaying, as the video communication data is received, the video message at the portable multi-function device;
recording, as the video communication data is received, th

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Zhou Xiaosong
• Wu Hsi-Jung
• Chung Chris Y
• Normile James O
• Abuan Joe S
• Jeong Hyeonkuk
• Yang Yan
• Johar Gobind
• Jansen Thomas

Classifications

• H04N7/15 Primary

  Conference systems · CPC title

• H04L65/403

  Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) · CPC title

• H04L51/046

  Interoperability with other network applications or services · CPC title

• H04L12/1818

  Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties · CPC title

• H04L65/1089

  by adding media; by removing media · CPC title