Dynamic communication portal between locations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9628757-B2
Application number	US-201614995628-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2016
Priority date	Aug 14, 2015
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

Technology is disclosed herein that enhances communication and collaboration at a distance. In an implementation, a portal engine provides a communication and content portal through which users situated in different locations may interact and collaborate with each other. The portal includes an always-on, bi-directional video link through which the users may communicate over video. The portal may also include a digital white-board or other surface link over which shared content may be exchanged.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computing apparatus comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media;
a processing system operatively coupled with the one or more computer readable storage media; and
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media that, when read and executed by the processing system, direct the processing system to at least:
maintain a bi-directional video link between a plurality of locations comprising video captured of each of the plurality of locations, wherein the bi-directional video link comprises a first video associated with a first location and a second video associated with a second location;
present a dormant view of the first video, wherein the dormant view obscures display of the first video by presenting a partial view of the first location; and
transition, in response to an indication of a user interaction with a display surface at the first location, the dormant view of the first video to an active view that un-obscures display of the first video.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the active view increases a quality level of a video stream of the first video to full fidelity.

3. The computing system of claim 2 , wherein the active view activates an audio link associated with the first video.

4. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to: transition, based on an indication of a user interaction with a display surface at the second location, the second video to an active view that un-obscures display of the second video.

5. The computing system of claim 4 , wherein the active view of the second video increases a quality level of a video stream of the second video to full fidelity and activates an audio link associated with the second video.

6. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to present a shared digital whiteboard associated with the first location.

7. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the user interaction comprises a touch on the display surface to initiate a transition from the dormant view to the active view.

8. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the first video further comprises a surface view that creates a virtual representation of one or more items associated with the display surface.

9. A method comprising:
maintaining a bi-directional video link between locations, wherein the bi-directional video link comprises a first video associated with a first location and a second video associated with a second location;
presenting a dormant view of the first video, wherein the dormant view obscures display of the first video by presenting a partial view of the first location; and
transitioning, in response to an indication of a user interaction with a display surface at the first location, the dormant view to an active view that un-obscures display of the first video.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the active view increases a quality level of a video stream of the first video and activates an audio link associated with the first video.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising transitioning, based on an indication of a user interaction with a display surface at the second location, the second video to an active view that un-obscures display of the second video, wherein the active view of the second video increases a quality level of a video stream of the second video and activates an audio link for the second video.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising presenting a shared digital whiteboard associated with the first location.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first video further comprises a surface view that creates a virtual representation of one or more items associated with the display surface.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the user interaction comprises a touch on the display surface to initiate a transition from the dormant view to the active view.

15. A computer-readable storage device that comprises computer-executable instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to execute a method comprising:
maintaining a bi-directional video link between locations, wherein the bi-directional video link comprises a first video associated with a first location and a second video associated with a second location;
presenting a dormant view of the first video, wherein the dormant view obscures display of the first video by presenting a partial view of the first location; and
transitioning, in response to an indication of a user interaction with a display surface at the first location, the dormant view to an active view that un-obscures display of the first video.

16. A computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the active view increases the quality level of a video stream of the first video and activates an audio link associated with the first video.

17. A computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the method, executed by the at least one processor, further comprising transitioning, based on an indication of a user interaction with a display surface at the second location, the second video to an active view that un-obscures display of the second video, wherein the active view of the second video increases a quality level of a video stream of the second video and activates an audio link for the second video.

18. A computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the method, executed by the at least one processor, further comprising presenting a shared digital whiteboard associated with the first location.

19. A computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the user interaction comprises a touch on the display surface to initiate a transition from the dormant view to the active view.

20. A computer-readable storage device of claim 15 , wherein the first video further comprises a surface view that creates a virtual representation of one or more items associated with the display surface.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Novak Beth A
• Andrews Anton Oguzhan Alford
• Jones Frederick David
• Marks Kenneth

Classifications

• 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

• H04N7/147 Primary

  Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q) · CPC title

• G06F3/017

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title

• H04L65/80

  Responding to QoS · CPC title

• H04L65/4015

  where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference · CPC title