Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer conferencing
Reexamination Certificate
1995-10-10
2001-03-27
Rinehart, Mark (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer conferencing
C370S260000, C370S265000, C370S537000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209021
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of video processing and, in particular, to the processing of video audio and data signals which are transmitted between computers.
2. Background Art
Video conferencing networks may be isochronous networks having a fixed bandwidth and a fixed delay. This permits transmitted video compressed at one end of a video conferencing network to arrive at theremote end of the network in a fixed fashion so that it can be smoothly decompressed and displayed. This also prevent a choppy reproduction.
The problems caused by choppy video reproduction may not be very noticeable. However, when audio reproduction is choppy the results are unsatisfactory. The only isochronous network available at this time for avoiding this problem is the telephone system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The computer supported collaboration system of the present invention includes both video and audio data communications. The communication of video and audio data are simultaneous with the sharing of application programs, and their application program data, by way of a connection between computers. The connection between computers may be implemented in a number of ways. For example, the public telephone network may provide a connection between computers which are located in different locations, in a single country, or in locations in different countries. However, the inventive system is not limited to connections by way of public telephone networks. For example the connection may be a dedicated data connection between the computers.
A video conference application program allows an initiating user to select a remote computer using the name of the destination user or using a corresponding identifier such as the telephone number of the destination user. A video conference may then be established with the destination user. The application program of the initiating user places a call to the selected remote computer. This may be performed using a CALL button that, when pressed, presents the initiating user with a listing of names and identifiers. If the remote computer is also running the video conference application program the initiating application program begins the video conference by transmitting compressed interleaved audio and video frames to the remote computer by way of the data connection. The remote computer also starts transmitting compressed interleaved audio and video frames. When each of the computers receives data the compressed data is decompressed and displayed or heard in the case of audio.
Images of the users of the computer supported collaboration system may be displayed in a small window on their own displays in addition to being displayed at the other end of the system. This permits users to determine that the image received by the remote user is suitable for display. The remote user is preferably displayed in a larger window on each display in order to keep the focus of the users on the remote users. A HANGUP button may also be provided for use when a video conference is in progress. This permits termination of the video conference.
The sharing of application programs between the remote terminals and the sharing of their data in the computer supported collaboration system of the present invention may be performed using various data sharing embodiments. A very general data sharing embodiment is an embodiment wherein mouse drivers and keyboard drivers are provided in order to: (1) send data from both the mouse and the keyboard to the remote computer operating system on the remote side of the network, as well as (2) send data to the operating system of the local computer. This embodiment permits any application program to be shared across the network even if it was not originally designed to be shared.
An alternate data sharing embodiment is one wherein an application program is written in a manner which adapts it for data sharing during a video conference. In this data sharing embodiment each application program transmits its data to the remote application program in an appropriate manner. A further data sharing embodiment is one wherein the operating system of each of the computers allows application programs to cut and/or copy data into a respective clipboard which is effectively shared by the two computers. The shared clipboard of each computer transmits this data to the shared clipboard of the remote computer. This permits any application which provides cut and/or copy capability to be shared using the computer supported collaboration system of the present invention.
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Ahimovic Peter
Manepally Narayan
Duane Morris & Heckscher LLP
Intel Corporation
Rinehart Mark
Thompson Marc D.
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