Abstract: A portable immersive telepresence conferencing system which can capture audio data and video data and communicate at least some of the captured data to at least one remote endpoint via a network interface, receive image data and audio data from at least one remote source via the network interface and render a depiction of at least one object, which is substantially the same size of the actual object being shown.

Abstract: A videoconference apparatus at a first location detects audio from a location and determines whether the sound should be included in an audio-video stream sent to a second location, or excluded as an interfering noise. Determining whether to include the audio involves using a face detector to see if there is a face at the source of the sound. If a face is present, the audio data from the location will be transmitted to the second location. If a face is not present, additional motion checks are performed to determine whether the sound corresponds to a person talking, (such as a presenter at a meeting), or whether the sound is instead unwanted noise.

Abstract: A videoconferencing endpoint includes at least one processor a number of microphones and at least one camera. The endpoint can receive audio information and visual motion information during a teleconferencing session. The audio information includes one or more angles with respect to the microphone from a location of a teleconferencing session. The system evaluates the audio information is evaluated to determine at least one candidate angle corresponding to a possible location of an active talker. The candidate angle can be analyzed further with respect to the motion information to determine whether the candidate angle correctly corresponds to person who is speaking during the teleconferencing session. The person's face can then be framed within a frame view.

Abstract: A videoconferencing endpoint can provides a caller with the ability to make unscheduled video calls to a callee without having knowledge of dialing information of a videoconferencing endpoint where the callee is currently located. The videoconferencing endpoint searches a location database using an identity of the callee provided by the caller, where the location database can store dialing information of a videoconferencing endpoint where the callee is known to be located. The videoconferencing endpoint can collect biometric data from a user and determine the identity of the user by matching the collected biometric data to biometric data stored in a biometric database. If a match is found, the videoconferencing endpoint updates the location database such that the location database indicates the videoconferencing endpoint as the current location of the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for holistically modelling audio feedback and removing the entire feedback signal corresponding thereto. The systems can operate at a much larger loop-gain (and hence with a much higher loudspeaker volume), than those conventional systems which seek to remove singing frequencies with PEQs. The systems are an improvement over traditional audio feedback elimination systems which attempt to reduce the effect of the audio feedback by simply scaling down the audio volume of the signal frequencies that are prone to howling, and those feedback elimination systems which simply employ adaptive notch filtering to detect and “notch” the so-called “singing” or “howling” frequencies as they occur in real-time. Such devices may typically have several knobs and buttons needing tuning, for example: the number of adaptive parametric equalizers (PEQs) versus fixed PEQs; attack and decay timers; and/or PEQ bandwidth.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and techniques for creating media conferencing layouts that are intelligent (i.e., based on some underlying principle to enhance user-perceived conference quality) and persistent (i.e., consistent within a call and from one call to the next).

Abstract: A videoconferencing system has a videoconferencing unit that use portable devices as peripherals for the system. The portable devices obtain near-end audio and send the audio to the videoconferencing unit via a wireless connection. In turn, the videoconferencing unit sends the near-end audio from the loudest portable device along with near-end video to the far-end. The portable devices can control the videoconferencing unit and can initially establish the videoconference by connecting with the far-end and then transferring operations to the videoconferencing unit. To deal with acoustic coupling between the unit's loudspeaker and the portable device's microphone, the unit uses an echo canceller that is compensated for differences in the clocks used in the A/D and D/A converters of the loudspeaker and microphone.

Abstract: A system and method provide a rule-based technique for adapting a videoconferencing system to current conditions of a conference session, automatically converting the session from one conferencing technique to another, based on those current conditions. Rules may involve criteria including number of participants, ability to use a common codex, among others. An escalation module can be used to manage the transition between one type of conference session and another. If a condition occurs that causes transitioning the conference from one type to another, when that condition no longer applies, the conference may automatically transition back to the original conferencing type.

Abstract: A system for ensuring that the best available view of a person's face is included in a video stream when the person's face is being captured by multiple cameras at multiple angles at a first endpoint. The system uses one or more microphone arrays to capture direct-reverberant ratio information corresponding to the views, and determines which view most closely matches a view of the person looking directly at the camera, thereby improving the experience for viewers at a second endpoint.

Abstract: Blurriness in a video image transmitted over a lossy network can be reduced by filtering the decoder output to determine whether updating of the reference frame based on the current video data is indicated. An update may be appropriate if the decoder output is sharper than the contents of the display buffer after the last update. Additionally, an update may be appropriate if there was a significant change to the underlying image, and thus to the encoder's input. Whether such a change has occurred can be determined by analyzing the prediction mode, motion vectors, and pixel data of the output image.

Abstract: A novel universal bridge (UB) can handle and conduct multimedia multipoint conferences between a plurality of MREs and LEPs without using an MRM, an MCU and a gateway. Further, a UB can be configured to allocate and release resources dynamically according to the current needs of each conferee and the session.

Abstract: Techniques of audio-video synchronization that can be performed on audio and video streams are described. In one scenario, a processor can receive audio-video information comprising a video stream and an audio stream. Each of the video and audio streams can include one or more of: a compressed stream; and a decoded stream. A region of motion in the video stream can be determined based on a property of the video stream. A video signal can be generated based on the determined region of motion. Also, a relative delay between the streams can be determined based, at least in part, on the generated video signal. A delay value associated with one or more of the audio and video streams may be adjusted to assist with synchronizing the audio and video streams.

Abstract: A P2P configuration where only the active talker or talkers are providing media streams, to reduce uplink bandwidth demands on an active talker, participants relay the active talker stream to other participants. A signaling server determines the closest participant receiving a requested stream and with available bandwidth to relay the requested stream to a requesting participant and controls the provision of the relayed stream. In certain cases, an additional intermediate participant may relay the requested stream.

Abstract: Systems for videoconferencing are designed for where people are seated around a video conferencing system. The systems include a camera so the far site can see the local participants and the systems include displays that show the far site. The displays are properly aligned with the cameras so that when people at the far site view the displayed images of the near site, it looks like they have eye contact with the near site. Obtaining the alignments of the camera and the displays to provide this apparent eye contact result requires meeting a series of different constraints relating to the various sizes and angles of the components and the locations of the participants.

Abstract: An automatic process for producing professional, directed, production crew quality, video for videoconferencing is described. The process includes a method for positioning a 360 degree panoramic strip view of a room. The method includes receiving motion detection data, accepting presence sensor data, receiving video data from cameras related to a room view, and centering individuals in a room view, based on the received motion detection data, the accepted presence sensor data and received video data. The method also includes zooming onto the centered individuals in the room view, obtaining sound source localization data and active talker information, and determining how to arrange the display of individuals in a logical manner that is visually pleasing and aides understanding. Rule based logic is applied to assist with the automatic processing of video into director quality video production. Various video sources may be used as video stream sources for the automated system.

Abstract: A videoconferencing system includes at least one processor and at least one camera. The endpoint can capture one or more images with the camera. The system can locate a region of interest within an image, such as the area surrounding the face of a person participating in a videoconference. If the face area or other region of interest is too dark, the system can brighten the region to make it more visible. The system can determine whether the face is too dark by comparing the captured image to previously captured images, or comparing the luma values and other data making up the face to predetermined values, or both. The system can check the second image for over-brightening or saturation, and further adjust the image as needed. The brightening of the face area is done in such a way that the brightened region is unobtrusive to the viewer.

Abstract: A logical module, referred as Load Balancer Module (LBM), is disclosed which listens to one of certain common predefined port number. These well-known ports for receiving communication video conference signaling and control protocols is thereafter load balanced and multi-plexed to a number of instances of protocol stack applications. By balancing the multi-media data stream across a multitude of application instances multiple multi-media data streams may be serviced and processed by a single internet protocol host processor. A multipoint control unit (MCU) may therefore process multiple input data streams containing multi-media video conferencing information.

Abstract: A videoconferencing system has a plurality of displays arranged side-by-side. Top loudspeakers are arranged adjacent the tops of the displays, and bottom loudspeakers are arranged adjacent the bottoms of the displays. A control unit operatively coupled to the displays and the loudspeakers routes video to each of the displays and routes audio corresponding to each display to any of the top and bottom loudspeakers arranged adjacent the display. Thus, the top and bottom loudspeakers form a vertical pair of loudspeakers that output the corresponding audio for its respective display. In this way, the audio for the video of a given display is perceived by participants to originate from the center of the given display. If one of the loudspeakers is not provided, gain setting and mixing between adjacent sets of loudspeakers can produce a virtual loudspeaker for the one that is missing.

Abstract: Configurable electronic devices contain identifying information in a dual-ported memory. A plurality of un-configured units are assembled into a set. Using identifying information, a provisioning server matches each particular unit to configuration settings needed to appropriately configure that device for use by a specific end user. The configuration settings and/or data may be transmitted to the devices via their embedded RFID systems and stored in their dual-ported memory (via the first memory port). The electronic devices may comprise processor-based systems and, upon system initialization, the configuration data can be read from the memory via a second port thereof and used to configure the device for use by the user. In this way, devices may be configured as a set destined for a particular end user immediately prior to shipment and/or deployment and it is not necessary to separately track customized units prior to assembling them into a set.