Abstract: A method of collaborating between a first computer associated with a first display at a first location and a second computer associated with a second display at a second location may include establishing a connection between the first and second computers, opening a virtual canvas on the first computer, the virtual canvas to be displayed on the first and second displays simultaneously, and sending an object between the first and second computers by sending data associated with the object on the virtual canvas stored on the first computer to the second computer to be stored locally, thereby creating a shared canvas on which objects are at a single location. Video conferencing may include sending a first live video stream from the first display to the second display to be viewed in a first video conference window separate from the virtual canvas on the second display and vice versa.

Abstract: One example method includes joining, by a first client device, a videoconferencing meeting hosted by a video conference provider, the videoconference meeting including a plurality of participants; providing an audio stream and a video stream to a video conference provider; receiving, from a second client device, an audio focus area associated with a video stream provided the first client device; determining, based on the audio focus area, a bounding region within an environment shown in the video stream; directing a microphone array to capture audio from the bounding region; and providing the captured audio as an audio stream to the video conference provider.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for providing notifications about events that occur during an online meeting. For instance, a system may establish an online meeting, such as a video conferencing meeting, for users. While in the meeting, a first user may view video of a second user and determine that the second user is experiencing an emergency event. As such, a user device of the first user may receive an input indicating that the emergency event is occurring with the second user. The system may receive the indication from the user device and verify that the emergency event is occurring. Additionally, the system may then send a notification to emergency personnel that indicates at least that the emergency event is occurring and a location of the second user. Furthermore, the system may send notification(s) to contact(s) associated with the second user that indicate at least that the emergency event is occurring.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing a program and method for including a video feed in a message thread. The program and method provide for determining that a message thread is being concurrently displayed on a first device associated with a first user and on a second device associated with a second user, the first user and the second user corresponding to contacts within a messaging application; and transmitting, in response to the determining, image data captured on the first device to the second device, for display within the message thread on the second device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for using audio watermarks with key phrases. One of the methods includes receiving, by a playback device, an audio data stream; determining, before the audio data stream is output by the playback device, whether a portion of the audio data stream encodes a particular key phrase by analyzing the portion using an automated speech recognizer; in response to determining that the portion of the audio data stream encodes the particular key phrase, modifying the audio data stream to include an audio watermark; and providing the modified audio data stream for output.

Abstract: Systems and methods for audio output control are disclosed. Audio may be output via a speaker of a communal device associated with a first portion of an environment. A user may provide a user utterance indicating an intent to add another device in a second portion of the environment to the audio-output session, and/or an intent to move the audio-output session from the first device to the second device, and/or an intent to remove a device from an audio-output session. Based on this determined intent, audio-session queues may be associated and dissociated from devices and device states may be altered to effectuate the intent of the user utterance.

Abstract: With the assistance of a cloud server, a user device is operative to adjust and optimize lighting of a video of a participant in a virtual meeting with use of a selected display configuration. The selected display configuration may be a selected from one of a plurality of display configurations (e.g. a user display, a plurality of displays connected at the user device, the user display and an alternate display of a laptop or a tablet, etc.). The user device may receive, from the cloud server, baseline lighting setting parameters associated with the selected display configuration. The user device may apply the baseline lighting setting parameters to one or more displays of the selected display configuration. Using the baseline lighting setting parameters as a baseline, the user device may automatically adjust a brightness and/or color pixels of the one or more displays of the selected display configuration.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for a timed one-on-one video conference call between a host and a guest, the video conference call presenting a shared conference call interface including a status bar defining a question portion and an answer portion, the computer-implemented method initiating a timer that defined a preset total time for the conference call and updating the status bar to progress through the question portion and the answer portion according to the timer, and a digital curtain that transitions across the shared conference call interface signaling the end of the video conference call when the timer reaches the preset total time.

Abstract: One or more embodiment relates to a video communication device, video communication method, and a video communication mediating method, which are capable of preventing a user in a video communication from being exposed to an inappropriate image or sound from the other party. One or more embodiment may provide a video communication method comprising establishing a first video communication session with a first terminal, consecutively receiving images or sounds from the first terminal through the first video communication session, examining at least a portion of images or sounds received in a period of recent specific time among the received images or sounds, and blocking an output of at least a portion of the received images or sounds or reporting a user of the first terminal as an abusive user to a first server according to the result of the examining.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and systems for a video conference widget for scaled integration. The video conference widget may include a self-contained software module that defines a plurality of video conferencing functions associated with the functionality provided by a video conference provider. The video conference widget may receive a command for a first video conference function from a software interface of a software application that is separate from the video conference widget. In response to the command, the video conference widget may output a signal to a video conference provider to perform the video conference function.

Abstract: Embodiments include an audio analyzer to analyze audio data received from a user computing system operating as a participant in a conference managed by a conferencing application and to detect one or audio pause conditions; a video analyzer to analyze video data received from the user computing system and to detect one or video pause conditions; and a conferencing manager to automatically pause distribution of the audio data to other participants of the conference when the one or more audio pause conditions are detected and automatically pause distribution of the video data to the other participants when the one or more video pause conditions are detected.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method comprises receiving a first signal indicative of a current emotional state of a user, receiving a second signal corresponding to a desired emotional state of the user, and based on the first and second signals, generating a playlist of media content including a first item and an nth item. The first signal can be received from a wearable sensor. Generating the playlist can comprise selecting items of media content, and arranging the media content in a sequential order such that the playlist transitions from the first item toward the nth item. The method can further comprise playing back, via a playback device, at least the first item of the media content, and while playing back the first item, receiving a third signal indicative of an updated emotional state of the user.

Abstract: This application is directed to a home monitoring and control system including a doorbell installed at a door of a home. The doorbell has a button configured to, upon being touched, depressed or activated, wirelessly initiate a first communication to indicate presence of a person at the door. The doorbell also has a camera configured to capture video data within a field of view, and a processor configured to cause a communication component to enable the first communication and wirelessly stream via a remote server the video data captured by the camera to a monitoring device associated with an occupant of the home. A rechargeable battery is coupled to a housing wire and configured to be charged via the housing wire, and the doorbell is configured to charge and discharge the rechargeable battery based on power usage of the doorbell.

Abstract: There is included a method and apparatus comprising computer code configured to cause a processor or processors to perform controlling a delivery of a video conference call to a viewport, setting a timer and an event-based threshold with respect to the video conference call, determining whether any of the timer and the event-based threshold have been triggered based on any of an elapsed time and an event, and further controlling the delivery of the video conference call to the viewport based on determining whether any of the timer and the event-based threshold have been triggered.

Abstract: Machine learning-based multi-view video conferencing from single view video data, including: identifying, in video data, a plurality of objects; and generating a user interface comprising a plurality of first user interface elements each comprising a portion of the video data corresponding to one or more of the plurality of objects.

Abstract: Methods and systems for applying gaze adjustment techniques to participants in a video conference are disclosed. Some examples may include: receiving, at computing system, image adjustment information associated with a video stream including images of a first participant, identifying, for a display layout of a communication application, a location displaying the images of the first participant, determining, based on the received image adjustment information, a location displaying images of a second participant for the display layout, the received image adjustment information indicating that an eye gaze of the first participant being directed toward the second participant, computing an eye gaze direction of the first participant based on the location displaying images of the second participant, generating gaze-adjusted images based on the desired eye gaze direction of the first participant and replacing the images within the video stream with the gaze-adjusted images.

Abstract: Embodiments provide an apparatus for providing a fingerprint of an input signal, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine intensity values for a plurality of time-frequency regions of the input signal, wherein the apparatus is configured to compare the intensity values associated with different time-frequency regions of the plurality of time-frequency regions, to obtain individual values of the fingerprint based on the comparison of intensity values associated with two time-frequency regions.

Abstract: A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method relating to use of a physical writing surface (132) during a videoconference or presentation. Snapshots of a whiteboard (132) are identified by applying a difference measure to the video data (e.g., as a way of comparing frames at different times). Audio captured by a microphone may be processed to generate textual data, wherein a portion of the textual data is associated with each snapshot. The writing surface may be identified (enrolled) using gestures. Image processing techniques may be used to transform views of a writing surface.

Abstract: Correcting engagement of a user in a video conference includes: receiving video data of a user of a participant device of a video conference; determining that one or more visual characteristics of the video data satisfy one or more criteria; and displaying, by the participant device, a visual overlay in response to the one or more criteria being satisfied.