Abstract: A technique for interacting with a computing device includes operating an AR (Augmented Reality) headset as a UI (user interface) component of the computing device. The technique includes pairing the AR headset with the computing device to establish a communication pathway between the two. Once pairing is established, the AR headset detects gestures of the user and transmits UI metadata derived from the gestures to the computing device. The computing device is configured to receive the UI metadata over the communication pathway and to map the UI metadata to user operations to be performed on the computing device. The technique thereby enables the user to control the computing device using gestures.

Abstract: A technique for interacting with a computing device includes operating an AR (Augmented Reality) headset as a UI (user interface) component of the computing device. The technique includes pairing the AR headset with the computing device to establish a communication pathway between the two. Once pairing is established, the AR headset detects gestures of the user and transmits UI metadata derived from the gestures to the computing device. The computing device is configured to receive the UI metadata over the communication pathway and to map the UI metadata to user operations to be performed on the computing device. The technique thereby enables the user to control the computing device using gestures.

Abstract: A computer system executing a computer audio application such as video conferencing applies audio detection and speech recognition to an input audio stream to generate respective audio detection and speech recognition signals. A function is applied to the audio detection and speech recognition signals to generate a non-speech audio detection signal identifying presence of non-speech audio in the input audio stream when the audio detection signal is asserted and the speech recognition signal is not asserted. A control or indication action is performed in the computer system based on assertion of the non-speech audio detection signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for bandwidth allocation and estimation are disclosed. A computer communicates via multiple active streams, each having a type. The computer determines whether to enable or disable bandwidth management. Upon determining to enable bandwidth management, the computer estimating a total available bandwidth, determines, for each stream, a requested bandwidth, and dynamically allocates a portion of the total available bandwidth among the active streams. Upon determining to disable bandwidth management, the computer foregoes dynamically allocating bandwidth among the streams.

Abstract: A computer is operated by displaying a window on a display device, where the window is an opaque window overlaid on the entirety of a system desktop that includes graphical representations of system controls and application controls. The window displays user interface elements of an application program executing on the computer, and also includes a portal region displaying an image of the system desktop including counterparts of the system controls and application controls. The computer provides user-controlled operation of the system controls and application controls based on simulated user interaction with the counterparts of the system controls and application controls in the portal region. The application program can effectively coordinate the use of the display by itself and by the system and other applications using the system desktop, relieving the user of this task.

Abstract: A technique acquires online meeting data relating to an online meeting. The technique involves running, by processing circuitry, a set of programs (e.g., an operating system, a slideshow application, a word processing program, other programs, etc.) to carry out an online meeting which shares online meeting content among a set of users. The technique further involves performing, while the processing circuitry runs the set of programs to carry out the online meeting, a set of information collection operations by the processing circuitry. The set of information collection operations collects online meeting data from the set of programs. The collected online meeting data includes non-bitmap text-based information extracted from the set of programs (e.g., keywords, phrases, etc. obtained via procedure calls using standard APIs to the set of programs). The technique further involves storing, by the processing circuitry, the collected online meeting data in a designated location of computer memory.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a workspace are disclosed. In some aspects, a server provides, to a client computing device, access to a workspace, the workspace including one or more members and one or more content items, in response to verifying that the client computing device is associated with one of the one or more members of the workspace. The server provides, to the client computing device, within a display associated with the workspace, a first user interface element to initiate an online meeting with a first portion of the one or more members of the workspace or a second user interface element to join an ongoing online meeting with a second portion of the one or more members.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an attendee of a live online meeting selects screen data from an earlier point in time in the online meeting for playback while the meeting is still ongoing. Automatically generated image thumbnails of the screen data for the online meeting may be employed to navigate to the earlier point in time. Attendees may annotate screenshots associated with the thumbnails, and a summary document may be generated that includes the screenshots and the annotations.

Abstract: A technique provides user video to an online conference. The technique involves receiving a live user video signal from a camera device. The live user video signal defines a field of view. The technique further involves automatically identifying live initial content of a presentation region within the field of view and live initial content of a privacy region (e.g., a background region) within the field of view. The technique further involves generating, as the user video signal to the online conference, a modified user video signal based on the live user video signal. The modified video signal includes (i) the live initial content of the presentation region within the field of view and (ii) modified video content in place of the live initial content of the privacy region within the field of view. Such operation effectively forms a virtual curtain in which anything in the background is hidden.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an attendee of a live online meeting selects screen data from an earlier point in time in the online meeting for playback while the meeting is still ongoing. Automatically generated image thumbnails of the screen data for the online meeting may be employed to navigate to the earlier point in time. Attendees may annotate screenshots associated with the thumbnails, and a summary document may be generated that includes the screenshots and the annotations.

Abstract: Systems and methods for sharing an image in a communication session are disclosed. In some aspects, a software application is run on a first computing device, while a communication application is run on the first computing device. The first computing device is associated with a presenter in a communication session implemented via the communication application. That one or more images were added to an image library of the first computing device since a time when the communication application started running on the first computing device is determined, using the communication application. The communication application facilitates transmission of at least one of the one or more images to one or more second computing devices. The one or more second computing devices are associated with one or more audience members in the communication session.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an attendee of a live online meeting selects screen data from an earlier point in time in the online meeting for playback while the meeting is still ongoing. Automatically generated image thumbnails of the screen data for the online meeting may be employed to navigate to the earlier point in time. Attendees may annotate screenshots associated with the thumbnails, and a summary document may be generated that includes the screenshots and the annotations.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support canceling audio streams leaked from a speaker to a microphone so that a clean audio stream of a presenter or viewer speaking at a conference call is transmitted. Here, the audio streams being canceled includes the computer audio stream of an application being run or a material being presented online during a web conference and/or the audio stream received from the rest of the group of participants at the conference call. The computer audio stream is then transmitted in addition to the presenter or viewer audio stream, and separate from any other audio stream captured by the hosting device during the conference call.

Abstract: A computer is operated by displaying a window on a display device, where the window is an opaque window overlaid on the entirety of a system desktop that includes graphical representations of system controls and application controls. The window displays user interface elements of an application program executing on the computer, and also includes a portal region displaying an image of the system desktop including counterparts of the system controls and application controls. The computer provides user-controlled operation of the system controls and application controls based on simulated user interaction with the counterparts of the system controls and application controls in the portal region. The application program can effectively coordinate the use of the display by itself and by the system and other applications using the system desktop, relieving the user of this task.

Abstract: A technique acquires online meeting data relating to an online meeting. The technique involves running, by processing circuitry, a set of programs (e.g., an operating system, a slideshow application, a word processing program, other programs, etc.) to carry out an online meeting which shares online meeting content among a set of users. The technique further involves performing, while the processing circuitry runs the set of programs to carry out the online meeting, a set of information collection operations by the processing circuitry. The set of information collection operations collects online meeting data from the set of programs. The collected online meeting data includes non-bitmap text-based information extracted from the set of programs (e.g., keywords, phrases, etc. obtained via procedure calls using standard APIs to the set of programs). The technique further involves storing, by the processing circuitry, the collected online meeting data in a designated location of computer memory.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support canceling audio streams leaked from a speaker to a microphone so that a clean audio stream of a presenter or viewer speaking at a conference call is transmitted. Here, the audio streams being canceled includes the computer audio stream of an application being run or a material being presented online during a web conference and/or the audio stream received from the rest of the group of participants at the conference call. The computer audio stream is then transmitted in addition to the presenter or viewer audio stream, and separate from any other audio stream captured by the hosting device during the conference call.

Abstract: A computer system executing a computer audio application such as video conferencing applies audio detection and speech recognition to an input audio stream to generate respective audio detection and speech recognition signals. A function is applied to the audio detection and speech recognition signals to generate a non-speech audio detection signal identifying presence of non-speech audio in the input audio stream when the audio detection signal is asserted and the speech recognition signal is not asserted. A control or indication action is performed in the computer system based on assertion of the non-speech audio detection signal.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an attendee of a live online meeting selects screen data from an earlier point in time in the online meeting for playback while the meeting is still ongoing. Automatically generated image thumbnails of the screen data for the online meeting may be employed to navigate to the earlier point in time. Attendees may annotate screenshots associated with the thumbnails, and a summary document may be generated that includes the screenshots and the annotations.

Abstract: A technique provides user video to an online conference. The technique involves receiving a live user video signal from a camera device. The live user video signal defines a field of view. The technique further involves automatically identifying live initial content of a presentation region within the field of view and live initial content of a privacy region (e.g., a background region) within the field of view. The technique further involves generating, as the user video signal to the online conference, a modified user video signal based on the live user video signal. The modified video signal includes (i) the live initial content of the presentation region within the field of view and (ii) modified video content in place of the live initial content of the privacy region within the field of view. Such operation effectively forms a virtual curtain in which anything in the background is hidden.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support distributed stream media transcoding and sharing in real time. Under the approach, a host associated with a sender generates a high quality stream of media content that is to be shared with a plurality of viewers over a communication network. The hosting devices associated with the plurality of viewers are evaluated for their capability to process and/or transcode the high quality media stream. Based on the evaluation, the host of the sender encodes and transmits the high quality media stream to at least one selected host associated a viewer.