Abstract: One or both of a camera and a lighting fixture are auto-focused on one of a plurality of microphones in a venue. A plurality of persons in the venue are wearing, or carrying, or holding, or speaking into a respective microphone at the venue. Only one microphone of the plurality of microphones is active at a time. The venue includes a real-time location system (RTLS) having a plurality of RTLS tags and a RTLS receiver for locating a position of each of the RTLS tags in three-dimensional space. Each of the RTLS tags is fixed to a respective microphone and transmits a signal that is received by the RTLS receiver. One of the plurality of microphones is detected as being active. The position of the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone is identified in three-dimensional space in the venue by using the signal transmitted from the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone and received by the RTLS receiver to calculate the position of the RTLS tag fixed to the active microphone in three-dimensional space.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for a bridging application that allows for a user computer to connect to and communicate with multiple videoconference platforms. The bridging application includes a virtual camera, a first virtual audio device, a first switch, and a second switch. The virtual camera is configured to receive a video feed from a video camera that is connected to the user computer. The first virtual audio device is configured to receive an audio feed from a microphone that is connected to the user computer. The first switch is configured to allow the video feed received by the virtual camera to be sent to the videoconference platforms. The second switch is configured to allow the audio feed received by the first virtual audio device to be sent to at least one of the videoconference platforms. The multiple videoconference platforms are independent of each other, and execute as separate instantiations of videoconference platforms.

Abstract: An automated method and computer program product allows meeting participants of a host-scheduled videoconferencing session to interact with each other via an online meeting user interface of a videoconferencing system using their respective participant computers prior to initiation of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session. The meeting participants request to join the host-scheduled videoconferencing session by sending a request to the videoconferencing system from their respective participant computers, and the videoconferencing system provides a waiting room for the meeting participants to be placed in prior to the initiation of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session. In addition, a post-meeting session is provided for allowing the participants to interact with each other subsequent to the end of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session.

Abstract: An automated method and computer program product allows meeting participants of a host-scheduled videoconferencing session to interact with each other via an online meeting user interface of a videoconferencing system using their respective participant computers prior to initiation of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session. The meeting participants request to join the host-scheduled videoconferencing session by sending a request to the videoconferencing system from their respective participant computers, and the videoconferencing system provides a waiting room for the meeting participants to be placed in prior to the initiation of the host-scheduled videoconferencing session.

Abstract: A virtual space view is provided in an online meeting user interface associated with a videoconferencing system that is changeable by gestures of meeting participants. The virtual space view displays avatars or video feeds of the meeting participants on their respective participant computers. The videoconferencing system captures video feeds of all meeting participants, including meeting participants being displayed as avatars. Software of the videoconferencing system recognizes a specific gesture of a meeting participant. The specific gesture is associated with a predefined directional movement of the meeting participant's avatar or video feed within the virtual space view during the online meeting, and the predefined directional movement is requested by the meeting participant via the specific gesture. The specific gesture of the meeting participant is a physical body gesture of the meeting participant which is captured in the video feed of the meeting participant.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for displaying a session view of a host-initiated videoconferencing session and a non-host participant-initiated breakout session view. The breakout session participants are a subset of the meeting participants. The non-host participant-initiated breakout session is initiated by one of the meeting participants who is not a session host. The host-initiated session view is displayed only to the meeting participants who are not breakout session participants. The non-host participant-initiated breakout session view is displayed to the breakout session participants.

Abstract: A lighting fixture is auto-focused on a person in a venue who is wearing, or carrying, or holding, or speaking into a microphone at the venue by detecting when a microphone having a real-time location system (RTLS) affixed thereto is active, identifying the position of RTLS tag, and auto-focusing the lighting fixture on the identified position of the RTLS tag.

Abstract: One or more cameras are auto-focused on selected persons in a venue who are performers of a performance occurring at the venue. Each of the performers are associated with a tag of a real-time location system (RTLS). The auto-focusing operates by receiving a signal indicating a scene of a performance that is currently being performed, identifying which RTLS-tagged performer or performers are active during the currently performed scene, identifying the position(s) of the RTLS-tagged performer or performers who are active during the currently performed scene, and auto-focusing the one or more cameras on the identified position(s) of the RTLS tag.

Abstract: One or more lighting fixtures are auto-focused on selected persons in a venue who are performers of a performance occurring at the venue. Each of the performers are associated with a tag of a real-time location system (RTLS). The auto-focusing operates by receiving a signal indicating a scene of a performance that is currently being performed, identifying which RTLS-tagged performer or performers are active during the currently performed scene, identifying the position(s) of the RTLS-tagged performer or performers who are active during the currently performed scene, and auto-focusing the one or more lighting fixtures on the identified position(s) of the RTLS tag.

Abstract: A camera is auto-focused on a person in a venue who is wearing, or carrying, or holding, or speaking into a microphone at the venue by detecting when a microphone having a real-time location system (RTLS) affixed thereto is active, identifying the position of RTLS tag, and auto-focusing the camera on the identified position of the RTLS tag.

Abstract: A user interface display is provided to a participant who is viewing an event via a communication system that provides videoconferencing. The communication system provides a composite video stream that includes a plurality of different video layers, each video layer providing a different portion of the composite video stream. The participant has a participant computer for allowing the participant to receive the composite video stream for display on the user interface display. A plurality of participants view the event via user interface displays of their respective participant computers. The layers include a participant layer that displays video streams of the participants, a foreground layer, an event layer that includes video of the event, an audience layer, a background layer, and an immersive layer.

Abstract: A camera is auto-focused on an in-person attendee in a meeting who is speaking into a microphone at a live location of the meeting. The live location includes a real-time location system (RTLS) having a RTLS tag and a plurality of RTLS anchors for locating a position of the RTLS tag in three-dimensional space. The RTLS tag is fixed to the microphone and transmits a signal that is received by the plurality of RTLS anchors. In operation, it detected when the microphone is active. The position of the RTLS tag in the live location is then identified in three-dimensional space by using the signal transmitted from the RTLS tag and received by the RTLS anchors to calculate the position of the RTLS tag in three-dimensional space. The position of the RTLS tag in three-dimensional space in the live location is presumed to be the same position as the microphone that the RTLS tag is fixed to.

Abstract: A virtual space view is provided in an online meeting user interface associated with a videoconferencing system that is changeable by gestures of meeting participants. The virtual space view displays avatars or video feeds of the meeting participants on their respective participant computers. The videoconferencing system captures video feeds of all meeting participants, including meeting participants being displayed as avatars. Software of the videoconferencing system recognizes a specific gesture of a meeting participant. The specific gesture is associated with a predefined directional movement of the meeting participant's avatar or video feed within the virtual space view during the online meeting, and the predefined directional movement is requested by the meeting participant via the specific gesture. The specific gesture of the meeting participant is a physical body gesture of the meeting participant which is captured in the video feed of the meeting participant.

Abstract: A user interface display is provided to a participant who is viewing an event via a communication system that provides videoconferencing. The communication system provides a composite video stream that includes a plurality of different video layers, each video layer providing a different portion of the composite video stream. The participant has a participant computer for allowing the participant to receive the composite video stream for display on the user interface display. A plurality of participants view the event via user interface displays of their respective participant computers. The layers include a participant layer that displays video streams of the participants, a foreground layer, an event layer that includes video of the event, an audience layer, a background layer, and an immersive layer.

Abstract: A camera is auto-focused on an in-person attendee in a hybrid meeting who is speaking into a microphone at a live location of the hybrid meeting, wherein the hybrid meeting is being streamed via a videoconferencing system to one or more remote attendees. The live location includes a real-time location system (RTLS) having a RTLS tag and a plurality of RTLS anchors for locating a position of the RTLS tag in three-dimensional space. The RTLS tag is fixed to the microphone. In operation, it detected when the microphone is active. The position of the RTLS tag in the live location is then identified, wherein the position of the RTLS tag in the live location is presumed to be the same position as the microphone that the RTLS tag is fixed to.

Abstract: A mirrored gallery view is provided of a breakout room in an online meeting user interface associated with a videoconferencing session with a session view established in a videoconferencing system. The mirrored gallery view displays video feeds of meeting participants on their respective participant computers. The video feeds are camera-captured views of each of the meeting participants, The videoconferencing system creates a breakout room within the videoconferencing session for a subset of the meeting participants, thereby allowing the subset of the meeting participants to engage with one another within the breakout room during the videoconferencing session. A video processor automatically creates mirrored views of the video feed of each of the subset of meeting participants in the breakout room whose video feed in the videoconferencing session is not currently mirrored.

Abstract: A gallery view or a virtual space view is provided in an online meeting user interface associated with a videoconferencing system. The gallery view or virtual space view displays video feeds of meeting participants on their respective participant computers. The video feeds are camera-captured views of each of the meeting participants. The videoconferencing system receives an electronic request from one or more meeting participants via the meeting participant's respective participant computer to either display a mirrored view of the video feed of the meeting participant to all meeting participants in the online meeting, or display an unmirrored view of the video feed of the meeting participant to all meeting participants in the online meeting. A video processor associated with the videoconferencing system creates the respective mirrored or unmirrored view of the video feed of each of the meeting participants whose participant computer sent the electronic request.

Abstract: A test audio pattern is sent to the speaker of the participant computer for outputting by the speaker. A computer receives a microphone input signal from the participant computer that includes the test audio pattern outputted by the speaker of the participant computer, and any ambient noise picked up by the speaker of the participant computer. Ambient noise suppression is performed to cancel out any ambient noise in the microphone input signal picked up by the speaker of the participant computer. The test audio pattern sent to the speaker of the participant computer is compared with the noise-suppressed microphone input signal which includes the test audio pattern outputted by the speaker of the participant computer. An audio signal transform is generated from the comparison.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for simultaneously displaying a session view of a videoconferencing session and a participant-initiated breakout session view. The session view displays a video feed of the videoconferencing session to meeting participants of the videoconferencing session on their respective participant computers. The breakout session participants are a subset of the meeting participants. The simultaneous display may be generated by a videoconferencing system to be displayed on a single online meeting user interface, or the simultaneous display may be created from two different videoconferencing systems, one for creating the session view, and another one for creating the participant-initiated breakout session view. The session view of the videoconferencing session is a breakout session, and the non-host participant-initiated breakout session is a further breakout session created from this breakout session.

Abstract: Automated methods and systems provide a gallery view in an online meeting user interface that is changeable by gestures of meeting participants. The gallery view displays video feeds of the meeting participants on their respective participant computers, the video feeds being camera-captured views of each of the meeting participants. Software of a video conferencing system recognizes a specific gesture of a meeting participant, wherein the specific gesture is associated with a predefined directional movement of the meeting participant's video feed within the gallery view during the online meeting. The videoconferencing system electronically and automatically repositions the video feed of the meeting participant who made the specific gesture within the gallery view during the online meeting in accordance with the associated predefined directional movement.