Abstract: Computing devices may implement dynamic transitions from video messages to video communications. Video communication data for a video message may be received at a recipient device. The video communication data may be displayed as it is received, and recorded for subsequent playback. An indication of a selection to establish a video communication with the sender of the video message may be received, or an indication that display of the video communication is to be ceased may be received. If a video communication is to be established, then a video communication connection with the sender of the video message may be created so that subsequent video communication data may be sent via the established connection.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an architecture for establishing a multi-participant conference. This architecture has one participant's computer in the conference act as a central content distributor for the conference. The central distributor receives data (e.g., video and/or audio streams) from the computer of each other participant, and distributes the received data to the computers of all participants. In some embodiments, the central distributor receives A/V data from the computers of the other participants. From such received data, the central distributor of some embodiments generates composite data (e.g., composite image data and/or composite audio data) that the central distributor distributes back to the participants.

Abstract: Performing a real-time application on a mobile device, involving communication of audio/video packets with a remote device. The mobile device may initially communicate the audio/video packets on a first communication channel with the remote device. During the real-time communication, the mobile device may determine if no packets have been received by the mobile device from the remote device for a first threshold period of time. If no packets have been received by the mobile device from the remote device for the first threshold period of time, the mobile device may establish a second communication channel for transmission of the audio/video packets with the remote device. In response to using the second communication channel, the mobile device may modify a resolution or bit rate of the audio/video packets transmitted to the remote device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are provided for managing communication of data to/from a device. For example, multiple client applications running on the device can communicate to a second device through a same primary socket connection. A mux module can receive data from two different client applications over respective client connections. The received data can include header information identifying the second device as the destination. When the first data from a first client application is received at the mux module, the primary socket connection can be created; and when the second data from a second client application is received, the existing primary socket connection can be identified and re-used. The primary socket connection can be managed by a controller of the mux module.

Abstract: conducting a real time application between a mobile device and a remote device. A first one or more messages may be transmitted to the remote device to establish a primary channel of communication for the real-time application. The primary channel may use a first radio access technology (RAT), such as WiFi or a cellular RAT. A second one or more messages may be transmitted to the remote device to establish a secondary channel of communication for the real-time application. The secondary channel may use a second RAT that is different from the first RAT. Data of the real-time application may be transmitted over both the primary channel and the secondary channel in a concurrent or redundant fashion.

Abstract: Performing a real-time application on a mobile device, involving communication of audio/video packets with a remote device. The mobile device may initially communicate the audio/video packets on a first communication channel with the remote device. During the real-time communication, the mobile device may determine if no packets have been received by the mobile device from the remote device for a first threshold period of time. If no packets have been received by the mobile device from the remote device for the first threshold period of time, the mobile device may establish a second communication channel for transmission of the audio/video packets with the remote device. In response to using the second communication channel, the mobile device may modify a resolution or bit rate of the audio/video packets transmitted to the remote device.

Abstract: A unified message delivery between multiple devices is disclosed. Sending messages through a local communications link, such as but not limited to at least one of a Bluetooth connection and a peer-to-peer WiFi connection, can lead to faster transmission times and reduced server load. When the local communications link is unavailable or not suitable, the messages can be sent through a network and a push server. In some examples, messages can be sent through both the local communications link and through the network and the push server. Duplicates of a received message can be avoided by utilizing indicators. In some examples, one or more devices can include queue(s) to ensure ordered delivery of a plurality of messages when a local communications link and network connection become unavailable.

Abstract: A system and method for conducting a video call between an originating device and a terminating device by establishing a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection between the devices. The originating and terminating devices exchange candidate information through a P2P server, except that the candidate information for the terminating device is altered before arriving at the originating device. The altering includes changing the IP address and corresponding port for each candidate. The originating device uses the altered candidate information to derive new candidate pairs that are sent to the terminating device, which uses the new candidate pairs to also derive a second candidate list. If the candidate pairs match, a P2P connection is established between the devices.

Abstract: A wireless device described herein can use information on data flow, in addition to indications from the physical network, to decide on suitable bandwidth usage for audio and video information. This data flow information is further used to determine an efficient network route to use for high-quality reception and transmission of audio and video data, as well as the appropriate time to switch between available network routes to improve bandwidth performance.

Abstract: A method for refreshing blocked media packets for a streaming media session over a wireless network in a stall condition is disclosed. The method can include a wireless communication device maintaining a buffer at an application layer. The buffer can contain at least a portion of media packets provided to a baseband layer by the application layer for transmission. Media packets provided to the baseband layer can be queued in a baseband queue prior to transmission. The method can further include the wireless communication device generating at least one new media packet for the streaming media session during the stall condition; flushing at least a portion of the media packets queued in the baseband queue; and replenishing the baseband queue by providing the baseband layer with at least a portion of the media packets contained in the buffer and at least one new media packet.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for conducting a video conference between a first mobile device and a second device. The first mobile device includes first and second cameras. The method selects the first camera for capturing images. The method transmits images captured by the first camera to the second device. The method receives selections of the second camera for capturing images during the video conference. The method terminates the transmission of images captured by the first camera and transmits images captured by the second camera of the first mobile device to the second device during the video conference.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a novel method for in-conference adjustment of encoded video pictures captured by a mobile device having at least first and second cameras. The method may involve real-time modifications of composite video displays that are generated by the mobile devices involved in such a conference. Specifically, in some embodiments, the mobile devices generate composite displays that simultaneously display multiple videos captured by multiple cameras of one or more devices. In some cases, the composite displays place the videos in adjacent display areas (e.g., in adjacent windows). In other cases, the composite display is a picture-in-picture (PIP) display that includes at least two display areas that show two different videos where one of the display areas is a background main display area and the other is a foreground inset display area that overlaps the background main display area.

Abstract: A system and method for conducting a video call between an originating device and a terminating device by establishing a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection between the devices. The originating and terminating devices exchange candidate information through a P2P server, except that the candidate information for the terminating device is altered before arriving at the originating device. The altering includes changing the IP address and corresponding port for each candidate. The originating device uses the altered candidate information to derive new candidate pairs that are sent to the terminating device, which uses the new candidate pairs to also derive a second candidate list. If the candidate pairs match, a P2P connection is established between the devices.

Abstract: In video conferencing over a radio network, the radio equipment is a major power consumer especially in cellular networks such as LTE. In order to reduce the radio power consumption in video conferencing, it is important to introduce an enough radio inactive time. Several types of data buffering and bundling can be employed within a reasonable range of latency that doesn't significantly disrupt the real-time nature of video conferencing. In addition, the data transmission can be synchronized to the data reception in a controlled manner, which can result in an even longer radio inactive time and thus take advantage of radio power saving modes such as LTE C-DRX.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for allowing a first device that is in a video conference with a second mobile device to remotely control the second mobile device. The method sends images captured by a camera of the first device to the second device. The method receives images captured by a camera of the second device. The method sends a command through a communication channel of a real-time communication session to the second device. The command is for instructing the second device to perform an operation that modifies the images captured by the camera of the second device.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an architecture for establishing a multi-participant conference. This architecture has one participant's computer in the conference act as a central content distributor for the conference. The central distributor receives data (e.g., video and/or audio streams) from the computer of each other participant, and distributes the received data to the computers of all participants. In some embodiments, the central distributor receives A/V data from the computers of the other participants. From such received data, the central distributor of some embodiments generates composite data (e.g., composite image data and/or composite audio data) that the central distributor distributes back to the participants.

Abstract: A video streaming method for transitioning between multiple sequences of coded video data may include receiving and decoding transmission units from a first sequence of coded video data. In response to a request to transition to a second sequence of coded video data, the method may determine whether a time to transition to the second sequence of coded video data can be reduced by transitioning to the second sequence of coded video data via an intermediate sequence of coded video data. If the time can be reduced, the method may include receiving at least one transmission unit from an intermediate sequence of coded video data that corresponds to the request to transition, decoding the transmission unit from the intermediate sequence, and transitioning from the first sequence to the second sequence via the decoded transmission unit from the intermediate sequence.

Abstract: In video conferencing over a radio network, the radio equipment is a major power consumer especially in cellular networks such as LTE. In order to reduce the radio power consumption in video conferencing, it is important to introduce an enough radio inactive time. Several types of data buffering and bundling can be employed within a reasonable range of latency that doesn't significantly disrupt the real-time nature of video conferencing. In addition, the data transmission can be synchronized to the data reception in a controlled manner, which can result in an even longer radio inactive time and thus take advantage of radio power saving modes such as LTE C-DRX.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and machine-readable medium are described for establishing, maintaining and utilizing backup channels in a peer-to-peer (“P2P”) network. For example, in one embodiment, each mobile device can establish a primary P2P communication channel with one or more other mobile devices. Once the primary channel is established, each mobile device can use the primary channel to exchange secondary channel connection data and can subsequently open one or more secondary P2P communication channels with the other mobile devices. Upon detecting that the primary P2P communication channel has failed or has degraded below a specified threshold (e.g., a bandwidth or bitrate threshold), one of the secondary P2P communication channels can be automatically promoted to a primary P2P communication channel.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method of combining multiple streams of data packets into a single combined stream in a manner that facilitates accurate estimation of bandwidth of a connection over a network between two devices. When combining the streams into the combined stream, the method associates a set of packets from a first stream and a reference packet from a second stream to form a longer sequence of packets in the combined stream. The method sends the combined stream from a first device to a second device so that the second device can estimate the bandwidth of the connection between the first and second devices based on the inter-arrival times of the packets in the sequence of packets.