Method and apparatus for capability-based multimedia interactions

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling participants to interact remotely through multiple multimedia channels based on the configured capabilities of participants. The system consists of a server and one or more client devices. On joining new interactive session, the attributes and capabilities of the participant are determined. Other participants are notified as to the attributes and capabilities of the new participant. The interaction between participants is determined by their attributes and capabilities and that of the participant they wish to interact with.Participants can use a client device to join a session. If the device is capable of rendering a graphical display based on the capability information configured for that participant and device, participants can view multiple views rendered for the session in different regions of a display. The participants may interact with members of the session they select based on their mutual configured capabilities, may change the views displayed and their sizes, and may get dynamic updates as to the set of participants if their capability information supports that.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention generally relates to enabling capability-based participation by two or more participants.[0003]2. Background and Description of the Related Art[0004]Interactions between remote participants can take many forms. It can be a planning meeting, a seminar, a classroom, or thousands of people watching a speech. In these interactions, people assume or may be assigned various roles. For instance, in a remote classroom environment, you have students, an instructor, possibly assistants to the instructor, and display of one or more multimedia presentations.[0005]Interactions may be through multiple channels; a webinar, phone line, and TTY, but each would be limited to the set of capabilities associated with that channel and all users in that channel would be limited to those capabilities. For instance, all persons logged in through the web would be assumed to have the same capabilities.[0006]In each of these roles, ther...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]In another embodiment, a method for enabling a user to configure a display consisting of one or more regions is disclosed. A region is selected to be modified. A command is sent to change the size or visibility of the selected region. The size or visibility of the selected region is modified. All other regions are resized to use the remaining space on the display.

[0011]In another embodiment, a presence server managing participant data to configure remote interactions with a plurality of participants multiple multimedia streams over a network , the remote interactions determined by participant data associated with each of the plurality of participants is disclosed. The apparatus includes a computer coupled to a network, storage for category, capability and profile information, storage for commands coupled to the computer, a presence notificat

Problems solved by technology

Interactions may be through multiple channels; a webinar, phone line, and TTY, but each would be limited to the set of capabilities associated with that channel and all users in that channel would be limited to those capabilities.

The other streams will continue unabated, making this challenging for the participant to filter out these other distractions.

Doing the latter would cause the partial obliteration of the other portions of the display rather than resizing to fit.

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