Patent ID: 8704870
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for performing a videoconference, the method comprising: establishing, at a first videoconferencing location, a videoconference between at least three videoconferencing locations, where the at least three videoconferencing locations comprise the first videoconferencing location, a second videoconferencing location, and a third videoconferencing location, wherein each videoconferencing location maintains a respective corresponding plurality of endpoints, each endpoint comprising a respective at least one display, a respective at least one video input, and a respective videoconferencing unit, wherein the respective videoconferencing unit of each endpoint is configured to communicate only with the respective videoconferencing unit of the corresponding endpoint at each of the other videoconferencing locations, comprising a first videoconferencing unit of a first endpoint at the first videoconferencing location communicating only with first videoconferencing units of corresponding first endpoints at the second and third videoconferencing locations, and a second videoconferencing unit of a second endpoint at the first videoconferencing location communicating only with second videoconferencing units of corresponding second endpoints at the second and third videoconferencing locations; receiving, at the first videoconferencing unit of the first endpoint at the first videoconferencing location, an audio input signal from a first participant at the first videoconferencing location, wherein receiving the audio input signal from the first participant provides an indication to the first videoconferencing unit of the first endpoint at the first videoconferencing location that there is an active talker at the first videoconferencing location; providing an indication to the second videoconferencing unit of the second endpoint at the first videoconferencing location that there is an active talker at the first videoconferencing location; providing, by the first and second videoconferencing units of the first and second endpoints at the first videoconferencing location, signals to respective first and second videoconferencing units of corresponding the first and second endpoints at the second and third videoconferencing locations which indicate that videoconferencing signals from the first videoconferencing location should be displayed, in response to there being an active talker at the first videoconferencing location; switching, at the second and third videoconferencing locations, to display videoconferencing signals from the first videoconferencing location based on the signals which indicate that videoconferencing signals from the first videoconferencing location should be displayed, wherein said switching configures the first videoconferencing units of the first endpoints at the second and third videoconferencing locations to display the videoconferencing signals from the first videoconferencing unit of the first endpoint at the first videoconferencing location, and configures the second videoconferencing units of the second endpoints at the second and third videoconferencing locations to display the videoconferencing signals from the second videoconferencing unit of the second endpoint at the first videoconferencing location.