Patent ID: 7688344
Filing Date: 2010-03-30
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A status providing system for mediating a teleconference to reduce collisions occurring as a result of data transmission delays and to facilitate turn-taking during the teleconference, the teleconference being conducted between a first participant and a second participant, the first participant being at a first unit including a first source unit and a first receiving unit, the second participant being at a second unit including a second source unit and second receiving unit the status providing system comprising: a delay determining unit for determining an approximate delay time, the approximate delay time including an approximate time elapsed before an occurrence occurring at a first time, which is captured into an occurrence signal by the first source unit, is experienced at a second time occurring after the occurrence signal is received by the second receiving unit, the approximate delay time being approximately equal to a difference between the first time and the second time, wherein the occurrence signal is at least one of a video occurrence signal and an audio occurrence signal captured by the source unit comprising at least one of a camera and a microphone, and the occurrence is experienced when the at least one of the video occurrence signal and the audio occurrence signal is received by the receiving unit comprising at least one of a display and a sneaker; and a status signal generator, wherein after the occurrence, the status signal generator provides based on the occurrence and the determined approximate delay time, a status signal at a status time, the status time being at least one of a time including-a time earlier than the second time and a time, at least beginning, upon passage of the determined approximate delay time from the first time, the status signal being provided to the second participant in the teleconference at the second receiving unit and wherein the status signal comprises information indicative of a timing constraint on a second live communication of the second participant necessary to reduce or avoid a live communication collision with a first live communication of the first participant. expected to be received by the second receiving unit, wherein the timing constraint comprises a delay of the first live communication expected to be received by the second receiving unit.