Patent ID: 7321384

Claim:
In a multipoint videoconference, the videoconference having a first participant and a plurality of other participants, a method of providing one or more controls of the set of controls consisting of layout selection, participant selection to select a participant, and participant-to-participant camera control of the selected participant, the method comprising: receiving an FECC message of a set of FECC messages over a packet network from the first participant, the first participant having a set of FEEC modes and being in one of the FECC modes of the set; maintaining knowledge of the mode of the first participant; interpreting the received FECC message according to the FECC mode of the first participant; and depending on the FECC mode of the first participant, the interpreted FECC message, and the set of controls being provided by the method, one of changing the FECC mode of the first participant, forming a layout for the first participant, selecting a participant for the first participant, or carrying out participant-to-participant camera control of a previously selected participant.