DAHL, Axel (4612 North Ave, San Diego, CA, 92116, US)
| 1. A method for a computer device remotely controlling a video conferencing device registered with a video conferencing management server, the method comprising establishing a connection to the video conferencing management server via a local area network (LAN) ; receiving a list over video conferencing devices registered with the video conferencing management server selecting a video conferencing device from the list of video conferring devices registered with the management server; downloading a remote control application from the video conferencing management server; receiving registration information for the selected video conferencing device from the video conferencing management server, the registration information at least including an internal LAN address of the selected video conferencing device; establishing, using the registration information, a connection directly with the selected video conferencing device, and controlling the selected video conferencing device using the remote control application. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the computer device, the video conferencing management server and the selected video conferencing device are connected to the same LAN. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the internal LAN address is a local Internet Protocol (IP) network address. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the registration information further comprises a username and a password of the selected video conferencing device. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of connecting directly with the selected video conferencing device further comprises displaying a confirmation code on a screen of the selected video conferencing device, and upon typing the confirmation code into the remote control application, allowing the remote control application access to the selected video conferencing device. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the selected video conferencing device using the remote control application comprises establishing a call from the selected videoconferencing device by dialling a number to a different user and/or device. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the selected video conferencing device using the remote control application comprises establishing a call to a user and/or device based on a phonebook lookup at the video conferencing management server. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of controlling the selected video conferencing device using the remote control application comprises accepting an incoming call. 9. A system for remotely controlling a video conferencing device, said system comprising: a computer device adapted for communication over a local area network (LAN); a video conferencing management server adapted for communication over the LAN; at least one video conferencing device registered with the video conferencing management server; wherein the computer device is configured to: establish a connection to the video conferencing management server via the LAN, receive a list over the video conferencing devices registered with the video conferencing management server, select a video conferencing device from the list . over registered video conferencing devices, download a remote control application from the video conferencing management server, receive registration information for the selected video conferencing device from the video conferencing management server, the registration information at least including an internal LAN address of the selected video conferencing device, establishing, using the registration information, a connection directly with the selected video conferencing device, and controlling the selected video conferencing device using the remote control application.. 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the computer device, the video conferencing management server and the selected video conferencing device connected to the same LA . 11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the internal LAN address is a local Internet Protocol (IP) network address. 12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the registration information further comprises a username and a password of the selected video conferencing device. 13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the system is further configured to upon the computer device connecting directly with the selected video conferencing device, displaying a confirmation code on a screen of the selected video conferencing device; and upon typing the confirmation code into the remote control application, allowing the remote control application access to the selected video conferencing device. 14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the remote control application is configured to establishing a call from the selected videoconferencing device by dialling a number to a different user and/or device. 15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the remote control application is configured to establishing a call to a user and/or device based on a phonebook lookup at the video conferencing management server. 16. The system according to claim 9, wherein the remote control application is configured to accepting an incoming call. 17. Computer program, comprising instructions that are tangibly embodied in a memory, on a storage device or on a propagating signal, which, when executed by a processing device in a computer,, causes the computer to perform a method as set forth in one of the claims 1-8. |
CONFERENCING DEVICE
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to managing video conference equipment, in particular to a system and method for
remotely controlling a video conferencing device from a computer device.
Background of the invention
Conventional videoconferencing systems comprise a number of end-points communicating real-time video, audio and/or data streams over and between various networks such as WAN, LAN and circuit switched networks.
A number of videoconference systems residing at different sites may participate in the same conference, most often, through one or more MCU' s (Multipoint Control Unit) performing, i.e., switching functions to allow the
audiovisual terminals to intercommunicate properly.
As videoconferencing involves various resources and
equipment simultaneously interoperating at different localizations and capabilities, there is a need for the possibility to manage the resources involved both for scheduled and ad hoc videoconferences .
Videoconferencing systems are therefore often provided with a management system. A management system is a module that is used to schedule or book resources at any given point in time. The management system will allow a user to request resource usage at a given time, and either allow or
disallow the usage at that time. Management systems are often used for scheduling the use of meeting rooms, network resources, video systems etc. The management system must be connected to a database containing updated information regarding all accessible resources like MCU's, gateways, routers, end-points etc. The management system normally operates with an intuitive web interface requiring no additional installation on the user terminal other than a conventional web browser.
In a typical office environment tens or even hundreds of employees may share access to a plurality of different video conferencing systems in meeting rooms or the like. When utilizing different types of systems, operation and settings are easily forgotten. Since many employees share one or more endpoints, personal information such as last numbers called/received, speed dial listings, etc. are easily erased from such a shared endpoint.
In addition, traditional control devices for video
conferencing device typically comprise numerical keyboards only. Numerical keyboards works perfectly to dial numerical numbers, however, common URI's, such as e-mail addresses, used in video conferencing, are cumbersome to type using the multi-tap text entry available using numerical
keyboards.
As most users of video conferencing devices already have a keyboard available at their desk, the keyboard of their computer, it would to great ease controlling their desk video conferencing system using their computer also to control their video conferencing device.
A software remote for wireless communication devices is known from US20080235362 , incorporated entirely herein. However, the prior art remote control is unnecessarily complex within a company local area network, LAN, as it deals with communication from external devices sending requests through a firewall to a video conferencing
management server which in turn proxies the request to a specific video conferencing device or delegates the request to a management platform. It therefore exists a need in the art for a software remote application simplifying the control of a desktop or room- type video conferencing device.
Summary of the invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide
methods, computer programs, and a system for managing conference equipment from a remote control application on a computer device.
In particular the present invention relates to a system and a method for a computer device remotely controlling a video conferencing device registered with a video conferencing management server, wherein the computer device establishes a connection to the video conferencing management server via a local area network (LAN) ; receives a list over video conferencing devices registered with the video conferencing management server; selects a video conferencing device from the list of video conferring devices registered with the management server, downloads a remote control application from the video conferencing management server; receives registration information for the selected video
conferencing device from the video conferencing management server, the registration information at least including an internal LAN address of the selected video conferencing device, establishes, using the registration information, a connection directly with the selected video conferencing device, and controls the selected video conferencing device using the remote control application.
The features defined in the independent claims enclosed characterise the methods, the computer programs and the system. Brief description of the drawings and tables
In order to make the invention more readily understandable, the discussion that follows will refer to the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a typical configuration of a system according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, and
Figure 2 is a flow diagram showing an exemplary remote control session according to the present invention.
Detailed Description
In the following, the present invention will be discussed by describing non-limiting embodiments, and by referring to the accompanying drawings. However, people skilled in the art will realize other applications and modifications within the scope of the invention as defined in the
enclosed independent claims.
The non-limiting embodiments of the present invention introduce a method of remotely controlling a video
conferencing device from a computer device, such as desktop computer or a laptop computer, and PDA's. This is utilised by communicating with a server, e.g. a Conferencing
Management server, and receiving the necessary registration information of a video conferencing device one would like to control remotely, downloading a remote control
application from the conferencing management server, and using the received information to connect the remote control application directly with the video conferencing device.
Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a typical configuration of a system according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. . . '■ · . The system comprises at least a computer device ' 1 and a server 2. Computer device 1 can be a desktop computer, a portable laptop computer, a PDA (Personal Digital
Assistant) or the like. The computer device 1 is configured to communicate with the internal local area network (LAN) 6. The LAN 6 can be a wired network and a wireless network (WLAN) , both referred to in the following as a LAN.
The computer device 1 comprises a processing device, a memory for storing processing instructions and other data. The computer device 1 further comprises at least one adapter for enabling communication with the LAN, either wired or wireless, with the network 6. An remote control application according to the present invention is a
computer program which comprises instructions which, when executed by the processing device in the mobile
communication device, causes the computer device to perform a method in accordance with the invention, as described by example in the following detailed description, in
particular with reference to fig. 2. The practical
implementation of such instructions involves routine abilities of the skilled person, based on the present specification. Such instructions may be tangibly embodied in the memory of the mobile communication device, or alternatively, they may be tangibly embodied in another memory, such as semiconductor memory, or on a separate storage device such as an optical or magnetic medium (e.g., computer readable storage mediums) . Likewise, the
instructions may be tangibly embodied on a propagating signal (e.g. a signal propagated during uploading,
downloading, messaging or other kinds of transfer between elements of a computer network such as the Internet or through a wireless communication network) .
The server 2 provides an interface with an external network 5, and is further operably connected to several (two illustrated by example) video conferencing devices 3 on the internal communication network 6. The server 2 can be a management system controlling a range of telecommunication units and other equipment, as
described above, or it could also be a single
telecommunication unit, such as a video conferencing end- point or the like.
The server 2 comprises a processing device and a memory for storing processing instructions and other data. The server 2 further comprises a wireless communication adapter for enabling wireless communication with the network 5. The server 2 runs a computer program (stored in a computer readable storage medium) that comprises instructions which, when executed by the processing device in the server 2, causes the server 2 to perform a method in accordance with the examples in the following detailed description. The practical implementing of such instructions involves routine abilities of the skilled person, based on the present specification. Such instructions may be tangibly embodied in the memory of the server, or alternatively, they may be tangibly embodied in another memory, such as semiconductor memory, or on a separate storage device such as an optical or magnetic medium (e.g., computer readable storage mediums ). Likewise, the instructions may be
tangibly embodied on a propagating signal (e.g. a signal propagated during uploading, downloading, messaging or other kinds of transfer between elements of a computer network such as the Internet or through a wireless
communication network) .
In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the invention, the server 2 in figure 1 is a server running a VCMP (Video Conferencing Management Program) . As mentioned above, video conferencing systems are often provided with a management system, or more specifically a VCMP. VCMP' s are used for scheduling the use of network resources, video conferencing systems, etc. The VCMP must be connected to a database containing updated information regarding all accessible resources like MCU's, gateways, routers, video conferencing end-points etc.
Further, a VCMP, for example, provides system and resource overview, allowing the user to create, edit, and delete reservations, reserve resources for dial-in participants and specify bandwidth and network settings. The VCMP may also support automatic call routing and automatic selection of point-to-point connection, including one or more MCU's. Further, the VCMP may control any video conferencing end- point 3 connected to the VCMP. The VCMP normally operates with an intuitive web interface requiring no additional installation on the user terminal other than a conventional web browser.
As mentioned above the server 2 is typically connected to one or more databases. As shown in figure 1, in one
embodiment of present invention the server 2 is connected to a user database 4 containing records of video
Conferencing endpoints connected to the VCMP running on the server 2 and information related to said end-points, such as the, Entry_ID, Entry name (name displayed in phonebook service, e.g. name of the end-point user or name describing endpoint location) , end-point IP-address, username and password of the endpoint, alias, ISDN-number, GSM-number, geographical location, organization affiliation, etc. The server 2 uses at least parts of said database records to generate a phone book service for its connected end-point and their users. The phone book service is also typically used when scheduling video conference calls through a web based user interface connected to the server 2 or when making a call from an endpoint.
According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the computer device can connect to the video conferencing management server 2, and receive a list over all video conferencing devices registered with the server. When receiving the list over the registered video conferencing devices the computer device can select a video conferencing device from the list it would like to control remotely. The list over registered video conferencing devices could be present to the computer device as a web-page wherein the selection of the registered video conferencing device can be performed by clicking on the requested video
conferencing device.
Upon selecting a video conferencing device to control remotely, the computer device 1 downloads a remote control application from the video conferencing management server. Alternatively, the computer device 1 could check whether the computer device already had the remote control
application installed, in which case the computer would just launch the remote control application.
When launched the remote control application on the
computer device 1, remote control application receives registration information from the video conferencing management server for the selected video conferencing device. The registration information includes at least an internal LAN address, typically IP-address, of the selecte video conferencing device. Upon receiving the internal LAN address the remote control application can establish a direct communication with the selected videoconferencing device over the internal network.
Often a username and password would also be required to connect directly with the selected video conferencing device, in which case the username and password would also be supplied to the remote control application from the video conferencing management server 2.
According to another aspect of the current invention, the system comprises a feature to avoid hijacking of a video conferencing device by a person not sitting in front of the selected video conferencing device. Upon the computer device connecting directly with the selected video conferencing device a confirmation number is displayed on a screen of the selected video conferencing device, whereupon typing the confirmation number into the remote control application the remote control application is allowed access to the selected video conferencing device
When the direct connection is established the remote control application can control the selected video
conferencing device remotely. According to one aspect of the current invention the remote control application can establish a call by accepting an incoming call to the selected video conferencing device, when e.g. being
presented with an Accept/Rej ect pop-up menu on a screen the computer device 1.
According to one aspect of the current invention the remote control application can establish a call dialling a number to a different user and/or device using a keyboard of the computer device 1.
According to another aspect of the current invention the remote control application can establish a call to a user and/or device based on a phonebook lookup at the video conferencing management server, e.g. search for people to contact from the resources (phone book) controlled by the server 2.
The following example describes, in detail, one exemplary way of setting up a remote control of a video conferencing device according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a flow diagram showing an embodiment of a method according to the present invention. By example, the illustrated method may be a client and server communication session, viewed from the client side.
The illustrated process is a method in a mobile
communication device for managing conference equipment. As can be seen in step 201 in the flow diagram in figure 2, a user of computer device 1 starts by launching an
application establishing a connection to the video
conference management server 2 on his/her mobile phone. This application might be a web browser or similar opening a graphical user interface (GUI) on the server 2. The computer device 1 and the conferencing management server 2 are on the same internal network 6.
Then in the next step, 202, the computer device receives a list over all video conferencing device registered with the conferencing management server 2. The list could be a text file transmitted to the computer device or a graphical presentation of the video conferencing devices in a web browser.
In step 203, the user of the computer device 1 selects one of the listed registered video conferencing devices, e.g. by clicking on the graphical presentation or by sending a text based communication message to the server 2. Upon selecting a video conferencing device to control remotely, the computer device 1 downloads a remote control
application from the video conferencing management server. Alternatively, the computer device 1 could check whether the computer device already had the remote control
application installed, in which case the computer would just launch the remote control application.
Continuing to step 204, the remote control application receive registration information from the video
conferencing management server 2 for the selected video conferencing device. The registration information includes at least an internal LAN address, typically IP-address, of the selected video conferencing device. In some instances more registration information is required to connect to the selected video conferencing device, in which case the additional required information would also be sent to the remote control application. Often a username and password would also be required to connect directly with the
selected video conferencing device, in which case the username and password would also be supplied to the remote control application from the video conferencing management server 2
In step 205, upon receiving the internal LAN-address and other registration information from the video conferencing management server the remote control application
establishes a direct communication with the selected videoconferencing device over the internal network 6.
According to another aspect of the current invention, the system comprises a feature to avoid hijacking of a video conferencing device by a person not sitting in front of the selected video conferencing device. When trying to
establish a connection directly with the selected video conferencing device, the video conferencing device can display a confirmation number on its screen. The remote control application will be allowed access to the selected video conferencing device when the user of the computer device 1 types the confirmation number into the remote control application. .
When referring to a "confirmation number" in the aspect described above, it should be understood that any
confirmation code, such as one or more alphanumeric
characters or strings, or any other sequence of appropriate symbols, may be used as "confirmation number".
In step 206, when direct connection between the remote control application and the selected video conferencing device has been established, the remote control application can control several aspects of the connected video
conferencing device. In particular can the user of the remote control application establish a call by accepting an incoming call on the selected . video conferencing device, when exemplary being presented with an Accept/Rej ect pop-up menu on a screen of the computer device 1.
According to one aspect of the current invention the remote control application can establish a call by dialling a number to a different user and/or device using a keyboard of the computer device 1.
According to another aspect of the current invention the remote control application can establishing a call to a user and/or device based on a phonebook lookup at the video conferencing management server, e.g. search for people to contact from the resources (phone book) controlled by the server 2.
The above described non-limiting embodiments of the present invention provide a novel method and system for from a computer remotely controlling a videoconferencing device on a same LAN, allowing e.g. the use of a computer keyboard to type URI's, accept, incoming calls without the hands leaving the keyboard of a users computer and so on. A software remote application simplifies the control of a desktop or room-type video conferencing device without having to rely on the complicated and old-fashioned numerical keyboards usually found on video conferencing devices.
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