Video Conference Control System and Method

Abstract

A local video conference system executing a video conference application, that lacks an ability or functionality to control a remote camera of a remote video conference system, can display video from the remote video conference system. The local video conference system can also execute a controller application that can provide the local video conference system control of the remote camera. The controller application can receive user input that selects a region of multiple regions of a display window of the video conference application indicating a camera action for the remote camera, can determine a camera action based on the user input and the selected region, and can provide the camera action to the remote video conference system via a network. The remote video conference system can pan, tilt, and/or zoom the remote camera based on the camera action received from the controller application of the local video conference system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer readable memory device comprising a first set of instructions, which when executed by a processor of a first video conference system at a first location, cause the first video conference system to perform:
 interfacing with a device driver that provides a video stream of a first video camera of the first video conference system to a video conference application, wherein each of the device driver and the video conference application is executable by the processor;   receiving, from the device driver, the video stream of the first video camera;   providing the video stream to the video conference application;   receiving data that indicates first user input that selects a first region of a plurality of regions of video of the video conference application and that indicates a first camera action for a remote camera of a second video conference system at a second location, different from the first location;   determining the first camera command based on the data that indicates the first user input and the first region; and   providing the first camera command to the second video conference system via a network interface of the first video conference system.   
     
     
         2 . The computer readable memory device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the device driver provides a first application interface;   wherein said interfacing with the device driver includes interfacing with the device driver via the first application interface; and   wherein the first set of instructions, which when executed by the processor of the first video conference system, cause the first video conference system to further perform:
 providing a second application interface, that is at least one of compatible and compliant with the first application interface, for the video conference application to utilize. 
   
     
     
         3 . The computer readable memory device of  claim 2 , wherein the first set of instructions, which when executed by the processor of the first video conference system, cause the first video conference system to further perform:
 providing a third application interface for said receiving the data that indicates the first user input that selects the first region of the plurality of regions of the video of the video conference application and that indicates the first camera action for the remote camera of the second video conference system at the second location;   
     
     
         4 . The computer readable memory device of  claim 3 , further comprising a second set of instructions, which when executed by the processor of the first video conference system, cause the first video conference system to perform:
 receiving the first user input that selects the first region of the plurality of regions of the video of the video conference application and that indicates the first camera action for the remote camera of the second video conference system; and   providing, to the first set of instructions via the third application interface, the data that indicates the first user input that selects the first region of the plurality of regions of the video of the video conference application and that indicates the first camera action for the remote camera of the second video conference system.   
     
     
         5 . The computer readable memory device of  claim 3 , further comprising a second set of instructions, which when executed by the processor of the first video conference system, cause the first video conference system to perform:
 receiving the first user input that selects the first region of the plurality of regions of the video of the video conference application and that indicates the first camera action for the remote camera of the second video conference system; and   providing, to the first set of instructions, the data that indicates the first user input that selects the first region of the plurality of regions of the video of the video conference application and that indicates the first camera action for the remote camera of the second video conference system.   
     
     
         6 . The computer readable memory device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the video conference application lacks a first functionality to receive the video stream via a first protocol and includes a second functionality to receive the video stream via a second protocol, different from the first protocol;   wherein said receiving, from the device driver, the video stream of the first video camera includes receiving, from the device driver, the video stream of the first video camera via the first protocol;   wherein the first set of instructions, which when executed by the processor of the first video conference system, cause the first video conference system to further perform:
 transforming the video stream from the first protocol to the second protocol; and 
   wherein said providing the video stream to the video conference application includes providing the video stream to the video conference application via the second protocol.   
     
     
         7 . The computer readable memory device of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of instructions, which when executed by the processor of the first video conference system, cause the first video conference system to further perform:
 receiving data indicating second user input that indicates configuration information.   
     
     
         8 . The computer readable memory device of  claim 1 , wherein the computer readable memory device includes a loadable kernel module that includes the first set of instructions. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 interfacing with a device driver that provides a video stream of a first video camera of a first video conference system to a video conference application that is executable by a processor of a first video conference system at a first location;   receiving, from the device driver, the video stream of the first video camera;   providing the video stream to the video conference application;   receiving data that indicates first user input that selects a first region of a plurality of regions of video of the video conference application and that indicates a first camera action for a remote camera of a second video conference system at a second location, different from the first location;   determining the first camera command based on the data that indicates the first user input and the first region; and   providing the first camera command to the second video conference system via a network interface of the first video conference system.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the device driver provides a first application interface; and   wherein said interfacing with the device driver includes interfacing with the device driver via the first application interface;   the method further comprising:
 providing a second application interface, that is at least one of compatible and compliant with the first application interface, for the video conference application to utilize. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the video conference application lacks a first functionality to receive the video stream via a first protocol and includes a second functionality to receive the video stream via a second protocol, different from the first protocol;   wherein said receiving, from the device driver, the video stream of the first video camera includes receiving, from the device driver, the video stream of the first video camera via the first protocol;   the method further comprising:
 transforming the video stream from the first protocol to the second protocol; 
   wherein said providing the video stream to the video conference application includes providing the video stream to the video conference application via the second protocol.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving data indicating second user input that indicates configuration information.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first video conference system is a mobile telephone.