Display-based synchronous communication

Abstract

A method and computing system for receiving, on a computing device, a plurality of individual audio/video streams from a plurality of client electronic devices used by a plurality of users. The plurality of individual audio/video streams are processed, on the computing device, to generate a synchronous communication session for the plurality of users. A broadcast request is received, on the computing device, from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device. A session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session is provided, via the computing device, to the media interface device, wherein the session audio/video stream includes at least a portion of the plurality of individual audio/video streams.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, on a computing device, a plurality of individual audio/video streams from a plurality of client electronic devices used by a plurality of users; 
 processing, on the computing device, the plurality of individual audio/video streams to generate a synchronous communication session for the plurality of users; 
 providing, via the computing device, the synchronous communication session to the plurality of client electronic devices; 
 receiving, on the computing device, a broadcast request from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device; 
 providing, via the computing device, a session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session to the media interface device, wherein:
 the session audio/video stream includes at least a portion of the plurality of individual audio/video streams, and 
 the media interface device is coupled to a display monitor and is configured to render the session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session on the display monitor; and 
 
 ceasing to provide the synchronous communication session to the one of the plurality of client electronic devices upon the session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session being provided to the media interface device, 
 wherein processing the plurality of individual audio/video streams to generate a synchronous communication session for the plurality of users includes: selecting an audio portion of one of the individual audio/video streams for inclusion within the session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session. 
 
     
     
       2. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, on a computing device, a plurality of individual audio/video streams from a plurality of client electronic devices used by a plurality of users; 
 processing, on the computing device, the plurality of individual audio/video streams to generate a synchronous communication session for the plurality of users; 
 providing, via the computing device, the synchronous communication session to one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices used by one or more of the plurality of users; 
 receiving, on the computing device, a broadcast request from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device; 
 providing, via the computing device, a session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session to the media interface device, wherein the session audio/video stream includes at least a portion of the plurality of individual audio/video streams; and 
 ceasing to provide the synchronous communication session to one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices used by one or more of the plurality of users upon the session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session being provided to the media interface device for rendering on a monitor device coupled to the media interface device and proximate one or more of the plurality of users. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the media interface device is coupled to a display monitor and is configured to render the session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session on the display monitor. 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein receiving a broadcast request from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device includes:
 receiving the broadcast request on the media interface device. 
 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 4  wherein receiving a broadcast request from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device further includes:
 providing at least a portion of the broadcast request from the media interface device to the computing device that is generating the synchronous communication session for the plurality of users. 
 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 4  wherein receiving a broadcast request from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device further includes:
 providing configuration information from the media interface device to the computing device that is generating the synchronous communication session for the plurality of users, wherein the configuration information defines one or more capabilities of a monitor device coupled to the media interface device. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein processing the plurality of individual audio/video streams to generate a synchronous communication session for the plurality of users includes:
 selecting an audio portion of one of the individual audio/video streams for inclusion within the session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session. 
 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein the synchronous communication session includes a primary viewing field. 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 8  wherein processing the plurality of individual audio/video streams to generate a synchronous communication session for the plurality of users includes:
 selecting a video portion of one of the individual audio/video streams for rendering within the primary viewing field of the synchronous communication session. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9  wherein the synchronous communication session includes a secondary viewing field that includes a plurality of portions, within which video portions of the remaining individual audio/video streams are rendered. 
     
     
       11. The computer-implemented method of  claim 10  wherein the primary viewing field is larger than each of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field. 
     
     
       12. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices and the media interface device are coupled via a wireless communication network, the computer-implemented method further comprising:
 apportioning the wireless bandwidth available via the wireless communication network amongst one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices and the media interface device. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  wherein one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices are coupled via a wireless communication network, the computer-implemented method further comprising:
 identifying a specific client electronic device, from the plurality of client electronic devices, which has moved outside of a viewing area of a monitor device coupled to the media interface device and/or a wireless range of the wireless communication network. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer-implemented method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 providing the specific client electronic device with an option to continue participating in the synchronous communication session via cellular connectivity. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer-implemented method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 providing the synchronous communication session to the specific client electronic device. 
 
     
     
       16. The computer-implemented method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 providing the synchronous communication session to one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices used by one or more of the plurality of users during the processing of the broadcast request. 
 
     
     
       17. A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, on a computing device, a plurality of individual audio/video streams from a plurality of client electronic devices used by a plurality of users; 
 processing, on the computing device, the plurality of individual audio/video streams to generate a synchronous communication session for the plurality of users; 
 providing, via the computing device, the synchronous communication session to one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices used by one or more of the plurality of users; 
 receiving, on the computing device, a broadcast request from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device; 
 providing, via the computing device, a session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session to the media interface device, wherein the session audio/video stream includes at least a portion of the plurality of individual audio/video streams; and 
 ceasing to provide the synchronous communication session to one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices used by one or more of the plurality of users upon the session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session being provided to the media interface device for rendering on a monitor device coupled to the media interface device and proximate one or more of the plurality of users. 
 
     
     
       18. The computing system of  claim 17  wherein the media interface device is coupled to a display monitor and is configured to render the session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session on the display monitor. 
     
     
       19. The computing system of  claim 17  wherein receiving a broadcast request from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device includes:
 receiving the broadcast request on the media interface device. 
 
     
     
       20. The computing system of  claim 19  wherein receiving a broadcast request from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device further includes:
 providing at least a portion of the broadcast request from the media interface device to the computing device that is generating the synchronous communication session for the plurality of users. 
 
     
     
       21. The computing system of  claim 19  wherein receiving a broadcast request from one of the plurality of users to provide the synchronous communication session to a media interface device further includes:
 providing configuration information from the media interface device to the computing device that is generating the synchronous communication session for the plurality of users, wherein the configuration information defines one or more capabilities of a monitor device coupled to the media interface device. 
 
     
     
       22. The computing system of  claim 17  wherein processing the plurality of individual audio/video streams to generate a synchronous communication session for the plurality of users includes:
 selecting an audio portion of one of the individual audio/video streams for inclusion within the session audio/video stream of the synchronous communication session. 
 
     
     
       23. The computing system of  claim 17  wherein the synchronous communication session includes a primary viewing field. 
     
     
       24. The computing system of  claim 23  wherein processing the plurality of individual audio/video streams to generate a synchronous communication session for the plurality of users includes:
 selecting a video portion of one of the individual audio/video streams for rendering within the primary viewing field of the synchronous communication session. 
 
     
     
       25. The computing system of  claim 24  wherein the synchronous communication session includes a secondary viewing field that includes a plurality of portions, within which video portions of the remaining individual audio/video streams are rendered. 
     
     
       26. The computing system of  claim 25  wherein the primary viewing field is larger than each of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field. 
     
     
       27. The computing system of  claim 17  wherein one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices and the media interface device are coupled via a wireless communication network, the computer-implemented method further comprising:
 apportioning the wireless bandwidth available via the wireless communication network amongst one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices and the media interface device. 
 
     
     
       28. The computing system of  claim 17  wherein one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices are coupled via a wireless communication network, the computer-implemented method further comprising:
 identifying a specific client electronic device, from the plurality of client electronic devices, which has moved outside of a viewing area of a monitor device coupled to the media interface device and/or a wireless range of the wireless communication network. 
 
     
     
       29. The computing system of  claim 28  further configured to perform operations comprising:
 providing the specific client electronic device with an option to continue participating in the synchronous communication session via cellular connectivity. 
 
     
     
       30. The computing system of  claim 28  further configured to perform operations comprising:
 providing the synchronous communication session to the specific client electronic device. 
 
     
     
       31. The computing system of  claim 17  further configured to perform operations comprising:
 providing the synchronous communication session to one or more of the plurality of client electronic devices used by one or more of the plurality of users during the processing of the broadcast request.