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| Single-LNB satellite data receiver |
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| Television receiver |
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| First baseman's mitt |
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| Closed-caption scrolling method and apparatus suitable for syllable characters |
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| Edition system |
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| Program guide system for recording television programs |
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Webcam-based interface for initiating two-way video communication and providing access to cached video
| Details |
Inventors: Allen, Paul G.;
Assignee: Digeo, Inc. (Kirkland, WA)
Primary Examiner: Diep; Nhon
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Christensen; Kory D., Stoel Rives LLP
A plurality of live video streams are generated by video cameras associated with terminals in a network. In one embodiment, the live video streams are received and cached by a first terminal. In addition, the live video streams are simultaneously displayed on the first terminal in one of various formats, such as a grid format or a ticker format. In response to a user selecting one of the live video streams being displayed, an earlier-in-time cached segment of the selected live video stream is retrieved and displayed to the user. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention solves the foregoing problems and disadvantages with a webcam-based interface for initiating two-way video communication.
In one embodiment, a terminal receives and simultaneously displays an umber of video streams.
Each video stream may be generated by a camera associated with a different terminal in a network.
The video streams may be displayed on the terminal in various formats, such as a grid format or a ticker format.
For instance, in the grid format, the video streams are arranged in rows and columns on the terminal's display screen.
In the ticker format, the video streams move across the display screen in a carousel fashion (e.
g.
, like a stock ticker).
Any number of video streams may be displayed in either format, limited only by bandwidth considerations.
Preferably, a user may select one of the displayed video streams.
In response to the user selection, a two-way video communication may be established between the terminal on which the video streams are displayed and a terminal from which the selected video stream originated.
Accordingly, a user of one system may visually determine whether a user of another system is available before attempting to establish two-way video communication between the systems.
Additionally, a user of the first system may periodically monitor the output of a camera of the second system and selectively establish two-way video communication with the second system if desired.
This is of particular utility to parents and other caregivers.
In one embodiment, the displayed video streams are cached within the receiving terminal such that the streams may be viewed at a subsequent time.
Alternatively, the video streams may be cached within an intermediate network node, such as a cable head-end, or at the originating terminal.
Thus, in one embodiment, a user may select one of the displayed video streams and request playback of an earlier-in-time segment of the video stream.
Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention
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Television 
