Cisco Technology, Inc.

Amit Prakash Barave

Shmuel Shaffer

Steven L Christenson

Marcelo Oliveira

Jonathan David Rosenberg

Mukul Jain

Brian C Powell

David C White, Jr

Alan Darryl Gatzke

Charles U Eckel

Carl Nathan Buckles

Zeeshan Rahman Khan

Sofia Karygianni

Tiffany Kristine Pham

Leila A Al-Muhtasib

Vaishnavi Rao

Improved virtual collaboration environments allow participants in a primary collaboration session to initiate side conversations with fellow participants based on virtual locations of each participant within a virtual collaboration layout. The virtual collaboration layout defines virtual locations of each participant in the collaboration session. If a virtual distance between two participants a below a threshold, the participants are able to engage in a side conversation. Management information is provided to a collaboration session host. The management information indicates, for example, a volume or frequency of communication occurring on each side conversation, or an elapsed time since the side conversation was initiated. The host is also provided with controls that allow the host to issue a warning to side conversation participants, to mute the side conversation, or to change a participant's position within the virtual collaboration layout, thus changing the participant's eligibility to participate in the side conversation.

Virtual position based management of collaboration sessions

The present technology automatically shares materials at the start of a videoconference without requiring a participant to find the materials or instruct the videoconferencing application to share the materials. The conference materials can be automatically shared without any conference participant involvement. The present technology automatically associates materials included in a calendar invitation to the conference or in a shared space referenced in the calendar invitation. These materials can be automatically shared when the conference launches.

Files automatically shared at conference initiation

The present technology allow for a user's portable device to automatically join a videoconference without any action by a user. A collaboration service can be aware of portable devices in a conference room that is an endpoint for a video conference, and learn of identities associated with the portable devices present in the conference room. After the video conference is initiated in the conference room, all devices that are in communication with the collaboration service can also be automatically joined to the conference. Since all conference participants in the conference room have their own portable device that is joined to the conference the portable devices in the conference room act as a second screen available to the video conference. As such video from the conference can be directed to a common conference room display, while conference materials can be displayed separately on the portable devices. Additionally, each conference participant's identity can be added to a conference participant roster automatically.

Automatically joining devices to a video conference

A system and methodology to facilitate communication between non-compatible communication devices by utilization of a dynamic media proxy is provided. Information associated with an endpoint, such as, media capabilities, identity and system resource information is collected. Media proxy'ing is performed as part of capability negotiation. A dynamic media proxy is employed based on an analysis of the collected information. An analysis component can identify an endpoint that does not adhere to specific rules of transmission and can dynamically connect such an endpoint to a VTG (virtual talk group) via a proxy to prevent the endpoint from transmitting media into an active VTG that already has multiple talkers streaming media. Additionally, the location where media processing can occur can be dynamically determined based on the available system resources.

Interoperability and communications system dynamic media proxy based on capability negotiation

In one embodiment, a method and apparatus of multiplexing and demultiplexing radio channels includes receiving data through at least one multicast media channel available for use in an Internet Protocol Interoperability and Communications System (IPICS) comprising multiple communication endpoints linkable to a Land Mobile Radio (LMR) in the IPICS; channel mapping the at least one multicast media channel to multiple media channels of the LMR; receiving an audio signal through the at least one multicast media channel; controlling access to the LMR by applying communication access control policies based on the received data upon reception of the audio signal; and operatively linking the LMR to a specified endpoint through the at least one multicast media channel based on the communication access control policies.

Multiplexing and demultiplexing radio channels

In an example embodiment, described herein is an apparatus that comprises a user interface, a communication interface, and logic coupled to the user interface and communication interface. The logic is configured to receiving a request via the user interface to forward a message to a recipient to determine whether distribution of the message is restricted to a group. The logic is further configured to determine whether the recipient is a member of the group responsive to determining distribution of the message restricted to a group. The logic is configured to send the message to the recipient via the communication interface responsive to determining the recipient is a member of the group.

Controlling the distribution of messages

In one embodiment, a voicemail system stores a voicemail message left by a first caller for a second caller. The voicemail system facilitates the transfer of a call out of a playback of the voicemail to the first caller and generates a credential that is coupled with the call. If the first caller is not available for the call, the second caller is transferred to the voicemail mailbox of the first caller where second caller records a second voicemail, which is placed in the mailbox of the first caller. The call may be transferred back to the mailbox of the first caller in response to a transfer code entered by the second caller. The voicemail system verifies the second caller based on the credential and returns the second caller to the appropriate location in the queue of voicemails.

In-voicemail-session call transfers

A method is provided that accesses a priority and a multimedia stream to be transmitted. The priority then is embedded within the multimedia stream. The multimedia stream thereafter is transmitted. Another method is provided that receives the multimedia stream that includes the priority. Here, another priority is accessed and both priorities are compared. The control of multimedia stream transmissions to other communication devices is based on this comparison.

Priority-based multimedia stream transmissions

An example method can include establishing a session involving a first end user, the first end user is included in a virtual talk group, which includes at least one other end user. A media source is provided for the session. The method also includes initiating a request for a second end user to join the session, the second end user is added to the virtual talk group. A mobile device being used by the first end user controls which data from the media source is to be sent to the second user during the session. An internet protocol (IP) address associated with the media source is withheld from communications sent to the second user. In more detailed embodiments, a control channel can be established between the mobile device and a server, the control channel managing data being sent to end users in the virtual talk group.

System and method for providing data channel management in a network environment

In an example embodiment, a method is provided that accesses a list of communication preferences. The list identifies a communication paradigm and a different communication paradigm. Link quality information associated with the communication paradigm also is accessed. Based on the link quality information, communication may be switched from the communication paradigm to the different communication paradigm.

Communication paradigm switching based on link quality information

A communication device and computerized method to address conflicts in Virtual Talk Groups is provided. The method may comprise accessing a database to monitor resources in a plurality of Virtual Talk Groups (VTG) to detect if there is at least a potential conflict of the resources. When the potential conflict is detected, the method comprises identifying at least one resource which is contributing to the potential conflict, and initiating automatically an electronic communication to identify the potential conflict. In response to the electronic communication, a new VTG may be initiated and terminals of administrators associated with the conflicting resource may be assigned to the new VTG. Each administrator may administer an associated VTG.

Resolving potential conflicts in interoperability communications

A device comprising a network resource controller to preempt at least one multiple-user session over a primary modality of communication according to a precedence-level associated with users of the multiple-user session and to switch the multiple-user session to an alternate modality of communication without disconnection of the multiple-user session.

Multimodal multilevel precedence and preemption

In one embodiment, a method includes establishing a first virtual talk group (VTG) that includes a plurality of endpoints and has a first multicast address. The plurality of endpoints includes a first endpoint and a second endpoint. The method also includes monitoring traffic associated with the first VTG, determining when a denial of service (DOS) attack is indicated by the traffic, and identifying at least one rogue endpoint responsible for the DOS attack when it is determined that the DOS attack is indicated. The first endpoint and the second endpoint are notified that they are to participate in a dynamic switchover to a second VTG when a DOS attack is indicated. The second VTG is established using a second multicast address, and includes the first endpoint and the second endpoint, but not the rogue endpoint.

System and method for defending against denial of service attacks on virtual talk groups

Methods and apparatus for automatically connecting an emergency caller with appropriate responders within an interoperability and collaboration system. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method includes obtaining a request for a response, and identifying a first location from which the request originated. The request is obtained from a source that utilizes a phone and is located at the first location. The method also includes identifying at least one potential responder that may be capable or appropriate for providing the response. Finally, the method also includes creating a virtual talk group that includes the source and the potential responder. The potential responder may listen substantially directly to communications from the source within the virtual talk group using a land mobile radio.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Amit Prakash Barave