Google Inc.

David Scrymgeour Bennett

Kathryn Chapman Cushing

Jonas Erik Lindberg

Eduardo Fernandez

Justin Russell Uberti

Zachary Yeskel

Brian David Marsh

Dave Cohen

Nikhyl P Singhal

Richard James Dunn

Chee Heng Chew

David Cohen

Matthew John Leske

Ujjwal Singh

Amit Fulay

Christopher Vander Mey

David H Owens

Zackary Yeskel

William Kuo-Wei Wen

Chris Paul David Johnson

Aspects of the disclosure provide techniques that enable a communication server hosting a virtual communication session to receive theme parameters from a remote server to control the look and feel of the virtual communication session. In one example, a method includes sending a plurality of video feeds for display at a plurality of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) of client devices coupled to a communication session. The communication session enables communication among a plurality of users of the client devices. The method also includes receiving a set of parameters of a theme to modify one or more visual properties of the GUIs. The method also includes sending the set of parameters to the client devices connected to the communication session to modify visual properties of the GUIs displaying the plurality of video feeds at the plurality of client devices based on the parameters of the theme.

Theming for virtual collaboration

An example method includes receiving, by the computing device, a first video stream from a first client device of a plurality of client devices, wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to each client device of the plurality of client devices. The method further includes detecting a participant count associated with the first client device based on the first video stream from the first client device and based on the participant count associated with the first client device, adjusting the first video stream. The method further includes receiving a second video stream from a second client device of the plurality of client devices and adjusting at least one of video stream display size or video stream resolution of the second video stream. The method further includes sending the adjusted first video stream and the adjusted second video stream to at least one client device of the plurality of client devices.

Adjusting a media stream in a video communication system based on participant count

A method and computing system for providing, using one or more computing devices, a plurality of users of a social network with the ability to schedule a topic-specific, synchronous communication session to occur at a future time. An indication is received, from a first user of the plurality of users, to schedule the topic-specific, synchronous communication session to occur at a future time. Electronic invitations are provided concerning the topic-specific, synchronous communication session, using the one or more computing devices, to one or more invited users chosen from the plurality of users of the social network.

Synchronous communication system and method

A method and computing system for enabling a video conference between a plurality of video conference participants. A video feed associated with the video conference is broadcast to a plurality of viewers. A plurality of interactions are received from a plurality of submitters included within the plurality of viewers. A chosen interaction is selected from the plurality of interactions. The submitter associated with the chosen interaction is invited to join the video conference.

Video conferencing system and method

Systems and methods for notifying users of upcoming communication sessions in a virtual forum of an online community, for example, a video or audio forum, in which multiple users 'hang out' and communicate. Users are notified of these upcoming meetings in advance, so they may participate in them, even at short notice, for example, in the event a meeting is ongoing. In some embodiments, the systems and methods permit users to subscribe to a particular entity within an online community, which may either be individuals (for example, a celebrity), company pages, groups, etc. Those who subscribe to the particular entity are immediately notified in the event a meeting relating to the entity is designated to occur or is ongoing.

Subscribing users to entities within an online community and notifying users of upcoming meetings

Implementations generally relate to controlling access to meetings. In some implementations, a method includes determining a locked state of a meeting, wherein, in the locked state, the meeting is restricted to a first set of users. The method further includes changing the meeting to an unlocked state based on one or more predetermined unlock criteria, wherein, in the unlocked state, the meeting is open to the first set of users and to a second set of users. The method further includes changing the meeting back to the locked state based on one or more predetermined lock criteria.

Controlling access to meetings

In general, this disclosure describes techniques for a for indicating user availability comprising providing for display at a first client device, graphical representations associated with one or more users available to participate in a synchronous communication session that enables communication between different client devices, receiving, from the first client device, a selection of the graphical representations to engage with at least one second client device corresponding to the selected graphical representations in the synchronous communication session, and responsive to receiving the selection of the graphical representations, coupling the first client device to the synchronous communication session, wherein coupling the first client device to the synchronous communication session allows the first client device to communicate with at least the second client device associated with the at least one selected graphical representations, wherein at least the second client device is coupled to the synchronous communication session.

Indicating availability for participation in communication session

An example method includes receiving, by the computing device, a video stream from a first client device of a plurality of client devices, wherein the computing device is communicatively coupled to each client device of the plurality of client devices. The method further includes detecting, by the computing device, one or more conditions associated with the first client device and adjusting, by the computing device, the received video stream based at least in part on the detected one or more conditions. The method further includes sending, by the computing device, the adjusted video stream to at least a second client device of the plurality of client devices.

Adjusting a media stream in a video communication system

A system and machine-implemented method for providing access to one or more shared objects to a user participating in a collaboration session, including receiving a request from a user to receive access to one of one or more shared objects within a collaboration session, each shared object having a corresponding access control list including one or more authorized users having access to the shared object, determining whether the user has access to the one of the one or more shared objects by referencing the access control list in response to receiving the request and adding the user as an authorized user within the access control list for each of the one or more shared objects when it is determined that the user does not have access to the one of the one or more shared objects, such that the user is provided access to the one or more shared objects.

Growing community of inventors

Issaquah, WA, United States of America

David Scrymgeour Bennett