Efficient frame forwarding in large scale real-time screen content sharing meetings

Abstract

Techniques are provided to improve user experience at endpoint devices that are participating in a multipoint screen content sharing session. A server in a multipoint communication system receives video frames from a sending endpoint device in the communication session that involves one or more other endpoint devices that are to receive video frames from the sending endpoint device. The video frames include key reference frames that use either intra-frame prediction or inter-frame prediction based only on other key reference frames. The server stores the key reference frames. When a new receiving endpoint device joins the communication session, the server sends all the stored key reference frames to the new receiving endpoint device. All video frames received from the sending endpoint device are forwarded to existing ordinary receiving endpoint devices. Key reference frames and some, but not all, non-key reference video frames are forwarded to existing low-capacity receiving endpoint devices.