| US 7,589,760 B2 | ||
| Distributed presentations employing inputs from multiple video cameras located at multiple sites and customizable display screen configurations | ||
| Cha Zhang, Sammamish, Wash. (US); Bin Yu, Urbana, Ill. (US); and Yong Rui, Sammamish, Wash. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash. (US) | ||
| Filed on Nov. 23, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/286,651. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0118868 A1, May 24, 2007 | ||
| Int. Cl. H04N 5/232 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 348—211.12 [725/105] | 21 Claims |

| 1. A computer network-based distributed presentation system for displaying one or more video streams output by multiple video
cameras located at multiple presentation sites, comprising:
a first video camera located at one of the presentation sites, the first video camera capable of outputting a first video
stream to a computing network, the first video stream comprising a first view of the one presentation site where the first
camera is located;
a second camera located at another one of the presentation sites, the second video camera capable of outputting a second video
stream to the computing network, the second video stream comprising a second view of the another one presentation site where
the second camera is located;
a first general purpose computing device located at a first presentation site of the presentation sites;
a first display screen located at the first presentation site, the first display screen being capable of simultaneously displaying
the first and second video streams in respective first and second display sectors of the first display screen and which is
controlled by said first computing device;
a second general purpose computing device located at a second presentation site, different from the first presentation site,
of the presentation sites;
a second display screen located at the second presentation site, the second display screen being capable of simultaneously
displaying the first and second video streams in respective third and fourth sectors of the second display screen and which
is controlled by said second computing device;
a first display director module executable by the first computing device, wherein the first device is directed by the first
display director module to:
based on first local user preferences, automatically determine on an on-going basis which of the first and second video streams
output to the computer network are to be downloaded for display on the first display screen at the first presentation site
where the first display director is running and select which of the first and second sectors of the first display screen the
downloaded video stream or streams are to be displayed;
based on the first local user preferences, automatically control the first display screen so as to display the video stream
or streams downloaded by the first computing device in the sectors selected by the first display director; and
a second display director module executable by the second computing device, wherein the second computing device is directed
by the second display director to:
based on second local user preferences, different from the first local user preferences, determine, independent of the first
display director module, on the on-going basis which of the first and second video streams output to the computer network
are to be downloaded for display on the second display screen at the second presentation site, where the second display director
is running and select which of the third and fourth sectors of the second display screen the downloaded video streams or streams
are to be displayed;
based on the second local user preferences, control the second display screen so as to display the video stream or streams
downloaded by the second computing device in the sectors selected by the second display director, such that one or both of
the video stream or streams downloaded by the second computing device and the sector selected by the second display director
are different than one or both of the video stream or stream downloaded by the first computing device and the sectors selected
by the first display director.
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