Source selection for conference bridges

Abstract

The disclosure provides a method of providing media source selection for a media conference. The method comprises adjusting an input media stream comparison used to select at least one next input media stream for the media conference to influence selection of the at least one next input media stream.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of providing media source selection for a media conference, comprising adjusting an input media stream comparison used to select at least one next input media stream for the media conference to influence selection of the at least one next input media stream. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the input media stream comparison used to select the at least one next input media stream for the media conference to influence selection of the at least one next media stream comprises adjusting the input media stream comparison to favour selection of the at least one input media stream which is not currently selected for the media conference. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , applied selectively when a particular input media stream has been selected as a current selected media stream for more than a predetermined duration. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the input media stream comparison comprises a comparison of at least one characteristic of each of a plurality of input media streams associated with the media conference; and   adjusting the input media stream comparison comprises weighting the at least one characteristic of at least one input media stream of the plurality of input media streams to favour selection of an input media stream which is not currently selected for the media conference.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one characteristic characterizes audio content of the input media streams. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises a respective audio level measurement for each of the input media streams. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein adjusting the input media stream comparison comprises decreasing a weighting of a respective characteristic for each currently selected input media stream by a weighting factor. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein adjusting the input media stream comparison comprises increasing a respective weighting of the respective characteristic for at least one input media stream that is not currently selected for the media conference. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein weighting the at least one characteristic of the at least one input media stream of the plurality of input media streams to favour selection of an input media stream which is not currently selected for the media conference comprises continuously adjusting the weighting to progressively and increasingly favour selection of at least one input media stream which is not currently selected until an input media stream which is not currently selected is selected as a next input media stream. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein weighting the at least one characteristic of the at least one input media stream of the plurality of input media streams to favour selection of an input media stream which is not currently selected for the media conference comprises continuously adjusting the weighting to progressively and increasingly favour selection of at least one input media stream which is not currently selected until an input media stream which is currently selected is not selected as a next input media stream. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein weighting the at least one characteristic of the at least one input media stream of the plurality of input media streams to favour selection of an input media stream which is not currently selected for the media conference comprises continuously adjusting the weighting to progressively and increasingly favour selection of at least one input media stream which is not currently selected for a predetermined time interval. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising adjusting the weighting to progressively and increasingly favour selection of at least one input media stream which is not currently selected only for the predetermined time interval. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input media streams comprise video streams. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising selecting at least one input video stream from a plurality of input video streams as a current input video stream based on comparison of audio characteristics of the plurality of input video streams. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media conference is part of an online gaming session. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising selecting respective input media streams separately for each of a plurality of outputs so that different participants receive different selections of input media streams. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each participant receives a selection of input media streams that does not include an input media stream associated with that participant. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising selecting a plurality of input media streams as currently selected input media streams for the media conference. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein adjusting the input media stream comparison used to select at least one next input media stream for the media conference comprises weighting at least one characteristic of at least one input media stream of the plurality of input media streams individually to favour selection of at least one input media stream which is not currently selected for the media conference. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein weighting the at least one characteristic of the at least one input media stream comprises weighting the characteristic based on a duration of time during which the at least one input media stream has been a selected input media stream.