Method and system for sharing content in videoconferencing

Abstract

Content presented in association with a transmitting endpoint is obtained by the transmitting endpoint and transmitted to a receiving endpoint of a videoconference, along with associated information regarding interaction of a presenter with the content at the transmitting side. The receiving endpoint presents the presented content obtained from the transmitting endpoint similar to the presentation format at the transmitting side. Where the original presentation format is not suitable for transmission, a video image of the content in the original presentation format may be transmitted. An intermediate control unit, such as a multipoint control unit, may relay content and associated information between transmitting and receiving endpoints.

1 .  1 . A videoconferencing endpoint, comprising:
 a display unit;   a content receiving module, configured to receive presented content from a content presenting endpoint in its original file format and associated information regarding activity of a presenting conferee on the presented content; and   a presentation reader module configured to present on the display unit similar presented content and the activity of the presenting conferee on the presented content as the activity is displayed on a display unit of the content presenting endpoint.   
     
     
         2 . The videoconferencing endpoint of  claim 1 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises marking an area of the presented content. 
     
     
         3 . The videoconferencing endpoint of  claim 1 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises pointing at an area of the presented content. 
     
     
         4 . The videoconferencing endpoint of  claim 1 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises scrolling through the content. 
     
     
         5 . The videoconferencing endpoint of  claim 1 , wherein the presentation reader module comprises a portable document format reader. 
     
     
         6 . The videoconferencing endpoint of  claim 1 , wherein the presentation reader module comprises a spreadsheet reader. 
     
     
         7 . A method of presenting content in a videoconferencing endpoint, comprising:
 receiving presented content in its original file format and associated information regarding activity of a presenting conferee from a content presenting endpoint; and   presenting similar presented content and the activity of the presenting conferee on the presented content as the activity is displayed on a display unit of the content presenting endpoint.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises marking an area of the content. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises pointing at an area of the content. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises scrolling the content. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the original file format is a portable document format. 
     
     
         12 . A videoconferencing endpoint, comprising:
 a content transmitting client agent, configured to:
 obtain a selected file of presented content in its original format; and 
 collect associated information regarding activity of a presenting conferee on the file of presented content; and 
   a content transmitting module, configured to transmit the file of presented content toward a content receiving endpoint in its original file format and the associated information.   
     
     
         13 . The videoconferencing endpoint of  claim 12 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises marking an area of the presented content. 
     
     
         14 . The videoconferencing endpoint of  claim 12 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises pointing at an area of the presented content. 
     
     
         15 . The videoconferencing endpoint of  claim 12 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises scrolling through the content. 
     
     
         16 . The videoconferencing endpoint of  claim 12 , wherein content transmitting client agent comprises application programming interfaces for a plurality of presentation applications. 
     
     
         17 . The videoconferencing endpoint of  claim 12 , wherein the content transmitting client agent transmits the file of presented content in its original format and the associated information to the content transmitting module over a local area network. 
     
     
         18 . A method of presenting content in a videoconferencing endpoint, comprising:
 obtaining a selected file of presented content in its original file format;   collecting associated information regarding activity of a presenting conferee on the file of presented content; and   transmitting the file of presented content toward a content receiving endpoint in its original file format and the associated information.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises marking an area of the content. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises pointing at an area of the content. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the activity of the presenting conferee comprises scrolling the content. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the original file format is a portable document format. 
     
     
         23 . A non-transitory machine readable medium, on which are stored instructions for a content receiving videoconferencing endpoint, comprising instructions that when executed cause the content receiving videoconferencing endpoint to:
 receive presented content from a content presenting endpoint in its original file format;   receive information associated with the presented content regarding activity of a presenting conferee on the presented content; and   present on a display unit of the content receiving videoconferencing endpoint similar presented content and the activity of the presenting conferee on the presented content as the activity is displayed on a display unit of the content presenting endpoint.   
     
     
         24 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, on which are stored instructions for a content transmitting videoconferencing endpoint, comprising instructions that when executed cause the content transmitting videoconferencing endpoint to:
 obtain a selected file of presented content in its original format;   collect associated information regarding activity of a presenting conferee on the file of presented content;   transmit the file of presented content toward a content receiving endpoint in the original format of the file of presented content; and   transmit the associated information to the content receiving endpoint.