Recording web conferences

Abstract

Conference recording is carried out by identifying a virtual conference operated by a conferencing system connected to a communications network. A virtual participant process executing in a processor is registered with the conferencing system as a co-participant in the virtual conference. Information streams produced by the human participants are recorded and distributed with the virtual participant process.

1 . A method of conference recording, comprising the steps of:
 identifying a plurality of virtual conferences being concurrently operated by a conferencing system connected to a communications network, the virtual conferences having human participants;   executing a plurality of virtual participant processes in a processor;   registering the virtual participant processes with the conferencing system as respective co-participants in the virtual conferences by using a recorder component to emulate human interactions with a user interface of the conferencing system; and   recording information streams of the human participants using the virtual participant processes.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein executing a plurality of virtual participant processes comprises:
 spawning a virtual machine in the processor; and   executing the virtual participant processes in the virtual machine.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual participant processes are operative to record an event occurring in the virtual conferences and to communicate with one or more of the human participants responsively to the event. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 during the virtual conferences transmitting an output of the recorder component to one or more of the human participants, wherein the output of the recorder component is accessible during the virtual conferences to entities that are not participants in the virtual conferences.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of registering the virtual participant processes is performed via a communication on a wired or mobile telephone connection between the conferencing system and the human participants. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: during the virtual conferences transmitting an output of the recorder component to one or more of the human participants via a communication on a wired or mobile telephone connection between the conferencing system and the human participants. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the output of the recorder component is accessible during the virtual conferences to entities that are not participants in the virtual conferences. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual participant processes are operative to execute a response to commands from one of the human participants. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the response comprises a transmission of at least one of a sound notification, a textual notification, and a report of requested information. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the transmission is performed via a communication on a wired or mobile telephone connection between the conferencing system and the human participants. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the human participants include a dynamically selected active speaker, the method further comprising the steps of:
 with the virtual participant processes identifying the active speaker; and   associating a current one of the information streams with the active speaker.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the conferencing system is operative to generate an indication of the active speaker, and identifying the active speaker comprises recognizing the indication. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual participant processes are operative for recording information streams in a plurality of multimedia channels, further comprising combining the recorded information streams into a common stream. 
     
     
         14 . A method of conference recording, comprising the steps of:
 identifying a plurality of virtual conferences being concurrently operated by a conferencing system connected to a communications network, the virtual conferences having human participants;   executing a plurality of virtual participant processes having respective recorder components in a processor;   registering the virtual participant processes with the conferencing system as co-participants in the virtual conferences by using the recorder components of the virtual participant processes to emulate human interactions with a user interface of the conferencing system; and   recording respective information streams of the human participants in the virtual conferences using the recorder components of the virtual participant processes.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein executing a plurality of virtual participant processes comprises:
 spawning a virtual machine in the processor; and   executing the virtual participant processes in the virtual machine.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the virtual participant processes are operative to record an event occurring in the virtual conferences and to communicate with one or more of the human participants responsively to the event. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 during the virtual conferences transmitting outputs of the recorder components to one or more of the human participants, wherein the outputs of the recorder components are accessible during the virtual conferences to entities that are not participants in the virtual conferences.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of registering the virtual participant processes is performed via a communication on a wired or mobile telephone connection between the conferencing system and the human participants. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising: during the virtual conferences transmitting outputs of the recorder components to one or more of the human participants via communications on wired or mobile telephone connections between the conferencing system and the human participants. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the human participants include a dynamically selected active speaker, the method further comprising the steps of:
 with the virtual participant processes identifying the active speaker; and   associating a current one of the information streams with the active speaker.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the virtual participant processes are operative for recording information streams in a plurality of multimedia channels, further comprising combining the recorded information streams into a common stream.