Systems and methods for facilitating side-channel communications during shared communication session

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing side-channel communications to supplement a shared communication channel are provided. Participant devices within a side-channel communication group are configured to receive a first audio stream associated with the shared communication channel and a second audio stream associated with the side-channel communication group. A host platform or a participant device may mix the first and second audio streams to produce a composite output audio stream that enables users to listen to both audio shared to shared communication channel and audio generated by other members of the side-channel communication group.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing side-channel communications to supplement a shared communication channel, the system comprising:
 one or more processors;   one or more transceivers configured to receive a plurality of audio streams from a plurality of audio sources, wherein the plurality of audio sources include a host audio source and a plurality of participant audio sources corresponding to a plurality of participant devices;   a user database configured to store a plurality of user profiles respectively associated with a plurality of users, wherein user profiles included in the plurality of user profiles include an indication of a permission level associated with joining side-channel communication groups; and   one or more non-transitory memories configured to store (i) an indication that two or more participant devices of the plurality of participant devices are members of a side-channel communication group, and (ii) computer executable instructions that, when executed via the one or more processors, cause the system to:
 for each participant device that is a member of the side-channel communication group:
 generate a side-channel audio stream by combining the audio streams received from other members of the side-channel communication group, 
 generate an output audio stream by combining the side-channel audio stream with the audio stream from the host audio source, and 
 transmit, to the participant device of the member of the side-channel communication group and via the one or more transceivers, the output audio stream; and 
 
 for participant devices that are not members of the side-channel communication group, transmit, to the participant device and via the one or more transceivers, the host audio stream; 
 receive, via the one or more transceivers, an indication that a particular participant device is to be added to the side-channel communication group; 
 determine that the user profile corresponding to the particular participant device includes a permission level that permits the particular participant device to join side-channel communications; and 
 in response to the determination, add the particular participant device to the side-channel communication group. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein to generate the output audio stream, the instructions, when executed, cause the system to:
 determine that a magnitude of the audio stream from the host audio source is below a first threshold magnitude; and   increase the volume level of the side-channel audio stream within the output audio stream.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein to determine that the magnitude of the audio stream from the host audio source is below the first threshold magnitude, the instructions, when executed, cause the system to:
 determine that the magnitude of the audio stream from the host audio source is below the first threshold magnitude for a threshold duration.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the shared communication channel is associated with an indication of a communication channel type; and   the threshold duration varies depending upon the communication channel type.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the system to:
 subsequent to increasing the volume level of the side-channel audio stream, determine that the magnitude of the audio stream from the host audio source is above a second threshold magnitude; and   decrease the volume level of the side-channel audio stream within the output audio stream.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein to generate the output audio stream, the instructions, when executed, cause the system to:
 mix the side-channel audio stream with the audio stream from the host audio source such that a volume level of the side-channel audio stream is less than a volume level of the audio stream from the host audio source.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed further cause the system to:
 obtain an indication that side-channel communications are disabled; and   responsive to the indication, transmit a participant audio stream to the plurality of participant devices.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed further cause the system to:
 receive, via the one or more transceivers, an indication that a particular participant device is to be added to the side-channel communication group; and   modify the indication that the two or more participant devices of the plurality of participant devices correspond to participant devices that are members of the side-channel communication group to include an indication of the particular participant device.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein user profiles included in the plurality of user profiles include an indication of a set of connected users associated with the user corresponding to the user profile. 
     
     
         10 . A method for participating in side-channel communications to supplement a shared communication channel, the method comprising:
 joining, by one or more processors, the shared communication channel;   forming, by the one or more processors, a side-channel communication group with at least one other participant device of the shared communication channel, wherein forming the side-channel communication group includes:
 determining, by one or more processors, that one or more participant devices in the shared communication channel correspond to connected users, and 
 presenting, by one or more processors, a user interface configured to present a user interface element to initiate a request for one or more connected users join the side-channel communication group, wherein a user profile for the one or more connected users indicates a permission level associated with joining side-channel communication groups; 
   receiving, from a server, a host audio stream generated by a host device of the shared communication channel;   receiving, from the server, a side-channel audio stream that includes audio data generated by the at least one other participant device included in the formed side-channel communication group; and   outputting, by the one or more processors, a composite audio stream formed from the host audio stream and the side-channel audio stream.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein receiving the host audio stream and the side-channel audio stream comprises:
 receiving, from the server, the composite audio stream.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein outputting the composite audio stream comprises:
 mixing, by the one or more processors, the host audio stream and the side-channel audio stream to produce the composite audio stream.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein producing the composite audio stream comprises:
 determining, by the one or more processors, that a magnitude of the host audio stream is below a first threshold magnitude; and   increasing, by the one or more processors, the volume level of the side-channel audio stream within the output audio stream.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein producing the composite audio stream comprises:
 subsequent to increasing the volume level of the side-channel audio stream, determining, by the one or more processors, that the magnitude of the host audio stream is above a second threshold magnitude; and   decreasing, by the one or more processors, the volume level of the side-channel audio stream within the output audio stream.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein outputting the composite audio stream comprises:
 routing, by the one or more processors, the host audio stream to a first output device; and   routing, by the one or more processors, the side-channel audio stream to a second output device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein forming the side-channel communication group comprises:
 receiving, from the server, a request to join the side-channel communication group;   presenting, by one or more processors, a user interface configured to enable a user to accept the request; and   transmitting, to the server, an acceptance of the request.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein outputting the composite audio stream comprises:
 receiving, from a server, a music audio stream associated with the shared communication channel; and   mixing, by the one or more processors, the music audio stream, the host audio stream and the side-channel audio stream to produce the composite audio stream.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 join a shared communication channel;   form a side-channel communication group with at least one other participant device of the shared communication channel, wherein forming the side-channel communication group includes:
 determine, that one or more participant devices in the shared communication channel correspond to connected users, and 
 present a user interface configured to present a user interface element to initiate a request for one or more connected users join the side-channel communication group, wherein a user profile for the one or more connected users indicates a permission level associated with joining side-channel communication groups; 
   receive, from a server, a host audio stream generated by a host device of the shared communication channel;   receive, from the server, a side-channel audio stream that includes audio data generated by the at least one other participant device included in the formed side-channel communication group; and   output a composite audio stream formed from the host audio stream and the side-channel audio stream.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein to output the composite audio stream, the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 mix the host audio stream and the side-channel audio stream to produce the composite audio stream.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein to produce the composite audio stream, the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
 determine that a magnitude of the host audio stream is below a first threshold magnitude; and   increase the volume level of the side-channel audio stream within the output audio stream.