Participant Authentication for a Videoconference

Abstract

Methods for authenticating a person to participant in a videoconference based on facial imaging, fingerprint imaging, other biometric information, passwords, and physical mediums are described. Identity information for the potential participant may be received, and a recognition algorithm may be performed to determine whether the received identity information for the potential participant matches pre-stored identity information for a first person, e.g., where the potential videoconferencing participant claims to be a specific person. If the recognition algorithm determines a match, the potential videoconferencing participant may be authenticated to participate in the videoconference.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention may be obtained when the following detailed description is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a videoconference;

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a videoconferencing system including a videoconferencing device;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for displaying and/or sharing participant information for participants in a videoconference;

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a display in which an image of a participant is displayed together with participant information for the participant;

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment in which a videoconferencing device at a remote endpoint sends both video information and participant information to a videoconferencing device at a local endpoint;

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which a local videoconferencing device at a local endpoint receives video information from a remote videoconferencing device at a remote endpoint and receives participant information from a database;

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment display in which a callout box is displayed proximally to each participant on a display screen, where each callout box displays a name of the respective participant;

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment display in which multiple portions of participant information are displayed simultaneously with images of different participants;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for pre-storing participant information in a database;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for looking up the previously stored participant information for participants in a videoconference;

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment in which a videoconference participant carries a badge or card that stores the participant's identity information;

FIGS. 12-14 illustrate several exemplary implementations of a database in which participant information for participants may be stored;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for correlating the participant information for various participants with the images of the participants displayed on the display screen;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for verifying the identity of a potential participant in a videoconference using facial recognition;

FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate an embodiment of a computer system for performing a facial recognition algorithm;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for automatically converting audio speech of a participant in a videoconference into text information;

FIG. 20 illustrates components in an exemplary videoconferencing device according to an embodiment; and

FIGS. 21A-21D illustrate exemplary hardware components for a videoconferencing device, according to an embodiment.

Claims

1. A method for performing authentication for participation in a videoconference, comprising: receiving identity information from a potential videoconference participant;analyzing the received identity information to determine if the received identity information matches pre-stored videoconference participant's identity information; andindicating a result of said analyzing the received identity information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said indicating the result comprises indicating a confirmation if a match exists between the received identity information and the pre-stored videoconference participant's identity information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving the identity information comprises receiving a facial image of the potential videoconference participant at a first endpoint in the videoconference;wherein analyzing the received identity information comprises: analyzing the facial image of the potential videoconference participant to create information characterizing the facial image of the potential videoconference participant;performing a facial recognition algorithm to determine whether the information characterizing the facial image of the potential videoconference participant matches pre-stored videoconference participant's identity information; andwherein indicating the result comprises: indicating a confirmation of the potential videoconference participant if the information characterizing the facial image of the potential videoconference participant matches the facial information pre-stored for the videoconferencing participant.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identity information comprises voice data and wherein said receiving identity information from the potential videoconferencing participant comprises receiving voice data from speech of the potential videoconferencing participant.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identity information comprises biometric data and wherein said receiving identity information from the potential videoconferencing participant comprises receiving data selected from a group consisting of a fingerprint, a retinal scan, or a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sample.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identity information comprises a password provided by the potential videoconference participant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identity information comprises information stored on a physical medium provided by the potential videoconference participant.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising inhibiting the potential videoconference participant from participating in the videoconference if the received identity information of the potential videoconference participant does not match the pre-stored videoconference participant's information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said indicating a result comprises displaying the result on a display device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving the identity information comprises a videoconferencing device at a first endpoint receiving the identity information; andwherein said analyzing the received identity information comprises the videoconferencing device at the first endpoint analyzing the received identity information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-stored videoconference participant's identity information is stored on a source external to a videoconferencing device at a first endpoint performing said analyzing the received identity information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving the identity information comprises a videoconferencing device at a first endpoint in the videoconference receiving the identity information; andwherein said analyzing the identity information comprises a videoconferencing device at a second endpoint analyzing the received identity information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving the identity information comprises a videoconferencing device at a first endpoint receiving the video information;wherein the method further comprises the videoconferencing device at the first endpoint sending the identity information to a computer system external to the first endpoint;wherein said analyzing the identity information comprises the computer system external to the first endpoint performing the analyzing.

14. A videoconferencing device, comprising: an input port operable to receive identity information from a potential videoconference participant; andone or more computational elements operable to:analyze the received identity information to determine if the received identity information matches pre-stored videoconference participant's identity information; andindicate a result of said analyzing the received identity information.

15. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein the one or more computational elements include at least one field programmable gate array (FPGA).

16. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein said indicating the result comprises indicating a confirmation if a match exists between the received identity information and the pre-stored videoconference participant's identity information.

17. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein said receiving the identity information comprises receiving a facial image of the potential videoconference participant at a first endpoint in a videoconference;wherein analyzing the received identity information comprises: analyzing the facial image of the potential videoconference participant to create information characterizing the facial image of the potential videoconference participant;performing a facial recognition algorithm to determine whether the information characterizing the facial image of the potential videoconference participant matches pre-stored videoconference participant's identity information; andwherein indicating the result comprises: indicating a confirmation of the potential videoconference participant if the information characterizing the facial image of the potential videoconference participant matches the facial information pre-stored for the videoconferencing participant.

18. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein the identity information comprises voice data and wherein said receiving identity information from the potential videoconferencing participant comprises receiving voice data from speech of the potential videoconferencing participant.

19. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein the identity information comprises biometric data and wherein said receiving identity information from the potential videoconferencing participant comprises receiving data selected from a group consisting of a fingerprint, a retinal scan, or a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sample.

20. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein identity information comprises a password provided by the potential videoconference participant.

21. The videoconferencing device of claim 14, wherein the identity information comprises information stored on a physical medium provided by the potential videoconference participant.

22. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to: receive identity information from a potential videoconference participant;analyze the received identity information to determine if the received identity information matches pre-stored videoconference participant's identity information; andindicate a result of said analyzing the received identity information.