(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLI (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (43) International Publication Date 17 December 2009 (17.12.2009) "ATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT PCT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) AOE VU 000 (10) international Publication Number WO 2009/151940 A2 G1) International Patent Classitication: GOOF 3/02(2006.01) GBF 3/14 (2006.01) GOOF 15/16 2006.01) HO4N 7/00 (2006.01) International Application Number: PCT/US2009/045119 en (22) International Filing Date: 26 May 2009 (26.08.2009) es, 6) G0) Priority Data: 1139454 ng Language: Faglish Publication Language: English 14 June 2008 (14.06.2008) US (TD Applicant or all designated States except US): Me ‘CROSOFT CORPORATION [US/US]; Attu Tuan Nao, ‘uanngo), 8/2287, LCA, International Patents Depart” ment, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 (us), Inventors: HAWKINS, Quinn; Cio Microsoft Compora- tion, LCA, Intemational Patents Department, One Mix crosoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 (US). ‘THAKKAR, Pulin; oo Microsoll Corporation, LCA, [a= ‘emational Patents Department, One Microsoit Way, Red- ‘mond, Washington 98052-6399 (US). SHARMA, Kapil; lo Microsoft Corporation, LCA, Intemational Patents Depastment, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052-6399 (US). BHATTACHARJEE, ‘Avronil; c/o Microsoft Corporation, LCA, International Patents De- partment, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington m 98052-6399 (US). EVERSOLE, Adam; c/o Microsoft Corporation, LCA, Intemational Patents Department, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA. 98052-6399 (US). QIN, Bo; clo Microsoft Corporation, LCA, Interuational Patents Departments, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6322 (Us (81) Designated States iless otherwise indicated, for every ind of national proteetion available): AB, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, BK, DM, BO, DZ, GH, GM, GT, HN) P, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP, KR, LA, . LR, LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME MG, Mix, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PG, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, RU, SC, SD, SE, SG, (84) Designated States iless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG. ZM, ZW), Furesian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TH ‘TMD, Furopean (AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, FE, ES, Fl, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT) LT. LU, LV. MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SE, SL’ SK, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ. GW, ML; MR, NE, SN, TD, TG) Declarations under Rule 4.17; ‘as to applicant's entilement to apply for and be granted ‘a patent (Rule 4.174) Iontinved on next page (64) Title: TECHNIQUES TO MANAGE A WHITEBOARD FOR MULTIMEDIA CONFERENCE EVENTS. FIG. (57) Abstract: Techniques to manage a whiteboard for multimedia conference events are described, An apparatus may comprise 8 ‘whiteboard manager component operative fo manage whiteboard recording, image processing and reproduction operations for ‘multimedia conference event. The whiteboard manager component may comprise an image quantizer module operative to receive ‘an image of a writing surface with pen strokes, and quantize each pixel ofthe image into a predetermined numberof colors, a at- tribute extractor module communicatively coupled to the image quantizer module, the image quantizer module operative to extract stroke attibute information for the pen strokes trom the quantized pixels, aud a whiteboard interface module communicatively coupled tothe attribute extractor module, the whiteboard interface module operative 1o send the stroke atibute information to & meeting console for rendering as digital pen strokes on a digital writing sure. Other embodiments are described and claimed a < Se = & ira s s Ss a EWO 2009/151940 A2 MMI IMNI I N10 HNN A a8 0 the applicant's emitlement 10 claim the priority of Published: the earlier application (Rule 4.17(8)) — without international search report and 10 be republished ‘upon receipt ofthat report (Rule 48.2(@))20 WO 2009/151940 PCT/US2009/045119 TECHNIQUES TO MANAGE A WHITEBOARD FOR MULTIMEDIA CONF! (CE EVENTS [0001] A multimedia conference system typically allows multiple participants to communicate and share different types of media content in a collaborative and real-time meeting over a network. The multimedia conference system may display different types of media content using various graphical user interface (GUI) windows or views. For example, one GUI view might include video images of participants, another GUI view might include presentation slides, yet another GUI view might include text messages between participants, and so forth. In this manner various geographically disparate participants may interact and communicate information in a virtual meeting environment similar to a physical meeting environment where all the participants are within one room. [0002] In some cases, a number of participants for a multimedia conference may gather in a conference room. To facilitate collaboration, a whiteboard or other writing surface may be used for notes, diagrams, and other non-permanent markings. Due to constraints on input devices such as video cameras, however, it may be difficult for remote viewers to view the whiteboard and any writings thereon. One common solution is to utilize an electronic or interactive whiteboard designed to convert markings made on the writing surface to digital information. An interactive whiteboard, however, may be expensive due to the hardware and software requirements for the interactive whiteboard, nd potentially increases complexity for a r due to the associated configuration operations needed to setup and operate the interactive whiteboard, Another alternative is I