Videoconferencing dynamic host controller

A computer system comprising:

• a computer processor;
• a computer readable memory in circuit communication with the computer processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium in circuit communication with the computer processor;
• wherein the computer processor executes program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby:
• determines a frequency of interruptions of a host device hosting a videoconference that is attended by a plurality of participant videoconference devices, wherein the host device controls audio and video distributed for the videoconference to others of the participant videoconference devices;
• determines a network connectivity speed and throughput value for the host device that is indicative of a quality of connection for distributing the videoconference audio and video between the host device and one of the other participant videoconference devices;
• estimates a time remaining for the host device before a power level of the host device is insufficient to control the audio and the video distributed for the videoconference to the participant videoconference devices;
• determines a quality metric for the host device as a function of measuring signal loss of the videoconference audio and video distributed to the others of the participant videoconference devices;
• generates a vector value for the host device representing a state of the host device as a function of the frequency of interruptions of the host device, the network connectivity speed and throughput value of the host device, the estimated time remaining for the host device and the quality metric of the host device;
• evaluates the host device vector value to determine a change in the host device vector value during the videoconference;
• identifies a plurality of second host devices of the plurality of participant videoconference devices that are each enabled to control the audio and video distributed for the videoconference to others of the participant videoconference devices;
• and
• in response to determining that the change in the host device vector value exceeds a threshold, switches control of the videoconference from the host device to a selected one of the second host devices that is ranked higher than remaining others of the second host devices as a function of respective vector values generated for each of the second host devices.

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for execution by a computer processor that causes the computer processor to:
• determine a frequency of interruptions of a host device hosting a videoconference that is attended by a plurality of participant videoconference devices, wherein the host device controls audio and video distributed for the videoconference to others of the participant videoconference devices;
• determine a network connectivity speed and throughput value for the host device that is indicative of a quality of connection for distributing the videoconference audio and video between the host device and one of the other participant videoconference devices;
• estimate a time remaining for the host device before a power level of the host device is insufficient to control the audio and the video distributed for the videoconference to the participant videoconference devices;
• determine a quality metric for the host device as a function of measuring signal loss of the videoconference audio and video distributed to the others of the participant videoconference devices;
• generate a vector value for the host device representing a state of the host device as a function of the frequency of interruptions of the host device, the network connectivity speed and throughput value of the host device, the estimated time remaining for the host device and the quality metric of the host device;
• evaluate the host device vector value to determine a change in the host device vector value during the videoconference;
• identify a plurality of second host devices of the plurality of participant videoconference devices that are each enabled to control the audio and video distributed for the videoconference to others of the participant videoconference devices;
• and
• in response to determining that the change in the host device vector value exceeds a threshold, switch control of the videoconference from the host device to a selected one of the second host devices that is ranked higher than remaining others of the second host devices as a function of respective vector values generated for each of the second host devices.