Device and method for automatic participant identification in a recorded multimedia stream

A streaming/archiving unit comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a video conference format coded data stream;
• a conversion unit configured to convert the video conference format coded data stream to a multimedia stream in a defined multimedia streaming format and store the multimedia stream and searchable metadata in a content database;
• a user database including identities of known individuals stored with associated facial images;
• and
• a face recognition unit configured to,
• detect a face in a video stream included in the multimedia stream,
• define subsets including facial images of one or more of the known individuals, where the subsets are ranked according to a probability that their respective one or more known individuals will appear in the video stream,
• compare the detected face to the subsets in consecutive order starting with a most probable subset, until a match is found, and
• store an identity of the detected face as searchable metadata in the content database in response to the detected face matching a facial image in one of the subsets.