Graphical user interface for video teleconferencing

A graphical user interface for use with a video teleconferencing workstation, comprising:

• a video teleconference application window displayed on a display of the workstation, the video teleconference application window comprising a video image area for displaying live video images associated with a video teleconferencing session, and a control area for displaying one or more user selectable video teleconferencing functions represented as graphical pushbuttons, the user selectable video teleconferencing functions comprising:
• a connection function graphical pushbutton, wherein user selection of the connection function graphical pushbutton initiates display of a call list window on the display, the call list window for establishing video teleconferencing connections with other video teleconferencing workstations;
• a control function graphical pushbutton, wherein user selection of the control function graphical pushbutton initiates display of a control window on the workstation display for adjusting parameters of the video teleconferencing session;
• and
• a monitor function graphical pushbutton which when activated causes a monitor window to be displayed on the workstation display for monitoring the parameters of the video teleconferencing session;
• wherein the call list window comprises:
• a host workstation field for indicating a identification of a target host workstation to be connected to for a video teleconference,
• a connect function graphical pushbutton corresponding to a host workstation field, wherein user selection of the connect function graphical pushbutton initiates a video teleconference call to to the target host workstation identified in the field,
• an audio function graphical pushbutton corresponding to the host workstation field, wherein user selection of the audio function graphical pushbutton changes whether audio data will be sent to the target host workstation identified in the field during a video teleconference, and
• a video function graphical pushbutton corresponding to the host workstation field, wherein user selection of the video function graphical pushbutton changes whether video data will be sent to the target host workstation identified in the host workstation field during a video teleconference.

A call list window for a graphical user interface of a video teleconferencing computer, the graphical user interface including a video image area displaying live video images associated with a video teleconferencing session for an operator of the computer and providing a connection function for initiating display of the call list window, the call list window comprising:

• a host computer field for indicating an identification of a target host computer to be connected to for the video teleconferencing session;
• a connect function graphical indicator corresponding to the host computer field, wherein activation of the connect function graphical indicator by the operator causes a video teleconference call to be placed to the target host computer identified in the host computer field;
• an audio function graphical indicator corresponding to the host computer field, wherein activation of the audio function graphical indicator by the operator changes whether or not audio data is sent to the target host computer identified in the host computer field during the video teleconferencing session;
• and
• a video function graphical indicator corresponding to the host computer field, wherein activation of the video function graphical indicator by the operator changes whether or not video data is sent to the target host computer identified in the host computer field during the video teleconferencing session.

A method for enabling operator control of video teleconferencing functions of a computer, the method comprising:

• displaying live video images associated with a video teleconferencing session to an operator of the computer;
• providing a connection function for initiating display of the call list window;
• displaying a host computer field for indicating an identification of a target host computer to be connected to for the video teleconferencing session in response to activation of the connection function;
• displaying a connect function graphical indicator corresponding to the host computer field in response to activation of the connection function;
• placing a call to the target host computer identified in the host computer field in response to activation of the connect function graphical indicator by the operator;
• displaying an audio function graphical indicator corresponding to the host computer field;
• transmitting audio data to the target host computer identified in the host computer field during the video teleconferencing session in response to activation of the audio function graphical indicator by the operator;
• displaying an video function graphical indicator corresponding to the host computer field;
• transmitting video data to the target host computer identified in the host computer field during the video teleconferencing session in response to activation of the video function graphical indicator corresponding to the host computer field.