Communication event

A network node for controlling a user interface displayed to a new participant of an established communication event, the established communication event being conducted between a plurality of existing participants by transmitting and receiving video streams via a communication network between user devices operated by those existing participants, the network node comprising:

• an input configured to receive a notification of the new participant joining the established communication event;
• a controller configured to implement steps of:
• determining, based on the received notification, whether the new participant satisfies a late-to-join condition;
• and
• if the late-to-join condition is determined to be satisfied:
• controlling the user interface to operate in a late-to-join mode for an initial duration, and in response to expiry of the initial duration, controlling the user interface to operate in an active speaker mode instead;
• wherein controlling the user interface to operate in the active speaker mode comprises selecting for the new participant, based on audio data generated at the user device of an actively speaking one of the participants:
• one of the video streams of the actively speaking participant, or an avatar image representing the actively speaking participant, thereby causing the user interface to display the selected avatar image or a video image derived from the selected stream.

A computer readable storage device storing a computer program product for controlling a user interface displayed to a new participant of an established communication event, the established communication event being conducted between a plurality of existing participants by transmitting and receiving video streams via a communication network between user devices operated by those existing participants, wherein the computer program product comprises code stored on the computer readable storage device and configured when executed to implement the following steps:

• receiving a notification of a new participant joining the established communication event;
• determining, based on the received notification, whether the new participant satisfies a late-to-join condition;
• and
• if the late-to-join condition is determined to be satisfied:
• controlling the user interface to operate in a late-to-join mode for an initial duration, and in response to expiry of the initial duration, controlling the user interface to operate in an active speaker mode instead;
• wherein controlling the user interface to operate in the active speaker mode comprises selecting for the new participant, based on audio data generated at the user device of an actively speaking one of the participants:
• one of the video streams of the actively speaking participant, or an avatar image representing the actively speaking participant, thereby causing the user interface to display the selected avatar image or a video image derived from the selected stream.