Methods and apparatus for data transmission

Abstract

This application provides a method and apparatus for data transmission. The method includes: acquiring first video data from a sending terminal, wherein the bitrate of the first video data is a first bitrate; determining a bandwidth occupancy ratio of a local area network (LAN), wherein the LAN serves the sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal, and the bandwidth occupancy ratio represents the ratio between the bandwidth shared by the sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal and the total bandwidth available in the LAN; determining second video data based on the first video data and the bandwidth occupancy ratio, wherein the bitrate of the second video data is a second bitrate, and the second bitrate is less than or equal to the first bitrate; and transmitting the second video data to at least one receiving terminal. Based on this method, video stuttering at the receiving terminal can be minimized, thereby improving the user's viewing experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and more specifically, to methods and apparatus for data transmission. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of information technology, traditional paper-based meeting models are gradually being replaced by paperless meeting technologies. This is especially true in large-scale meetings where the venue is spacious and attendees in the front rows may obstruct the view of those behind. Even with a large screen displaying the speaker's interface, it's not guaranteed that all attendees can clearly see it. Paperless meeting technologies, with their audio and video transmission capabilities, can transmit the speaker's interface as video data to attendees' devices for display.

[0003] However, when local area network bandwidth is limited and there are too many terminal devices of the participants, the server may experience packet loss when sending video data to multiple terminal devices at the same time, which may cause video stuttering on the participants' terminal devices and affect their viewing experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a data transmission method and apparatus that can determine the bitrate of video data sent to a receiving terminal based on the local area network bandwidth usage, thereby minimizing video stuttering at the receiving terminal and improving the user's viewing experience.

[0005] In a first aspect, a method for data transmission is provided, the method comprising: acquiring first video data from a sending terminal, the first video data having a bitrate of a first bitrate; determining a bandwidth occupancy ratio of a local area network (LAN), the LAN serving the sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal, the bandwidth occupancy ratio representing the ratio between the bandwidth shared by the sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal and the total bandwidth available in the LAN; determining second video data based on the first video data and the bandwidth occupancy ratio, the second video data having a bitrate of a second bitrate, the second bitrate being less than or equal to the first bitrate; and transmitting the second video data to at least one receiving terminal.

[0006] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, when the bandwidth utilization ratio is less than or equal to the first threshold, the second bit rate is equal to the first bit rate; or, when the bandwidth utilization ratio is greater than the first threshold, the second bit rate is less than the first bit rate.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, when the bandwidth occupancy ratio is greater than or equal to the second threshold, a first prompt message is sent. The first prompt message is used to indicate the expansion of the total bandwidth, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

[0008] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the aforementioned transmitting terminal is connected to a video acquisition device, which is used to acquire first video data from the transmitting terminal and obtain the network address of the video acquisition device; based on the network address of the video acquisition device, the aforementioned first video data is obtained from the video acquisition device via real-time communication (RTC) technology.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, at least one receiving terminal includes a first receiving terminal connected to a first auxiliary terminal, and the aforementioned second video data is used for a first service. A first binding relationship is determined, which indicates the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal. Based on the first binding relationship, the aforementioned first service is associated with the first auxiliary terminal. When it is determined that the first binding relationship is changed to a second binding relationship, the second binding relationship indicates the binding relationship between the second receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal. Based on the second binding relationship and the first service associated with the first auxiliary terminal, the second video data is sent to the second receiving terminal, and the sending of the second video data to the first receiving terminal is stopped.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, at least one receiving terminal includes a first receiving terminal connected to a first auxiliary terminal. The first auxiliary terminal is used to receive first screen data, which is used for a second service. A first binding relationship is determined, indicating the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal. Based on the first binding relationship, the second service is associated with the first receiving terminal. When it is determined that the first binding relationship is changed to a third binding relationship, this third binding relationship indicates the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the second auxiliary terminal. Based on the third binding relationship and the second service associated with the first receiving terminal, the first screen data is sent to the second auxiliary terminal.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, first configuration information is received, which is used to indicate binding the first receiving terminal to the first auxiliary terminal; according to the first configuration information, the media access control (MAC) address of the first receiving terminal and the MAC address of the first auxiliary terminal are bound to each other to determine the first binding relationship.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first receiving terminal includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), and the first auxiliary terminal includes an electronic paper display (EPD).

[0013] In a second aspect, a data transmission apparatus is provided, comprising a method for performing any possible implementation of the method design described in the first aspect above.

[0014] Thirdly, a data transmission apparatus is provided, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor and the memory are connected together, wherein the memory is used to store program code, and the processor is used to call the program code to execute the method in any possible implementation of the method design of the first aspect described above.

[0015] Fourthly, a server is provided, including means as described in any possible implementation of the apparatus design of the second or third aspect above.

[0016] Fifthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided storing a computer program that is executed by a processor to implement the method in any possible implementation of the method design of the first aspect.

[0017] In a sixth aspect, a computer program product is provided, including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computer to perform any possible implementation of the method design of the first aspect described above. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a paperless meeting system 100 applicable to embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission method 200 proposed in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a system 300 that transmits data via RTC technology according to an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic table sign 400 according to an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the service flow of a conference system server according to an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 6This is a schematic block diagram of a data transmission device 600 provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] This application will present various aspects, embodiments, or features relating to a system comprising multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood and appreciated that individual systems may include additional devices, components, modules, etc., and / or may not include all the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, combinations of these approaches are also possible.

[0026] Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, the words "exemplary," "for example," etc., are used to indicate that they are examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplary" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being better or more advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of the term "exemplary" is intended to present the concept in a concrete manner.

[0027] The business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of technology and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0028] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0029] In this application embodiment, "at least one" refers to one or more, and "more than one" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0030] Paperless conferencing systems are intelligent interactive conferencing systems based on local area networks, private networks, or mobile internet. They utilize communication, audio, video, and software technologies to achieve paperless meetings. The characteristics of paperless conferencing include: networked file transfer, electronic file display, intelligent file editing, and controllable file input and output. Core functions of paperless conferencing include: meeting attendance, name navigation, file distribution and uploading, synchronized file presentation, voting, handwritten annotations, call services, voice and text display, and remote video transmission.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a paperless meeting system 100 applicable to embodiments of this application.

[0032] refer to Figure 1 As shown, system 100 includes a server and a client, wherein the server includes a server and the client includes at least one main terminal and at least one viewing terminal.

[0033] To ensure information security during meetings, the server and client typically interact via a local area network (LAN) set up at the meeting venue. This enables functions such as document uploading or downloading, audio and video data transmission, and interactive response information transmission.

[0034] Typically, the speaker's content usually constitutes the majority of a meeting, making it crucial to accurately and precisely deliver this content to the attendees. However, in large-scale meetings, the venue is spacious, and attendees in the front rows may obstruct the view of those behind. Even with a large screen displaying the speaker's interface, it's not guaranteed that all attendees can clearly see it. Paperless conferencing technology, with its audio and video transmission capabilities, can transmit the speaker's interface as video data to attendees' devices for display, thus solving these problems.

[0035] However, when local area network bandwidth resources are limited and there are too many terminal devices of the participants, the server may lose packets when sending video data to multiple terminal devices at the same time. This can cause video stuttering on the participants' terminal devices, or even cause participants to miss important meeting content, or cause the bitrate of the meeting video to be changed repeatedly, thus affecting the participants' viewing experience.

[0036] In view of this, embodiments of this application propose a data transmission method and apparatus that can determine the bitrate of video data sent to the receiving terminal based on the local area network bandwidth occupancy, thereby minimizing video stuttering at the receiving terminal and improving the user's viewing experience.

[0037] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission method 200 proposed in an embodiment of this application.

[0038] This method 200 can be applied to the server in the system 100 described above, and the method 200 includes the following steps:

[0039] S210: Obtain the first video data from the sending terminal, wherein the bit rate of the first video data is a first bit rate.

[0040] It should be understood that the aforementioned first bitrate can also be understood as the native bitrate of the first video data.

[0041] For example, the aforementioned sending terminal refers to the terminal device operated by the speaker in the conference system, such as the speaker terminal in system 100. Therefore, the aforementioned first video data is used to present the video of the speaker operating the interactive interface of the sending terminal.

[0042] In some possible embodiments, when the speaker operates on the interactive interface of the transmitting terminal, the transmitting terminal can not only obtain the video of the speaker's operation process on the interactive interface, but also the speaker's audio. Thus, the aforementioned first video data can be a type of audio and video data.

[0043] S220: Determine the bandwidth utilization ratio of the local area network (LAN), wherein the LAN is used to serve a sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal, and the bandwidth utilization ratio is used to represent the ratio between the bandwidth occupied by the sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal and the total bandwidth available to the LAN.

[0044] In some possible embodiments, the bandwidth utilization ratio can be the ratio between the bandwidth shared by the transmitting terminal and at least one receiving terminal and the total bandwidth of the local area network, or it can be a percentage of the total bandwidth of the local area network shared by the transmitting terminal and at least one receiving terminal. Alternatively, the bandwidth utilization ratio can also be a weighted value derived from the ratio between the bandwidth shared by the transmitting terminal and at least one receiving terminal and the total bandwidth of the local area network.

[0045] S230: Determine the second video data based on the first video data and the bandwidth occupancy ratio. The bit rate of the second video data is a second bit rate, which is less than or equal to the first bit rate.

[0046] In some possible implementations, there is a negative correlation between the magnitude of the second bit rate and the bandwidth utilization ratio; in other words, the smaller the bandwidth utilization ratio, the closer the second bit rate is to the first bit rate.

[0047] It should be understood that when the bandwidth utilization ratio is below a certain threshold, the aforementioned first video data is determined to be the second video data. In other words, at this time, the second video data is the first video data.

[0048] S240: Send second video data to at least one of the above-mentioned receiving terminals.

[0049] For example, the aforementioned receiving terminal refers to a terminal device in a conference system that receives video from the speaker's shared screen, such as the viewing terminal in system 100.

[0050] In some possible embodiments, the aforementioned transmitting terminal and receiving terminal can be applied to any electronic device with a display screen, such as a smartphone, tablet computer, laptop computer, desktop computer, etc., and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0051] In some possible embodiments, the at least one receiving terminal can be considered as a group of receiving terminals, and the video data transmission service is a service between the sending terminal and the group of receiving terminals. In a conferencing system, there can be multiple sending terminals, and each sending terminal can correspond to a group of receiving terminals. The server can implement the video data transmission service between each sending terminal and its corresponding receiving terminal based on the method 200 described above.

[0052] It should be understood that the aforementioned sending terminal refers to the data sending end in the video data transmission service involved in method 200, and does not mean that the sending terminal can only be used to send video data. In other services, such as check-in and voting, the sending terminal can also be used to receive corresponding data, in which case the sending terminal can be used as a receiving terminal, and the same applies to the aforementioned receiving terminal. In the embodiments of this application, the aforementioned sending terminal and receiving terminal can be collectively referred to as operating terminals.

[0053] Based on the above technical solution, before sending video data to the receiving terminal, the bitrate of the video data sent to the receiving terminal is determined based on the total bandwidth occupancy of the local area network. This ensures that the video on the receiving terminal device plays at a stable bitrate and effectively avoids video stuttering, thereby improving the user's viewing experience.

[0054] In some possible embodiments, if the bandwidth utilization ratio is less than or equal to the first threshold, the second bit rate is equal to the first bit rate; or, if the bandwidth utilization ratio is greater than the first threshold, the second bit rate is less than the first bit rate.

[0055] It should be understood that the video bitrate in the above embodiment is divided into two bitrate levels: the native bitrate level equal to the first bitrate, and the compressed bitrate level lower than the first bitrate. In practical applications, to increase the rationality of video bitrate adjustment, three or more alternative video bitrate levels can be set.

[0056] For example, when the bandwidth utilization ratio is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.3, the second bitrate is equal to the first bitrate; or, when the bandwidth utilization ratio is greater than 0.3 and less than or equal to 0.6, the second bitrate is equal to 80% of the first bitrate; or, when the bandwidth utilization ratio is greater than 0.6 and less than or equal to 0.8, the second bitrate is equal to 40% of the first bitrate; and when the bandwidth utilization ratio is greater than 0.8 and less than or equal to 1, the second bitrate is equal to 10% of the first bitrate.

[0057] It should be noted that the above threshold settings and corresponding bitrate settings are only examples. Under different application scenarios, different numbers of terminals, or different performance of communication networks, the above threshold and bitrate settings can be adaptively adjusted based on the calibration results of prior experiments.

[0058] In some possible embodiments, the aforementioned first threshold, etc., can be determined through pre-calibration experiments. During the calibration experiments, a correspondence can be established to represent the relationship between different bitrate levels and threshold intervals. Taking the various thresholds and bitrate levels proposed in the above examples as examples, this correspondence can be represented by the following Table 1:

[0059] Table 1

[0060] Bandwidth utilization ratio threshold range Video bitrate levels (0,0.3] 100% of the native bitrate (0.3,0.6] 80% of the native bitrate (0.6,0.8] 40% of the native bitrate (0.8,1] 10% of the native bitrate

[0061] Table 1 can be stored in the server of the conferencing system 100. During the execution of S230, the server searches Table 1 based on the bandwidth occupancy ratio to determine the threshold range corresponding to the bandwidth occupancy ratio, and then determines the video bitrate level corresponding to the threshold range. If the video bitrate level is not 100% of the native bitrate (i.e., the first bitrate), the first video data can be compressed based on the video bitrate level to determine the second video data with the corresponding bitrate level (i.e., the second bitrate).

[0062] Of course, the correspondence between the different bitrate levels and threshold ranges mentioned above can also be represented in other ways, such as structured data representations like lists and dictionaries. This application does not limit this.

[0063] In some possible embodiments, when the bandwidth utilization ratio is greater than or equal to a second threshold, a first prompt message is sent, which is used to indicate the total bandwidth of the local area network to be expanded.

[0064] The second threshold is greater than the first threshold mentioned above.

[0065] It should be understood that when the bandwidth utilization ratio is greater than or equal to the second threshold, it means that the bandwidth utilization ratio of the current local area network is too high, and it may even be difficult to meet the data transmission needs of the terminal devices in this meeting.

[0066] In some possible embodiments, the second threshold described above can also be calibrated through prior experimentation.

[0067] In some possible embodiments, the aforementioned first prompt message may be sent to a human-computer interaction interface or other control device connected to the server, thereby prompting relevant technical personnel managing the server to perform related work on expanding the local area network.

[0068] Based on the above technical solution, when the bandwidth occupancy ratio is determined to be too high, a prompt message can be issued in a timely manner so that relevant technical personnel can expand the total bandwidth of the local area network used for this meeting, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the data transmission method proposed in this application embodiment and ensuring the audiovisual experience of the participants.

[0069] In some possible embodiments, prior to the above S210, the server may also perform the following operation: determine first service information, which is used to indicate that a video transmission service needs to be performed between the sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal. For ease of description, the video transmission service indicated by the first service information in this application embodiment is simply referred to as the first service, that is, both the first video data and the second video data are used for the first service.

[0070] For example, the aforementioned first business information may be a business configured on the server side by relevant technical personnel, so that the server can determine the aforementioned first business information.

[0071] In some possible embodiments, the aforementioned transmitting terminal can be connected to a video acquisition device, which is used to acquire the first video data of the transmitting terminal. The aforementioned S210 can be extended to the following steps: obtaining the network address of the video acquisition device; and obtaining the first video data from the video acquisition device using RTC technology based on the network address of the video acquisition device.

[0072] Accordingly, the above S240 can be extended to the following steps: obtaining the network address of at least one receiving terminal, and sending second video data to the at least one receiving terminal based on the network address of the at least one receiving terminal.

[0073] It should be noted that the aforementioned RTC technology is a real-time communication technology, generally referring to WebRTC technology. It allows web applications or websites to establish peer-to-peer connections between browsers without the need for an intermediary, enabling the transmission of video streams, audio streams, or other types of data. This technology allows users to conduct real-time audio and video calls or other types of data transmission through a compatible browser without installing any plugins or third-party software.

[0074] In some possible embodiments, where the conferencing system is compatible with multiple types of data transmission, in addition to obtaining the network addresses of the video capture device and the receiving terminal, the dedicated network ports of the video capture device and the receiving terminal for video data can also be obtained. Thus, based on the network address of the video capture device, first video data is obtained from the corresponding network port of the video capture device, and based on the network address of the receiving terminal, second video data is sent to the corresponding network interface of the receiving terminal.

[0075] In some possible embodiments, before the server sends the second video data to the receiving terminal, the receiving terminal can register the server's network address and the network port used for video data transmission. When the receiving terminal needs to perform a video transmission task, it can send a task request to the server based on the server's network address and the corresponding network port. After the server receives the task request, it can send the second video data to the receiving terminal.

[0076] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a system 300 that transmits data via RTC technology according to an embodiment of this application.

[0077] This system 300 can be integrated into the aforementioned conference system 100 to enable the data transmission function of the conference system 100. (Reference) Figure 3As shown, the system 300 includes a client and a server. Taking a video data transmission task as an example, the client may include a sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal, and the server may include a server, a browser, and a video capture device.

[0078] It should be understood that the aforementioned video acquisition device at the transmitting terminal can be referred to as a terminal device group. System 300 may include multiple terminal device groups. However, for ease of description, Figure 3 Taking a terminal device group as an example, the main architecture of System 300 will be explained.

[0079] In some possible embodiments, when the aforementioned sending terminal needs to perform a screen sharing operation, it can be connected to the aforementioned video capture device, so that the video capture device can capture the video of the sending terminal's screen in real time, i.e., the first video data. During the transmission of this video data, the server can directly obtain the first video data captured by the video capture device through a browser based on RTC technology. That is, the server accesses the specified network address and corresponding network port of the browser, enters the operation interface presented in the form of a web page, and requests and obtains the first video data captured by the video capture device based on the operation interface.

[0080] After the server obtains the first video data, when it receives a task request from at least one receiving terminal in the terminal device group, the server can execute the method 200 proposed in the embodiments of this application to determine the second video data and send the second video data to the at least one receiving terminal.

[0081] Based on the above technical solution, the server only needs to access a browser to push the video data collected from the sending terminal to the server. This allows the server to send the acquired video data to the corresponding receiving terminal, enabling screen sharing among users participating in the meeting. Since the video transmission operation is controlled by the server, neither the sending nor receiving terminal users need to install additional video conferencing software or perform any additional operations. They can share screen video or receive and play screen video from the sending terminal using a standard video player.

[0082] In a paperless meeting scenario, each participant typically needs two terminal devices for display. Taking the first participant as an example, one terminal is the aforementioned receiving terminal used to display meeting-related content to the first participant, and the other is an auxiliary terminal used to display the first participant's personal information (e.g., name, title, etc.) to other participants.

[0083] In view of this, this application proposes an electronic table sign, based on which the above two aspects of content display can be realized.

[0084] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic nameplate 400 proposed in an embodiment of this application.

[0085] refer to Figure 4 As shown, taking the first receiving terminal among the above-mentioned at least one receiving terminal as an example, the electronic table sign 400 includes: a first receiving terminal 410, a first auxiliary terminal 420 and a support part 430, wherein the first receiving terminal 410 and the first auxiliary terminal 420 are connected, and based on the supporting role of the support part 430, the electronic table sign 400 as a whole presents the form of a triangular pyramid.

[0086] The first receiving terminal 410 and the first auxiliary terminal 420 can be detached after being connected.

[0087] In some possible embodiments, the support portion 430 may include two interconnected panels, each of which may be provided with a groove, so that the first receiving terminal 410 and the first auxiliary terminal 420 may be respectively disposed in the groove, so that the first receiving terminal 410 and the first auxiliary terminal 420 may be in an overlapping form.

[0088] In some possible embodiments, the first receiving terminal 410 and the first auxiliary terminal 420 can be connected by a connecting part 440, which can be a connecting buckle, a connecting strap, etc., and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0089] In some possible embodiments, the first receiving terminal 410 may be an LCD, and the first auxiliary terminal 420 may be an EPD.

[0090] It should be understood that the above-described electronic nameplate 400 is based on the first receiving terminal 410 as an example. However, in the video data transmission service involved in the above-described method 200, the speaker also needs to be equipped with an electronic nameplate. Therefore, the speaker's electronic nameplate may include a sending terminal and a corresponding auxiliary terminal. In other words, the electronic nameplate proposed in this application embodiment includes an operating terminal and an auxiliary terminal.

[0091] Based on the above technical solution, electronic nameplates, which include two display terminals, can present meeting-related content to participants and display personal information to other participants, thus enhancing their audiovisual and interactive meeting experience.

[0092] In some possible embodiments, the first receiving terminal 410 and the first auxiliary terminal 420 may also implement other extended functions, such as check-in, voting and commenting functions. As for what function the first receiving terminal 410 or the first auxiliary terminal 420 needs to perform, it depends on the task data issued by the server. For example, the second video data is a kind of task data.

[0093] In some possible embodiments, considering that the first receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal are associated with a participant, the server may also perform the following operation before the participant begins the meeting: determine a first binding relationship, which indicates the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal. Then, during the execution of method 200 above, the server may also perform the following operation: associate the aforementioned first service with the first auxiliary terminal according to the first binding relationship.

[0094] Suppose that during the meeting, while the server is continuously sending second video data to the first receiving terminal, the first receiving terminal becomes unavailable for some reason, such as running out of power or crashing. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a second receiving terminal for that participant to play the speaker's video. At this point, the first auxiliary terminal connects to the second receiving terminal. Technical personnel can then modify the first binding relationship to the second binding relationship on the server side. This second binding relationship indicates the binding relationship between the second receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal. During this process, the server can also perform the following operations:

[0095] When it is determined that the first binding relationship has been changed to the second binding relationship, the second video data is sent to the second receiving terminal according to the second binding relationship and the first service associated with the first auxiliary terminal, and the sending of the second video data to the first receiving terminal is stopped.

[0096] In some possible embodiments, the determination of the first binding relationship can be achieved by: receiving first configuration information, which is used to indicate binding the first receiving terminal to the first auxiliary terminal; and binding the MAC address of the first receiving terminal to the MAC address of the first auxiliary terminal according to the first configuration information to determine the first binding relationship.

[0097] After the first auxiliary terminal is switched to connect with the second receiving terminal, the server can also receive second configuration information. This second configuration information is used to instruct the first auxiliary terminal to change its binding operation and to indicate the new device bound to the first auxiliary terminal, the second receiving terminal. The server determines the second binding relationship in a similar way to the method of determining the first binding relationship. Based on the second configuration information, the server binds the MAC address of the first auxiliary terminal with the MAC address of the second receiving terminal to determine the second binding relationship.

[0098] In some possible embodiments, the first and second configuration information mentioned above may be sent to the server by relevant technical personnel.

[0099] In some possible embodiments, the second configuration information described above can also be used to instruct the first auxiliary terminal to unbind from the first receiving terminal. Therefore, the server can also release the resources allocated to the first receiving terminal for performing conference-related tasks according to the second configuration information, such as deleting the first binding relationship and terminating the sending of second video data to the first receiving terminal.

[0100] In some possible embodiments, if the second configuration information does not instruct the first auxiliary terminal to unbind from the first receiving terminal, the server, after determining the second binding relationship, can send second video data not only to the first receiving terminal but also to the second receiving terminal. This solution is applied when a participant is added to a meeting temporarily, and this participant has not pre-registered their personal information on the server, nor has they provided a pre-bound receiving terminal and auxiliary terminal. In this case, it is necessary to quickly add a receiving terminal so that the participant can join the meeting as soon as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to temporarily provide the participant with a receiving terminal, such as the second receiving terminal mentioned above, which is bound to the same auxiliary terminal as the first receiving terminal, so that the second receiving terminal can play the speaker's meeting video as soon as possible.

[0101] Based on the above technical solution, the receiving terminal and the auxiliary terminal can be flexibly bound or unbound. After the auxiliary terminal is bound to a new receiving terminal, the server can send the corresponding task data to the new receiving terminal in a timely manner based on the task information of the original receiving terminal corresponding to the auxiliary terminal. This allows the new receiving terminal to seamlessly connect with the tasks of the original receiving terminal. Moreover, operations that previously needed to be performed on the original receiving terminal, such as check-in and voting, do not need to be re-executed on the new receiving terminal, thereby ensuring the meeting experience of the participants.

[0102] In some possible embodiments, taking the first auxiliary terminal mentioned above as an example, since the first auxiliary terminal also needs to perform corresponding business during the meeting, and the first auxiliary terminal is usually used to display a static screen, such as displaying the personal information of the participants, the server can also perform the following operation before the participants start the meeting: determine the second business, which is to make the first auxiliary terminal display the first screen.

[0103] It should be understood that after determining the second service, the server can send the first screen data to the first auxiliary terminal, which is used to trigger the first auxiliary terminal to display the first screen.

[0104] The first screen can be used to display the personal information of the participants. Therefore, the data of the first screen is different from the first video data or the second video data mentioned above. The first screen data is used to display a static screen, while the first video data and the second video data mentioned above are used to display a dynamic screen.

[0105] In some possible embodiments, before the participants begin the meeting, the server may also perform the following operation: determine a first binding relationship, which indicates the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal. Then, during the execution of method 200 above, the server may also perform the following operation: associate the second service with the first auxiliary terminal according to the first binding relationship.

[0106] Suppose that during a meeting, the first receiving terminal becomes unavailable to the participant due to various reasons, such as running out of power or unexpected damage. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a second auxiliary terminal to display the participant's personal information. In this case, the first receiving terminal connects to the second auxiliary terminal. At this point, technical personnel can modify the first binding relationship to a third binding relationship on the server side. This third binding relationship indicates the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the second auxiliary terminal. During this process, the server can also perform the following operations:

[0107] When it is determined that the first binding relationship is changed to the third binding relationship, the third binding relationship is used to indicate the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the second auxiliary terminal. Based on the third binding relationship and the second service associated with the first receiving terminal, the first screen data is sent to the second auxiliary terminal.

[0108] In some possible embodiments, after the first receiving terminal is switched to connect with the second auxiliary terminal, the server can also receive third configuration information. This third configuration information is used to instruct the first receiving terminal to change its binding operation and to instruct the new device bound to the first receiving terminal, namely the second auxiliary terminal. The method by which the server determines the second binding relationship is similar to the method by which it determines the first or second binding relationship, and will not be repeated here.

[0109] In some possible embodiments, the third configuration information described above can also be used to instruct the first receiving terminal to unbind from the first auxiliary terminal. Therefore, the server can also release the resources allocated to the first auxiliary terminal for performing tasks related to the conference based on the third configuration information, such as deleting the first binding relationship and terminating the sending of the first screen data to the first auxiliary terminal.

[0110] In some possible embodiments, if the third configuration information does not instruct the first auxiliary terminal to unbind from the first receiving terminal, the server, after determining the third binding relationship, can send the first screen data not only to the first auxiliary terminal but also to the second auxiliary terminal.

[0111] In some possible embodiments, the first configuration information, the second configuration information, or the third configuration information described above may be sent to the server by relevant technical personnel.

[0112] Based on the above technical solution, the receiving terminal and the auxiliary terminal can be flexibly bound or unbound. After the receiving terminal is bound to a new auxiliary terminal, the server can send the corresponding task data to the new auxiliary terminal in a timely manner based on the task information of the original auxiliary terminal corresponding to the receiving terminal. This allows the new auxiliary terminal to seamlessly connect with the tasks of the original auxiliary terminal. Operations that previously needed to be performed on the original auxiliary terminal, such as check-in and voting, do not need to be re-executed on the new auxiliary terminal, thereby ensuring the meeting experience of the participants.

[0113] In some possible embodiments, assuming that a participant using the first auxiliary terminal and the first receiving terminal leaves midway and is replaced by a new participant, the server determines third service information, which is used to instruct the first auxiliary terminal to display a second screen; and sends the second screen data to the first auxiliary terminal, which is used to trigger the first auxiliary terminal to display the second screen, which can be used to display the personal information of the new participant.

[0114] It should be understood that any one or more data transmission methods proposed in the embodiments of this application can be integrated into the business flow of the conference system server.

[0115] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the service flow of a conference system server proposed in an embodiment of this application.

[0116] Before executing the corresponding meeting tasks, the server can perform the following preparatory work:

[0117] S501: Create a meeting task.

[0118] It should be understood that creating a meeting task as described above refers to requesting and obtaining relevant meeting content from the operating system, including creating a task thread and allocating corresponding computing resources.

[0119] S503: Obtain the MAC addresses of N operating terminals and N auxiliary terminals used for the conference, and bind the MAC addresses of the N operating terminals to the MAC addresses of the N auxiliary terminals one by one to determine the N electronic nameplates, where N is greater than 1.

[0120] S505: Determine the terminal device group, each group corresponds to more than N electronic table cards, each electronic table card includes an operating terminal and an auxiliary terminal.

[0121] This completes the pre-meeting preparations for the server. We will now proceed with the tasks assigned during the meeting.

[0122] S507: Create a collection of meeting content.

[0123] The meeting content set may include displaying participants' personal information on the auxiliary terminal, displaying the check-in interface on the control operation terminal, displaying the voting interface on the control operation terminal, and displaying the speaker's screen operation video on the control operation terminal.

[0124] S509: Select the first task from the set of meeting content.

[0125] S511: Determine the first group of terminal devices to participate in the first task.

[0126] S513: Send task data related to the first task to the electronic table card of the first terminal device group.

[0127] S515: Obtain status feedback information of each electronic table card in the first terminal device group performing the first task.

[0128] For example, when the first task is check-in, the status feedback information of the above electronic table card for performing the first task includes: checked-in or not checked-in.

[0129] Suppose that the first electronic table card in the first terminal device group has a different operating terminal, that is, the auxiliary terminal and the operating terminal are re-bound. Then, the status feedback information corresponding to the new operating terminal after re-binding will inherit the status feedback information corresponding to the original operating terminal.

[0130] S517: Record the status feedback information of each electronic table card in the first terminal device group performing the first task for viewing.

[0131] The above is the complete business flow of the server.

[0132] Furthermore, embodiments of this application also provide an apparatus for implementing any of the above methods. For example, an apparatus for data transmission is provided, which includes units (or means) for implementing any of the above data transmission methods.

[0133] Figure 6 This is a schematic block diagram of a data transmission device 600 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0134] The device 600 can be applied to a server in any of the conferencing systems proposed in the embodiments of this application. The device 600 includes:

[0135] The acquisition unit 610 is used to acquire the first video data of the sending terminal, wherein the bit rate of the first video data is a first bit rate.

[0136] The determining unit 620 is used to determine the bandwidth utilization ratio of the local area network (LAN), which serves a sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal. The bandwidth utilization ratio represents the ratio between the bandwidth occupied by the sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal and the total bandwidth available in the LAN. Based on the first video data and the bandwidth utilization ratio, the determining unit 620 determines the second video data, wherein the bit rate of the second video data is a second bit rate, and the second bit rate is less than or equal to the first bit rate.

[0137] The transmitting unit 630 is used to transmit second video data to at least one receiving terminal.

[0138] In some possible embodiments, if the bandwidth utilization ratio is less than or equal to the first threshold, the second bit rate is equal to the first bit rate; or, if the bandwidth utilization ratio is greater than the first threshold, the second bit rate is less than the first bit rate.

[0139] In some possible embodiments, the sending unit 630 is further configured to send a first prompt message when the bandwidth occupancy ratio is greater than or equal to a second threshold, the first prompt message being used to indicate the total bandwidth of the expanded local area network.

[0140] In some possible embodiments, the determining unit 620 is further configured to determine first service information, which indicates that video transmission service is required between the sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal. Based on this, the obtaining unit 610 is specifically configured to obtain the network address of the video acquisition device, which is used to acquire first video data from the sending terminal. Based on the network address of the video acquisition device, the first video data is obtained from the video acquisition device using RTC technology. In addition, the obtaining unit 610 is also configured to obtain the network address of at least one receiving terminal. Based on this, the sending unit 630 is specifically configured to send second video data to at least one receiving terminal based on the network address of at least one receiving terminal.

[0141] In some possible embodiments, the at least one receiving terminal includes a first receiving terminal connected to a first auxiliary terminal, the second video data is used for a first service, the determining unit 620 is further configured to: determine a first binding relationship, the first binding relationship indicating the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal; and associate the first service with the first auxiliary terminal according to the first binding relationship; when the determining unit 620 determines that the first binding relationship has been changed to a second binding relationship, the second binding relationship indicating the binding relationship between the second receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal, the sending unit 630 is further configured to: send the second video data to the second receiving terminal according to the second binding relationship and the first service associated with the first auxiliary terminal, and stop sending the second video data to the first receiving terminal.

[0142] In some possible embodiments, the at least one receiving terminal includes a first receiving terminal connected to a first auxiliary terminal. The first auxiliary terminal is used to receive first screen data, which is used for a second service. The determining unit 620 is further used to: determine a first binding relationship, which indicates the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal; associate the second service with the first receiving terminal according to the first binding relationship; when the determining unit 620 determines that the first binding relationship has been changed to a third binding relationship, the third binding relationship indicates the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the second auxiliary terminal; and the sending unit 630 is further used to: send the first screen data to the second auxiliary terminal according to the third binding relationship and the second service associated with the first receiving terminal.

[0143] In some possible embodiments, the above-described apparatus 600 further includes: a receiving unit 640, configured to receive first configuration information, the first configuration information being used to indicate binding the first receiving terminal to the first auxiliary terminal; the above-described determining unit 620 is specifically configured to, according to the first configuration information, bind the media access control MAC address of the first receiving terminal to the MAC address of the first auxiliary terminal to determine the first binding relationship.

[0144] In some possible embodiments, the first receiving terminal includes an LCD, and the first auxiliary terminal includes an EPD.

[0145] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0146] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0147] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0148] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0149] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0150] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0151] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for data transmission, characterized in that, The method includes: Acquire first video data from the sending terminal, wherein the bit rate of the first video data is a first bit rate; Determine the bandwidth utilization ratio of the local area network (LAN), which serves the sending terminal and at least one receiving terminal. The bandwidth utilization ratio represents the ratio between the bandwidth occupied by the sending terminal and the at least one receiving terminal and the total bandwidth of the LAN. Based on the first video data and the bandwidth occupancy ratio, the second video data is determined, the bit rate of the second video data is a second bit rate, and the second bit rate is less than or equal to the first bit rate; Send the second video data to the at least one receiving terminal; Wherein, the at least one receiving terminal includes a first receiving terminal, the first receiving terminal being connected to a first auxiliary terminal, the second video data being used for the first service, and the method further includes: A first binding relationship is determined, which indicates the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal; Based on the first binding relationship, the first service is associated with the first auxiliary terminal; When it is determined that the first binding relationship has been changed to the second binding relationship, the second binding relationship is used to indicate the binding relationship between the second receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal. Based on the second binding relationship and the first service associated with the first auxiliary terminal, the second video data is sent to the second receiving terminal, and the sending of the second video data to the first receiving terminal is stopped.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the bandwidth utilization ratio is less than or equal to the first threshold, the second bitrate is equal to the first bitrate; or, When the bandwidth occupancy ratio is greater than the first threshold, the second bit rate is less than the first bit rate.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the bandwidth occupancy ratio is greater than or equal to the second threshold, a first prompt message is sent, which is used to indicate that the total bandwidth should be expanded, and the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The transmitting terminal is connected to a video acquisition device, which is used to acquire first video data from the transmitting terminal. The transmitting terminal acquires the first video data, including: Obtain the network address of the video capture device; Based on the network address of the video acquisition device, the first video data is obtained from the video acquisition device via web instant messaging (RTC) technology.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The at least one receiving terminal includes a first receiving terminal connected to a first auxiliary terminal. The first auxiliary terminal is used to receive first screen data, which is used for a second service. The method further includes: A first binding relationship is determined, which indicates the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the first auxiliary terminal; Based on the first binding relationship, the second service is associated with the first receiving terminal; When it is determined that the first binding relationship is changed to a third binding relationship, the third binding relationship is used to indicate the binding relationship between the first receiving terminal and the second auxiliary terminal. Based on the third binding relationship and the second service associated with the first receiving terminal, the first screen data is sent to the second auxiliary terminal.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Determining the first binding relationship includes: Receive first configuration information, which is used to instruct the binding of the first receiving terminal with the first auxiliary terminal; Based on the first configuration information, the media access control MAC address of the first receiving terminal and the MAC address of the first auxiliary terminal are bound together to determine the first binding relationship.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The first receiving terminal includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), and the first auxiliary terminal includes an electronic paper display (EPD).

8. A data transmission apparatus, characterized in that, Includes modules or units for performing the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A data transmission apparatus, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory, wherein the processor and the memory are connected, wherein the memory is used to store program code, and the processor is used to call the program code to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A server, characterized in that, Includes the apparatus as described in claim 8 or 9.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that is executed by a processor to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

12. A computer program product, characterized in that, It includes instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 to be performed.

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