{
  "patent_number": "US 9083770",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Apps Automatically Switch Between Video Call Connection Methods",
  "original_title": "Method and system for integrating real time communication features in applications",
  "summary": "A system that automatically decides whether to connect video calls directly between users or through a central server based on the number of people and connection quality.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a smart traffic controller for video and audio calls. When a user starts a call, the system counts how many people are involved. If it is just two people, it tries to connect them directly to each other, known as peer-to-peer. If there are three or more, it attempts to route the call through a server using a specific protocol. If the primary connection method fails, the system automatically switches to a backup protocol to keep the call alive. It also constantly monitors network health, like packet loss and delay, to adjust the video quality in real-time by changing the bitrate or frame rate.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover the actual user interface or the visual design of the video chat app.",
    "Does not cover encryption methods used to secure the video or audio data.",
    "Does not cover hardware-specific video compression codecs like H.264 or HEVC.",
    "Does not cover group calling logic that relies solely on a single, static server architecture."
  ],
  "filed": "2014-11-07",
  "granted": "2015-07-14",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Snapchat Inc",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/snapchat-inc",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Kavan Antony Seggie",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/kavan-antony-seggie"
    },
    {
      "name": "Tadeusz Kozak",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/tadeusz-kozak"
    },
    {
      "name": "Dmitry Sobinov",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/dmitry-sobinov"
    },
    {
      "name": "Michael Dröse",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/michael-drse"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 156,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "software",
    "telecommunications",
    "ai_ml"
  ],
  "abstract": "A computer has a processor and a memory connected to the processor. The memory stores instructions executed by the processor to receive a real time communication request from a client device and perform an evaluation of the number of client devices associated with the real time communication request. The evaluation results in the coordination of peer-to-peer communications in the event of two client devices and an attempt to host a real time communication session using a first protocol in the event of three or more client devices. A second protocol for the real time communication session is invoked in the event that the attempt to host the real time communication session using the first protocol is unsuccessful.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9083770/facebook-reactions",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9083770/facebook-reactions/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US9083770",
  "relatedPatents": []
}