US7089285B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Videoconferencing apparatus having integrated multi-point conference capabilities
Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
•
Filing: 2000-10-05
•
Granted: 2006-08-08
•
Expires: 2020-10-05
Abstract
Abstract A videoconferencing apparatus includes a multi-point (MP) conference application that enables the apparatus to combine and distribute audio and video signals received from a plurality of remote conference endpoints, thereby obviating the need to provide a separate multi-point control unit having hardware-based inverse multiplexers (IMUXs). The MP conference application is configured to generate, for each remote conference endpoint participating in a conference, discrete instances of a signal processing train by means of dynamically allocable IMUXs, each processing train including a communication process and audio/video/data codecs. The processed audio and video signals are subsequently conveyed to an audio mixer and video switching module for combination with locally-generated audio and video signals. The outputs of the audio mixer and video switching module are sent to each of the plurality of signal processing trains, which process the combined signals according to a transmit mode for distribution to the remote endpoints over the network.
Inventors
- 👤 David Drell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/14; H04N7/15; H04N7/152
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for conducting a conference between a near conference endpoint and a plurality of remote conference endpoints connected for communication by a network, comprising the steps of: at the near conference endpoint: generating local audio and video signals; receiving audio and video signals from the plurality of remote conference endpoints; creating a plurality of processing trains for processing the received signals, each processing train uniquely corresponding to one of the plurality of remote conference endpoints; processing the received audio and video signals; combining the processed audio and video signals with the local audio and video signals; and transmitting the combined audio and video signals to each of the plurality of remote conference endpoints.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for conducting a conference between a near conference endpoint and a plurality of remote conference endpoints connected for communication by a network, comprising the steps of: at the near conference endpoint: generating local audio and video signals; receiving audio and video signals from the plurality of remote conference endpoints; creating a plurality of processing trains for processing the received signals, each processing train uniquely corresponding to one of the plurality of remote conference endpoints; processing the received audio and video signals; combining the processed audio and video signals with the local audio and video signals; and transmitting the combined audio and video signals to each of the plurality of remote conference endpoints.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of creating a plurality of processing trains includes creating a communication process and a set of codecs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of combining the processed audio and video signals is performed using an audio mixer and a video switching module.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a circuit switch for instantiating the plurality of processing trains, the circuit switch including dynamically allocable inverse multiplexers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the video switching module is selectively operable in a continuous presence mode, wherein images corresponding to each of the plurality of conference endpoints are displayed in separate areas of a composite image.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
142 words
A multi-point capable video conferencing endpoint comprising: a network interface for receiving remote audio and video data from a plurality of remote endpoints through a network; an audio interface for receiving local audio data from a local source; a video interface for receiving local video data from a local source; and a CPU programmed to control receipt of the remote audio and video data, receipt of the local audio and video data; combination of the remote audio and video data with the local audio and video data; and transmission of the combined audio and video data to each of the plurality of remote endpoints through the network, wherein the CPU is further programmed to instantiate a plurality of processing trains corresponding to the plurality of remote endpoints, wherein each processing train receives the audio and video data from a single remote endpoint.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
142 words
A multi-point capable video conferencing endpoint comprising: a network interface for receiving remote audio and video data from a plurality of remote endpoints through a network; an audio interface for receiving local audio data from a local source; a video interface for receiving local video data from a local source; and a CPU programmed to control receipt of the remote audio and video data, receipt of the local audio and video data; combination of the remote audio and video data with the local audio and video data; and transmission of the combined audio and video data to each of the plurality of remote endpoints through the network, wherein the CPU is further programmed to instantiate a plurality of processing trains corresponding to the plurality of remote endpoints, wherein each processing train receives the audio and video data from a single remote endpoint.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
The multi-point capable video conferencing endpoint of claim 6 , wherein each processing train comprises: a communication process for sending and receiving the audio and video data to and from a single remote endpoint; a video codec in communication with the communication process for encoding the sent video data and decoding the received video data; and an audio codec in communication with the communication process for encoding the sent audio data and decoding the received audio data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
The multi-point capable video conferencing endpoint of claim 7 , further comprising: a video switching module in communication with each of the plurality of processing trains and the video interface for combining the local video data with the remote video data; and an audio mixing module in communication with each of the plurality of processing trains and the audio interface for combining the local audio data with the remote audio data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The multi-point capable video conferencing endpoint of claim 6 , wherein the network interface comprises a plurality of ISDN ports corresponding to the plurality of remote endpoints.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The multi-point capable video conferencing endpoint of claim 6 , wherein the network interface comprises an Ethernet connection.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5491797A
Cited
US6437818B1
Cited
US5506954A
Cited
US6073192A
Cited
US5936662A
Cited
US5914940A
Cited
US6124880A
Cited
US5784561A
Cited
US6072522A
Cited
US6288739B1
Cited
US6269122B1
Cited
US6356294B1
Cited
US6453336B1
Cited
US6025870A
Cited
US6693661B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-08-07 | 2010-02-06 | 2010-08-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-08-07 | 2014-02-06 | 2014-08-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-08-07 | 2018-02-06 | 2018-08-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |