Systems and methods for connecting video conferencing to a distributed network

• US 20020126201A1
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gulfstream Media Corp. (BurstPoint Networks, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starbak Communications Incorporated (BurstPoint Networks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schmitt, Matthew R., Poolos, Nicholas A.
• Application Number:
  US09/984,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126201A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

Conventional video conference porting sytems access the analog video conference output streams, reconverting these streams back into digital data streams for transmission over the Internet. This significantly degrades these streams. Other conventional video conference porting sytems access the digital data streams, but can only output these streams as a multicast. A pseudo-end point can be connected to a multi-point control unit managing a video conference just as the end point of a participant to the video conference is connected. The pseudo-end point device receives the digital data just as the participating end points receive the digital data. The pseudo-end point is connected to a video conference standard module, which is connectable to manyt pseudo-end points, each acting as a pseudo-participant in a different video conference. The video conference standard module transmits the received digital data as a multicast to one or more unicast servers, and zero, one or more multicast clients.

Claims