Adapter for use with a tandem-free conference bridge

• US 20050114433A1
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Rabipour, Rafi, Coverdale, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,619,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control

Abstract

A conference bridge adapter for processing data carried on a media path between, on the one hand, a conference bridge operative to communicate composite packets carrying media information and auxiliary information pertaining to the media information and, on the other hand, an endpoint characterized by an inability to exchange composite packets with the conference bridge. In one direction, a stream of composite packets is received from the bridge. An output media stream without auxiliary information is generated from the media information in each received composite packet. In the opposite direction, a stream of packets carrying only media information is received from the endpoint. Auxiliary information is derived from the media information and a stream of composite packets is generated by combining the media information and the auxiliary information. Thus, a media conference can be established between seemingly incompatible network elements.

Claims

1. A method of processing data carried on a media path between a first network element and a second network element, comprising:

receiving a stream of composite packets from the first network element, each composite packet carrying media information and auxiliary information pertaining to the composite packet;

generating, on a basis of the media information and the auxiliary information carried in the composite packets, an output media stream free of the auxiliary information carried in the composite packets;

releasing the output media stream towards the second network element.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein generating the output media stream comprises:

removing the auxiliary information from each composite packet.

3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein the media information carried in each composite packet comprises compressed media, wherein generating the output media stream further comprises:

converting into waveform data the compressed media carried in each composite packet.

4. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary information carried in each composite packet identifies an active speaker associated with the composite packet, wherein generating the output media stream comprises:

determining from the auxiliary information carried in each composite packet an active speaker associated with the composite packet;

generating an intermediate media stream for each of a plurality of active speakers from the media information carried in each of the composite packets associated with that active speaker;

combining the intermediate media streams into the output media stream.

5. The method defined in claim 4, wherein the media information carried in each composite packet comprises compressed media, wherein generating an intermediate media stream for a particular active speaker comprises:

converting into waveform data the compressed media carried in each composite packet associated with the particular active speaker.

6. The method defined in claim 5, wherein combining the intermediate media streams into the output media stream comprises:

adding the waveform data carried in the intermediate media streams to generate the output media stream carrying composite waveform data.

7. The method defined in claim 6, the method further comprising:

encoding into compressed media the composite waveform data carried in the output media stream.

8. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary information carried in each composite packet identifies a codec type associated with the composite packet, wherein generating the output media stream comprises:

determining from the auxiliary information carried in each composite packet a codec type associated with the composite packet;

generating an intermediate media stream for each of a plurality of codec types from the media information carried in each of the composite packets associated with that active speaker;

combining the intermediate media streams into the output media stream.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein the media information carried in each composite packet comprises compressed media, wherein generating an intermediate media stream for a particular codec type comprises:

converting into waveform data the compressed media carried in each composite packet associated with the particular codec type.

10. The method defined in claim 9, wherein combining the intermediate media streams into the output media stream comprises:

adding the waveform data carried in the intermediate media streams to generate the output media stream carrying composite waveform data.

11. The method defined in claim 10, the method further comprising:

encoding into compressed media the composite waveform data carried in the output media stream.

12. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the media is speech.

13. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the media is audio.

14. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the media is still imagery.

15. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the media is video.

16. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising packetizing the output media stream at a data interface prior to releasing the output media stream towards the second network element.

17. Apparatus for processing data carried on a media path between a first network element and a second network element, comprising:

means for receiving a stream of composite packets from the first network element, each composite packet carrying media information and auxiliary information pertaining to the composite packet;

means for generating, on a basis of the media information and the auxiliary information carried in the composite packets, an output media stream free of the auxiliary information carried in the composite packets;

means for releasing the output media stream towards the second network element.

18. An apparatus for processing data carried on a media path between a first network element and a second network element, comprising:

a data interface operative to receive a stream of composite packets from the first network element and to release an output media stream towards the second network element, each composite packet carrying media information and auxiliary information pertaining to the composite packet;

a processing entity operative to generate, on a basis of the media information and the auxiliary information carried in the composite packets, the output media stream free of the auxiliary information carried in the composite packets.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 18, wherein the processing entity being operative to generate the output media stream comprises the processing entity being operative to remove the auxiliary information from each composite packet.

20. The apparatus defined in claim 19, wherein the media information carried in each composite packet comprises compressed media, further comprising a decoder operative to decode into waveform data the compressed media carried in each composite packet.

21. The apparatus defined in claim 18, wherein the auxiliary information carried in each composite packet identifies an active speaker associated with the composite packet, wherein the processing entity being operative to generate the output media stream comprises the processing entity being operative to determine from the auxiliary information carried in each composite packet an active speaker associated with the composite packet and to generate an intermediate media stream for each of a plurality of active speakers from the media information carried in each of the composite packets associated with that active speaker, the apparatus further comprising:

a combiner operative to combine the intermediate media streams into the output media stream.

22. The apparatus defined in claim 21, wherein the media information carried in each composite packet comprises compressed media, further comprising:

for each particular active speaker, a decoder operative to decode into waveform data the compressed media carried in each composite packet associated with the particular active speaker.

23. The apparatus defined in claim 22 wherein the combiner being operative to combine the intermediate media streams into the output media stream comprises the combiner being operative to add the waveform data carried in the intermediate media streams to generate the output media stream carrying composite waveform data.

25. The apparatus defined in claim 18, wherein the auxiliary information carried in each composite packet identifies a codec type associated with the composite packet, wherein the processing entity being operative to generate the output media stream comprises the processing entity being operative to determine from the auxiliary information carried in each composite packet a codec type associated with the composite packet and to generate an intermediate media stream for each of a plurality of codec types from the media information carried in each of the composite packets associated with that active speaker, the apparatus further comprising:

a combiner operative to combine the intermediate media streams into the output media stream.

26. The apparatus defined in claim 25, wherein the media information carried in each composite packet comprises compressed media, the apparatus further comprising:

for each particular codec type, a decoder operative to decode into waveform data the compressed media carried in each composite packet associated with the particular codec type.

27. The apparatus defined in claim 26, wherein the combiner being operative to combine the intermediate media streams into the output media stream comprises the combiner being operative to add the waveform data carried in the intermediate media streams to generate the output media stream carrying composite waveform data.

28. The apparatus defined in claim 27, further comprising:

an encoder operative to encode into compressed media the composite waveform data carried in the output media stream.

29. The apparatus defined in claim 18, the data interface being further operative to packetize the output media stream at a data interface prior to releasing the output media stream towards the second network element.

24. The apparatus defined in claim 24, further comprising:

an encoder operative to encode into compressed media the composite waveform data carried in the output media stream.

30. A computer program product for use with a conference bridge adapter located in a media path between a first data element and a second data element, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code including:

program code for receiving a stream of composite packets from the first network element, each composite packet carrying media information and auxiliary information pertaining to the composite packet;

program code for generating, on a basis of the media information and the auxiliary information carried in the composite packets, an output media stream free of the auxiliary information carried in the composite packets;

program code for releasing the output media stream towards the second network element.

31. A method of processing data carried on a media path between a first network element and a second network element, comprising:

receiving a stream of packets from the first network element, each received packet carrying media information;

deriving from the media information carried in each received packet auxiliary information pertaining to the received packet;

generating a stream of composite packets, each said composite packet being produced from the media information carried in a respective received packet and the auxiliary information pertaining to the respective received packet;

releasing the stream of composite packets towards the second network element.

32. The method defined in claim 31, wherein deriving from the media information in each received packet the auxiliary information pertaining to the received packet comprises:

determining an identity of an end user device from which the received packet originates.

33. The method defined in claim 32, wherein the media information carried in each received packet comprises compressed media, the method further comprising:

producing each composite packet by associating to the compressed media carried in a respective received packet the auxiliary information pertaining to the respective received packet.

34. The method defined in claim 33, wherein deriving from the media information in each received packet the auxiliary information pertaining to the received packet comprises:

converting into waveform data the compressed media carried in the received packet;

identifying at least one feature of the waveform data.

35. The method defined in claim 34, wherein the at least one feature includes information useful by a conference bridge in making an active talker selection.

36. The method defined in claim 35, wherein the at least one feature includes a signal power of the waveform data.

37. The method defined in claim 33, wherein deriving from the media information in each received packet the auxiliary information pertaining to the received packet comprises:

determining an identity of an end user device from which the received packet originates.

38. The method defined in claim 31, wherein the media information carried in each received packet comprises waveform data, wherein deriving from the media information in each received packet the auxiliary information pertaining to the received packet comprises encoding into compressed media the waveform data carried in the received packet, the method further comprising:

producing each composite packet by associating to the compressed media encoded from the waveform data carried in a respective received packet the auxiliary information pertaining to the respective received packet.

39. The method defined in claim 38, wherein deriving from the media information in each received packet the auxiliary information pertaining to the received packet comprises:

identifying at least one feature of the waveform data carried in each packet.

40. The method defined in claim 39, wherein the at least one feature includes information useful by a conference bridge in making an active talker selection.

41. The method defined in claim 40, wherein the at least one feature includes a signal power of the waveform data.

42. The method defined in claim 38, wherein deriving from the media information in each received packet the auxiliary information pertaining to the received packet comprises:

determining an identity of an end user device from which the received packet originates.

43. The method defined in claim 31, wherein the media is speech.

44. The method defined in claim 31, wherein the media is audio.

45. The method defined in claim 31, wherein the media is still imagery.

46. The method defined in claim 31, wherein the media is video.

47. Apparatus for processing data carried on a media path between a first network element and a second network element, comprising:

means for receiving a stream of packets from the first network element, each received packet carrying media information;

means for deriving from the media information carried in each received packet auxiliary information pertaining to the received packet;

means for generating a stream of composite packets, each said composite packet being produced from the media information carried in a respective received packet and the auxiliary information pertaining to the respective received packet;

means for releasing the stream of composite packets towards the second network element.

48. Apparatus for processing data carried on a media path between a first network element and a second network element, comprising:

a data interface operative to receive a stream of packets from the first network element and to release a stream of composite packets towards the second network element, each received packet carrying media information;

a processing entity operative to derive from the media information carried in each received packet auxiliary information pertaining to the received packet;

a combiner operative to produce each composite packet by combining the media information carried in a respective received packet and the auxiliary information pertaining to the respective received packet.

49. The apparatus defined in claim 48, wherein the media information carried in each received packet comprises compressed media, wherein the combiner being operative to produce each composite packet comprises the combiner being operative to associate to the compressed media carried in the respective received packet the auxiliary information pertaining to the respective received packet.

50. The apparatus defined in claim 49, wherein the processing entity comprises:

a decoder operative to decode into waveform data the compressed media carried in the received packet; and

a feature extractor operative to identify at least one feature of the waveform data.

51. The apparatus defined in claim 50, wherein the at least one feature includes information useful by a conference bridge in making an active talker selection.

52. The apparatus defined in claim 51, wherein the feature extractor is a signal power measurement unit operative to measure a signal power of the waveform data.

53. The apparatus defined in claim 52, wherein the media information carried in each received packet comprises waveform data, wherein the processing entity comprises an encoder operative to encode into compressed media the waveform data carried in the received packet, wherein the combiner being operative to produce each composite packet comprises the combiner being operative to associate to the compressed media encoded from the waveform data carried in the respective received packet the auxiliary information pertaining to the respective received packet.

54. The apparatus defined in claim 53, wherein the processing entity comprises:

a feature extractor operative to identify at least one feature of the waveform data carried in each packet.

55. The apparatus defined in claim 54, wherein the at least one feature includes information useful by a conference bridge in making an active talker selection.

56. The apparatus defined in claim 55, wherein the feature extractor is a signal power measurement unit operative to measure a signal power of the waveform data.

57. A computer program product for use with a conference bridge adapter located in a media path between a first data element and a second data element, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code including:

program code for receiving a stream of packets from the first network element, each received packet carrying media information;

program code for deriving from the media information carried in each received packet auxiliary information pertaining to the received packet;

program code for generating a stream of composite packets, each said composite packet being produced from the media information carried in a respective received packet and the auxiliary information pertaining to the respective received packet;

program code for releasing the stream of composite packets towards the second network element.

58. A method of establishing a media conference linking a plurality of endpoints via a conference bridge adapted to exchange composite packets carrying media information in conjunction with auxiliary information pertaining to the media information, comprising:

a) determining whether one or more of the endpoints is characterized by an inability to exchange composite packets with the conference bridge;

b) for at least one endpoint identified at a), routing the media path from said endpoint via an adapter that is capable of exchanging composite packets with the conference bridge.

59. A teleconferencing network, comprising:

a conference bridge operative to communicate composite packets carrying media information in conjunction with auxiliary information pertaining to the media information;

a plurality of conference endpoints, at least one of which is characterized by an inability to exchange the composite packets with the conference bridge;

a bridge adapter located between the conference bridge and at least one endpoint characterized by an inability to exchange composite packets with the conference bridge, the adapter being operative to exchange composite packets with the conference bridge and to exchange media information with said at least one endpoint.

60. The teleconferencing network defined in claim 59, wherein at least one endpoint characterized by an inability to exchange composite packets with the conference bridge is an IP phone.