Flow control in a video conference
First Claim
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1. A Multi-Conference Unit (MCU) comprising:
- (i) a first processor for monitoring a display characteristic for data received from a first endpoint and being displayed at a second endpoint;
(ii) a second processor including a database comprising a mapping function for calculating an altered bit rate of data transmission from the first endpoint when the display characteristic is altered at the second endpoint; and
(iii) an output for transmitting a flow control message to the first endpoint specifying the bit rate at which the first endpoint should transmit its image.
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Abstract
In a videoconference images are not always displayed across the entirety of a viewing endpoint'"'"'s screen. For example, a user may wish to view more than one videoconference participant at a time. Providing images of more than one participant can result in large amounts of bandwidth being required to transmit the data for all the images from the endpoints to the Multi-Conference Unit and maintain the resolution for all the images. Therefore, the present invention provides a method for reducing the data sent by an endpoint in response to flow control messages sent by the MCU in response to a change in the size at which the endpoint'"'"'s image is being viewed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A Multi-Conference Unit (MCU) comprising:
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(i) a first processor for monitoring a display characteristic for data received from a first endpoint and being displayed at a second endpoint;
(ii) a second processor including a database comprising a mapping function for calculating an altered bit rate of data transmission from the first endpoint when the display characteristic is altered at the second endpoint; and
(iii) an output for transmitting a flow control message to the first endpoint specifying the bit rate at which the first endpoint should transmit its image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A Multi-Conference Unit (MCU) comprising:
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(i) an input for receiving data from a first endpoint;
(ii) a first processor for monitoring the error rate of data received at an input and generating a message when the error rate crosses a first pre-determined threshold;
(iii) a second processor including a database comprising a mapping function, the database calculating a desired bit rate of data transmission on receipt of the message; and
(iv) an output for transmitting a flow control message to the endpoint specifying the desired bit rate at which image data should be transmitted by the endpoint. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A Multi-Conference Unit (MCU) comprising:
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(i) a first processor for monitoring a display characteristic for data transmitted to an endpoint;
(ii) a second processor for monitoring a characteristic of data received by the MCU and being processed for sending to the endpoint (iii) a third processor including a database comprising a mapping function for calculating a format for transmitting the data according to the data'"'"'s display characteristic and the characteristic of the data received by the MCU. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method for enabling an MCU to alter the bit rate at which a first endpoint transmits data comprising the MCU performing the steps of:
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(i) registering a change in one of the group comprising;
a display characteristic for data received from the first endpoint that is being viewed by a second endpoint and error rate for data transmitted by the first endpoint;
(ii) calculating a bit rate at which the data should be transmitted by the first endpoint;
(iii) notifying the first endpoint of the bit rate; and
the first endpoint adjusting the bit rate at which it transmits data to that specified by the MCU. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification