Duplicating Digital Streams for Digital Conferencing Using Switching Technologies
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting data units, the method comprising:
- using a switch to receive data units;
using the switch, which is structured and arranged to filter between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack, to filter the data units;
using the switch to receive a first data unit that is addressed to the switch, wherein the first data unit includes a payload portion; and
using the switch, which is also structured and arranged to forward between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack, to forward content to two or more conferencing participants by;
generating duplicated data units for at least two of the two or more conferencing participants by duplicating at least a portion of the payload portion of the first data unit and adding header information to reflect address information of the corresponding conferencing participant; and
transmitting the duplicated data units to the at least two of the two or more conferencing participants.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Using switching technologies to duplicate packets of a digital stream (e.g., digital video stream) sent from one workstation to multiple recipient workstations, where the switching technologies enable the multiple streams sent from the switch to the recipient workstations to be generated from a single digital stream sent from the sending workstation to the switch. Data units, such as video data units, may be transmitted by using a switch to enable receipt of a stream of data units including a payload portion and an attribute portion from at least two conferencing participants. The switch is used to duplicate at least a subportion of the payload portion of a data unit within the stream of data units, and to enable access to the duplicated subportion of the data unit by two or more conferencing participants.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of transmitting data units, the method comprising:
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using a switch to receive data units;
using the switch, which is structured and arranged to filter between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack, to filter the data units;
using the switch to receive a first data unit that is addressed to the switch, wherein the first data unit includes a payload portion; and
using the switch, which is also structured and arranged to forward between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack, to forward content to two or more conferencing participants by;
generating duplicated data units for at least two of the two or more conferencing participants by duplicating at least a portion of the payload portion of the first data unit and adding header information to reflect address information of the corresponding conferencing participant; and
transmitting the duplicated data units to the at least two of the two or more conferencing participants. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A duplicating switch comprising:
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a first communications interface, which is structured and arranged to filter between different domains at a same level in protocol stack, configured to;
receive data units, filter the data units, and receive a first data unit that is addressed to the switch, wherein the first data unit includes a payload portion;
a processor configured to forward content to two or more conferencing participants by generating duplicated data units for at least two of the two or more conferencing participants by duplicating at least a portion of the payload portion of the first data unit and adding header information to reflect address information of the corresponding conferencing participant; and
a second communications interface, which is structured and arranged to transmit between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack, configured to transmit the duplicated data units to the at least two of the two or more conferencing participants. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A duplicating switch comprising:
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means for receiving data units;
means for filtering the data units, which is structured and arranged to filter between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack;
means for receiving a first data unit that is addressed to the switch, wherein the first data unit includes a payload portion; and
means for forwarding content to two or more conferencing participants, which is structured and arranged to forward between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack, comprising;
means for generating duplicated data units for at least two of the two or more conferencing participants by duplicating at least a portion of the payload portion of the first data unit and adding header information to reflect address information of the corresponding conferencing participant; and
means for transmitting the duplicated data units to the at least two of the two or more conferencing participants.
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Specification