Videoconference System Clustering
First Claim
1. A videoconferencing system, comprising:
- at least one cluster node server;
a master server configured to communicate with the at least a cluster node server and an outside client over a wide area network;
each of the cluster node servers being configured to communicate with a plurality of cluster node clients, each of the cluster node servers being configured to send and receive audio and video information to and from the cluster node clients, and the cluster node servers further being configured to send and receive audio and video information to and from the master server; and
wherein the master server is configured to send and receive the audio and video information to and from each of the cluster node servers and the outside client such that each user of each outside client and each cluster node client can see, hear, and interact with each other in real time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A videoconferencing cluster system is described that has at least one cluster node server and a master server configured to communicate with the cluster node server and an outside client over a wide area network. Each cluster node server is configured to communicate with a plurality of cluster node clients and send and receive audio and video information to and from the cluster node clients. The cluster node servers are configured to send and receive audio and video information to and from the master server. The master server sends and receives the audio and video information to and from each of the cluster node servers and the outside client such that each user of each outside client and each cluster node client can see, hear, and interact with each other in real time.
125 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A videoconferencing system, comprising:
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at least one cluster node server; a master server configured to communicate with the at least a cluster node server and an outside client over a wide area network; each of the cluster node servers being configured to communicate with a plurality of cluster node clients, each of the cluster node servers being configured to send and receive audio and video information to and from the cluster node clients, and the cluster node servers further being configured to send and receive audio and video information to and from the master server; and wherein the master server is configured to send and receive the audio and video information to and from each of the cluster node servers and the outside client such that each user of each outside client and each cluster node client can see, hear, and interact with each other in real time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for enabling a plurality of videoconference attendees to see and hear each other, the method comprising:
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transmitting audio and video information from an outside client to the master node server over the wide area network; transmitting audio and video information from a plurality of cluster node clients to a cluster node server; transmitting at least a portion of the audio and video information received by the cluster node server from the cluster node clients to the master server; combining audio and video information received by the master server into a composite audio and video stream for each of the outside client and cluster node server, and transmitting each composite audio and video stream to a corresponding one of the outside client and the cluster node server; and transmitting the composite audio and video stream received by the cluster node server to the cluster node clients. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A graphical user interface for a videoconferencing system, the graphical user interface, comprising:
a video window, the video window displaying a master composite video stream originating from a master server, the master composite video stream comprising downsampled views, at least one view being a downsampled image of an outside attendee, the outside attendee being connected directly to the master server over a wide area network;
at least one other view being a downsampled image of a local composite video stream, the local composite video stream originating from a cluster node server and comprising a plurality of local views of attendees connected to the cluster node server, the cluster node server generating the local composite video stream from a plurality of downsampled local streams originating from cluster node clients and transmitted to the cluster node server over a local area network.- View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification