Conferencing over multiple transports
First Claim
1. A computer system for conferencing, comprising:
- (a) a digital bus;
(b) a host processor, electrically connected to the digital bus;
(c) first means, electrically connected to the digital bus, for transmitting and receiving signals over a first transport; and
(d) second means, electrically connected to the digital bus, for transmitting and receiving signals over a second transport, wherein;
the host processor is adapted to;
control generation of local conferencing signals of a first type for transmission by the first means to a remote conferencing node over the first transport;
control playback of remote conferencing signals of the first type received by the first means from the remote conferencing node over the first transport;
control generation of local conferencing signals of a second type for transmission by the second means to the remote conferencing node over the second transport; and
control playback of remote conferencing signals of the second type received by the second means from the remote conferencing node over the second transport wherein;
the first means is a combined audio/ISDN board, electrically connected to an ISDN network; and
the second means is a LAN card, electrically connected to a local area network.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-based conferencing system capable of selectively conferencing with a remote node over two or more different transports. A host processor controls the generation of local conferencing signals for transmission to the remote node over either a first transport or a second transport. The host processor also controls the processing of remote conferencing signals received from the remote node over either the first transport or the second transport. In a preferred embodiment, the first transport is an ISDN network and the second transport is a LAN network. In one embodiment, the computer system has a combined audio/ISDN board, a video board, and a LAN card. In an alternative embodiment, the computer system has a combined audio/video board, an ISDN board, and a LAN card.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A computer system for conferencing, comprising:
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(a) a digital bus; (b) a host processor, electrically connected to the digital bus; (c) first means, electrically connected to the digital bus, for transmitting and receiving signals over a first transport; and (d) second means, electrically connected to the digital bus, for transmitting and receiving signals over a second transport, wherein; the host processor is adapted to; control generation of local conferencing signals of a first type for transmission by the first means to a remote conferencing node over the first transport; control playback of remote conferencing signals of the first type received by the first means from the remote conferencing node over the first transport; control generation of local conferencing signals of a second type for transmission by the second means to the remote conferencing node over the second transport; and control playback of remote conferencing signals of the second type received by the second means from the remote conferencing node over the second transport wherein; the first means is a combined audio/ISDN board, electrically connected to an ISDN network; and the second means is a LAN card, electrically connected to a local area network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer system for conferencing, comprising:
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(a) a digital bus; (b) a host processor, electrically connected to the digital bus; (c) first means, electrically connected to the digital bus, for transmitting and receiving signals over a first transport; and (d) second means, electrically connected to the digital bus, for transmitting and receiving signals over a second transport, wherein; the host processor is adapted to; control generation of local conferencing signals of a first type for transmission by the first means to a remote conferencing node over the first transport; control playback of remote conferencing signals of the first type received by the first means from the remote conferencing node over the first transport; control generation of local conferencing signals of a second type for transmission by the second means to the remote conferencing node over the second transport; and control playback of remote conferencing signals of the second type received by the second means from the remote conferencing node over the second transport, wherein; the first means is an ISDN board, electrically connected to an ISDN network; and the second means is a LAN card, electrically connected to a local area network; and
further comprising a combined audio/video board, wherein;the combined audio/video board is adapted to generate and transmit local audio and video signals to the host processor; for ISDN-based conferencing, the host processor is adapted to transmit the local audio and video signals to the ISDN board; for ISDN-based conferencing, the ISDN board is adapted to; format the local audio and video signals for ISDN transmission; transmit the ISDN-formatted local audio and video signals to the remote conferencing node over the ISDN network; receive ISDN-formatted remote audio and video signals from the remote conferencing node over the ISDN network; deformat the ISDN-formatted remote audio and video signals; transmit the deformatted remote audio and video signals to the host processor; for ISDN-based conferencing, the host processor is further adapted to; play back the deformatted remote video signals; and transmit the deformatted remote audio signals to the combined audio/video board; for ISDN-based conferencing, the combined audio/video board is further adapted to play back the deformatted remote audio signals; for LAN-based conferencing, the host processor is adapted to; format the local audio and video signals for LAN transmission; and transmit the LAN-formatted local audio and video signals to the LAN card; for LAN-based conferencing, the LAN card is adapted to; transmit the LAN-formatted local audio and video signals to the remote conferencing node over the local area network; receive LAN-formatted remote audio and video signals from the remote conferencing node over the local area network; and transmit the LAN-formatted remote audio and video signals to the host processor; for LAN-based conferencing, the host processor is further adapted to; deformat the LAN-formatted remote audio and video signals; play back the deformatted remote, video signals; and transmit the deformatted remote audio signals to the combined audio/video board; and for LAN-based conferencing, the combined audio/video board is further adapted to play back the deformatted remote audio signals. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification