Videoconferencing and multimedia system

• US 5,793,415 A
• Filed: 05/15/1995
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Imagetel International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Imagetel International Incorporated
• Inventors: Shkiler, Aleksandr, Fauth, Mark, Heibert, R. Dean, Gregory, Earl A. III, Perdew, Hal, Janssen, Bradford, Niemann, Thomas A., Stinson, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Palan, Stephen W.
• Application Number:
  US08/440,966
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 370/62, 370/260, 370/265, 370/266, 370/270, 348/7, 348/15, 348/16, 348/14, 379/202, 379/96, 379/203, 379/204, 381/80, 381/81, 381/119, 381/122, 364/514 A, 395/200.04
• US Class Current: 348/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0428 Integrated services digital network, i.e. systems for transmission of different types of digitised signals, e.g. speech, data, telecentral, television signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13199 Modem, modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13248 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1332 Logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13337 Picturephone, videotelephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

A videoconferencing system is provided which comprises a personal computer having a 32-bit multi-tasking, native-networking operating system and a touch screen graphic user interface for controlling the system. The videoconferencing system is configured for the integration of applications programs, the transfer of data outside the bandwidth of a videoconference and remote diagnostics. Circuits for pooling CODECs and bridging audio signals are also provided.

Claims

1. An audio bridging circuit for a videoconferencing system which establishes videoconferences between at least one local videoconference site and a plurality of remote videoconference sites, comprising:

first and second coder and decoder units for receiving audio signals from respective ones of said plurality of remote videoconference sites;

two first audio distribution devices connected, respectively, to said first and second coder and decoder units, said first audio distribution devices being operable to provide one of a plurality of inputs thereof to an output connected to a corresponding one of said first and second coder and encoder units;

two second audio distribution devices connected, respectively, to said first and second coder and decoder units for providing an input from a corresponding one of said first and second coder and decoder units to one of a plurality of outputs thereof, said output of said second audio distribution device connected to said first coder and decoder unit being connected to one of said inputs of said first audio distribution device connected to said second coder and decoder unit, and said output of said second audio distribution device connected to said second coder and decoder unit being connected to one of said inputs of said first audio distribution device connected to said first coder and decoder unit; and

a matrix circuit for providing audio signals from said local videoconference site to one of said inputs of each of said first audio distribution devices.

2. An audio bridging system for a videoconferencing system which establishes videoconferences between first and second videoconference sites, comprising:

a first coder and decoder unit connected to said second videoconference site for receiving audio signals therefrom;

a first audio distribution device connected to said first coder and decoder unit and operable to provide one of a plurality of inputs thereof to an output connected to said first coder and decoder unit;

a second audio distribution device connected to said first coder and decoder unit and operable to provide an input from said first coder and decoder unit to one of a plurality of outputs thereof;

a matrix switch having a first output connected to an input of said first audio distribution device and a first input connected to an output of said second audio distribution device; and

a microphone mixer unit connected to said matrix circuit and to at least one microphone at said first videoconference site.

3. An audio bridging system for a videoconferencing system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a second coder and decoder unit;

a third audio distribution device connected to said second coder and decoder unit and operable to provide one of a plurality of inputs thereof to an output connected to said second coder and decoder unit; and

a fourth audio distribution device connected to said second coder and decoder unit for providing an input from said second coder and decoder unit to one of a plurality of outputs thereof, said output of said second audio distribution device being connected to one of said inputs of said third audio distribution device, and said output of said fourth audio distribution device being connected to one of said inputs of said first audio distribution device, said matrix switch having a second output connected to an input of said third audio distribution device and a second input connected to an output of said fourth audio distribution device.

4. An audio bridging system for a videoconferencing system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

at least one speaker; and

switching means connected to said second and fourth audio switching devices for providing output signals therefrom to said speaker.