Packet mode multimedia conferencing services over an ISDN wide area network
First Claim
1. In a system for providing real-time multimedia conferencing services to a dispersed plurality of locations interconnected by a wide area network from multimedia signals consisting of audio, video, and data signals originating at said locations and having properties adapted for said services, said locations employing a quality of service which degrades at least one of said properties, the method comprising in combination the steps of:
- receiving said multimedia signals from said locations at said wide area network;
bridging said multimedia signals in said wide area network, including detecting the degrading of at least said one property in said multimedia signals in said wide area network by estimating a first time period by which a first group of said multimedia signals is expected to be received;
determining whether any of said multimedia signals within said first group is absent at the end of said first time period;
determining whether any of said multimedia signals received within said first time period belongs to a second group different from said first group; and
transmitting said bridged multimedia signals over said wide area network to said plurality of locations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Real-time multimedia services are transmitted over a hybrid network including a nonguaranteed quality of service packet switched local area network and a circuit switched ISDN wide area network having a centralized multimedia bridge located within the wide area network. The local area networks and multimedia bridge are interconnected via ISDN routers. An algorithm executed by the multimedia bridge receives signals from the packet switched network and detects the absence of properties needed for real-time audio visual services. The data signals are processed to compensate for the absence of the properties and then are transmitted over the wide area network to enable real-time audio visual services.
91 Citations
28 Claims
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1. In a system for providing real-time multimedia conferencing services to a dispersed plurality of locations interconnected by a wide area network from multimedia signals consisting of audio, video, and data signals originating at said locations and having properties adapted for said services, said locations employing a quality of service which degrades at least one of said properties, the method comprising in combination the steps of:
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receiving said multimedia signals from said locations at said wide area network; bridging said multimedia signals in said wide area network, including detecting the degrading of at least said one property in said multimedia signals in said wide area network by estimating a first time period by which a first group of said multimedia signals is expected to be received; determining whether any of said multimedia signals within said first group is absent at the end of said first time period; determining whether any of said multimedia signals received within said first time period belongs to a second group different from said first group; and transmitting said bridged multimedia signals over said wide area network to said plurality of locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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- 16. A method, as claimed in claim l5, wherein said step of detecting the absence of at least said one property in said received one location multimedia signals further comprises the step of determining whether any of said one location multimedia signals received within said first time period belong to a second group different from said first group.
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28. In a system for providing real-time multimedia conferencing services to a dispersed plurality of locations interconnected by a wide area network from multimedia signals, consisting of audio, video, or data signals, originating at said locations and having properties adapted for said services, said locations employing nonguaranteed quality of service packet switched local area networks which degrade at least one of said properties, said method comprising in combination the steps of:
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receiving said multimedia signals from said local area networks at said wide area network; bridging said multimedia signals in said wide area network; detecting the absence of at least said one property in said multimedia signals in said wide area network; processing said multimedia signals to compensate for the absence of at least said one property; and transmitting said bridged, processed multimedia signals over said wide area network to said plurality of locations, whereby the quality of said services at said plurality of locations is improved and the bandwidth to transmit said multimedia signals between said plurality of locations is reduced;
said step of detecting comprising the steps ofestimating a first time period by which a first group of said multimedia signals is expected to be received; determining whether any of said multimedia signals within said first group is absent at the end of said first time period; increasing said first time period to a second time period in the event any of said multimedia signals is absent; determining whether any of said multimedia signals within said group is absent at the end said second time period; and determining whether any of said multimedia signals received within said first time period belong to a second group different from said first group.
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Specification