Apparatus and method for storage and playback of video images and audio messages in multipoint videoconferencing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A multipoint control unit for conferencing a plurality of audiovisual terminals comprising:
- a source for providing a video greeting; and
a processor for controlling playback of the video greeting to an audiovisual terminal connected to the multipoint control unit, the processor transmitting the video greeting to the audiovisual terminal during conference setup.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a multipoint control unit for conferencing audiovisual terminals, conference participants are greeted with audio and video welcome messages and then placed in an automated queue. The automated queue is a holding queue from which a conference operator can select the next available conference participant in the queue and conduct a subconference. Apparatus in the multipoint control unit includes a memory for storing video data and a processor coupled to the memory for controlling playback of the video data to a connected terminal during conference setup.
85 Citations
51 Claims
-
1. A multipoint control unit for conferencing a plurality of audiovisual terminals comprising:
-
a source for providing a video greeting; and a processor for controlling playback of the video greeting to an audiovisual terminal connected to the multipoint control unit, the processor transmitting the video greeting to the audiovisual terminal during conference setup. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. In a video teleconferencing system having a plurality of audiovisual terminals and a multipoint control unit for conferencing the terminals, a method for operating the teleconferencing system comprising the steps of:
-
providing a stored video greeting; connecting one of the terminals to the multipoint control unit; and transmitting the video greeting to the connected terminal for display. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 49, 50, 51)
-
-
11. A video teleconferencing system comprising:
-
a plurality of user sites, each site having an audiovisual terminal; a multipoint control unit for conferencing the audiovisual terminals, the multipoint control unit having a processor for controlling playback of a video greeting; and an operator site connected to the multipoint control unit for controlling a conference, the operator site having means for placing the terminals in an operator queue; wherein the processor transmits the video greeting to the queued terminals during conference setup. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for operating a video teleconferencing system comprising the steps of:
-
providing an operator site for controlling a conference; providing a plurality of user sites, each site having an audiovisual terminal; providing a multipoint control unit for conferencing the audiovisual terminals and the operator site; providing a video greeting; connecting one of the audiovisual terminals to the multipoint control unit; placing the connected audiovisual terminal into an operator queue at the operator site; and transmitting the video greeting to the queued terminal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. In a videoconferencing system in which an audiovisual terminal connected to a multipoint control unit receives a first stream of frames of video and audio data, a method for operating the videoconferencing system comprising the steps of:
-
providing a video greeting; interrupting the first stream of frames at the multipoint control unit; placing the video greeting into frames to form a second stream; and transmitting the second stream of frames to the connected audiovisual terminal. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
-
21. A method of operating a conference, comprising:
-
using stored video data to generate a first signal representative of a first greeting; transmitting the first signal to a first audiovisual terminal; connecting the first audiovisual terminal and at least a second audiovisual terminal in a conference. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A method of conferencing two or more audiovisual terminals, comprising:
transmitting stored video data representative of a first greeting to a first of the audiovisual terminals before connecting the first audiovisual terminal and a second of the audiovisual terminals in a conference. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
38. A method of operating a conference, comprising:
-
transmitting stored video data representative of a video greeting to a first audiovisual terminal; transmitting stored video data representative of a video greeting to a second audiovisual terminal; connecting the first and second audiovisual terminals in a conference.
-
-
39. A method of operating a conference, comprising:
-
connecting a multipoint control unit to a first audiovisual terminal via a first communications network; using stored video data to generate a first signal representative of a first greeting; transmitting the first signal from the multipoint control unit to the first audiovisual terminal via the first communications network; connecting the multipoint control unit to a second audiovisual terminal via a second communications network; using the multipoint control to connect the first and second audiovisual terminals in a conference. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
-
-
46. A method of operating a conference, comprising:
-
connecting a multipoint control unit to a first audiovisual terminal via a first communications network; using stored video data to generate a first signal representative of a first greeting; transmitting the first signal from the multipoint control unit to the first audiovisual terminal via the first communications network; connecting the multipoint control unit to a second audiovisual terminal via a second communications network; using the multipoint control unit to transmit data received from the first audiovisual terminal via the first communications network to the second audiovisual terminal via the second communications network and to transmit data received from the second audiovisual terminal via the second communications network to the first audiovisual terminal via the first communications network. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
-
Specification