Multimedia communications network

• US 6,392,760 B1
• Filed: 03/16/1995
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Aravamudan, Murali, Ahuja, Sudhir Raman, Ensor, James Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US08/405,062
• Time in Patent Office: 2,623 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.100, H04/N.132, 348/15, 345/122, 358/400, 358/407, 379/53, 379/54, 379/93, 379/94, 379/100, 379/101, 379/156, 379/157, 379/158, 379/159, 379/201, 379/202, 379/207, 395/153, 395/154, 395/119, 395/200.02, 395/200.04, 395/200.1, 395/200.11, 395/200.12
• US Class Current: 358/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/562 where the conference facilities are distributed
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/908 Multimedia

Abstract

A circuit configuration in a multimedia network representing a controllably persistent virtual meeting room simulates an actual meeting room where conferences between two or more people may be held. This facilitates the creation in the network of flexible, long-term multimedia conferences between conferees who are separated from one another. Any number of conferees may communicate with one another via one or more of audio, video, and data. Virtual meeting rooms may persist in the network for predetermined periods of time controlled by the users of the meeting room. The room may remain in the network independent of whether or not a user is connected to the room. The meeting room is a vehicle whereby the activity of various media servers is coordinated to effectuate conferences between multiple participants in more than one medium. The servers are associated with storage devices which may record or store certain aspects of multimedia conferences using the virtual meeting room.

Claims

1. A multimedia communications network, comprising:

a plurality of multimedia ports, each for connecting the network to a user terminal;

at least one meeting room server connected to the ports for creating an electronic circuit configuration in the network representing a controllably persistent virtual meeting room in response to commands from any of the user terminals, the virtual meeting room being controllably persistent such that it can exist in the network independent of participants of a meeting being connected to the network; and

means responsive to the meeting room server for effectuating connections in one or more selected media between selected ones of the plurality of ports.

2. The multimedia network of claim 1, in which the means for effectuating connections comprises:

a plurality of electronic resources for effectuating conferences in a first medium between two or more users.

3. The multimedia network of claim 2, in which the means for effectuating connections comprises:

a plurality of electronic resources for effectuating conferences in a second medium between two or more users.

4. The multimedia network of claim 3, in which the means for effectuating connections comprises:

a plurality of electronic resources for effectuating conferences in a third medium between two or more users.

5. The multimedia network of claim 4, in which the first medium is audio.

6. The multimedia network of claim 4, in which the second medium is video.

7. The multimedia network of claim 4, in which the third medium is data.

8. The multimedia network of claim 4, in which the plurality of electronic resources for effectuating conferences in a first medium comprises a plurality of audio servers.

9. The multimedia network of claim 4, in which the plurality of electronic resources for effectuating conferences in a second medium comprises a plurality of video servers.

10. The multimedia network of claim 4, in which the plurality of electronic resources for effectuating conferences in a third medium comprises a plurality of data servers.

11. The multimedia network of claim 10, in which the data servers comprise windows bridges.

12. The multimedia network of claim 4, further comprising:

a means for associating selected ones of the electronic resources with the circuit configuration representing a virtual meeting room produced by the meeting room server.

13. The multimedia network of claim 12, further comprising:

a means for creating an electronic circuit conference configuration representing an association between selected users and the virtual meeting room.

14. The multimedia network of claim 13, further comprising:

a name server containing electronic circuit configurations representing a plurality of potential users of the multimedia network, the means for creating associations between selected users and virtual meeting rooms being responsive to the name server.

15. The multimedia network of claim 1, in which each of the plurality of multimedia comprises:

a conversation manager input responsive to commands from a conversation manager in a respective user terminal;

a data manager input responsive to a data manager in a respective user terminal;

a video manager input responsive to a video manager in a respective user terminal; and

a voice manager input responsive to a voice manager in a respective user terminal.

16. The multimedia network of claim 1, in which the meeting room server comprises:

an input/output port for communicating with additional meeting room servers in the multimedia network.

17. A user terminal for connection to a multimedia communications network, comprising:

a user interface;

a conversation manager connected to the user interface for connection with a meeting room server in the communications network;

a data manager for connecting the conversation manager with a data server in the network;

a video manager for connecting the conversation manager with a video server in the network; and

a voice manager for connecting the conversation manager with an audio server in the network.

18. A multimedia communications network, comprising:

a plurality of ports connectable to a plurality of multimedia user terminals capable of communication in voice, video, and data;

a virtual meeting server in the network connected to the multimedia ports for creating a circuit configuration in the network representing a controllably persistent virtual meeting room in response to commands from any one of the user terminals, the virtual meeting room being controllably persistent such that it can exist in the network independent of participants of a meeting being connected to the network; and

a means for establishing voice, video, and data connections between at least two of the ports, the connections capable of effectuating voice, video, and data communication simulating an actual meeting between at least two users of the communications network.