Synthetic stereo conferencing over LAN/WAN
First Claim
1. A method of synthetic stereo audio conferencing a plurality of clients over a local or wide area network (LAN/WAN), said method comprising:
- receiving, at a server in said network, a plurality of signals from said plurality of clients over said network;
synthesizing and mixing said plurality of signals at said server to create at least one client-specific composite signal distributed over multiple channels to effect virtual positioning of said plurality of clients;
transmitting said at least one client-specific composite signal to one of said plurality of clients in said network; and
outputting said at least one client-specific composite signal as stereo audio over a plurality of audio output devices at said one of said plurality of clients;
wherein said at least one client-specific composite signal does not include a signal from said one of said plurality of clients.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of and system for facilitating synthetic stereo audio conferencing of a plurality of users over a local or wide area network (LAN/WAN). The disclosure describes a system architecture using a LAN/WAN to support synthetic audio conferencing thus allowing, at a receiving user location, for the spatially distinct virtual “placement” of the other parties involved in a conference call. This enables the user to differentiate between the various other parties and to discern which one or more of the parties are talking at any given time. In a first embodiment of the invention, both stereo synthesis and conferencing are client-based functions. In a second embodiment of the invention, both stereo synthesis and conferencing are server-based functions. In a third embodiment of the invention, stereo synthesis is a server-based function and conferencing is a hybrid client/server function using multicast.
172 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of synthetic stereo audio conferencing a plurality of clients over a local or wide area network (LAN/WAN), said method comprising:
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receiving, at a server in said network, a plurality of signals from said plurality of clients over said network;
synthesizing and mixing said plurality of signals at said server to create at least one client-specific composite signal distributed over multiple channels to effect virtual positioning of said plurality of clients;
transmitting said at least one client-specific composite signal to one of said plurality of clients in said network; and
outputting said at least one client-specific composite signal as stereo audio over a plurality of audio output devices at said one of said plurality of clients;
wherein said at least one client-specific composite signal does not include a signal from said one of said plurality of clients. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of synthetic stereo audio conferencing a plurality of clients over a local or wide area network (LAN/WAN), said method comprising:
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receiving, at a server in said network, a plurality of signals from said plurality of clients over said network;
synthesizing and mixing said plurality of signals at said server to create a single multicast signal distributed over multiple channels to effect virtual positioning of said plurality of clients;
transmitting said single multicast signal to each of said plurality of clients in said network;
receiving said single multicast signal at one of said plurality of clients in said network;
removing, from said single multicast signal at one of said plurality of clients, a signal component corresponding to a signal transmitted from said one of said plurality of clients to create a composite signal; and
outputting said composite signal as stereo audio over a plurality of audio output devices at said one of said plurality of clients. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
synchronizing data packets received from said plurality of clients using at least one jitter buffer;
adjusting gain for at least one of said synchronized data packets; and
synthesizing and mixing said data packets of said plurality of signals to create the single multicast signal.
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8. A system for providing synthetic stereo audio conferencing, said system comprising:
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a local or wide area network (LAN/WAN);
a plurality of clients connected to said network for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from said network; and
a server connected to said network for receiving a plurality of signals transmitted from said plurality of clients in said network, synthesizing and mixing said plurality of signals to create at least one client-specific composite signal distributed over multiple channels to effect virtual positioning of said plurality of clients, and transmitting said at least one client-specific signal to at least one of said plurality of clients in said network;
wherein said at least one client-specific composite signal does not include a transmit signal from said one of said plurality of clients. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for providing synthetic stereo audio conferencing, said system comprising:
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a local or wide area network (LAN/WAN);
a plurality of clients connected to said network for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from said network; and
a server connected to said network for receiving a plurality of signals transmitted from said plurality of clients in said network, synthesizing and mixing said plurality of signals to create a single multicast signal distributed over multiple channels to effect virtual positioning of said plurality of clients, and transmitting said multicast signal to each of said plurality of clients in said network.
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13. A system for providing synthetic stereo audio conferencing, said system comprising:
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a local or wide area network (LAN/WAN);
a plurality of clients connected to said network for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from said network; and
a server connected to said network for receiving a plurality of signals transmitted from said plurality of clients in said network, synthesizing and mixing said plurality of signals to create a single multicast signal distributed over multiple channels to effect virtual positioning of said plurality of clients, and transmitting said multicast signal to each of said plurality of clients in said network;
wherein said plurality of clients receive said multicast signal transmitted from the server and wherein at least one of said plurality of clients further comprises an echo controller for removing, from said multicast signal, a signal component corresponding to a signal transmitted from said at least one of said plurality of clients, to create a composite signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
at least one jitter buffer for synchronizing data packets received from said plurality of clients;
an adjustable gain controller for applying adjustable gain to at least one of said synchronized data packets; and
a synthesizer and mixer for synthesizing and mixing said data packets of said plurality of signals to create the single multicast signal for transmission to each of said plurality of clients in said network.
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18. A server for providing synthetic stereo audio conferencing over a local or wide area network (LAN/WAN) to which said server and a plurality of clients are connected, said server comprising a computer readable medium having program code recorded thereon for controlling said server to perform the following steps:
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receiving a plurality of signals transmitted from said plurality of clients in said network;
synthesizing and mixing said plurality of signals to create at least one client-specific composite signal distributed over multiple channels to effect virtual positioning of said plurality of clients; and
transmitting said at least one client-specific signal to at least one of said plurality of clients in said network, wherein said at least one client-specific composite signal does not include a transmit signal from said one of said plurality of clients.
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19. A system for providing synthetic stereo audio conferencing over a local or wide area network (LAN/WAN), said system comprising:
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a plurality of clients connected to said network for transmitting signals to and receiving signals from said network; and
a server connected to said network for receiving a plurality of signals transmitted from said plurality of clients in said network, synthesizing and mixing said plurality of signals to create a single multicast signal distributed over multiple channels to effect virtual positioning of said plurality of clients, and transmitting said multicast signal to each of said plurality of clients in said network, wherein said plurality of clients receive said multicast signal transmitted from the server and wherein at least one of said plurality of clients further comprises an echo controller for removing, from said multicast signal, a signal component corresponding to a signal transmitted from said at least one of said plurality of clients, to create a composite signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
at least one jitter buffer for synchronizing data packets received from said plurality of clients;
an adjustable gain controller for applying adjustable gain to at least one of said synchronized data packets; and
a synthesizer and mixer for synthesizing and mixing said data packets of said plurality of signals to create the single multicast signal for transmission to each of said plurality of clients in said network.
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Specification