Multicast and unicast internet protocol content distribution having a feedback mechanism for real-time and store and forward information transfer

• US 6,421,706 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1998
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: DelRegno, Christopher N., McNeill, Brian L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US09/030,677
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/231, 709/224, 709/232, 709/223, 709/236, 709/246, 709/205
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/42 Systems for two-way working , e.g. conference systems H04N1/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831

Abstract

A method and system for presenting in real-time a conference data set having document data, video data, and audio data, to a remote computing system of a remotely located conference participant. The system receives configuration data for the remote computing system and uses the received configuration data to select a conference data set format suitable for transmission to the remote computing system. The system encodes the conference data set in the selected conference data set format and selects an appropriate transmission web page for the encoded conference data set using the received configuration data. The system then transmits the encoded conference data set from the selected transmission web page over a public network to the remote computing system, wherein the remotely located conference participant accesses the encoded conference data set using a web browser. The system also transmits to the remote computing system any software required for accessing the encoded conference data set, wherein the software has been selected according to the received configuration data. The system also includes a capability for receiving chat data from the remote computing system.

Claims

1. A method of presenting in real-time a conference data set having document data, video data, and audio data, to a remote computing system of a remotely located conference participant, comprising:

receiving configuration data for the remote computing system and using the received configuration data to select a conference data set format suitable for transmission to the remote computing system;

encoding in real time the conference data set in the selected conference data set format;

generating in real time a plurality of transmission web pages based on respective configuration data received from the remote computing system and other remote computing systems, each of the transmission web pages providing the conference data set in respective encoded formats;

selecting a transmission web page from the plurality of transmission web pages based on the received configuration data, the selected transmission web page providing the conference data set in the selected conference data set format; and

transmitting the encoded conference data set from the selected transmission web page over a public network to the remote computing system, for the remotely located conference participant to access using a web browser.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the remote computing system a software application for accessing the encoded conference data set, wherein the software has been selected according to the received configuration data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving chat data from the remote computing system; and

transmitting the chat data to a conference presentation device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the public network is an internet.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the public network is an intranet.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the encoded conference data set does not include video data in accordance with the received configuration data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the encoded conference data set does not include audio data in accordance with the received configuration data.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the encoded conference data set does not include audio data in accordance with the received configuration data.

9. A method of presenting a conference data set to a remote computing system of a remotely located conference participant in real-time, comprising:

receiving configuration data for the remote computing system of the remotely located conference participant and using the received configuration data to select a conference data set format suitable for transmission to the remote computing system;

generating in real time a plurality of transmission web pages based on respective configuration data received from the remote computing system and other remote computing systems, each of the transmission web pages providing the conference data set in respective encoded formats; and

selecting a transmission web page from the plurality of transmission web pages based on the received configuration data, the selected transmission web page providing the conference data set in the selected conference data set format.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting the conference data set in the selected conference data set format over a network to the remote computing system.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the conference data set in the selected conference data set format comprises separately encoded pieces of the conference data set.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising transmitting the conference data set in the selected conference data set format to the remote computing system from the web page selected for the remote computing system based upon the received configuration data.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising a step for transmitting a software application to the remote computing system for accessing the conference data set in the selected conference data set format.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the conference data set is accessible using a web browser on the remote computing system.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising storing the conference data set in a memory device.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the conference data set comprises at least one of conference presentation documents, conference audio data, and conference video data.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving chat data from the remote computing system.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the conference data set is transmitted from a web site accessible from a World Wide Web.

19. A method of directing each conference participant of a plurality of remotely located conference participants selected to receive a conference data set for access on a remote computing system to an appropriate conference data set in real time, comprising:

providing a web page suitable for access by the plurality of remotely located conference participants; and

for each conference participant of the plurality of remotely located conference participants selected to receive a conference data set for access on a remote computing system;

receiving configuration information from the conference participant for the remote computing system to be used for accessing the conference data set via the web page;

generating in real time a plurality of transmission web pages based on respective configuration data received from the plurality of remotely located conference participants, each of the transmission web pages providing the conference data set in respective formats;

selecting a transmission web page from among the plurality of transmission web pages for the conference participant based on the received configuration information and directing the conference participant to the transmission web page; and

transmitting an appropriate conference data set from the transmission web page to the conference participant,

wherein the appropriate conference data set is formatted in real time with a format compatible with the remote computing system.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing the remote computing system with a software application for accessing the appropriate conference data set.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the transmission web page transmits the appropriate conference data set in a multicast mode.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the transmission web page transmits the appropriate conference data set in a unicast mode.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the conference data set includes documents displayed at a conference.

24. A method for receiving a conference data set in real-time from a remotely located conference provider, comprising:

providing computing system configuration information to the remotely located conferencing provider;

locating a remote conference transmission web page from a plurality of remote conference transmission web pages providing a corresponding conference data set based on the provided computing system configuration information;

downloading the corresponding conference data set in real-time over a network from the remote conference transmission web page; and

accessing the corresponding conference data set.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising a step for sending chat data to the remote conferencing provider.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the corresponding conference data set includes least one conference document data, conference audio data, and conference video data.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising a step of receiving conference audio data through a telephonic network from the remote conferencing provider.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the network is an intranet.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the network is an internet.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein the corresponding conference data set is accessed using web browsing software.

31. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of accessing the set of conference data set is delayed and occurs at a time following real-time compilation of the conference data set.

32. A method of preparing an appropriate conference data set for transmission to a remotely located conference participant in real time, comprising:

encoding in real time each conference data item of a plurality of conference data items using at least one transmission format to form a plurality of encoded conference data items;

forming a plurality of conference data sets by combining encoded conference data items of the plurality of encoded conference data items and

creating in real time a plurality of transmission web pages based on respective transmission formats to provide the conference data sets, respectively.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

receiving computing system configuration information from the remotely located conference participant; and

determining an appropriate conference data set from the plurality of conference data sets using the computing system configuration information; and

transmitting the appropriate conference data set to the remotely located conference participant.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the plurality of conference data sets are made available to the remotely located conference participant from one or more of the transmission web pages.

35. A data structure for transmission of conference data to a conference participant remotely located from a conference in real time, comprising:

a plurality of conference data sets encoding in real time the conference data into respective formats; and

a plurality of transmission web pages generated in real time and providing the conference data sets, respectively,

wherein each of the conference data sets includes conference document data;

conference audio data; and

conference video data, and

wherein the conference document data, conference audio data, and conference video data are synchronized to provide the conference participant with a real-time presentation of the remotely located conference.

36. The data structure of claim 35, further comprising conference schedule data.

37. The data structure of claim 35 wherein the conference document data pertains to presentation information displayed at the conference concurrently with the conference audio data and the conference video data.