Apparatus and method for providing multimedia conferencing services with selective performance parameters

• US 6,697,341 B1
• Filed: 08/11/1999
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roy, Radhika R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, CHUONG T
• Application Number:
  US09/371,864
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 370/260-263, 709/204-206, 379/202.01, 379/201-206
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1324 Conference call
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13337 Picturephone, videotelephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing multimedia conferencing services with selective performance parameters delivers a different representation of the same video signals to each of a plurality of users depending on the hardware limitations, software limitations, network limitations, and user preferences of each user device. Thus, each user can choose the quality of service he/she wants to receive in view of system limitations and cost considerations. The quality of service may be defined in terms of bandwidth, jitter, frame rate, and delay, for example. The apparatus includes a multimedia bridge that receives video signals from at least one of the plurality of users. The multimedia bridge scales-down the video signals as necessary before sending the video signals to the end users. The multimedia bridge also detects congestion occurring during the multimedia conference and scales-down the video signals, if necessary, to meet reduced network availability. In addition, the multimedia bridge accommodates changes in user preferences occurring during the multimedia conference and adjusts the video signals as necessary.

Claims

1. A method of providing a multimedia conference between a plurality of user devices over a network, comprising:

setting performance parameters for each of the plurality of user devices, where the performance parameters are different among the user devices; and

providing a multimedia conference among the plurality of user devices, wherein each of the plurality of user devices receives signals based on the performance parameters set for each of the plurality of user devices, and

notifying the plurality of user devices when a change of the performance parameters will adversely affect the video signal being sent to the plurality of user devices, wherein the change of the performance parameters is based on at least one of a change in performance parameters by at least one user device and a change in network conditions.

2. A communication apparatus for providing a multimedia conference between a plurality of user devices over a network, comprising:

a controller; and

a memory, wherein the controller sets performance parameters for each of the plurality of user devices, and wherein the controller provides a multimedia conference among the plurality of user devices, wherein each of the plurality of user devices receives signals based on the performance parameters for each of the plurality of user devices,

wherein the controller notifies the plurality of user devices when a change of the performance parameters will adversely affect the video signal being sent to the plurality of user devices, wherein the change of the performance parameters is based on at least one of a change in performance parameters by at least one user device and a change in network conditions.