Videoconferencing method and system for connecting a host with a plurality of participants
First Claim
1. A method for use in a system comprising a network coupling a first party with a plurality of parties, one of the plurality of parties comprising a second party, the method comprising:
- (a) receiving a request from the second party via the World Wide Web;
(b) transmitting video of the first party to the second party, wherein the second party does not receive its own video and does not receive video of the other parties of the plurality of parties;
(c) transmitting video of the second party to the first party, wherein the first party does not receive its own video and does not receive video of the other parties of the plurality of parties; and
(d) transmitting combined video of the first and second parties to the other parties of the plurality of parties.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved videoconferencing system and method are provided for connecting a host to a plurality of participants. Unlike other videoconferencing methods and systems, the videoconferencing system and method of these preferred embodiments allow each of the parties of a videoconference to benefit from the interaction between the host and the selected participant without limiting the number of participants that can join the videoconference. The host and participants can interact with the videoconferencing system by issuing voice commands or DTMF signals to a voice response unit or by using a computer to access the videoconferencing system directly or indirectly though a network such as the World Wide Web.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for use in a system comprising a network coupling a first party with a plurality of parties, one of the plurality of parties comprising a second party, the method comprising:
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(a) receiving a request from the second party via the World Wide Web; (b) transmitting video of the first party to the second party, wherein the second party does not receive its own video and does not receive video of the other parties of the plurality of parties; (c) transmitting video of the second party to the first party, wherein the first party does not receive its own video and does not receive video of the other parties of the plurality of parties; and (d) transmitting combined video of the first and second parties to the other parties of the plurality of parties. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system comprising:
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a network coupling a first party with a plurality of parties, one of the plurality of parties comprising a second party; and at least one network component in the network, the at least one network component being operative to; receive a request from the second party via the World Wide Web; transmit video of the first party to the second party, wherein the second party does not receive its own video and does not receive video of the other parties of the plurality of parties; transmit video of the second party to the first party, wherein the first party does not receive its own video and does not receive video of the other parties of the plurality of parties; and transmit combined video of the first and second parties to the other parties of the plurality of parties. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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a network coupling a first party with a plurality of parties, one of the plurality of parties comprising a second party; means for receiving a request from the second party via the World Wide Web; means for transmitting video of the first party to the second party, wherein the second party does not receive its own video and does not receive video of the other parties of the plurality of parties; means for transmitting video of the second party to the first party, wherein the first party does not receive its own video and does not receive video of the other parties of the plurality of parties; and means for transmitting combined video of the first and second parties to the other parties of the plurality of parties. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification