Managing a packet switched conference call
First Claim
1. A method for managing a packet switched, centralized conference call between terminals, said method comprising:
- receiving streams of data packets from each of a plurality of terminals participating in a conference call, wherein each data packet includes voice data or background noise information, and further wherein each data packet includes an identifier associated with a respective terminal providing the data packet;
determining, based on the received data packets, if any of the plurality of terminals participating in the conference call are currently providing voice data, and, if so, identifying each terminal currently providing voice data;
mixing voice data and background noise information included in the received streams of data packets to generate encoded combined data;
inserting the encoded combined data into outbound data packets together with indicia identifying each terminal that provided any voice data associated with the encoded combined data for each outbound data packet; and
streaming the outbound data packets to the plurality of terminals participating in the conference call.
7 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for managing a packet switched, centralized conference call between a plurality of terminals 13. In order to enable an enhancement of the user comfort, it is proposed that the method comprises at a conference call server 12 receiving data packets from all terminals 13. Based on these data packets, then at least one terminal 13 currently providing voice data is determined. In a next step, the data received in the data packets is mixed, and the mixed data is inserted into new data packets together with at least one identifier associated to one of the terminals 13 which were determined to provide voice data, such that the at least one identifier can be distinguished from any other information in the data packets. Finally, the new data packets are transmitted to terminals 13 participating in the conference call. The invention relates equally to a corresponding server and to a corresponding terminal.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for managing a packet switched, centralized conference call between terminals, said method comprising:
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receiving streams of data packets from each of a plurality of terminals participating in a conference call, wherein each data packet includes voice data or background noise information, and further wherein each data packet includes an identifier associated with a respective terminal providing the data packet; determining, based on the received data packets, if any of the plurality of terminals participating in the conference call are currently providing voice data, and, if so, identifying each terminal currently providing voice data; mixing voice data and background noise information included in the received streams of data packets to generate encoded combined data; inserting the encoded combined data into outbound data packets together with indicia identifying each terminal that provided any voice data associated with the encoded combined data for each outbound data packet; and streaming the outbound data packets to the plurality of terminals participating in the conference call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for identifying an active terminal of a plurality of terminals participating in a centralized conference call, the method comprising:
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sending a first data packet from a first terminal participating in a conference call to a conference call server, wherein the first data packet includes background noise information and an identifier associated with the first terminal; receiving a second data packet from the conference call server at the first terminal, wherein the second data packet includes the background noise information mixed with voice data from a second terminal participating in the conference call and an active terminal identifier associated with the second terminal, and further wherein the voice data is included in the second data packet based at least in part on a determination by the conference call server that a third data packet received from the second terminal includes the voice data; and presenting the active terminal identifier at the first terminal, wherein the active terminal identifier indicates that the second terminal sent the voice data to the conference call server. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method for managing a packet switched, centralized conference call between terminals, the method comprising:
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decoding a first data packet received from a first terminal of a plurality of terminals participating in a conference call at a conference call server, wherein the first data packet includes voice data-and an identifier associated with the first terminal; decoding a second data packet received from a second terminal of the plurality of terminals participating in the conference call at the conference call server, wherein the second data packet includes background noise information; determining that the first data packet includes the voice data; mixing the decoded voice data and the decoded background noise information; inserting the mixed voice data and background noise information into a third data packet together with the identifier; and sending the third data packet to the plurality of terminals participating in the conference call. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for managing a packet switched, centralized conference call between terminals, the method comprising:
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receiving a stream of real-time transport protocol (RTP) packets from a plurality of terminals participating in a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) conference call at a conference call server; decoding the received stream to extract background noise information and any voice data; determining if the decoded stream includes any voice data; if the decoded stream includes voice data, extracting an identifier associated with a first terminal from which the decoded voice data is received; mixing the decoded voice data, if any, with the decoded background noise information; inserting the mixed voice data and background noise information and the extracted identifier, if any, into an outbound RTP packet; and streaming the outbound RTP packet to the plurality of terminals participating in the VoIP conference call. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification