System and method for a conference server architecture for low delay and distributed conferencing applications
First Claim
1. A multi-endpoint video signal conferencing system, wherein video signals are scalably coded into layers including a base layer and one or more enhancement layers, the conferencing system comprising:
- a scalable video coding server (SVCS) linked to at least one receiving and at least one transmitting endpoint by at least one communication channel each,wherein at least one of the communication channels linking the SVCS with each of the endpoints offers improved quality of service; and
wherein the SVCS is configured to selectively forward a video signal layer received from a transmitting endpoint over its at least one linking communication channel to a receiving endpoint over its at least one linking communication channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for conducting a multi-endpoint video signal conference are provided. Conferencing endpoints are linked by pairs of a reliable and a less reliable communication channel. Conference video signals are scaleable coded in base layer and enhancement layers format. Video signal base layers, which correspond to a minimum picture quality, are communicated over reliable channels. The video signal enhancements layers may be communicated over the less reliable channels. A conference server mediates the switching of video layer information from transmitting endpoints to receiving endpoints without any intermediate coding or re-coding operations. The video conference can be integrated with an audio conference using either scalable coded audio signals or non-scaleable coded audio signals.
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Citations
72 Claims
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1. A multi-endpoint video signal conferencing system, wherein video signals are scalably coded into layers including a base layer and one or more enhancement layers, the conferencing system comprising:
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a scalable video coding server (SVCS) linked to at least one receiving and at least one transmitting endpoint by at least one communication channel each, wherein at least one of the communication channels linking the SVCS with each of the endpoints offers improved quality of service; and wherein the SVCS is configured to selectively forward a video signal layer received from a transmitting endpoint over its at least one linking communication channel to a receiving endpoint over its at least one linking communication channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A multi-endpoint audio signal conferencing system, wherein audio signals are coded in components such that multiple qualities can be derived from the bitstream in the coded domain, the conferencing system comprising:
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a scaleable audio coding server (SACS) linked to at least one receiving and at least one transmitting endpoint in an audio conference by at least one communication channel each, and wherein the SACS is configured to selectively forward an audio signal component received from a transmitting endpoint over its at least one linking communication channel to a receiving endpoint over its at least one linking communication channel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for multi-endpoint video signal conferencing over an electronic communications network, the network having communication channels linking the conferencing endpoints with at least one communication channel linking an endpoint having a superior quality of service compared to other channels, the method comprising:
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obtaining a scalable video coded video signal, wherein the video signal is coded in a layered format including at least one layer from a base layer and an enhancement layer; selecting at least one layer of the coded video signal; and forwarding information in the selected layer to the endpoint over the communication channel having superior quality of service. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for multi-endpoint audio signal conferencing over an electronic communications network, the network having communication channels linking the conferencing endpoints (i.e., the transmitting and receiving endpoints), the method comprising:
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obtaining audio signals that are coded in component bitstreams such that multiple qualities can be derived from a bitstream in the coded domain; and selectively forwarding audio signal components received from transmitting endpoints over their respective linking communication channels to receiving endpoints over their respective linking communication channels. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A multi-endpoint video signal conferencing system, wherein video signals are scalably coded into layers including a base layer and one or more enhancement layers, the conferencing system comprising:
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a scalable video coding server (SVCS) linked to at least one receiving and at least one transmitting endpoint by corresponding communication channels, wherein the SVCS is configured to provide at least one of continuous presence, personalized layout, rate matching, error localization, and random entry features to the at least one receiving endpoint by selectively multiplexing and forwarding to the at least one receiving endpoint video signal layers received from the at least one transmitting endpoint.
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72. A method for multi-endpoint video signal conferencing over an electronic communications network, the network having communication channels linking the conferencing endpoints, the method comprising:
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obtaining a scalable video coded video signal, wherein the video signal is coded in a layered format including at least one layer from a base layer and an enhancement layer; selecting at least one layer of the coded video signal; and selectively multiplexing and forwarding video signal layers to the conferencing endpoints over the linking communication channels, thereby providing at least one of continuous presence, personalized layout, rate matching, error localization, and random entry features to the conferencing endpoints.
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Specification