Apparatus and method for combining network conferences that are not co-located
First Claim
1. An audio management apparatus for a network conference that provides communication between a plurality of connection points, the apparatus comprising:
- a first audio bridge that receives audio data from one or more connection points of a first group of the connection points, and provides an output mix of audio data to the one or more connection points of the first group according to a first set of mixing protocols maintained for the connection points of the first group;
a first conference manager in the first audio bridge for providing the first set of mixing protocols that selectively adds or removes audio data received at the first audio bridge from the one or more connection points of the first group;
a second audio bridge that receives audio data from one or more connection points of a second group of the connection points, and provides an output mix of audio data to the one or more connection points of the second group according to a second set of mixing protocols maintained for the connection points of the second group;
a second conference manager in the second audio bridge for providing the second set of mixing protocols that selectively adds or removes audio data received at the second audio bridge from the one or more connection points of the second group; and
an audio communication link between the first audio bridge and the second audio bridge, wherein the first audio bridge provides a single first output mix of audio data from a plurality of the connection points of the first group to the second audio bridge via the link, wherein the second audio bridge provides a single second output mix of audio data from a plurality of the connection points of the second group to the first audio bridge via the link, and wherein the link enables audio communication between connection points of the first group and connection points of the second group.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An audio management apparatus manages simultaneous streams of packet-switched audio data for a network conference tool, and allows the combining of conferences that are not co-located. The apparatus uses at least two audio bridges, each of which receives audio inputs from a plurality of local connection points, does mixing of the audio data for each local connection point and provides the audio outputs thereto. Also provided is a communications link between the two audio bridges, and each of the audio bridges creates an audio mix from its local connection points and outputs it over the communications link to the other audio bridge. Each bridge may treat the audio data from the other audio bridge as it does any other call. In this way, the combining of the two conferences is accomplished in a simple and straightforward manner.
20 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An audio management apparatus for a network conference that provides communication between a plurality of connection points, the apparatus comprising:
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a first audio bridge that receives audio data from one or more connection points of a first group of the connection points, and provides an output mix of audio data to the one or more connection points of the first group according to a first set of mixing protocols maintained for the connection points of the first group; a first conference manager in the first audio bridge for providing the first set of mixing protocols that selectively adds or removes audio data received at the first audio bridge from the one or more connection points of the first group; a second audio bridge that receives audio data from one or more connection points of a second group of the connection points, and provides an output mix of audio data to the one or more connection points of the second group according to a second set of mixing protocols maintained for the connection points of the second group; a second conference manager in the second audio bridge for providing the second set of mixing protocols that selectively adds or removes audio data received at the second audio bridge from the one or more connection points of the second group; and an audio communication link between the first audio bridge and the second audio bridge, wherein the first audio bridge provides a single first output mix of audio data from a plurality of the connection points of the first group to the second audio bridge via the link, wherein the second audio bridge provides a single second output mix of audio data from a plurality of the connection points of the second group to the first audio bridge via the link, and wherein the link enables audio communication between connection points of the first group and connection points of the second group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of providing communication between a plurality of different connection points for a network conference, the method comprising:
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providing a first audio bridge that receives audio data from a first group of the connection points, and provides an output mix of audio data to one or more connection points of the first group according to a first set of mixing protocols maintained for the connection points of the first group; providing a first conference manager in the first audio bridge to provide the first set of mixing protocols that selectively adds or removes audio data received at the first audio bridge from the one or more connection points of the first group; providing a second audio bridge that receives audio data from a second group of the connection points, and provides an output mix of audio data to one or more connection points of the second group according to a second set of mixing protocols maintained for the connection points of the second group; providing a second conference manager in the second audio bridge to provide the second set of mixing protocols that selectively adds or removes audio data received at the second audio bridge from the one or more connection points of the second group; and connecting the first audio bridge and the second audio bridge with an audio communication link; generating a single first mix of audio data from a plurality of the connection points of the first group in the first audio bridge and providing the first mix to the second audio bridge via the link; and generating a single second mix of audio data from a plurality of the connection points of the second group in the second audio bridge and providing the second mix to the first audio bridge via the link, wherein the link enables audio communication between connection points of the first group and connection points of the second group. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An audio management apparatus for a network conference that provides communication between a plurality of connection points, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving audio data from a first group of the connection points associated with a first audio bridge and providing an output mix of audio data to one or more connection points of the first group according to a first set of mixing protocols maintained for the connection points of the first group; means for providing the first set of mixing protocols that selectively adds or removes audio data received at the first audio bridge from the one or more connection points of the first group; means for receiving audio data from a second group of the connection points associated with a second audio bridge and providing an output mix of audio data to one or more connection points of the second group according to a second set of mixing protocols maintained for the connection points of the second group; means for providing the second set of mixing protocols that selectively adds or removes audio data received at the second audio bridge from the one or more connection points of the second group; means for connecting the first audio bridge and the second audio bridge with an audio communication link; means for generating a single first mix of audio data from a plurality of the connection points of the first group in the first audio bridge and providing the single first mix to the second audio bridge via the link; and means for generating a single second mix of audio data from a plurality of the connection points of the second group in the second audio bridge and providing the single second mix to the first audio bridge via the link, wherein the link enables audio communication between connection points of the first group and connection points of the second group. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification