Middleware server for interfacing communications, multimedia, and management systems
First Claim
1. An apparatus for interfacing one or more multipoint control units (MCUs) and one or more conferencing devices, comprising:
- a middleware server comprising;
a network interface for communicating with the one or more MCUs and conferencing devices;
a computer readable medium comprising one or more device drivers for the one or more conferencing devices and one or more MCU controllers for the one or more MCUs;
a processor programmed to;
receive a request to initiate a conference between various of the one or more conferencing devices;
determine resources necessary to conduct the conference;
create a conference context associated with the conference, the conference context including the device drivers for only the one or more conferencing devices and the MCU controllers for only the one or more MCUs that will conduct the conference;
initiate the conference context device drivers and MCU controllers; and
instruct one or more of the conferencing devices to dial in to one or more of the MCUs or instruct one or more of the MCUs to dial out to one or more of the conferencing devices to conduct the conference.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a middleware server for interfacing a Multipoint Conferencing Unit (MCU) with a communication system and/or a management system within the context of an organization. The middleware server uses modular architecture, making the middleware server highly adaptable to different types of communication systems and management systems. The middleware server is useful for interfacing a MCU with communication devices including Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) telephones, Internet Protocol telephones (IP-phones), and multimedia endpoints and with management applications such as exchange servers and databases. The middleware server is useful for managing multimedia sessions according to organizational policies.
45 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for interfacing one or more multipoint control units (MCUs) and one or more conferencing devices, comprising:
a middleware server comprising; a network interface for communicating with the one or more MCUs and conferencing devices; a computer readable medium comprising one or more device drivers for the one or more conferencing devices and one or more MCU controllers for the one or more MCUs; a processor programmed to; receive a request to initiate a conference between various of the one or more conferencing devices; determine resources necessary to conduct the conference; create a conference context associated with the conference, the conference context including the device drivers for only the one or more conferencing devices and the MCU controllers for only the one or more MCUs that will conduct the conference; initiate the conference context device drivers and MCU controllers; and instruct one or more of the conferencing devices to dial in to one or more of the MCUs or instruct one or more of the MCUs to dial out to one or more of the conferencing devices to conduct the conference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
12. A method for managing one or more multipoint control unit (MCUs) and one or more conferencing devices with a management system in an organization premises, comprising:
-
receiving, at a middleware server, a request for a conference between various conferencing devices; determining resources necessary to conduct the conference; creating a conference context associated with the conference, the conference context including the device drivers for only the one or more conferencing devices and the MCU controllers for only the one or more MCUs that will conduct the conference; initiating the conference context device drivers and MCU controllers at the middleware server for the one or more conferencing devices or MCUs; and instructing the one or more conferencing devices to dial in to the one or more MCUs or instruct the one or more MCUs to dial out to the one or more conferencing devices to conduct the conference. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A middleware server for interfacing audio conferencing devices, multimedia conferencing devices, multipoint control units (MCUs) and a management system, comprising:
-
a network interface for communicating with the audio conferencing devices, the multimedia conferencing devices, the MCUs and the management system; a computer readable storage medium comprising one or more device drivers for one or more multimedia conferencing devices and one or more MCU controllers for one or more MCUs; and a processor programmed to; receive, from a device associated with the audio conferencing system or from the management system, a request for a conference between various multimedia conferencing devices; determine resources necessary to conduct the conference; create a conference context associated with the conference, the conference context including the device drivers for only the multimedia conferencing devices and the MCU controllers for only the MCUs that will conduct the conference; initiate the conference context device drivers and MCU controllers at the middleware server; and instruct one or more of the multimedia conferencing devices to dial in to one or more of the MCUs or instruct one or more of the MCUs to dial out to one or more of the multimedia conferencing devices. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification