Dynamic designation of a central distributor in a multi-participant conference
First Claim
1. A non-transitory machine readable medium of a first computing device of a first participant in a multi-participant communication session, the machine readable medium storing computer program instructions executable by at least one processing unit to cause the first computing device to perform:
- joining a star network comprising a plurality of computing devices that includes a second computing device acting as a central network hub for distributing content in the multi-participant communication session, wherein each particular computing device is used by a particular participant in the multi-participant communication session;
exchanging content with other computing devices through the second computing device of a second participant that (i) generates content of the second participant, (ii) receives content from each computing device in the star network, (iii) composites the generated and received content, and (iv) distributes the composited content to said each computing device in the star network;
determining that the second computing device should no longer be the central network hub for the communication session;
while maintaining the communication session, dynamically identifying a third computing device of a third participant as a new central network hub; and
exchanging content with other computing devices through the third computing device, wherein the third computing device of the third participant (i) generates content of the third participant, (ii) receives content from other computing devices in the star network, (iii) composites the generated and received content, and (iv) distributes the composited content to said each computing device in the star network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments dynamically designate one of several network nodes as a network hub of a star network, at the start of a network communication session among the several network nodes that is facilitated by a mesh network and the star network. Some embodiments dynamically designate a new network hub when the previously designated network hub leaves the communication session, which continues among the other network nodes. Different embodiments use different techniques to dynamically designate the network hub of the star network. For instance, some embodiments use communications transmitted along the mesh network to dynamically identify the network hub at the start of the network communication session or after the departure of a previously designated network hub.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A non-transitory machine readable medium of a first computing device of a first participant in a multi-participant communication session, the machine readable medium storing computer program instructions executable by at least one processing unit to cause the first computing device to perform:
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joining a star network comprising a plurality of computing devices that includes a second computing device acting as a central network hub for distributing content in the multi-participant communication session, wherein each particular computing device is used by a particular participant in the multi-participant communication session; exchanging content with other computing devices through the second computing device of a second participant that (i) generates content of the second participant, (ii) receives content from each computing device in the star network, (iii) composites the generated and received content, and (iv) distributes the composited content to said each computing device in the star network; determining that the second computing device should no longer be the central network hub for the communication session; while maintaining the communication session, dynamically identifying a third computing device of a third participant as a new central network hub; and exchanging content with other computing devices through the third computing device, wherein the third computing device of the third participant (i) generates content of the third participant, (ii) receives content from other computing devices in the star network, (iii) composites the generated and received content, and (iv) distributes the composited content to said each computing device in the star network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 26)
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19. A method for a first computing device to participate in a communication session among a plurality of computing devices through a first network, the method comprising:
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the first computing device joining a star network comprising a plurality of computing devices that includes a second computing device acting as a central network hub for distributing content in a multi-participant communication session, wherein each particular computing device is used by a particular participant in the multi-participant communication session; the first computing device exchanging content with other computing devices through the second computing device of a second participant that (i) generates content of the second participant, (ii) receives content from each computing device in the star network, (iii) composites the generated and received content, and (iv) distributes the composited content to said each computing device in the star network; the first computing device determining that the second computing device should no longer be the central network hub for the communication session; while maintaining the communication session, the first computing device dynamically identifying a third computing of a third participant device as a new central network hub; and the first computing device exchanging content with other computing devices through the third computing device, wherein the third computing device of the third participant (i) generates content of the third participant, (ii) receives content from other computing devices in the star network, (iii) composites the generated and received content, and (iv) distributes the composited content to said each computing device in the star network. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A computing device of a first participant in a multi-participant communication session, the computing device comprising:
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communication circuitry for communicating in a network; and processing hardware coupled to the communication circuitry, wherein the processing hardware and the communication circuitry are configured to; join a star network comprising a plurality of computing devices that includes a second computing device acting as a central network hub for distributing content in the multi-participant communication session, wherein each particular computing device is used by a particular participant in the multi-participant communication session; exchange content with other computing devices through the central network hub that (i) generates content of the participant, (ii) receives content from each computing device in the star network, (iii) composites the generated and received content, and (iv) distributes the composited content to said each computing device in the star network; and determine that the second computing device should no longer be the central network hub for the communication session; while maintaining the communication session, dynamically identify a third computing device of a third participant as a new central network hub, wherein the third computing device of the third participant (i) generates content of the third participant, (ii) receives content from other computing devices in the star network, (iii) composites the generated and received content, and (iv) distributes the composited content to said each computing device in the star network. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification