Distributable, scalable, pluggable conferencing architecture
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented conferencing system, comprising:
- a storage device that stores instructions; and
a processing unit that accesses and executes the instructions, execution of the instructions by the processing unit causing the conferencing system to provide a conference control component in response to a conference set-up request submitted by a client, the conference control component configured to;
receive the conference set-up request from the client to create a conference session;
after receiving the request to create the conference session, allocate to the conference session a distributed media component that provides media of the conference session to the client;
return a uniform resource identifier of the distributed media component to the client after the conference control component allocates the distributed media component to the conference session;
receive individual state information for each distributed media component from a set of distributed media components that are allocated for the conference session, wherein the state information comprises, at least, policy information associated with the distributed media component;
generating aggregated state information by aggregating the individual state information for each of the distributed media component from the set of distributed media components allocated for the conference session; and
distribute the aggregated state information to each client of the conference session.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Architecture for a scalable, pluggable multi-party, and distributed multimedia conferencing. A centralized policy and control conferencing component allows the seamless plug-in of different distributed media components (e.g., data, audio/video, messaging) to accommodate client participation in a conference session. The centralized conference control component includes the following: a conference notification service for accepting subscriptions to the conference state and notifying subscribers about changes to that state; a conference policy and roster control service for storing and manipulating conference policy and rosters; a security service for user authorization/authentication based on user identity information; a scheduling service for conference scheduling; an allocation service for allocating the most available media component(s) for a conference session; and, an MCU management service for conference policy and roster management of the distributed media components.
84 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented conferencing system, comprising:
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a storage device that stores instructions; and a processing unit that accesses and executes the instructions, execution of the instructions by the processing unit causing the conferencing system to provide a conference control component in response to a conference set-up request submitted by a client, the conference control component configured to; receive the conference set-up request from the client to create a conference session; after receiving the request to create the conference session, allocate to the conference session a distributed media component that provides media of the conference session to the client; return a uniform resource identifier of the distributed media component to the client after the conference control component allocates the distributed media component to the conference session; receive individual state information for each distributed media component from a set of distributed media components that are allocated for the conference session, wherein the state information comprises, at least, policy information associated with the distributed media component; generating aggregated state information by aggregating the individual state information for each of the distributed media component from the set of distributed media components allocated for the conference session; and distribute the aggregated state information to each client of the conference session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of managing a multiparty conference, the method comprising:
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receiving a request from a session participant to create a conference session; providing a conference control component in response to the request, the conference control component configured to; create and configure the conference session in response to the request; after receiving the request, assess availability of distributed multipoint control units (MCUs) for media access by the session participant; after assessing availability of the distributed MCUs, allocate an available MCU to the conference session for session access by the session participant, the available MCU being among the distributed MCUs; return a uniform resource identifier of the available MCU to the session participant after allocating the available MCU to the conference session; authenticate participant access to the conference session; receiving individual state information for each MCU among the distributed MCUs that is allocated for the conference session, wherein the state information comprises, at least, policy information associated with the distributed MCU; generating aggregated state information by aggregating the individual state information for the MCUs allocated for the conference session; and distributing the aggregated state information to each client of the conference session. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A storage device encoding computer executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method comprising:
providing a centralized conference control component in response to a conference set-up request submitted by a client, the conference control component configured to; receive the conference set-up request from the client for initiating a conference session; create a conference instance for the conference session in response to receiving the request; create and send an address of the conference session to the client as a response to the request; allocate a distributed MCU to the conference session after receiving the request, the conference control component allocating the distributed MCU to the conference session based on availability of media types provided by the distributed MCU; return a uniform resource identifier of the distributed MCU to the client after the conference control component allocates the MCU to the conference session; manage conference state during the conference session; notify subscribed clients to changes in a state associated with the conference session; receive individual state information for each MCU from a set of distributed MCUs that are allocated for the conference session, wherein the state information comprises, at least, policy information associated with the distributed MCU; generating aggregated state information by aggregating the individual state information for each MCU from the set of distributed MCUs allocated for the conference session; and distribute the aggregated state information to each subscribed client of the conference session.
Specification