Mixed media conferencing
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for holding a teleconference between a plurality of users, the method comprising:
- establishing a connection with a directory service storing information regarding a plurality of conferencing systems;
receiving a respective user address from each of a plurality of conferencing systems, each conferencing system having hardware capabilities and bandwidth capabilities, and each conferencing system having a communication capability limited by the respective bandwidth and hardware capabilities;
establishing a connection with each conferencing system of the plurality of conferencing systems using the received respective user address;
establishing a conference between the conferencing systems according to a conferencing method selected based on the communication capabilities of the conferencing systems, wherein the selected conferencing method allows each conferencing system to participate in the conference at a level supported by each conferencing system'"'"'s hardware and bandwidth capabilities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Multiple users participate in a conference while taking maximum advantage of hardware and bandwidth capabilities of each participant. Each user'"'"'s system makes known to a directory service its hardware sending and receiving capabilities. The directory service makes this information available to other users who may then wish to join a conference with the user. An initiating user sends invitations via the directory service to the remote users. Each user that accepts an invitation transmits its network address to the initiating user, who then establishes a peer-to-peer connection with each of the remote users. Each participant system exchanges information about hardware capabilities and bandwidth, and a conference manager determines a best model for connecting each of the participants. Depending on the hardware and bandwidth capabilities of the participants, the manager chooses from a duplicate streams model, a multicast model, and a host-among-peers model for connecting the participants.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for holding a teleconference between a plurality of users, the method comprising:
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establishing a connection with a directory service storing information regarding a plurality of conferencing systems; receiving a respective user address from each of a plurality of conferencing systems, each conferencing system having hardware capabilities and bandwidth capabilities, and each conferencing system having a communication capability limited by the respective bandwidth and hardware capabilities; establishing a connection with each conferencing system of the plurality of conferencing systems using the received respective user address; establishing a conference between the conferencing systems according to a conferencing method selected based on the communication capabilities of the conferencing systems, wherein the selected conferencing method allows each conferencing system to participate in the conference at a level supported by each conferencing system'"'"'s hardware and bandwidth capabilities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for holding a teleconference between a plurality of users, the system comprising:
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a service interface configured to; establish a connection with a directory service storing information regarding a plurality of conferencing systems, each conferencing system having hardware capabilities and bandwidth capabilities, and each conferencing system having a communication capability limited by the respective bandwidth and hardware capabilities; and a negotiation engine, communicatively coupled to the service interface module, the negotiation engine configured to; receive a respective user address from each conferencing system of the plurality of conferencing systems; establish a connection with each conferencing system of the plurality of conferencing systems using the respective received user address; and establish a conference between the conferencing systems according to a conferencing method selected based on the communication capabilities of the conferencing systems, wherein the selected conferencing method allows each conferencing system to participate in the conference at a level supported by each conferencing system'"'"'s hardware and bandwidth capabilities. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A non-transitory computer readable medium, storing instructions executable by a conferencing system to cause the conferencing system to:
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establish a connection with a directory service storing information regarding a plurality of conferencing systems; receive a respective user address from each of a plurality of conferencing systems, each conferencing system having hardware capabilities and bandwidth capabilities, and each conferencing system having a communication capability limited by the respective bandwidth and hardware capabilities; establishing a connection with each conferencing system of the plurality of conferencing systems using the received respective user address; establishing a conference between the conferencing systems according to a conferencing method selected based on the communication capabilities of the conferencing systems, wherein the selected conferencing method allows each conferencing system to participate in the conference at a level supported by each conferencing system'"'"'s hardware and bandwidth capabilities. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification