Distributed audio conferencing architecture with optimum resource utilization and seamless scalability
First Claim
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1. A method for optimizing bandwidth usage in a conference call system, the method comprising:
- becoming, by a first conference server, a first conference bridge for a conference call;
determining whether one or more other conference bridge for the conference call exist in the conference call system;
selecting a first media mixer for the conference call in response to the determining whether the one or more other conference bridge exist in the system;
receiving, at the first media mixer, a mixed media stream from a second media mixer, the second media mixer mixing media data of a plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer into the mixed media stream and the mixed media stream including mixed media data of the plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer; and
mixing, at the first media mixer, the mixed media stream including the previously mixed media data from the second media mixer with media data of at least one other participant, wherein the at least one other participant is distinct from the plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer.
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Abstract
A conference call solution with one or more conference server, one or more conference bridge and one or more media mixer. A conference server is chosen as the conference bridge for the conference call using various optimization techniques. A media mixer for the conference call may also be chosen using various optimization techniques. The media mixer mixes media data from one or more conference bridge. If a conference bridge or the media mixer fails, the system recovers from the failure with minimal interruption to the users.
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for optimizing bandwidth usage in a conference call system, the method comprising:
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becoming, by a first conference server, a first conference bridge for a conference call; determining whether one or more other conference bridge for the conference call exist in the conference call system; selecting a first media mixer for the conference call in response to the determining whether the one or more other conference bridge exist in the system; receiving, at the first media mixer, a mixed media stream from a second media mixer, the second media mixer mixing media data of a plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer into the mixed media stream and the mixed media stream including mixed media data of the plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer; and mixing, at the first media mixer, the mixed media stream including the previously mixed media data from the second media mixer with media data of at least one other participant, wherein the at least one other participant is distinct from the plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7)
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6. A method for optimizing bandwidth usage in a conference call system, the method comprising:
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becoming, by a first conference server, a first conference bridge for a conference call; determining whether one or more other conference bridge for the conference call exist in the conference call system; selecting a first media mixer for the conference call in response to the determining whether the one or more other conference bridge exist in the system; receiving, at the first media mixer, a mixed media stream from a second media mixer, the second media mixer mixing media data of a plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer into the mixed media stream; mixing, at the first media mixer, the mixed media stream including the mixed media data of the plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer with media data of at least one other participant, wherein the at least one other participant is distinct from the plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer; determining one of the first media mixer and the second media mixer to be failed during the conference call responsive to data not being received from the first media mixer or the second media mixer for two or more consecutive periods; and collectively selecting, by two or more of the first conference bridge and the one or more other conference bridge, a new media mixer from a plurality of potential media mixers to substitute the first media mixer or the second media mixture that has been determined to be failed, the new media mixture having highest number of resources among the plurality of potential media mixers.
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8. A system comprising:
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a first conference server configured to become a first conference bridge for a conference call, to determine whether one or more other conference bridge for a conference call exist in the conference call system and to select a first media mixer for the conference call in response to the determining whether the one or more other conference bridges exist in the system; a second media mixer configured to mix media data of a plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer into a mixed media stream; and
the first media mixer configured to receive the mixed media stream from the second media mixer including mixed media data of the plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer and mix the mixed media stream including the previously mixed media data from the second media mixer with media data of at least one other participant, wherein the at least one other participant is distinct from the plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer; and
the first conference server further configured to (1) determine one of the first media mixer and the second media mixer to be failed during the conference call responsive to data not being received from the first media mixer or the second media mixer for two or more consecutive periods and (2) collectively select a new media mixer from a plurality of potential media mixers to substitute the first media mixer or the second media mixture that has been determined to be failed, the new media mixture having highest number of resources among the plurality of potential media mixers. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system comprising:
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a first media mixer configured to receive an assignment as the first media mixer from a first conference server and, responsive to being assigned as the first media mixer for a conference call, to receive a mixed media stream from a second media mixer, the mixed media stream including mixed media data of a plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer, and to mix the previously mixed media stream from the second media mixer with media data of at least one other participant, wherein the at least one other participant is distinct from the plurality of participants associated with the second media mixer; and a conference server configured to (1) determine one of the first media mixer and the second media mixer to be failed during the conference call responsive to data not being received from the first media mixer or the second media mixer for two or more consecutive periods and (2) collectively select a new media mixer from a plurality of potential media mixers to substitute the first media mixer or the second media mixture that has been determined to be failed, the new media mixture having highest number of resources among the plurality of potential media mixers. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification