Data distribution system
First Claim
1. A videoconferencing system comprising a first control device, a second control device, and a plurality of processing devices, all mutually connected by a packet-based transport network, wherein:
- the first control device and the second control device are configured to advertise a same external network address to videoconferencing terminals on at least one external network;
each of the first control device and the second control device is configured to receive a videoconferencing session initiation request from a respective videoconferencing terminal on the at least one external network and to designate a respective processing device of the plurality of processing devices to receive data from the respective videoconferencing terminal during a respective videoconferencing session;
each processing device of the plurality of processing devices is configured to;
receive data packets for a videoconferencing session;
process the data packets; and
send the processed data packets across the packet-based transport network to other processing devices of the plurality of processing devices participating in the same videoconferencing session; and
the videoconferencing system is configured so that the first control device and the second control device do not receive any audio-visual data packets, but receive control data relating to videoconferencing session initiation and management, while a designated processing device of the plurality of processing devices receives all audio-visual data packets sent by a videoconferencing terminal, within a particular videoconferencing session.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A data distribution system comprises a plurality of processing devices (8) connected by a packet-based transport network (2), and a session manager (12). The session manager (12) is configured to manage a distribution session by (i) associating two or more of the processing devices (8) with a multicast group on the transport network, (ii) storing and/or accessing a mapping between a session identifier for the distribution session and the multicast group address, and (iii) configuring the transport network (2) and/or the processing devices (8) so that data output to the multicast group by any one of the processing devices in the group is received by all the other processing devices in the group. Each of the processing devices (8) can receive data from a respective node (16) located on an external network, and send the received data, or data derived therefrom, over the transport network (2) to a multicast group. Each processing device can also receive further data over the transport network destined for the respective node (16), and send these further data, or data derived therefrom, to the respective node (16).
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A videoconferencing system comprising a first control device, a second control device, and a plurality of processing devices, all mutually connected by a packet-based transport network, wherein:
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the first control device and the second control device are configured to advertise a same external network address to videoconferencing terminals on at least one external network; each of the first control device and the second control device is configured to receive a videoconferencing session initiation request from a respective videoconferencing terminal on the at least one external network and to designate a respective processing device of the plurality of processing devices to receive data from the respective videoconferencing terminal during a respective videoconferencing session; each processing device of the plurality of processing devices is configured to;
receive data packets for a videoconferencing session;
process the data packets; and
send the processed data packets across the packet-based transport network to other processing devices of the plurality of processing devices participating in the same videoconferencing session; andthe videoconferencing system is configured so that the first control device and the second control device do not receive any audio-visual data packets, but receive control data relating to videoconferencing session initiation and management, while a designated processing device of the plurality of processing devices receives all audio-visual data packets sent by a videoconferencing terminal, within a particular videoconferencing session. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A videoconferencing system comprising a first control device, a second control device, and a plurality of processing devices, all mutually connected by a packet-based transport network, wherein:
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the first control device and the second control device are configured to advertise a same external network address to videoconferencing terminals on at least one external network; each of the first control device and the second control device is configured to receive a videoconferencing session initiation request from a respective videoconferencing terminal on the at least one external network and to designate a respective processing device of the plurality of processing devices to receive data from the respective videoconferencing terminal during a respective videoconferencing session; each processing device of the plurality of processing devices is configured to;
receive data packets for a videoconferencing session;
process the data packets; and
send the processed data packets across the packet-based transport network to other processing devices of the plurality of processing devices participating in the same videoconferencing session; andthe videoconferencing system further comprises a session manager configured to manage a videoconferencing session by (i) associating two or more processing devices of the plurality of processing devices with a multicast group on the packet-based transport network, and (ii) configuring the packet-based transport network and/or the two or more processing devices so that data output to the multicast group by any one processing device of the plurality of processing devices in the multicast group is received by all other processing devices in the multicast group, wherein each processing device of the two or more processing devices is arranged to receive data from a respective videoconferencing terminal located on the at least one external network and to send the received data, or data derived therefrom, over the packet-based transport network to the multicast group, and is further arranged to receive further data over the packet-based transport network destined for the respective videoconferencing terminal and to send this further data, or data derived therefrom, to the respective videoconferencing terminal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification