Control unit for multipoint multimedia/audio system

• US 20020188731A1
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polycom Israel Limited (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polycom Israel Limited (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Elbaz, Moshe, Potekhin, Sergey, Knaz, Eran
• Granted Patent: US 8,805,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/564 whereby the feature is a sub-conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

The present invention is a system and a method for providing a control unit for a multipoint multimedia/audio conference that enables one or more participants to take part in more than one conference simultaneously. The control unit can operate in audio and/or video sections of an MCU and/or Management and Control System (MCS). The MCS, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, controls the participation of at least one participant in more than one conference simultaneously by using a Cross-Conference Database (CCDB). The MCU performs connection changes affecting which participants are associated with one or more conferences based on the information that is stored in the CCDB.

Claims

19. A method comprising conducting a conference by:

receiving audio signals from a plurality of endpoints,

broadcasting the audio signal onto an audio common interface,

selecting at least one audio signal to be mixed, the selecting is performed using a cross conference reference table to determine a selection,

mixing the selected audio signal, and

transmitting the mixed signal to at least one end point.

20. A method comprising:

creating a cross conference database;

establishing at least one conference having at least one participant that participates in at least one other conference by updating a cross connection database; and

conducting the conference by

receiving audio signals from a plurality of endpoints,

broadcasting the audio signal onto an audio common interface, selecting at least one audio signal to be mixed, the selecting is performed using a cross conference reference table to determine a selection,

mixing the selected audio signal, and

transmitting the mixed signal to at least one end point.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the receiving further comprises processing the received audio signals, the processing is performed using the cross conference database to determine which module performs a process.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the audio signals that were received are encoded.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the processing the received audio signals includes decoding of the received audio signals.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein processing the received audio signals includes analyzing the decoded audio signals.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein transmitting the mixed signal is performed via the cross connection database.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the module is a codec.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein performing a connection change based on the cross conference database, including:

detecting all participants and all conferences involved in the connection change,

determining how the connection change affects each of the conferences and the participants,

updating the cross conference database according to the affect,

implementing the affects of the updated cross conference database state.

29. The multipoint control unit of claim 28 wherein the management and control system includes a cross conference database.

30. The multipoint control unit of claim 28 wherein two or more of the conferences are related to one another.

28. A multipoint control unit comprising:

a management and control system that manages the participation of at least one participant in two or more conferences.

31. A system comprising:

a multipoint control unit having a management and control system for managing and controlling two or more related conferences.

1. A method for controlling conferences of a plurality of participants having at least one participant that can participate in two or more conferences simultaneously, the method comprising:

creating a cross conference database, the cross conference database including selected connection parameters and selected connection statuses; and

performing a connection change based on the cross conference database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a connection change comprises:

determining how the connection change affects each of the conferences and the participants.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein performing a connection change comprises:

implementing the affects of updating a cross conference database state.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein performing a connection change comprises:

updating the cross conference database according to the affect.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing connection change comprises:

detecting all participants and all conferences involved in the connection change;

determining how the connection change affects each of the conferences and the participants;

updating the cross conference database according to the affect; and

implementing the affects of the updated cross conference database state.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising notifying each of the participants affected by the connection change about the connection change before performing the connection change.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection parameters include a parameter associated with a codec that is associated with each participant.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection parameters include a parameter associated with a bridge that is associated with each conference.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the connection statuses is associated with a participant in the conferences.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection status is capable of having statuses of listen.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection status is capable of having statuses of exclusive.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection status is capable of having statuses of mute.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection status is capable of having statuses of force.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection status is capable of having statuses of normal.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection status is capable of having statuses of none.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the connection status is capable of having statuses of normal, none, exclusive, mute, force, speak, and listen.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the conference is audio conference.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the conference is multimedia conference.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein two of the conferences are related by having at least one participant participating in both conferences.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein the system

creates a cross conference database, the cross conference database including selected connection parameters and selected connection statuses.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the system

performs a connection change based on the cross conference database by

detecting all participants and all conferences involved in the connection change,

determining how the connection change affects each of the conferences and the participants,

updating the cross conference database according to the affect, and

implementing the affects of the updated cross conference database state.

36. The system of claim 31 further comprising a codec.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the codec

receives signals from the compressed audio common interface,

decodes the signals, wherein the receiving is done using the cross connection database, and

broad casts the signals that have been decoded onto the decoded audio common interface.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein the codec

receives a mixed output from the decoded audio common interface,

encodes the mixed output, and

broadcasts the mixed output that was encoded onto a compressed audio common interface.

39. The system of claim 31 further comprising a bridge.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the bridge mixes a selected group of decoded audio signals associated with the conference to produce a mixed output, wherein the selection is done using the cross connection database.

41. The system of claim 31 further comprising:

a decoded audio common interface.

42. The system of claim 31 further comprising:

a compressed audio common interface.

33-1. The system of claim 32 wherein the management control system

notifies each of the participants affected by the connection change about the connection change before performing the connection change.

43. A system controlling audio or multimedia conferences of a plurality of participants having at least one participant that can participate in two or more conferences, the method comprising:

means for creating a cross conference database, the cross conference database including connection parameters and connection statuses; and

means for performing a connection change using the cross conference database.

44. A method for making a system for controlling audio or multimedia conferences of a plurality of participants having at least one participant that can participate in two or more conferences the method comprising:

providing a management and controlling system within a multipoint control unit, the management and control system creating a cross conference database, the cross conference database including connection parameters and connection statuses; and

configuring the multipoint control unit to perform a connection change based on the cross conference database.