DUPLICATING DIGITAL STREAMS FOR DIGITAL CONFERENCING USING SWITCHING TECHNOLOGIES
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting data units, the method comprising;
- using a switch to receive communications;
using the switch to selectively filter the communications;
using the switch to receive a first stream of data units that are addressed to a unicast address on the switch, wherein the first stream of data units includes a payload portion and an attribute portion from at least two conferencing participants;
using the switch to duplicate at least a subportion of the payload portion of a data unit within the first stream of data units;
using the switch to enable access to a duplicated subportion of the payload portion of the data unit by two or more conferencing participants; and
forwarding the duplicated subportion of the payload portion of the data unit within a second stream of data units addressed to a unicast address of each of the two or more conferencing participants, wherein the selectively filtering and forwarding are performed by the switch that is structured and arranged to selectively filter and forward between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Using switching technologies to duplicate packets of a digital stream (e.g., digital video stream) sent from one workstation to multiple recipient workstations, where the switching technologies enable the multiple streams sent from the switch to the recipient workstations to be generated from a single digital stream sent from the sending workstation to the switch. Data units, such as video data units, may be transmitted by using a switch to enable receipt of a stream of data units including a payload portion and an attribute portion from at least two conferencing participants. The switch is used to duplicate at least a subportion of the payload portion of a data unit within the stream of data units, and to enable access to the duplicated subportion of the data unit by two or more conferencing participants.
84 Citations
59 Claims
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1. A method of transmitting data units, the method comprising;
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using a switch to receive communications;
using the switch to selectively filter the communications;
using the switch to receive a first stream of data units that are addressed to a unicast address on the switch, wherein the first stream of data units includes a payload portion and an attribute portion from at least two conferencing participants;
using the switch to duplicate at least a subportion of the payload portion of a data unit within the first stream of data units;
using the switch to enable access to a duplicated subportion of the payload portion of the data unit by two or more conferencing participants; and
forwarding the duplicated subportion of the payload portion of the data unit within a second stream of data units addressed to a unicast address of each of the two or more conferencing participants, wherein the selectively filtering and forwarding are performed by the switch that is structured and arranged to selectively filter and forward between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 57)
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28-38. -38. (canceled)
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39. A duplicating switch comprising:
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a first communications interface structured and arranged to;
receive communications, selectively filter the communications, and receive a first stream of data units including a payload portion and an attribute portion that are addressed to a unicast address on the switch from at least two conferencing participants;
a first processor structured and arranged to duplicate at least a subportion of the payload portion of a data unit within the first stream of data units; and
a second communications interface structured and arranged to;
enable access to the duplicated subportion of the payload portion of the data unit by two or more conferencing participants. forward the duplicated subportion of the payload portion of the data unit within a second stream of data units that are addressed to a unicast address of each of the two or more conferencing participants; and
wherein the first communications interface and the second communications interface are structured and arranged to selectively filter and forward between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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58. (canceled)
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59. A duplicating switch comprising:
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means for receiving communications;
means for selectively filtering the communications;
means for receiving a first stream of data units that are addressed to a unicast address on the switch, wherein the first stream of data units includes a payload portion and an attribute portion from at least two conferencing participants;
means for duplicating at least a subportion of the payload portion of a data unit within the first stream of data units; and
means for enabling access to the duplicated subportion of the payload portion of the data unit by two or more conferencing participants; and
means for forwarding the duplicated subportion of the payload portion of the data unit within a second stream of data units addressed to a unicast address of each of the two or more conferencing participants, wherein the selectively filtering and forwarding are performed by the switch that is structured and arranged to selectively filter and forward between different domains at a same level in a protocol stack.
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Specification