A plurality of specially equipped personal conference managers (PCMs), one each, are provided to a plurality of personal conference systems (PCSs), and a plurality of specially equipped multi-point conference managers (MCMs), also one each, are provided to a plurality of multi-point control units (MCUs) interconnecting the PCSs. Each PCM is equipped with a first plurality of data routing matrix management functions for creating, updating, and deleting a plurality of data routing matrices specifying a plurality of data routing patterns for the PCSs. The first plurality of data routing matrix management functions are also used for creating, updating, and deleting a plurality of data routing matrix employment rules specifying the conditions governing the runtime employment of the data routing matrices. The conditions are specified in terms of multi-point references. Additionally, each PCM as well as each MCM is equipped with a second plurality of data routing matrix management functions for enrolling these routing matrices and their employment rules with the MCMs, and canceling their enrollments. Furthermore, each PCM as well as each MCM is equipped with a data transmission function for sending data utilizing these data routing matrices and their employment rules.
A method and apparatus is provided that allows an enrolling computer to automatically log-in to a network or enroll into a conference. The enrolling computer includes participant agent code that is executed which automatically communicates with a central computer executing enroller agent code to allow the enrolling computer to enroll in a conference without user action. For example, if a conference is set up with a radio frequency remote link, a laptop computer having a radio frequency remote link can automatically enroll into the conference through the execution of the participant agent code and the communication between a central computer and the enrolling computer via the radio frequency remote links.
The present invention is a method of throttling connections to a multipoint controller in a loosely-coupled conference. The loosely-coupled conference includes at least one receiver terminal and a H.323 panel having a multipoint controller and one or more H.323 terminals coupled to the multipoint controller and each to transmit and receive media streams on a multicast address. The method includes the steps of receiving a callable address of a receiver terminal on the multicast address, determining whether sufficient resources are available to allow the receiver terminal to join the panel, and connecting to the receiver terminal using the callable address and allowing the receiver terminal to join the H.323 panel and transmit and receive media streams on the multicast address if sufficient resources are available.
A number of personal conferencing systems, each executing a personal conferencing application, are networked together in a peer-to-peer manner. Each personal conferencing application is provided with a multi-point control logic for contributing to the shared control of audio as well as video distribution among the conference participants. In one embodiment, the multi-point control logic of the various personal conferencing applications collectively enable audio and video to be distributed in a manner that dynamically takes into account the dialogue being engaged among the conference participants, e.g. the order in which the conference participants speak to each other.
A multipoint control unit (104) is provided which allows for dynamic codec selection. According to one embodiment, the MCU (104) causes endpoints (102, 106) to renegotiate their codec selections if a most-commonly available codec is not being used, upon entry of new parties to a teleconference. Alternatively, the codec renegotiation may be performed each time a user speaks, to optimize for maximum transmission quality or for minimizing transcoding.
A video teleconferencing system for controlling multiple multipoint control units (MCU) from a single apparatus. The system utilizes a Virtual MCU (VMCU) (110) to communicate with a plurality of MCUs (135, 140, 145). A user initiates a reserve conference command with the VMCU (110). If sufficient resources are available, the reservation is made and connection numbers are assigned. When the time for the conference arises, an MCU (135, 140, 145) is assigned to the conference. The participants are then connected to the conference. By using a single VMCU (110) to schedule and coordinate multiple MCUs (135, 140, 145), the present invention is able to efficiently schedule a large number of conferences. This greater efficiency in scheduling may allow users to schedule conferences without the advance notice that is usually required.
