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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A method for establishing a data conference between a node and an end
point of a communication network, comprising the steps of:
(a) requesting from the end point a reserved bandwidth for a data
conference having a specified start time;
(b) receiving confirmation of the reserved bandwidth from the end point,
wherein, during a predetermined time window around the start time, the end
point terminates or rejects other uses of the reserved bandwidth to ensure
that the reserved bandwidth is available for the data conference; and
(c) establishing the data conference with the end point within the
predetermined time window.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:
(1) establishing a web session with a web server of the end point;
(2) requesting a bandwidth reservation request page from the end point;
(3) receiving the bandwidth reservation request page from the end point,
the request page containing a plurality of fields related to the bandwidth
required for the data conference; and
(4) transmitting to the end point data for the plurality of fields.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data conference is one of an
H.323-compliant data conference established over the Internet and an
H.320-compliant data conference established directly through ISDN using at
least one ISDN B channel.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the confirmation includes a conference
identifier (ID).
5. The method of claim 4, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:
(1) calling the end point; and
(2) providing the conference ID to the end point.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request of step (a) and the
confirmation of step (b) are transmitted via an ISDN D channel X.25
switched virtual circuit.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the node and the end point each have an
always-on, dynamic ISDN connection to the network.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises the steps of:
(1) receiving, with the end point, the request in step (a) for the reserved
bandwidth for the data conference from the node;
(2) determining whether to accept the request; and
(3) transmitting the confirmation to the node if the request is accepted in
step (b)(2).
9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises the step of requesting
from the end point a reserved bandwidth for an immediate data conference,
wherein the start time is at or near the current time at which the request
is made.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises the steps of:
(1) freeing up the reserved bandwidth, with the end point, at or near the
beginning of the time window; and
(2) rejecting calls placed to the end point during the time window except
for a call from the node.
11. A system for establishing a data conference over a communications
network, comprising:
(a) an end point of the network; and
(b) a node of the network for requesting from the end point a reserved
bandwidth for a data conference having a specified start time, for
receiving confirmation of the reserved bandwidth from the end point, and
for establishing the data conference with the end point within a
predetermined time window around the start time, wherein, during the
predetermined time window, the end point terminates or rejects other uses
of the reserved bandwidth to ensure that the reserved bandwidth is
available for the data conference.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the node requests from the end point
the reserved bandwidth by:
(1) establishing a web session with a web server of the end point;
(2) requesting a bandwidth reservation request page from the end point;
(3) receiving the bandwidth reservation request page from the end point,
the request page containing a plurality of fields related to the bandwidth
required for the data conference; and
(4) transmitting to the end point data for the plurality of fields.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the data conference is one of an
H.323-compliant data conference established over the Internet and an
H.320-compliant data conference established directly through ISDN using at
least one ISDN B channel.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein the confirmation includes a conference
ID.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the node establishes the data
conference with the end point by:
(1) calling the end point; and
(2) providing the conference ID to the end point.
16. The system of claim 11, wherein the request for and the confirmation of
the reserved bandwidth are transmitted via an ISDN D channel X.25 switched
virtual circuit.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the node and the end point each have an
always-on, dynamic ISDN connection to the network.
18. The system of claim 11, wherein the end point is for:
(1) receiving the request for the reserved bandwidth from the node;
(2) determining whether to accept the request; and
(3) transmitting the confirmation to the node if the request is accepted.
19. The system of claim 11, wherein the end point establishes the data
conference with the node by:
(1) freeing up the reserved bandwidth at or near the beginning of the time
window; and
(2) rejecting calls received during the time window except for a call from
the node.
20. A node of a communicates network, the node comprising:
a communications port through which communicates with other end points of
the communications network is effected;
a storage device having stored therein a plurality of instructions for
establishing a data conference between the node and an end point of the
communications network; and
a processor coupled to the communications port and to the storage device
for executing the plurality of instructions, wherein the processor, via
the communications port:
(a) requests a reserved bandwidth for a data conference having a specified
start time from the end point;
(b) receives a confirmation of the reserved bandwidth from the end point,
wherein, during a predetermined time window around the start time, the end
point terminates or rejects other uses of the reserved bandwidth to ensure
that the reserved bandwidth is available for the data conference; and
(c) establishes the data conference with the end point within the
predetermined time window.
21. A storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions,
wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by a processor of a
node of a communications network, cause the processor to perform the steps
of:
(a) requesting from an end point of the communications network a reserved
bandwidth for a data conference between the node and the end point having
a specified start time;
(b) receiving confirmation of the reserved bandwidth from the end point,
wherein, during a predetermined time window around the start time, the end
point terminates or rejects other uses of the reserved bandwidth to ensure
that the reserved bandwidth is available for the data conference; and
(c) establishing the data conference with the end point within the
predetermined time window.
22. In a end point of a communication network, a method for establishing a
data conference with a node of the communications network, the method
comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a request from the node for a reserved bandwidth for a data
conference having a specified start time;
(b) determining whether to accept the request;
(c) transmitting confirmation of the reserved bandwidth to the node if the
request is accepted in step (b);
(d) freeing up the reserved bandwidth at or near the beginning of the time
window by terminating or rejecting other uses of the reserved bandwidth to
ensure that the reserved bandwidth is available for the data conference;
and
(e) rejecting calls received during the time window except for a call from
the node.
23. An end point of a communications network the end point comprising:
a communications port through which communications with other end points
and nodes of the communications network is effected;
a storage device having stored therein a plurality of instructions for
reserving bandwidth for a data conference with a node of the
communications network; and
a processor coupled to the communications port and to the storage device
for executing the plurality of instructions, wherein the processor, via
the communications port:
(a) receives a request from the node for a reserved bandwidth for a data
conference having a specified start time;
(b) determines whether to accept the request;
(c) transmits a confirmation of the reserved bandwidth to the node if the
request is accepted;
(d) frees up the reserved bandwidth at or near the beginning of the time
window by terminating or rejecting other uses of the reserved bandwidth to
ensure that the reserved bandwidth is available for the data conference;
and
(e) rejects calls received during the time window except for a call from
the node.
24. A storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions,
wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by a processor of an
end point of a communications network, cause the processor to perform the
steps of:
(a) receiving a request from a node of the communications network for a
reserved bandwidth for a data conference having a specified start time;
(b) determining whether to accept the request;
(c) transmitting confirmation of the reserved bandwidth to the node if the
request is accepted in step (b);
(d) freeing up the reserved bandwidth at or near the beginning of the time
window by terminating or rejecting other uses of the reserved bandwidth to
ensure that the reserved bandwidth is available for the data conference;
and
(e) rejecting calls received during the time window except for a call from
the node. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of communications networks and, in
particular, to the use of integrated services digital networks (ISDN).
2. Description of the Related Art
High-bandwidth communications networks such as ISDN are commonly used to
communicate with specified end points or nodes of the network. ISDN lines
and services are typically provided by ISDN providers, such as telephone
companies. For example, a first user may desire to establish a data
conference with at least a second user. In general, a data conference,
sometimes also referred to as a video conference, is a conference in which
the participants in the conference share audio, video, and other types of
data on their respective local terminals. High-bandwidth communications
may be required or desirable for such data conferences, so that audio,
video, and other forms of data may be distributed to participants in the
conference in real time.
A user having access to a high-bandwidth communications channel such as an
ISDN line will often use the ISDN line for various communications
purposes. For example, an ISDN connection may be made to the user's
Internet service provider (ISP) to check email, browse sites on the world
wide web (WWW), and the like. Such Internet-compatible communications may
be made using H.323-compliant communications protocols and the
transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), a packet
switching control protocol used for networks such as public networks
(e.g., the Internet) and private networks (e.g. Intranets). A
point-to-point data conference may also be established between two users
over the Internet via the users' respective ISPs, using such
H.323-compliant communications. Each user may have an ISDN connection to
its respective ISP, which then establish a high-bandwidth connection with
each other over the Internet.
Alternatively, instead of communicating through the Internet, a
point-to-point data conference may be established directly through ISDN
using H.320-compliant communications protocols. Such a direct use of ISDN
does not involve the Internet or the users' ISPs, but is routed and
switched in a manner similar to a standard POTS (plain old telephone
system) telephone call, albeit with higher bandwidth. In addition to H.320
and H.323 connections, other International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Series H Recommendations protocols may be used for line transmission of
non-telephone signals as well.
ISDN communication can be used for a variety of types of data transfer and
bandwidth requirements. In an ISDN connection between two end points or
users, the connection includes both a relatively low-bandwidth data
channel (D channel) and typically one or two relatively high-bandwidth
so-called "bearer" channels (B channels). Both B and D channels are full
duplex digital communication channels. The D channel is used to switch on
and control the use of B channels. To establish an ISDN connection, the D
channel is used to access switch controlling to establish at least one B
channel. A second B channel can be added as necessary for higher bandwidth
data throughput, using the bandwidth allocation control protocol (BACP) of
ISDN. For example, one B channel may be used for data and audio
communications. If the users then desire to share video data as well, more
bandwidth may be required, and a second B channel may be added to maintain
the quality of the conference.
Unfortunately, if a first user attempts to call a second user to establish
an ISDN connection with the second user, the second user may already be
using all the spare capacity of his ISDN line. For example, the second
user may be currently using the D channel and both B channels to engage in
a conference with a third party, to access an ISP, or for another
communications purpose. In this case, the first user may be unable to
establish an ISDN connection with the second user with sufficient
bandwidth to handle the planned use of the ISDN connection, or the first
user may be unable to contact the second user at all, for example the
equivalent of a busy signal may be received by the first user.
SUMMARY
The present invention is for establishing a data conference with an end
point of a communications network. According to one embodiment of the
invention, a node requests from the end point a reserved bandwidth for a
data conference having a specified start time. The originating end point
receives confirmation of the reserved bandwidth from the end point. The
originating end point establishes the data conference with the end point
within a predetermined time window around the start time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention
will become more fully apparent from the following description, appended
claims, and accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows a networked computer system for bandwidth reservation in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a networked computer system in which a bandwidth-reserved data
conferencing session involving the personal computers of the networked
computer system of FIG. 1 is established in accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the method of operation of reserving
bandwidth and establishing a bandwidth-reserved data conference with the
systems of FIGS. 1 and 2, in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the present invention, a bandwidth reservation system is provided in
which a first user can cause a second user to reserve bandwidth for a
scheduled point-to-point connection between the users, such as a data
conference, as described in further detail below.
Networked Computer System
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown networked computer system 100, in
accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Networked computer
system 100 comprises a plurality of nodes or personal computers (PCs),
including PCs 110 and 150. PCs 110 and 150 are associated with human users
1 and 2, respectively. In one embodiment, each PC 110, 150 of networked
computer system comprises a processor, memory, video camera, microphone,
mouse, speakers, and monitor (not shown). PCs 110 and 150 are each coupled
via ISDN ports 112, 152, and ISDN lines 113, 153, respectively, to the
Internet 130, for high-bandwidth communications across the Internet 130.
PCs 110 and 150 may each run one or more servers for control of
communication, such as web sessions, with other nodes over Internet 130.
Each PC node or end point of Internet 130 may be reached by other nodes of
Internet 130 at a unique URL (uniform resource locator) address. PC 150
hosts a bandwidth reservation server 155 that may be accessed at a
particular URL by other nodes connected to the Internet.
X.25 SVC and AO/DI
In an embodiment of the present invention, PCs 110, 150 utilize always
on/dynamic ISDN (AO/DI), a networking service that provides an
always-available connection to TCP/IP services through the Internet 130.
As explained above, in an ISDN connection, users have access to both a
relatively low-bandwidth D channel and one or more relatively
high-bandwidth B channels, where the D channel is used to switch on and
control the use of B channels. To access an ISDN connection, the D channel
is used to access switch controlling to establish at least one B channel.
A second B channel can be added as necessary for higher bandwidth data
throughput, using the ISDN's BACP.
ISDN also includes the X.25 packet switched network protocol, which can be
used to provide a packet switched network connection through a D channel
of ISDN. Such a connection may be referred to herein as an X.25 switched
virtual circuit (SVC). Thus, a D channel of ISDN can be used for at least
two distinct purposes: in addition to controlling usage of B channels
during a standard ISDN connection, a D channel of ISDN can also be used to
establish an X.25 SVC.
An X.25 SVC--and thus an ISDN D channel--can provide relatively low
bandwidth data communications (e.g. basic ASCII email services, news
feeds, and automated data collection). To establish an X.25 SVC, the X.25
protocol is used to pass an X.25-compatible message to a switch of the
central office of the ISDN provider, to request an X.25 SVC to a specified
end point. The X.25 protocol and related standards are described in Uyless
Black, X.25 and Related Protocols (Los Alamitos, Calif.: IEEE Computer
Society Press, 1991), ISBN 0-8186-8976-5; and in International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) Recommendation X.25 (October 1996):
"Interface between Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) and Data
Circuit-terminating Equipment (DCE) for terminals operating in the packet
mode and connected to public data networks by dedicated circuit." ISDN is
described in the ITU's various Series I Recommendations.
In the present invention, AO/DI, which utilizes the X.25 capability of ISDN
systems, is used to more efficiently utilize ISDN bandwidth. In an AO/DI
system, an ISDN D channel X.25 call is placed from a user to an internet
service provider (ISP). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, an AO/DI
connection may be established between bandwidth reservation server 155 and
the Internet 130, over ISDN line 153. In AO/DI, the X.25 SVC (established
over the D channel of ISDN) is left always on, and B channels are invoked
when necessary via the BACP for higher bandwidth communications. This
avoids the waste of bandwidth that occurs when users "camp on" B channels
of ISDN for extended periods of time. TCP/IP-compatible communications,
such as web sessions, may also be implemented via the X.25 SVC of AO/DI,
since the TCP/IP protocol is encapsulated within the X.25 logical circuit
carried by the D channel of ISDN.
For example, to communicate using AO/DI, PC 110 places an X.25 SVC call
over Internet 130 to its ISP (not shown). PC 110 can thus receive
low-bandwidth information at any time from its ISP, such as email or other
notifications, without having to periodically connect to check for waiting
information, and without having to continuously tie up a higher-bandwidth
B channel. Rather, when the X.25 SVC bandwidth is not sufficient and
additional bandwidth is needed, the appropriate telephone numbers are
exchanged between the user's and ISP's equipment to allow one or more B
channels to be dialed and established. The B channels are routed through
the switched fabric of the switching offices of ISDN and other
communications channel providers of the Internet 130. Thus, using only a D
channel X.25 SVC, two end points or nodes of Internet 130 can engage in
TCP/IP communications.
If a user were to "camp on" with a full ISDN connection, which involves at
least one B channel, much bandwidth would be wasted during times when not
much information is being transmitted over the ISDN connection.
Alternatively, if a user did not always have a connection on and only made
a full ISDN connection periodically, for example once every hour, then the
user's PC could not respond in real time to incoming call, information
requests, information updates, and the like. Therefore, the use of AO/DI
enables always-on availability of a given endpoint over a network, without
wasting a large amount of bandwidth during low throughput time periods.
However, communication over a D channel X.25 SVC has limited applications,
since the bandwidth of a D channel is relatively low, at 16 kbps total
with 9600 bps guaranteed X.25 frame throughput. To improve the low
bandwidth of a D channel X.25 circuit, BACP messages are used to add B
channels on demand. The B channels are invoked to temporarily boost data
throughput, and are then disconnected.
Bandwidth Reservation
As explained above, a first user may be unable to establish an ISDN
connection with a second user with sufficient bandwidth to handle the
planned use of an ISDN connection, if the second user is already using too
much ISDN bandwidth. Accordingly, in the present invention, a bandwidth
reservation system is provided in which a first user can cause a second
user to reserve bandwidth for a scheduled point-to-point connection
between the users.
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a flow diagram 300 illustrating the
method of operation of reserving bandwidth and establishing a
bandwidth-reserved data conference with the networked computer systems of
FIGS. 1 and 2, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Bandwidth reservation server 155 of PC 150 is connected by an AO/DI
connection to the Internet 130. If user 1 wishes establish a connection
such as a video conference, at some future time, with user 2, user 1 uses
PC 110 to browse the bandwidth reservation server 155 of PC 150 (step 301
of FIG. 3). This may be done by PC 110 contacting the URL of bandwidth
reservation server 155 over Internet 130. Since bandwidth reservation
server 155 has an AO/DI connection to the Internet 130, it can respond
nearly instantaneously to the browse by PC 110. PC 110 may also be using
AO/DI via its ISDN line 113. As will be appreciated, PC 110 and PC 150
each are nodes or end points of Internet 130. However, for convenience of
reference, PC 110 may be referred to as a node and PC 150 may be referred
to as an end point.
In response to the browse by PC 110, bandwidth reservation server 155
transmits an HTML bandwidth reservation request page over the X.25 SVC to
the Internet 130, which then routes the request page to PC 110 (step 303).
The page contains links that allow PC 110 to request a scheduled data
conference with PC 150 at a particular future time. For example, the
request page may contain a form with fields for the time of call that will
start the conference, identity of user 1, type of call (e.g. video, audio,
data, and the like), expected length of the conference, type of medium
(e.g. an H.323-compliant conference over the WWW or an H.320-compliant
data conference established directly through ISDN), and the like. The
requested conference may require that both ISDN B channels of PC 150's
ISDN line 153 be available, for example. User 1 or PC 110 fills in the
appropriate fields in the request page, for example requesting a data
conference capable of sharing audio and video, at a specified time (step
305). For example, the current time may be 10:00 a.m., and user 1 may
request a data conference at 1:30 p.m. the same day in the request form.
The data-value pairs of the filled-out request form is posted back to
bandwidth reservation server 155 of PC 150 over the X.25 SVC (step 307).
In another embodiment of the present invention, PC 110 fills out the form
automatically and posts it back to bandwidth reservation server 155 of PC
150, without requesting user 1 to fill out the request form.
PC 150 then determines whether or not to grant the bandwidth reservation
request. For example, PC 150 may display a message on the screen of PC
150, informing user 2 of the request for a data conference at a specified
time with user 1 (step 309). If user 2 denies the request, for example
because the proposed data conference time is inconvenient, PC 150 sends a
message to PC 110 notifying PC 110 that the request has been rejected
(steps 311, 313). If, however, user 1 accepts the request, then PC 150
reserves bandwidth locally for a window of time around the specified time,
for example for a ten-minute window plus or minus five minutes from the
specified time (i.e., from 1:25 p.m. to 1:35 p.m.), during which PC 110
may initiate the conference (steps 324-331, discussed below).
After the bandwidth reservation request is accepted, PC 150 notifies PC 110
that the request has been granted (step 323). This notification can
include the connection number that PC 110 is to call at the specified
time, supply a unique conference or session identifier that PC 150 has
generated, and indicate the time window during which the bandwidth has
been reserved for PC 110 to attempt to initiate the conference. In an
alternative embodiment, steps 309 and 311 can be performed automatically
by PC 150, for example PC 150 may automatically grant any request after
consulting a local calendar program, if the proposed conference time is
within regular business hours and does not conflict with any pre-scheduled
time as indicated by the local calendar program.
When the time window later begins, i.e. at 1:25 p.m., PC 150 ensures that
the reserved bandwidth is freed up (step 324), so that the requested
bandwidth will be available when PC 110 calls. Since in the current
example both B channels have been reserved, then any current use of either
B channel is terminated. Thus, for example, if user 2 is using one of the
channels for a telephone call or other conference, PC 150 can flash a
warning notifying user 2 that the call or conference must be (or
automatically will be) terminated. Alternatively, one or more B channels
may be currently being used for web-browsing purposes. In this case, the B
channels are held open and not allowed to be used for web-browsing or any
other use. This can result in decreased throughput for any current web
session, which is traded off against the benefit of reserving the extra
bandwidth of the B channels for the expected incoming call from PC 110 or
user 1.
In an alternative embodiment, PC 150 begins to free up the reserved
bandwidth some predetermined time before the time window begins, for
example to give user 1 adequate time to terminate other uses of the
required bandwidth with minimum disruption. Thus, if the 10-minute time
window during which bandwidth is to be freed up for an incoming call from
PC 110 begins at 1:25 p.m., at 1:20 p.m. PC 150 can initiate the process
of freeing up the bandwidth reserved for the time window.
If a call is received during the time window (step 325), then PC 150
determines whether or not to accept the call, depending on whether or not
this is the scheduled call. Accordingly, PC 150 determines whether the
caller has supplied the previously-generated session ID (step 327). If the
appropriate session ID is not supplied, then PC 150 determines that the
call is not from PC 110 and should thus be rejected so that when the call
comes in from PC 110 the reserved bandwidth requested will be available.
In this event, the call is rejected (step 329) and PC 150 continues
waiting during the time window for further calls.
If and when PC 110 does call during the time window, the correct ID will be
provided to PC 150, since this ID was previously supplied to PC 110 during
the bandwidth reservation process, and the ID will accordingly be verified
(step 327). In this case the call is accepted and the data conference is
established (step 331). As will be understood, the data conference may be
one of several types, including an H.323-compliant conference over the WWW
or an H.320-compliant data conference established directly through ISDN.
In either case at least one ISDN B channel circuit mode connection is set
up between the two users through the desired type of communications
protocol and medium. An established ISDN B channel circuit mode connection
is illustrated in FIG. 2, which shows a networked computer system 200 in
which a bandwidth-reserved data conferencing session involving the
personal computers 110, 150 of networked computer system 100 of FIG. 1 is
established in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Thus, in accordance with the present invention a first user may reserve
bandwidth with a second user prior to attempting a data conference with
the second user. This ensures that adequate bandwidth on the second user's
side of the conference will be available when the first user establishes
the data conference, as opposed to previous systems in which the first
user's attempt could be denied altogether by a "busy signal," or in which
too much bandwidth would already be allocated by the second user's
computer system.
In the present invention, as long as the two users or end points agree on
the bandwidth reservation, there is no need to obtain the explicit
agreement of intervening nodes of the network, such as the Internet 130 or
other communications network, since ISDN connections do not require such
agreement of intervening network nodes in order to guarantee the
availability of a connection.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, instead of a
dedicated bandwidth reservation server 155, PC 150 may have a
general-purpose web server or home page, which contains a hyperlink that a
browsing user can click on, which then causes the web server to transmit
the HTML request page to the browsing user.
In an another embodiment PCs 110 and 150 may be coupled, for purposes of
bandwidth reservation, by a communications medium or network other than
the Internet 130, such as an Intranet or wide-area network (WAN).
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, PC 110 accesses
bandwidth reservation server 155 to attempt to establish an immediate data
conference, rather than one scheduled some time in the future. This may be
useful since a direct call via ISDN to PC 150 may be rejected by a "busy
signal," but the bandwidth reservation request can be transmitted because
the AO/DI connection of bandwidth reservation server 155 allows it to
grant such a request even if it is currently using both ISDN B channels.
In this case, the use of AO/DI and bandwidth reservation can be used to
establish a data conference with sufficient bandwidth, when the data
conference call would otherwise fail due to the necessary bandwidth being
already allocated for other uses.
As will be understood, the present invention can be embodied in the form of
computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those
processes. The present invention can also be embodied in the form of
computer program code embodied in tangible media, such as floppy
diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage
medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and
executed by a computer or by a distributed network of computers, the
computer or network becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. The
present invention can also be embodied in the form of computer program
code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or
executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such
as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via
electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is
loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus
for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose
microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the
microprocessor to create specific logic circuits. Thus, for example, each
PC 110 and 150 may store instructions in its respective memory for
execution by its respective processor to implement the steps of the
present invention as described above.
It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and
arrangements of the parts which have been described and illustrated above
in order to explain the nature of this invention may be made by those
skilled in the art without departing from the principle and scope of the
invention as recited in the following claims.
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