SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ONE OR MORE MULTIPOINT CONTROL UNITS AS ONE MULTIPOINT CONTROL UNIT
Granted: June 7, 2007
Application Number:
20070126862
A system for controlling multiple multipoint control units (MCUs) with a single apparatus is disclosed. The system utilizes a Virtual MCU (VMCU) to communicate with a plurality of MCUs. A user initiates a reserve conference command with the VMCU. If sufficient resources are available, the reservation is made and connection numbers are assigned. When the time for the conference arises, an MCU is assigned to the conference. The participants are then connected to the conference. By using a…
Microphone Isolation System
Granted: June 7, 2007
Application Number:
20070126164
A microphone isolation system. The system includes an isolation member, a support member, and at least two compliant members. The at least two compliant members mechanically support the isolation member and isolate the isolation member from vibrations. The at least two compliant members can also isolate the support member from any vibratory excitation source coupled to and/or supported by the isolation member.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING COMPRESSED VIDEO
Granted: May 31, 2007
Application Number:
20070120967
Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for mixing compressed video useable in a videoconferencing environment having a plurality of endpoint users. Through the use of the method and apparatus, each endpoint can receive a unique layout displaying some subset of the users at the endpoints. Input streams from each endpoint are uncompressed, resized, and scaled to fit the segment in the layout for particular endpoints, and then encoded (or compressed) by a sub-encoder into a sub-encoded…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DECREASING END-TO-END DELAY DURING VIDEO CONFERENCING SESSION
Granted: May 24, 2007
Application Number:
20070116111
A method for decreasing end-to-end delay in a video conferencing context is disclosed. At video conferencing system startup, a processor is initialized to receive either a top field or a bottom field of video frame data. If the first line of a new field arriving after initialization does not match a field state that the processor is initialized to, the present invention senses the state mismatch and adjusts a display buffer by one display line, and the field is stored in the display…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DECREASING END-TO-END DELAY DURING VIDEO CONFERENCING SESSION
Granted: May 24, 2007
Application Number:
20070116112
A method for decreasing end-to-end delay in a video conferencing context is disclosed. At video conferencing system startup, a processor is initialized to receive either a top field or a bottom field of video frame data. If the first line of a new field arriving after initialization does not match a field state that the processor is initialized to, the present invention senses the state mismatch and adjusts a display buffer by one display line, and the field is stored in the display…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DECREASING END-TO-END DELAY DURING VIDEO CONFERENCING SESSION
Granted: May 24, 2007
Application Number:
20070116113
A method for decreasing end-to-end delay in a video conferencing context is disclosed. At video conferencing system startup, a processor is initialized to receive either a top field or a bottom field of video frame data. If the first line of a new field arriving after initialization does not match a field state that the processor is initialized to, the present invention senses the state mismatch and adjusts a display buffer by one display line, and the field is stored in the display…
Spatially correlated audio in multipoint videoconferencing
Granted: March 22, 2007
Application Number:
20070064094
The disclosed method provides audio location perception to an endpoint in a multipoint videoconference by providing a plurality of audio streams to the endpoint, wherein each of the audio streams corresponds to one of the loudspeakers at the endpoint. The audio streams are differentiated so as to emphasize broadcasting of the audio streams through one or more loudspeakers closest to a position of a speaking endpoint in a videoconference layout that is displayed at the endpoint. For…
MIXED VOICE AND SPREAD SPECTRUM DATA SIGNALING WITH ENHANCED CONCEALMENT OF DATA
Granted: March 1, 2007
Application Number:
20070047624
Systems, methods, and devices for mixed voice and spread spectrum data signaling with enhanced concealment of data are disclosed. Audible artifacts may be reduced or suppressed in order to improve the audible quality of the sound. The distortion to the audio may be kept just below perceptibility, yet the data contained within the modulated signal is recoverable on the receiving side. The recovery of the data is robust to the impairments imposed by the communication channel. The disclosed…
MIXED VOICE AND SPREAD SPECTRUM DATA SIGNALING WITH MULTIPLEXING MULTIPLE USERS WITH CDMA
Granted: March 1, 2007
Application Number:
20070047626
Systems, methods, and devices for mixed voice and spread spectrum data signaling with spread spectrum data hiding with CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) for three or more users. The disclosed systems, methods, and devices may be implemented in audio conferencing or video conferencing. Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a data and voice mixer, which includes an improved spread spectrum data hiding transmitter. The transmitter may comprise a CDMA chip sequence…
Method and system for information collaboration over an IP network via handheld wireless communication devices
Granted: March 1, 2007
Application Number:
20070050448
The present invention provides methods and systems for establishing and conducting multimedia multipoint conference using one or more handheld wireless communication devices (HWCDs). In one embodiment, upon receiving a request from a HWCD user to establish or join a multimedia conference, a collaboration server responds by sending an appropriate web-client to the requester's handheld device. The multimedia conference may include data collaboration, with or without audio or video. During…
System and Method for Configuring Routing of Video from Multiple Sources to Multiple Destinations of Videoconference Using Software Video Switch
Granted: February 22, 2007
Application Number:
20070040900
A videoconferencing unit allows a user to customize the routing and display of video and content from a plurality of sources to a plurality of destinations or display devices. Although described in terms of videoconferencing and related applications, the techniques described herein are equally applicable to any system in which it is desired to display multiple video sources using mulitple video display devices and/or multiple video display windows.
Conferencing System and Method for Exchanging Site Names (Caller ID) in Languages Based on Double or Multiple Byte Character Sets
Granted: February 22, 2007
Application Number:
20070041540
Disclosed herein is a system and method for storing and transmitting a videoconference system name (identifier) in the languages of double byte character sets. Although described in terms of a videoconferencing system, the techniques described herein have applicability to various other systems that rely upon inter-language compatibility, including telephonic communication such as cell phones or IP phones, as well as various computer network applications in which computers having…
Speakerphone with a novel loudspeaker placement
Granted: December 21, 2006
Application Number:
20060285680
A new speakerphone wherein a loudspeaker is oriented to face the listeners of an audio conference. New speakerphones which have a bass loudspeaker and at least one tweeter loudspeaker wherein the tweeter loudspeaker is oriented towards listeners of an audio conference are also disclosed.
Voice interference correction for mixed voice and spread spectrum data signaling
Granted: December 14, 2006
Application Number:
20060282184
A method, a process and an audio system for embedding bit stream in a voice signal is disclosed. A voice/data interference signal is composed and supplied to the mixer of the voice signal and the data signal such that the resulting mixed signal effectively cancels the interference and allows the interference-free signal being transmitted to the audio signal receiver/decoder. The decoder may decode the data without interference errors. A method using profile shaping to mask the noise due…
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREPARING VIDEO COMMUNICATION IMAGE FOR WIDE SCREEN DISPLAY
Granted: December 7, 2006
Application Number:
20060274195
A system and method is disclosed for composing a video layout having an aspect ratio of 16:9 from a plurality of video segments having an aspect ratio other than 16:9. For example, the plurality of video segments might have an aspect ratio of 4:3. To create a composite frame having an aspect ratio of about 16:9, the disclosed system scales each one of the segments and places each scaled segment in the layout in such a way that the composite layout has an aspect ratio of about 16:9.
LOW-DELAY VIDEO ENCODING METHOD FOR CONCEALING THE EFFECTS OF PACKET LOSS IN MULTI-CHANNEL PACKET SWITCHED NETWORKS
Granted: November 23, 2006
Application Number:
20060262790
A method for encoding digital video with low delay for transport on a multi-channel QoS packet-switched network using multiple reference pictures with specially designated “key frames” to minimize the undesired effects of packet loss on video quality.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING BIOMETRICS TECHNOLOGY IN CONFERENCING
Granted: November 16, 2006
Application Number:
20060259755
A system and method are provided which utilize biometrics technology in a conference environment. A biometrics engine detects facial images of a user, generates biometrics of the detected facial images, and compares the generated biometrics with biometrics information of authorized users. If a match is found, then the user is authorized and is automatically logged into the conference network. Once logged in, conferences may be automatically established, the user may be tracked by at…
Multi-site conferencing system and method
Granted: October 19, 2006
Application Number:
20060233120
A system and method for cascading local conferences into a multi-site conference is disclosed. The local conferences are located in different sites where each site has endpoints served by a local multipoint control unit (MCU). An invitation to a multi-site conference is sent to participants at the different sites. The invitation includes a conference ID of the multi-site conference. The invited participants join the multi-site conference by calling a dial-in number of the local MCU…
System and method for stereo operation of microphones for video conferencing system
Granted: October 5, 2006
Application Number:
20060221177
A microphone bar for obtaining audio input for a video conferencing system includes a master module and one or more slave modules. The master module houses a first pair of unidirectional microphones for obtaining audio from opposite sides of the bar, and each of the slave modules houses a second pair of unidirectional microphones for obtaining audio from opposite sides of the bar. Extensions connect the modules together, and at least one bus conducts audio signals through the extension…
Method and system for establishing an audio/video communication session across zones
Granted: August 17, 2006
Application Number:
20060182130
The present disclosure provides methods of establishing communication between endpoints located in different gatekeeper zones. An electronic message comprising (i) an alias for a first endpoint and (ii) an address of a first gatekeeper associated with the first endpoint is delivered from a first computer associated with the first endpoint to a second computer associated with a second endpoint. Alternatively, the deliverance of the message can occur within the same computer. Upon…
