Patent ID: 8170191
Filing Date: 2012-05-01
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of conducting a conference between a plurality of terminals with a conferencing control unit, the method comprising: designating at the control unit at least one terminal as a panel terminal; allocating an audio port for each of the at least one panel terminal; designating at the control unit at least one terminal as an audience terminal; associating a broadcast-multicast port with at least one audience terminal based on a total number of the plurality of terminals; receiving and decoding compressed audio signals from the at least one panel terminal at the control unit via its associated audio port; mixing the received decoded audio signals at the control unit to generate a mixed audio signal for sending to the at least one panel terminal via its associated audio port and at least one audience terminal via the broadcast-multicast port; receiving at the control unit a compressed audio stream comprising a request from the at least one audience terminal; decoding the compressed audio stream comprising the request; and analyzing the request.