Patent ID: 6081513
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for providing real-time multimedia conferencing services to a dispersed plurality of locations, where at least some of the locations employ local area networks, interconnected by a guaranteed service wide area network, where multimedia signals originating at the locations need resources within the wide area network and within a multimedia bridge connected to the wide area network, comprising the steps of:receiving multimedia conference call control signaling messages, from a source at one of the plurality of locations, at the multimedia bridge, said conference call control signaling messages comprising information regarding desired quality of service;a first analyzing step of analyzing the multimedia conference call control signaling messages, whereby conditions of the conference call are determined based on an availability of resources within the local area networks, the wide area network and the multimedia bridge; andtransmitting the conditions determined in said first analyzing step to the source.