Patent ID: 7461126
Filing Date: 2008-12-02
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A multipoint conferencing system for use in a computer network, comprising: a plurality of conference servers coupled to the network, wherein one or more of the plurality of conference servers are distributed across the network; a plurality of conference endpoints coupled to the network, wherein one or more of the plurality of conference endpoints are distributed across the network; and a link manager coupled to the network, wherein the link manager is configured to selectively assign a first one of the conference servers to a first plurality of the plurality of conference endpoints and a second one of the conference servers to a second plurality of the plurality of conference endpoints, to communicate at least first control signals to the selectively assigned conference servers to establish first communication links between the selectively assigned conference servers and the conference endpoints, and to communicate second control signals to the selectively assigned conference servers to establish second communication links among the selectively assigned conference servers through which the first plurality and the second plurality of conference endpoints participating in a same multipoint conference communicate, wherein the second control signals comprise one or more commands to the assigned conference servers to transmit separate media streams from each of the first plurality and the second plurality of conference endpoints and, in response to receiving the separate media streams for each of the first plurality and the second plurality of conference endpoints, at least one of mix, manage, and redistribute the received separate media streams at each assigned conference server.