Patent ID: 8149262
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a conference management system configured to provide situational bandwidth allocation capability by selectively implementing a selected one of a plurality of different operating policies establishing a corresponding one of a plurality of operational modes to shift allocation of the network's bandwidth from a normal bandwidth allocation under normal conditions to an allocation of bandwidth to assigned endpoints of the network under conditions of emergency, stress, or disaster; and a gatekeeper coupled to the conference management system, configured to set up calls in said network, the gatekeeper upon receiving a call requesting access to a conference in the network, configured to pass the request to the conference management system for its approval before completing setting up the call; said plurality of operating policies including a normal mode policy establishing a corresponding normal operational mode having a normal bandwidth allocation in the network and an alert mode policy establishing a corresponding alert operational mode having an allocation of bandwidth to assigned endpoints of the network under conditions of emergency, stress, or disaster; said conference management system configured to select the normal mode policy establishing the corresponding normal operational mode for the network, wherein scheduled conferences have priority over ad hoc conferences; said conference management system configured to select the alert mode policy establishing the corresponding alert operational mode for the network, wherein a reduced priority is given to scheduled conferences and network resources are allocated based on priorities of network end points assigned by the alert mode policy; said conference management system configured to execute said selected one of said plurality of operating policies, to process a description of network resources and current operational mode and to decide what resources can be granted to said request.