Patent ID: 6300973
Filing Date: 2001-10-09
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A multipoint control unit for facilitating communication between a plurality of endpoints, each respective endpoint sending a compressed video output signal and receiving a compressed video input signal, comprising:a plurality of video input modules, each video input module receiving a respective video output signal from a respective endpoint, each video input module comprising:a generalized decoder for reading the respective video output signal and for generating a respective primary data stream comprising video information and a respective secondary data stream comprising side information; anda video output module comprising:a rate control unit operable to read each of the respective secondary data streams, pre-process the respective secondary data stream, and control a generalized encoder; andthe generalized encoder, in communication with the rate control unit and operable to receive each of the respective primary data streams from each respective video input module, andencode the respective primary data stream into a compressed video output stream for transmission to an endpoint.