Patent ID: 6442758
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A multimedia conferencing system comprising a central processing hub and a plurality of remote user terminals, wherein each of said remote user terminals at least comprises means for sending video data signals and audio data signals to said central processing hub and means for receiving video data signals and audio data signals from said central processing hub, wherein said central processing hub receives the video and audio data from each of said plurality of remote user terminals, processes the received video data and audio data, and returns a video data signal and an audio data signal to each of said remote user terminals, and wherein each of said video data signal and audio data signal includes video data and audio data, respectively, from at least one of said plurality of remote user terminals; wherein said central processing hub comprises:a media bus for handling video and audio data signals within said central processing hub; a packet bus for handling data and control signals within said central processing hub; a shelf controller card for issuing control messages to control the operation of said central processing hub in keeping with incoming management signals delivered directly to said shelf controller card; a bus controller card for providing at least clock signals and bus arbitration signals within said central processing hub; at least one physical line interface card for providing at least one physical interface port for said central processing hub; at least one media processor card for processing video and audio signals within said central processing hub; and video encoding means for at least receiving video data from each said at least one media processor card, and for delivering video data signals to said packet bus; wherein video and audio data signals received from said plurality of remote user terminals are received by said central processing bus by any one of said at least one media processor card and said at least one physical interface card, and said video and audio data signals are passed via one of said media bus and said packet bus to said at least one media processor card for further processing; wherein video and audio data signals delivered from said central processing hub to said plurality of remote user terminals are delivered from said central processing hub by any one of said at least one media processor card and said at least one physical interface card; and wherein the means for sending and receiving video and audio data signals which are located at each one of said plurality of remote user terminals may differ from one remote user to another, and wherein each of said plurality of remote user terminals may communicate with said central processing hub using a different communications protocol than any other of said plurality of remote user terminals.