Abstract:
A system for sending and receiving full motion, live, full duplex video of broadcast quality, with associated audio data, over the Internet. The system comprises software that ties together audio and video packets and transmits them as a smooth continuous stream of video and audio data. The system is capable of functioning over a secure peer-to-peer backbone.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to the transmission of data over communication links and, in particular, to the transmission of full duplex, full motion, live video over the Internet. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The use of existing hardwired communications networks to transmit video as well as voice communications is well known, and has been practiced for several decades. However, prior art systems have typically been very expensive, or have had limitations such as only allowing transmission of images with noticeable delays, poor transmission quality, or both. Full motion video, and especially interactive video, requires the delivery of a very significant amount of data in a relatively uninterrupted stream, which has proven difficult to accomplish over existing telephonic and computer networks. 
         [0005]    Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) lines have been used for video transmission, with some success, as disclosed in publications such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,534, No. 5,751,339, and No. 5,184,345. While this has resulted in much improved transmission quality, the expense of ISDN lines remains a formidable obstacle to their wide use. 
         [0006]    An alternative to the transmission of video data over ISDN lines is the use of standard twisted pair copper wire telephone lines, or via the Internet or other computer networks. A viable solution using existing telephone networks was achieved by the Applicant previously, and is protected by U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,693, issued Jan. 30, 2001. 
         [0007]    A solution using the Internet or other computer networks to deliver full-motion, live, full duplex transmission of broadcast or near broadcast quality video has been unsolved until now. The Internet relies on grouping the data to be transmitted over it into small component packages of data called packets. These packets are, in general, of unequal length and contain information to indicate where they begin and end, as well as source and destination information. Packets from diverse sources travel over the Internet together and, thus must be recognized at any intermediate switching point and at their final destination points for recombination with other properly associated packets, if successful transmission is to occur. The packeting methodology by its very nature leads to potential delays in transmission and processing, and a degradation in the quality of the transmission. In addition, the ever growing number of users on the Internet has compounded the delay in transmission. Such delays and degradation in quality, although generally not critical in voice communications or in unidirectional video communications, are less tolerable in applications requiring a high data transmission rate such as full-motion, live, full duplex video transmission, particularly if broadcast quality or near broadcast quality video is required. By and large, bidirectional video communication has suffered from both severe latency as well as poor image quality. 
         [0008]    The present invention enables the Internet or other computer network to be used to deliver full-motion, live, full duplex transmission of broadcast or near broadcast quality video. The benefits from the wide implementation of this technology are almost too innumerable to recount. Among its benefits are the vast expansion of both commercial and recreational use of the video telephone and the creation of a new level of interactive television and telephonic video communications. The potential uses span almost all fields of endeavor, including, for example, the entertainment industry, the financial services industry, the field of corporate communications, hotel and travel services, governmental agency and public services applications, medical services, educational services, and an almost endless variety of consumer applications. 
         [0009]    In the field of entertainment, for example, television viewers could participate visually and interactively with not only the host of a program, but other viewers as well. Entirely new television broadcast programming formats will become possible. Television news programs could create video chat rooms and solicit immediate viewer reaction to news as it occurs. News organizations could link their vast network of affiliates together to cover news as it happens using their combined resources. Programs directly marketing products or services would be enhanced by the ability of viewers to interact by video as well as by voice with the marketer and other customers. 
         [0010]    Inexpensive video conferencing, particularly given the security available with a secure client peer-to-peer connection, is compatible with the needs of many industries, such as the financial services industry, which in the past has had justifiable concerns about transmitting information over the Internet. Moreover, the present practice of business and financial community conference call reporting to the investment community can be greatly enhanced by providing video as well as audio interactivity among participants. In the hotel and travel industry, the availability of video transmission and reception at hotels enhances the services available to a business traveler who is enabled to maintain constant interactive point-to-point contact with home, office, and other business associates. 
         [0011]    In general, private industry will, if it chooses, have the ready availability to create relatively inexpensively its own closed circuit television network, without the attendant costs of ISDN and T1 lines. Interactive communication between government agencies also has obvious significant advantages, particularly in emergency situations, and the advantages in the medical field of ready accessible visual communication and interactivity for patient diagnosis, monitoring, and the proliferation of services and knowledge between care givers, patients and hospitals is also self-evident. As well, the advantages in the field of education are significant, ranging from video tutoring and “wide area” classrooms to budget reduction as information is offered from a central location with the students enabled to maintain a personal, visual interaction with the instructor. 
         [0012]    However, the most obvious beneficiaries of the present invention are individuals who, with the availability of a means to capture video, can, through the use of the present invention, employ an Internet connection to communicate with another person or a group of others, in broadcast or near-broadcast quality video. 
         [0013]    The foregoing examples are in no way intended to be exhaustive, and many other benefits stemming from the present invention will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The present invention comprises means for capturing video images and associated audio, packeting the same, transmitting them as a smooth continuous stream of video and audio data over the Internet, decoupling the data laden packets, and reassembling the data as video images with associated audio at the desired recipient location. In an alternative embodiment, the present invention also permits a combination of the images from diverse locations, so that there is not only interactivity between a single sender and receiver, but, as well, with multiple parties. 
         [0015]    To accomplish the duplex enhanced quality transmission of the video and audio data between source(s) and destination(s), the present invention is capable of functioning over a secure peer-to-peer backbone. 
         [0016]    In its simplest form, a user has at his or her location a means to capture video imagery and the associated audio and convert it to a digital signal, and a means to convert a received digital signal into a presentation of video imagery and the associated audio. These means are generally well-known in the art and would include devices such as a microphone, a camera, a video/audio encoder/decoder, a monitor, and a speaker. In general the means are either integral in or can be made available by employing a personal computer (“PC”). In accordance with the present invention, the transmitted or received video signal is transmitted to or received from the Internet in packets of predetermined, preferably equal length. Each packet is generally encoded with the following information: (1) information indicating the beginning and the end of the packet, (2) information indicating the length of the packet, (3) information indicating the algorithm used to encode the audio/video data, and (4) the encoded audio/video data itself. 
         [0017]    Thus, even before the audio/video data leaves the location of the sender, it has been transformed into packets to be transmitted over the Internet or other computer network, and the audio/video data remains in packet form until it arrives at the location of the receiver. 
         [0018]    The packet stream is routed to the recipient who has the apparatus, software or both designed in accordance with the present invention to capture the data and convert the packets to an audio/video signal which is in turn displayed on a video device with accompanying audio projected. This generally is a PC. 
         [0019]    Since the transmission and reception of the packets is based on a first in/first out protocol, as packets are pulled out to be transmitted or received, they are immediately replaced with the next packets required to be transmitted or received. As a consequence, the sequence is maintained in a relatively uninterrupted manner. Although it is indeed preferable to transmit and receive all data without any error, the system of the present invention need not transmit and receive 100% of the data since an acceptable, indeed very high quality video signal will be enabled even with a loss of some data from the stream of data. 
         [0020]    The present invention thus provides for the transmission and reception of full motion, full duplex, live video data and accompanying audio data over the Internet or other computer network, with the concomitant benefit of permitting parties at remote locations to visually and audibly communicate with each other. As well, if one of the parties to the connection is a television studio originating a video broadcast, the video communications received will be and can be transmitted and received between any two points served by the conventional telephone network, at a cost which does not deter widespread use. 
         [0021]    This is accomplished through the use of a preferential Internet backbone, a preferential route supplied by arrangement with a data network provider, using fiberoptic lines that are carrying reduced data traffic. This provides for great bandwidth for the bidirectional transmission of video between two or more users. 
         [0022]    When an authorized user logs on, a Network Operation Center (“NOC”) verifies both the user and the other users authorized to receive video from and send video to each other. The NOC provides applicable addresses of other users to which each user may connect. If there are only two users, the system will place them into a peer-to-peer connection, for enhanced speed, reliability, and security. 
         [0023]    In an additional embodiment, where more than two users are to be connected, the system creates a meeting room, a virtual location where the users of the system “meet.” By use of a multiplexing system the NOC permits all users to have the same transmission rates of data and as more specifically described permits certain supplementary enhancements, such as featuring a larger image of the person then speaking. 
         [0024]    In an additional embodiment, a room system may also connect to the videoconference system. A room system is a videoconferencing station that typically includes large monitors with a wide-angle camera and serves groups of people who meet in a room and conference with other groups at remote locations. If the room system has an Internet connection, it would connect to the videoconference system in a manner similar to that used by a personal computer. In such a case, if there was only one other user, the connection would be peer-to-peer, whereas if there were three or more total users, the connection would be made through a meeting room at the NOC. If the room system does not have an Internet connection, but instead has a private network, then it would connect to the NOC through a hardware bridge. 
         [0025]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon consideration of the attached drawings and the following description of the preferred embodiments which are meant by way of illustration and example only, but are not to be construed as in any way limiting the invention disclosed and claimed herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the bidirectional transmission of video between two users, where each is using a personal computer via an Internet path. 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the bidirectional transmission of video between two users, where one is using a personal computer with an Internet connection and the other is using a room system with a private network. 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the bidirectional transmission of video between three or more users, where each user accesses a meeting room. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    The present invention is a system for duplex enhanced quality bidirectional video transmission over an Internet backbone. Among the improvements in the duplex enhanced quality video transmission system of the present invention is better performance while eliminating the need for specialized hardware. 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  shows an implementation of a system  100  featuring bidirectional transmission of video between two users, with each using a personal computer via an Internet path. Generally, the system  100  includes: personal computers  110  and  115 ; a network access server  130 ; a network operation center (“NOC”) server  160 ; and an Internet network  150 . 
         [0032]    Personal computer  110  may be a desktop computer, laptop, workstation or router, that is capable of connecting into the network access server  130  to establish a session  120 . Personal computer  110  incorporates a secure client desktop software containing a computer network authentication protocol employing strong encryption, preferably IPsec. This Internet security protocol allows for cryptographic key establishment and authenticating and/or encrypting each IP packet in a data stream. IPsec or other like protocol is preferable because it functions at the network layer, which gives it more flexibility than many other security protocols in common use, such as SSH, SSL/TL and Kerberos, which operate on the transport layer. This difference allows IPsec to secure packet flows. 
         [0033]    The secure client connects to a website hosted by network access server  130 , where the user&#39;s identity is confirmed. The network access server  130  is a computer, or a group of hardware or software components or processes that execute in one or more computer systems. 
         [0034]    The secure client and network access server  130  then create an encrypted network tunnel from the user&#39;s computer to a Network Operation Center (“NOC”) server  160 , via a private Internet backbone  150 . This preferential Internet backbone  150  is a preferential route supplied by arrangement with a data network provider, using fiberoptic lines that are reserved to carry specially routed traffic, thus providing for greater available bandwidth for the bidirectional transmission of video between two or more users of the system. 
         [0035]    The network access server  130  controls remote access to the preferential Internet backbone  150  and to the NOC server  160 , along route  170 , forwarding the password that has been supplied by the user at personal computer  110  to the network access server  130 . 
         [0036]    The NOC server  160  is a computer, or a group of hardware or software components or processes that execute in one or more computer systems. In part, the NOC server  160  performs authorization and authentication functions. The NOC server  160  has a directory established for each user, containing identification and password information and a list of approved users to whom each user may connect. The NOC server  160  utilizes the password forwarded by the network access server  130  to perform After authorizing and authenticating the user at personal computer  110 , the NOC server  160  presents the user with the list of approved users to whom he can connect. For each approved user appearing in a contact list, the NOC server  160  also shows whether that user is online or not. As well, given the mobility of computers, the NOC server locates the initiating user as well as the addressee. 
         [0037]    For example, the user at personal computer  110  wishes to communicate with the user at personal computer  115 , but that user is not online. The user at personal computer  110  needs to contact the user at personal computer  115 , via telephone, e-mail, text message, etc., and request that he sign into the system. The user at personal computer  115  goes through the identical process of connecting into the network access server  130  so as to establish his own session  125 , and likewise being connected to the NOC server  160  via a preferential Internet backbone  150 , along route  175 . Once the personal computer  115  is online, the user at personal computer  110  will be able to request a bidirectional video session with personal computer  115 . In one embodiment, the user at personal computer  115  must manually accept the bidirectional video session, whereas in a second embodiment, personal computer  115  may be set to an auto-answer mode, where the bidirectional video session will be established upon the request from personal computer  110 . 
         [0038]    The NOC server  160  will then communicate instructions to personal computer  110  along route  170 , and to personal computer  115  along route  175 , providing each with a virtual address of the other. At this point, the secure clients in personal computers  110  and personal computers  115  will initiate a peer-to-peer connection over the preferential Internet backbone  150 , along route  180 . Personal computers  110  and  115  will exchange bidirectional video in this peer-to-peer mode along route  180 . The personal computers  110  and  115  will remain in contact with the NOC server  160  along routes  170  and  175 , respectively, so that the NOC server  160  may continue to provide control functions, but the video stream will not be sent to the NOC server  160 . Eliminating the need to pass the video and audio data through the NOC server  160  provides for enhanced performance and security. 
         [0039]    Instead of a personal computer, a user may use a room system, which is a videoconferencing station that typically includes large monitors with a wide-angle camera and serves groups of people who meet in a room and conference with other groups at remote locations. If the room system has an Internet connection, it would interface to the videoconferencing system in the manner of Personal Computer  115 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  shows an implementation in which one of the users is using a room system  220  which instead of having an Internet connection has a private network  230 . The privately networked room system  220  connects to the NOC server  160  through a hardware bridge  210 . The room system  220  communicates with the NOC server  160  along route  240 , allowing for the NOC server  160  to perform the authorization and authentication functions. The bridge  210  also serves as a conduit for the video signals, as they travel along path  180  between personal computer  110  and the room system  220 . As path  180  is routed partially on the preferential Internet backbone  150  and partially on the private network  230 , a high bandwidth is available, resulting in excellent image quality and reduced latency. As well, the NOC can provide enhanced video and audio exchange capabilities by providing features such as automated or individually directed control room activities. For example, all users&#39; images can be arranged around an enlarged central image provided for the speaker or a desired illustration. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  shows another implementation, in which three or more users are participating in a videoconference. In this situation, the users log into a meeting room  360  which is provided at the NOC server  160 . The meeting room  360  multiplexes each incoming video signal, and sends a copy to the other participants. Each participant will see each other participant in the video conference call, providing for enhanced security, as no one may monitor a video conference unless they are a participant and their presence is seen by all other participants. One or more of the participants in a videoconference with three or more participants may be employing a room system with a private network that interfaces to the invention through a hardware bridge located at the NOC server, as previously described and shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0042]    In another embodiment, the secure client can be tailored for a particular application or industry, such as having the video only take up part of the screen, with the remainder of the screen dedicated to another task, such as displaying a user-completed form. 
         [0043]    In the foregoing specification, the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.