Patent ID: 8436889

Claim:
A multi-endpoint video signal conferencing system for videoconferencing between a plurality of endpoints over a communications network, the system comprising: at least one transmitting endpoint that transmits coded digital video using either a single-layer coding format or a scalable video coding format, and at least one receiving endpoint that is capable of decoding at least one digital video stream coded in a scalable video coding format, a conferencing bridge (“Compositing Scalable Video Coding Server” (CSVCS)) linked to at least one receiving and at least one transmitting endpoint by at least one communication channel each, wherein the CSVCS is configured to compose input video signals received from transmitting endpoints into a single composite coded digital video output signal, and to forward the single composite coded digital video output signal to the at least one receiving endpoint where the CSVCS is configured to compose an output signal picture for at least one of the receiving endpoints by: assigning a portion of the composite output picture's area to each transmitting endpoint intended to be included in the composite output picture; discarding incoming video signal data received from the transmitting endpoints that correspond to one of: resolutions higher than the one intended for the composed picture; data not needed for decoding at the resolution intended for the composed picture; and a transmitting endpoint that is not to be included in the composite picture; modifying the remaining data of the incoming coded video signals by changing header information so that they form proper data of the composite output video signal; generating, when necessary, artificial layer data for at least one of the transmitting endpoint video signals; and transmitting the modified data and any generated lower layer data to the one or more receiving endpoints, such that no decoding or encoding of picture data takes place at the CSVCS.