Patent ID: 8279780

Claim:
A videoconferencing system using a network in which an operation support server on the network includes a site information management function which stores and manages connection information for all site personal computers capable of participating in a video conference and a connection support function which, in response to a conference start request, generates live camera information for each site describing a destination to which connection is to be automatically established to write the live camera information in a folder for each site and deletes the live camera information in response to a conference close request; each site personal computer includes a monitor function which periodically accesses the folder for its own site on the operation support server to check to see whether there is live camera information and a connect function which, when there is live camera information, reads the live camera information, enables transmission to each site described in the live camera information and opens as many viewers as the number of the sites to enable reception from the sites, and when live camera information is deleted, stops transmission to the sites and terminates the associated viewers for the sites; and each site personal computer reads live camera information written by the operation support server in the folder for each site and automatically connects to and disconnects from personal computers at the other sites and thereby automatically opens and closes viewers to start and close a video conference, wherein: a plurality of operation support servers are disposed; and a synchronization function, which synchronizes the site connection information and live camera information between the operation support servers and prevents an operation support server in a standby state from writing live camera information in a folder for each site, is provided; and each site personal computer includes an automatic server change function which switches connection from an operation support server in service to an operation support server in a standby state when the operation support server in service fails; and when an operation support server in service fails, an operation support server in a standby state writes live camera information into the folder for each site and each site personal computer changes connection from the operation support server that was in service to the operation support server in the standby state.