Patent ID: 8843550

Claim:
A controller for controlling two or more multipoint control units (MCUs), the MCUs operable to provide conferencing for a plurality of terminals, the controller comprising: an interface adapted for allocating resources of the two or more MCUs; and a database for storing conference reservations and capability factors for the two or more MCUs and the plurality of terminals; wherein each of the terminals can be served by each of the two or more MCUs, wherein the controller can initiate a conference by allocating resources of at least one of the MCUs for handling the conference, and wherein the controller logically combines capability factors of the two or more MCUs and treats the combination of capability factors as a single unit for allocating resources of the at least one of the MCUs for handling the conference, wherein the controller provides a first application program interface (API) for allowing a user to communicate with the controller; and wherein the controller provides a second API for allowing the controller to communicate with the two or more MCUs.