Patent ID: 8125511

Claim:
A three-party video conference system, comprising: a first terminal apparatus, comprising: a first data processing module for executing a first instant-messaging application, the first data processing module transmitting a plurality of first compressed digital signals of a first image, captured at the first terminal apparatus, via the first instant-messaging application in a first protocol through a first wideband communication channel; a second terminal apparatus, comprising: a second data processing module for executing a second instant-messaging application, wherein the first instant-messaging application communicates with the second instant-messaging application through a network to establish a first communication link over the first wideband communication channel, the second data processing module receives the plurality of first compressed digital signals via the second instant-messaging application through the first wideband communication channel, and transmits the plurality of first compressed digital signals and a plurality of second compressed digital signals of a second image, captured at the second terminal apparatus, via the second instant-messaging application in a second protocol through a second wideband communication channel; and a third terminal apparatus, capable of establishing a second communication link with the second terminal apparatus over the second wideband communication channel, wherein the third terminal apparatus receives the plurality of first compressed digital signals and the plurality of second compressed digital signals through the second wideband communication channel, and transmits a plurality of third compressed digital signals of a third image, captured at the third terminal apparatus in the second protocol through the second wideband communication channel, and wherein the second data processing module receives the plurality of third compressed digital signals via the second instant-messaging application through the second wideband communication channel, and transmits the plurality of second compressed digital signals and the plurality of third compressed digital signals, via the second instant-messaging application in the first protocol through the first wideband communication channel, the first data processing module receives the plurality of second compressed digital signals and the plurality of third compressed digital signals via the first instant-messaging application through the first wideband communication channel.