Patent ID: 7298834

Claim:
A conferencing system comprising: a plurality of media mixers in connection with a plurality of participants to receive data signals during a conference call, the plurality of media mixers including at least a first edge media mixer, a second edge media mixer, and a central media mixer; a conference control server in communication with the central media mixer, the first edge media mixer, and the second edge media mixer via a call signaling path; a first media path between the central media mixer and the first edge media mixer, the first media path being created by the conference control server via a call-control protocol; and a second media path between the central media mixer and the second edge media mixer, the second media path being created by the conference control server via a call-control protocol; wherein all data signals sent from a participant to the first edge media mixer travel on the first media path and through the central media mixer, before being transmitted on the second media path to the second edge media mixer and at least one of its connected participants.