Patent ID: 8621079

Claim:
A method of switching real-time data stream connections between network nodes sharing a virtual area wherein each of the network nodes is associated with at least one of a source and a sink of one or more of real-time data stream types, the method comprising: ascertaining a set of real-time data streams each of which is sourced uniquely from a respective one of the sources and the set of real-time data streams are delivered to at least one sink of a given one of the network nodes that is associated with a respective position in the virtual area to enable the given network node to participate in a communication session with one or more other ones of the network nodes that are associated with respective positions in the virtual area; determining one or more real-time data stream connections that deliver the set of real-time data streams to the given network node, wherein for a particular real-time data stream type the determining comprises selecting for transmission of ones of real-time data streams in the set of the particular real-time data stream type to the given network node either a direct peer-to-peer network route or a network route mediated by another network node based at least in part on transmission characteristics of the network routes; and controlling establishment of the one or more determined real-time data stream connections between the given network node and one or more of the other ones of the network nodes.