Patent ID: 7203177

Claim:
A distributed conferencing system, comprising: a system communication bus; a plurality of conferencing nodes connected to said system communication bus, each of a local node in relation to a plurality of remote nodes, comprising: a plurality of power measuring devices for measuring a characteristic of each of a number of local participant input signals; a processor, connected with said power measuring devices, for distinguishing a number of strongest signals within said local participant input signals by comparison of said measured characteristic; a multiplexer, connected with said processor and said system communication bus, for communicating said measured characteristic of each of said strongest local participant input signals, to said plurality of remote conferencing nodes; and a demultiplexer, connected with said processor and said system communication bus, for receiving said measured characteristic of each of said significant signals of remote participant input signals from said plurality of conferencing nodes; wherein said processor compares said measured characteristic of each of said strongest signals of said local participant input signals and said strongest remote participant input signals.