Abstract: Procedures for identifying clients in an audio event are described. In an example, a media server may order clients providing audio based on the input level. An identifier may be associated with the client for identifying the client providing input within the event. The ordered clients may be included in a list which may be inserted into a packet header carrying the audio content.

Abstract: Procedures for identifying clients in an audio event are described. In an example, a media server may order clients providing audio based on the input level. An identifier may be associated with the client for identifying the client providing input within the event. The ordered clients may be included in a list which may be inserted into a packet header carrying the audio content.

Abstract: Procedures for identifying clients in an audio event are described. In an example, a media server may order clients providing audio based on the input level. An identifier may be associated with the client for identifying the client providing input within the event. The ordered clients may be included in a list which may be inserted into a packet header carrying the audio content.

Abstract: A video conference cross-links at least a portion of the clients for point to point communication while still using a video conference server. The video conference server continues to manage some aspects of the video conference for the cross-linked clients and may be configured to perform audio/video processing for some of the clients in a video conference. For example, the video conference server may perform audio/video processing and routing of streams for clients that do not have the capabilities to perform the processing directly. Clients that are able to process their audio/video needs may directly connect to other clients through cross-links while still using the video conference server for management.

Abstract: Procedures for identifying clients in an audio event are described. In an example, a media server may order clients providing audio based on the input level. An identifier may be associated with the client for identifying the client providing input within the event. The ordered clients may be included in a list which may be inserted into a packet header carrying the audio content.

Abstract: A video conference cross-links at least a portion of the clients for point to point communication while still using a video conference server. The video conference server continues to manage some aspects of the video conference for the cross-linked clients and may be configured to perform audio/video processing for some of the clients in a video conference. For example, the video conference server may perform audio/video processing and routing of streams for clients that do not have the capabilities to perform the processing directly. Clients that are able to process their audio/video needs may directly connect to other clients through cross-links while still using the video conference server for management.

Abstract: A conference server may request a key frame from a conference participant in response to determining that the conference participant should become a most active participant, and the conference server may make the conference participant the most active participant in response to receiving the key frame from the conference participant.

Abstract: Architecture that employs a cost-effective mechanism to only engage the services as needed, and then release these services in a managed way. This reduces the runtime cost so that users can have more conferences for the same amount of hardware purchased for such purposes at a minimum cost. The architecture provides the efficient and seamless integration of PSTN phone users and VoIP audio users in a cost effective and efficient way by the use of the same conferencing server and the same audio-video multi-point control unit that users currently employ with additional services that include a conferencing auto attendant service authenticates the phone user and transfers the phone user into the conference, a conference announcement server application is responsible for playing conference announcements, and a personal virtual assistant application which is responsible for translating user-initiated DTMF (dual-tone multi-frequency) tones into conference control commands.

Abstract: A communications system provides a media sender object and a media receiver object that provide an interface between a media stack and an application. The application can use the media sender object to send content to a source media stack and the media receiver object to receive content from a sink media stack. The application programming interface of the media sender object and the media receiver object provides functions for registering and un-registering buffers for storing and receiving content. When a source media stack is ready to send content, it invokes each registered source to collect content to be sent. When a sink media stack has received content, it invokes each registered sink to provide the received content. An application interfaces with a media sender object and a media receiver object to add content to a channel or to receive content from a channel.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or techniques (“tools”) are described that sort speakers in a network-enabled conference. In some cases, this sorted list of speakers indicates which speaker is dominant. With this sorted list, a participant's communication device may provide context about the speakers. In some cases a participant's communication device has a display that presents real-time video of the speakers or other visual indicia, such as each or the most dominant speaker's name, picture, title, or location. These and other context about speakers may help participants better understand discussions in network-enabled conferences.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for customizing media routing for a conference. In one method, a request to modify a routing table is received. The routing table specifies connections between a plurality of sources and a plurality of sinks. The method determines whether the request to modify the routing table is permitted. Upon determining that the request to modify the routing table is permitted, the routing table is modified according to the request.

Abstract: A conference system provides a routing table that specifies which sinks are connected to which sources. When the conference system receives the content from the video source, it routes the content to the video sink. When the conference type is full mix, the hub computer system is responsible for mixing the content received from the various endpoints and sending the mixed content to the endpoints. When the conference system receives content from various endpoints, it determines which sinks are to receive content from which sources based on the routing table. For each unique combination of sources that a sink is to receive, the conference system mixes the content from that unique combination of sources. The conference system then sends the mixed content to the sinks that are to receive that unique combination. The conference system generates a routing table that identifies the connections between the sinks and sources of a conference to track the unique combinations.

Abstract: System 10 distributes information data packets 10D from multiple send endpoint ports 11S in send endpoint unit 12S, to multiple receive endpoint ports 11R in receive endpoint unit 12R. The packets pass through standard based send firewall adapter 14S (shown in detail in FIG. 3), traverse at least one firewall 15W through selected port 15P, and pass through standard based receive firewall adapter 14R. The endpoint units in the send and receive stations may be simple PCs operated by individuals at a single work station, or complex computer system(s) operated by large organizations.

Abstract: Procedures for identifying clients in an audio event are described. In an example, a media server may order clients providing audio based on the input level. An identifier may be associated with the client for identifying the client providing input within the event. The ordered clients may be included in a list which may be inserted into a packet header carrying the audio content.

Abstract: System 10 distributes information data packets 10D from multiple send endpoint ports 11S in send endpoint unit 12S, to multiple receive endpoint ports 11R in receive endpoint unit 12R. The packets pass through standard based send firewall adapter 14S (shown in detail in FIG. 3), traverse at least one firewall 15W through selected port 15P, and pass through standard based receive firewall adapter 14R. The endpoint units in the send and receive stations may be simple PCs operated by individuals at a single work station, or complex computer system(s) operated by large organizations.

Abstract: System 10 distributes information data packets 10D from multiple send endpoint ports 11S in send endpoint unit 12S, to multiple receive endpoint ports 11R in receive endpoint unit 12R. The packets pass through standard based send firewall adapter 14S (shown in detail in FIG. 3), traverse at least one firewall 15W through selected port 15P, and pass through standard based receive firewall adapter 14R. The endpoint units in the send and receive stations may be simple PCs operated by individuals at a single work station, or complex computer system(s) operated by large organizations.

Abstract: A conference server may request a key frame from a conference participant in response to determining that the conference participant should become a most active participant, and the conference server may make the conference participant the most active participant in response to receiving the key frame from the conference participant.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and/or techniques (“tools”) are described that sort speakers in a network-enabled conference. In some cases, this sorted list of speakers indicates which speaker is dominant. With this sorted list, a participant's communication device may provide context about the speakers. In some cases a participant's communication device has a display that presents real-time video of the speakers or other visual indicia, such as each or the most dominant speaker's name, picture, title, or location. These and other context about speakers may help participants better understand discussions in network-enabled conferences.

Abstract: Encoded signal reuse implementations are described. In one implementation, an already encoded signal may be selected, in a favor of encoding a signal, if a parameter associated with the already encoded signal substantially matches an evaluation parameter used to select an encoding procedure. The implementations may also enable selection of an already encoded signal if encoding a signal would produce an encoded signal that is substantially the same as the already encoded signal.

Abstract: A conference system provides a routing table that specifies which sinks are connected to which sources. When the conference system receives the content from the video source, it routes the content to the video sink. When the conference type is full mix, the hub computer system is responsible for mixing the content received from the various endpoints and sending the mixed content to the endpoints. When the conference system receives content from various endpoints, it determines which sinks are to receive content from which sources based on the routing table. For each unique combination of sources that a sink is to receive, the conference system mixes the content from that unique combination of sources. The conference system then sends the mixed content to the sinks that are to receive that unique combination. The conference system generates a routing table that identifies the connections between the sinks and sources of a conference to track the unique combinations.