Abstract: A video transmission system and method is described for dynamically dropping video frames to avoid congestion, in order to maintain overall stream quality and to prevent visual artifacts, excessive buffering or lag. One or more frame dropping strategies may be implemented, and on a per Group Of Pictures (GOP) basis. These include: (i) removal of non-referenced frames; (ii) removal of frames between consecutive P-frames (iii) removal of frames from a tail portion of GOP, while respecting dependency boundaries; (iv) dropping all frames except for one of: an I-frame, and one or more Instantaneous Decoder Refresh (IDR) frames; and (v) combinations thereof.

Abstract: A video transmission system and method is described for dynamically dropping video frames to avoid congestion, in order to maintain overall stream quality and to prevent visual artifacts, excessive buffering or lag. One or more frame dropping strategies may be implemented, and on a per Group Of Pictures (GOP) basis. These include: (i) removal of non-referenced frames; (ii) removal of frames between consecutive P-frames (iii) removal of frames from a tail portion of GOP, while respecting dependency boundaries; (iv) dropping all frames except for one of: an I-frame, and one or more Instantaneous Decoder Refresh (IDR) frames; and (v) combinations thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing continuous presence video stream in a cascading video conference, i.e., a video conference that is conducted over more than one MCU. A cascading continuous presence composition controller (CCCC) selects which endpoints from among all of the endpoints participating in the conference should be displayed in the layout, regardless of which endpoints are associated with which MCU. The CCCC can be resident on one of the MCUs, resident on a cascading conference server, or can be distributed among all of the MCUs involved in a cascading conference.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing continuous presence video stream in a cascading video conference, i.e., a video conference that is conducted over more than one MCU. A cascading continuous presence composition controller (CCCC) selects which endpoints from among all of the endpoints participating in the conference should be displayed in the layout, regardless of which endpoints are associated with which MCU. The CCCC can be resident on one of the MCUs, resident on a cascading conference server, or can be distributed among all of the MCUs involved in a cascading conference.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for mixing compressed video useable in a videoconferencing environment having a plurality of endpoint users. Through the use of the method and apparatus, each endpoint can receive a unique layout displaying some subset of the users at the endpoints. Input streams from each endpoint are uncompressed, resized, and scaled to fit the segment in the layout for particular endpoints, and then encoded (or compressed) by a sub-encoder into a sub-encoded stream according to the compression parameters. Each sub-encoded streams is further encoded and associated with a position in the layout. Different layouts may be sent to different conferees, and different compression standards may be used for each endpoint.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing continuous presence video stream in a cascading video conference, i.e., a video conference that is conducted over more than one MCU. A cascading continuous presence composition controller (CCCC) selects which endpoints from among all of the endpoints participating in the conference should be displayed in the layout, regardless of which endpoints are associated with which MCU. The CCCC can be resident on one of the MCUs, resident on a cascading conference server, or can be distributed among all of the MCUs involved in a cascading conference.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing continuous presence video layout in a cascading video conference, i.e., a video conference that is conducted over more than one MCU. A cascading continuous presence composition controller (CCCC) selects which endpoints from among all of the endpoints participating in the conference should be displayed in the layout, regardless of which MCU the endpoints are associated with. The CCCC can be resident on one of the MCUs, resident on a cascading conference server, or can be distributed among all of the MCUs involved in a cascading conference.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing continuous presence video layout in a cascading video conference, i.e., a video conference that is conducted over more than one MCU. A cascading continuous presence composition controller (CCCC) selects which endpoints from among all of the endpoints participating in the conference should be displayed in the layout, regardless of which MCU the endpoints are associated with. The CCCC can be resident on one of the MCUs, resident on a cascading conference server, or can be distributed among all of the MCUs involved in a cascading conference.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for mixing compressed video useable in a videoconferencing environment having a plurality of endpoint users. Through the use of the method and apparatus, each endpoint can receive a unique layout displaying some subset of the users at the endpoints. Input streams from each endpoint are uncompressed, resized, and scaled to fit the segment in the layout for particular endpoints, and then encoded (or compressed) by a sub-encoder into a sub-encoded stream according to the compression parameters. Each sub-encoded streams is further encoded and associated with a position in the layout. Different layouts may be sent to different conferees, and different compression standards may be used for each endpoint.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for mixing compressed video useable in a videoconferencing environment having a plurality of endpoint users. Through the use of the method and apparatus, each endpoint can receive a unique layout displaying some subset of the users at the endpoints. Input streams from each endpoint are uncompressed, resized, and scaled to fit the segment in the layout for particular endpoints, and then encoded (or compressed) by a sub-encoder into a sub-encoded stream according to the compression parameters. Each sub-encoded streams is further encoded and associated with a position in the layout. Different layouts may be sent to different conferees, and different compression standards may be used for each endpoint.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for mixing compressed video useable in a videoconferencing environment having a plurality of endpoint users. Through the use of the method and apparatus, each endpoint can receive a unique layout displaying some subset of the users at the endpoints. Input streams from each endpoint are uncompressed, resized, and scaled to fit the segment in the layout for particular endpoints, and then encoded (or compressed) by a sub-encoder into a sub-encoded stream according to the compression parameters. Each sub-encoded streams is further encoded and associated with a position in the layout. Different layouts may be sent to different conferees, and different compression standards may be used for each endpoint.