SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A CONFERENCE SERVER ARCHITECTURE FOR LOW DELAY AND DISTRIBUTED CONFERENCING APPLICATIONS

摘要

Systems and methods for conducting a multi-endpoint video signal conference are provided. Conferencing endpoints are linked by pairs of a reliable and a less reliable communication channel. Conference video signals are scaleable coded in base layer and enhancement layers format. Video signal base layers, which correspond to a minimum picture quality, are communicated over reliable channels. The video signal enhancements layers may be communicated over the less reliable channels. A conference server mediates the switching of video layer information from transmitting endpoints to receiving endpoints without any intermediate coding or re-coding operations. The video conference can be integrated with an audio conference using either scalable coded audio signals or non-scaleable coded audio signals.

主权项

1. A method for conferencing between a scalable video coding server and at least one receiving endpoint linked to the server by a communication channel, comprising:
receiving, at the server, a plurality of media signals having different signal characteristics but representing a same content, each media signal comprising a plurality of packets; selectively forwarding, by the server, at least one, but not all, of the media signals representing the same content to the at least one receiving endpoint over the communication channel; and improving, by the server, a quality of service of the communication channel over the quality of service the communication channel would have but for the use of the server.