FACILITATING MULTI-PARTY CONFERENCES, INCLUDING ALLOCATING RESOURCES NEEDED FOR CONFERENCE WHILE ESTABLISHING CONNECTIONS WITH PARTICIPANTS

摘要

A system includes a network interface for sending and receiving one or more of video data and audio data between two or more endpoints. One or more of a video data source and an audio data source located at more than one endpoint and a control unit for controlling one or more of the video data and the audio data between endpoints. The control unit is operable to execute instructions to specify more than one participant in a conference, wherein at least one participant is remotely located and invoke the conference upon receiving one or more requests to connect to the conference by one or more participants. The control unit is further operable to allocate resources upon the conference being invoked and connect participants to the conference.