Apparatus and method for multiple party communication session

摘要

A communication session support infrastructure comprises a networked packet based connection unit or gateway. The gateway includes a packet data interfacing unit for converting between protocols used by a plurality of current connecting devices in a session and a packet-based protocol so that different kinds of communication devices can connect to the session although internal session management is carried out using IP type protocols. The connection unit includes a one-to-many packet routing unit which receives packets through the interfacing unit from one of the current connecting devices in a session and routes the packets back to the interfacing unit for forwarding to each of the other current connecting devices in the session.