# US 12,764,176 B2 · Streaming network topology > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,764,176 B2 - Document ID: US12764176B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 19/202,449 - Filed: 2025-05-08 - Published: 2026-01-08 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2024-07-05 - Assignees: SimpliSafe, Inc. - Applicants: SimpliSafe, Inc. - Inventors: Justin Forrest; Alan Willard - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12764176B2 ## CPC - H04L 65/65: Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP] - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - H04N 23/661: Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A computer implemented method includes initiating, by at least one processor within a computing environment, operation of a virtual camera and an SFU; receiving, by the SFU, a plurality of audio streams from a plurality of remote devices; communicating, by the SFU, the plurality of audio streams to the virtual camera; receiving, by the virtual camera, the plurality of audio streams from the SFU; mixing, by the virtual camera, the plurality of audio streams into a single audio stream; communicating, by the virtual camera, the single audio stream to a physical image capture device; and receiving, by the virtual camera, an audiovisual stream from the physical image capture device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: initiating, by at least one processor, operation of a virtual camera having allocated processing resources within a computing environment; initiating operation of a selective forwarding unit (SFU) within the computing environment; communicating, by the SFU, a plurality of audio streams from a plurality of audio devices to the virtual camera; receiving, by the virtual camera, the plurality of audio streams from the SFU; mixing, by the virtual camera, the plurality of audio streams into a single audio stream; and communicating, by the virtual camera, the single audio stream to a physical image capture device at a remote location. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the at least one processor, a request to establish a communication session between the physical image capture device and at least one remote device of a plurality of remote devices, wherein initiating operation of the virtual camera and the SFU comprises initiating operation of the virtual camera and the SFU in response to receiving the request. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of audio streams comprises a plurality of audio tracks; and mixing, by the virtual camera, the plurality of audio streams into a single audio stream comprises implementing an audio processing pipeline comprising a mixer, generating a muted audio track, communicating the muted audio track to the mixer, and communicating the plurality of audio tracks to the mixer subsequent to communication of the muted audio track to the mixer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the virtual camera, an audiovisual stream from the physical image capture device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: communicating, by the virtual camera, an audiovisual stream to the SFU; receiving, by the SFU, the audiovisual stream from the virtual camera; and communicating, by the SFU, the audiovisual stream to a plurality of remote devices. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein: receiving the plurality of audio streams comprises receiving a first plurality of real-time protocol (RTP) packets; communicating the single audio stream comprises communicating a second plurality of RTP packets; and receiving the audiovisual stream comprises receiving a third plurality of RTP packets. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: establishing, by the SFU, a virtual room; and joining, by the virtual camera, the virtual room on behalf of the physical image capture device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: acquiring, by the physical image capture device, the audiovisual stream; transmitting, by the physical image capture device, the audiovisual stream to the virtual camera; receiving, by the physical image capture device, the single audio stream; and rendering, by the physical image capture device, the single audio stream as audio. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: joining, by at least one remote device of a plurality of remote devices, the virtual room; acquiring, by the at least one remote device of the plurality of remote devices, at least one audio stream from the plurality of audio streams; transmitting, by the at least one remote device of the plurality of remote devices, the at least one audio stream to the virtual room; receiving, by the at least one remote device of the plurality of remote devices, at least one other audio stream from the plurality of audio streams; receiving, by the at least one remote device of the plurality of remote devices, the audiovisual stream; mixing, by the at least one remote device of the plurality of remote devices, audio tracks encapsulated within the at least one other audio stream and the audiovisual stream to generate a mixed track; and rendering, by the at least one remote device of the plurality of remote devices, the mixed track in lip synchrony with video encapsulated within the audiovisual stream. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising hosting, by one or more computing devices of the plurality of remote devices, one or more of a customer interface or a monitor interface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein communicating the single audio stream comprises communicating the single audio stream to a security camera. ### Claim 12 A system comprising: a computing environment comprising at least one network interface, and at least one hardware processor coupled with the at least one network interface and configured to: initiate operation of a virtual camera with allocated processing resources configured to receive a plurality of audio streams, mix the plurality of audio streams into a single audio stream, and communicate the single audio stream to a physical image capture device; initiate operation of a selective forwarding unit (SFU) configured to receive the plurality of audio streams originating from a plurality of remote devices; and communicate the plurality of audio streams to the virtual camera, wherein to receive, by the virtual camera, the plurality of audio streams includes to receive, by the virtual camera, the plurality of audio streams from the SFU. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the virtual camera is further configured to: receive an audiovisual stream from the physical image capture device; and communicate the audiovisual stream to the SFU. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the SFU is configured to: receive the audiovisual stream from the virtual camera, communicate the audiovisual stream to a plurality of remote devices, receive the plurality of audio streams from the plurality of remote devices, and communicate the plurality of audio streams to the virtual camera. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein individual streams of the plurality of audio streams, the single audio stream, and the audiovisual stream comprise real-time protocol (RTP) packets. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein: the SFU is further configured to establish a virtual room; and the virtual camera is configured to join the virtual room on behalf of the physical image capture device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, further comprising the physical image capture device, wherein the physical image capture device is configured to: acquire the audiovisual stream; transmit the audiovisual stream to the virtual camera; receive the single audio stream; and render the single audio stream as audio. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, further comprising the plurality of remote devices, at least one remote device of the plurality of remote devices being configured to: join the virtual room; acquire at least one audio stream from the plurality of audio streams; transmit the at least one audio stream to the virtual room; receive at least one other audio stream from the plurality of audio streams; receive the audiovisual stream; mix audio tracks encapsulated within the at least one other audio stream and the audiovisual stream to generate a mixed track; and render the mixed track in lip synchrony with video encapsulated within the audiovisual stream. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one hardware processor is configured to initiate operation of the virtual camera and the SFU in response to reception of a request to establish a communication session between the physical image capture device and at least one remote device of the plurality of remote devices. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein: the plurality of audio streams comprises a plurality of audio tracks; and to mix the plurality of audio streams comprises to implement an audio processing pipeline comprising a mixer; generate a muted audio track; communicate the muted audio track to the mixer; and communicate the plurality of audio tracks to the mixer subsequent to communication of the muted audio track to the mixer.