US 2004/0003040 A1 · Interactive, computer network-based video conferencing system and process

Abstract

A video conferencing system and process is presented that employs a distributed computer network, such as the Internet or a proprietary intranet, to conduct virtual conferences. Each conferencee has a computer that has access to the network, as well as audio equipment and a video camera for capturing audio and video (A/V) at the conferencee's site. Conducting a conference generally entails each of the conferencee's computers multicasting the A/V data captured at the conferencee's location over the network. At the same time, each conferences subscribes to A/V data multicasted by other conferencees participating in the conference. The A/V data received by a conferencee over the network from the other conferencees is rendered and played by the conferencee's computer. In this way, each conferencee can see and hear the other participating conferencees during the conference.

Claims70

Dependent claims

In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display, user interface selection device and user interface data entry device, a process for participating in a conference over a distributed computer network, comprising process actions for:

displaying a conferencing window on the display comprising a plurality of sectors;
inputting data and implementing commands entered by a conferencee using the conferencing window sectors via said selection and data entry devices to enter and participate in a virtual conference.

A video conferencing system, comprising:

a plurality of general purpose computing devices, each of which is in communication with the same distributed computer network, and each of which comprises audio equipment and a video camera for capturing audio and video at a site where a conferencee is located;
and
each computing device further comprising a computer program having program modules executable by the computing device, wherein the computing device is directed by the program modules of the computer program to,
multicast audio and video data captured at the conferencee's location by said audio equipment and video camera over the network;
subscribe to audio and video data multicasted by other conferencees participating in a video conference via the network,
render and play the audio and video data received over the network from the other conferencees.

3 more elements

A video conferencing system, comprising:

a plurality of general purpose computing devices, each of which is in communication with the same distributed computer network, and each of which comprises audio equipment and a video camera for capturing audio and video at a site where a conferencee is located;
and
a venue server that is in communication with the network;
wherein
the venue server provides a multicast address associated with a venue for holding a virtual conference to the computing devices of conferencees that want to participate in the conference such that each computing device multicasts audio and video data captured at the conferencee's location by said audio equipment and video camera over the network to a prescribed multicast address provided by the venue server and subscribes to audio and video data multicasted by other conferencees participating in a video conference to the same multicast address.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Interactive, computer network-based video conferencing system and process

Life of this patent

Interactive, computer network-based video conferencing system and process

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims70