Personal videoconferencing system having distributed processing architecture

A videoconferencing system, comprising:

• a personal computer including:
• a network interface for receiving compressed remote audio and video streams from a remote conference endpoint and for transmitting compressed local audio and video streams to the remote endpoint;
• a video decoder for decompressing the compressed remote video stream;
• a monitor, coupled to the video decoder, for displaying the decompressed remote video stream;
• and,
• a first communication interface for conveying the compressed remote audio stream to a videoconferencing appliance;
• the videoconferencing appliance including:
• a microphone for generating a local audio stream;
• a video camera for generating a local video stream;
• an audio encoder, coupled to the microphone, for compressing the local audio stream;
• a video encoder, coupled to the camera, for compressing the local video stream;
• a second communication interface, coupled to the audio and video encoders and to the first communication interface, for conveying the compressed local audio and video streams to the personal computer;
• and
• an audio decoder for decompressing a compressed remote audio stream received from the personal computer through the second communication interface.