Distributed audio conferencing architecture with optimum resource utilization and seamless scalability

A method for selecting an assigned conference server for a participant telephone in a conference call, the method comprising:

• determining whether a default conference server has required resources for connecting the telephone participant to the conference call;
• and
• selecting the default conference server as the assigned conference server if the default conference server has the required resources for connecting the participant telephone to the conference call.

A method for resource fragmentation optimization for a conference session, the method comprising:

• determining a first conference bridge for a first connection to the conference call wherein the first conference bridge transmits mixed media to the first connection;
• and
• assigning a second connection for the conference call to the first conference bridge if the first conference bridge is an assigned conference server for the first connection and the second connection.

A system for setting up conference call, the system comprising:

• a first conference bridge for transmitting media data from one or more participants of the conference call to a media mixer;
• and
• the media mixer for preparing mixed media data from media data received from one or more conference bridges and transmitting the mixed media data to the first conference bridge.

A system for setting up conference call, the system comprising:

• a first conference bridge for transmitting to a second conference bridge a first mixed participant media stream including media data from a first group comprising at least first loudest party;
• and
• the second conference bridge for transmitting to the first conference bridge a second mixed participant media stream including media data from a second group comprising at least second loudest party.