Teleconferencing using steganographically-embedded audio data

A method comprising:

• performing an inverse steganographic process to extract, from a mixed audio data stream, a first sub-stream, wherein the first sub-stream is associated with a first terminal device participating in a teleconference;
• performing an inverse steganographic process to extract, from the mixed audio data stream, a second sub-stream, wherein the second sub-stream is associated with a second terminal device participating in the teleconference;
• and
• generating, based at least in part on the mixed audio data stream, the first sub-stream and the second sub-stream, a multi-channel audio data stream.

A device comprising:

• one or more processors configured to:
• generate, based at least in part on a first audio data stream and a second audio data stream, a mixed audio data stream, the first audio data stream representing sound associated with a first terminal device participating in a teleconference, the second audio data stream representing sound associated with a second terminal device participating in the teleconference;
• generate a modified mixed audio data stream at least in part by steganographically embedding into the mixed audio data stream a first sub-stream and a second sub-stream such that the modified mixed audio data stream supports both mono audio playback and stereo audio playback, the first sub-stream including a representation of the sound associated with the first terminal device, the second sub-stream including a representation of the sound associated with the second terminal device;
• and
• output the modified mono audio data stream to a third terminal device participating in the teleconference.

A terminal device comprising:

• one or more processors configured to:
• perform an inverse steganographic process to extract, from a mixed audio data stream, a first sub-stream, wherein the first sub-stream is associated with a first terminal device participating in a teleconference;
• perform an inverse steganographic process to extract, from the mixed audio data stream, a second sub-stream, wherein the second sub-stream is associated with a second terminal device participating in the teleconference;
• and
• generate, based at least in part on the mixed audio data stream, the first sub-stream and the second sub-stream, a multi-channel audio data stream.

A device comprising:

• means for generating, based at least in part on a first audio data stream and a second audio data stream, a mixed audio data stream, the first audio data stream representing sound associated with a first terminal device participating in a teleconference, the second audio data stream representing sound associated with a second terminal device participating in the teleconference;
• means for generating a modified mixed audio data stream at least in part by steganographically embedding into the mixed audio data stream a first sub-stream and a second sub-stream such that the modified mixed audio data stream supports both mono audio playback and stereo audio playback, the first sub-stream including a representation of the sound associated with the first terminal device, the second sub-stream including a representation of the sound associated with the second terminal device;
• and
• means for outputting the modified mono audio data stream to a third terminal device participating in the teleconference.

A terminal device comprising:

• means for performing an inverse steganographic process to extract, from a mixed audio data stream, a first sub-stream, wherein the first sub-stream is associated with a first terminal device participating in a teleconference;
• means for performing an inverse steganographic process to extract, from the mixed audio data stream, a second sub-stream, wherein the second sub-stream is associated with a second terminal device participating in the teleconference;
• and
• means for generating, based at least in part on the mixed audio data stream, the first sub-stream and the second sub-stream, a multi-channel audio data stream.

A computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, configure the device to:

• generate, based at least in part on a first audio data stream and a second audio data stream, a mixed audio data stream, the first audio data stream representing sound associated with a first terminal device participating in a teleconference, the second audio data stream representing sound associated with a second terminal device participating in the teleconference;
• generate a modified mixed audio data stream at least in part by steganographically embedding into the mixed audio data stream a first sub-stream and a second sub-stream such that the modified mixed audio data stream supports both mono audio playback and stereo audio playback, the first sub-stream including a representation of the sound associated with the first terminal device, the second sub-stream including a representation of the sound associated with the second terminal device;
• and
• output the modified mono audio data stream to a third terminal device participating in the teleconference.

A computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, configure the device to:

• perform an inverse steganographic process to extract, from a mixed audio data stream, a first sub-stream, wherein the first sub-stream is associated with a first terminal device participating in a teleconference;
• perform an inverse steganographic process to extract, from the mixed audio data stream, a second sub-stream, wherein the second sub-stream is associated with a second terminal device participating in the teleconference;
• and
• generate, based at least in part on the mixed audio data stream, the first sub-stream and the second sub-stream, a multi-channel audio data stream.