Teleconferencing method and system

A teleconferencing system adapted to be connected by a wide band digital communication link for allowing relatively unskilled operators to control a teleconference;

• comprising at least a pair of teleconferencing site means for transmitting and receiving audio and video representing digital signals therebetween, each said site means comprising:
• at least a pair of controllable video source means for deriving a video signal from controllable regions of the associated site,
• audio signal source means for deriving an audio signal from the associated site,
• at least a pair of video displays for controllably displaying either locally or remotely generated image,
• audio transducer means responsive to a remotely generated audio signal for generating perceptible sound,
• interface means for coupling digital representations of locally generated audio and video signals to said communication link and for coupling digital representations of remotely generated audio and video signals from said communication link,
• control means including a digital microprocessor and video matrix switch means with plural video inputs and outputs for controllably coupling at least a locally generated video signal to said interface means and for controllably coupling locally and/or remotely generated video signals to said video displays,
• said control means, including a control video display and touch sensitive screen for controlling said video source means and video matrix switch means in response to touches on said touch sensitive screen by an operator, said control means including:
• logic means for interpreting commands initiated by operator touches of said touch sensitive screen and for thereafter implementing said commands if elements of said commands are consistent with each other and with available resources, and message formatting means responsive to said logic means for formatting digital messages destined for said video source means and said video matrix switch means,
• whereby unskilled operators can control said teleconferencing site means.