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US 7,453,826 B2Granted
Managing multicast conference calls
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsHerbert M. Wildfeuer, Chieh-wen K. Tsai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Managing a multicast conference call includes receiving signals at a local endpoint participating in a multicast conference call with remote endpoints. The signals include a local signal associated with the local endpoint and remote signals, where each remote signal is associated with a remote endpoint. Metric ratings are determined, where each metric rating reflects an importance of a signal. The metric ratings include a local metric rating corresponding to the local signal and remote metric ratings, where each remote metric rating corresponds to a remote signal. The local metric rating and the remote metric ratings are compared, and a subset of signals is selected according to the comparison.
Claims17
A method for managing a multicast conference call, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of signals at a local endpoint participating in a multicast conference call among the local endpoint and one or more remote endpoints, the plurality of signals comprising a local signal and one or more remote signals, the local signal associated with the local endpoint, each remote signal associated with a remote endpoint of the one or more remote endpoints;
- determining, at the local endpoint, a plurality of metric ratings by:
- generating a metric vector for each signal of the plurality of signals, each metric vector comprising a plurality of metric values generated for the each signal, the plurality of metric values comprising a first metric value and a second metric value;
- and
- applying a function to each metric vector to generate a metric rating for each signal, the function weighting the first metric value more than the second metric value because the first metric value has a greater effect on signal importance than the second metric, each metric rating reflecting an importance of a signal of the plurality of signals, the plurality of metric ratings comprising a local metric rating and one or more remote metric ratings, the local metric rating corresponding to the local signal, each remote metric rating corresponding to a remote signal of the one or more remote signals;
- comparing the local metric rating and the one or more remote metric ratings;
- and
- selecting a subset of the plurality of signals according to the comparison in order to manage the multicast conference call.
5 more elements
A system for managing a multicast conference call, comprising:
- one or more inputs configured to receive a plurality of signals at a local endpoint participating in a multicast conference call among the local endpoint and one or more remote endpoints, the plurality of signals comprising a local signal and one or more remote signals, the local signal associated with the local endpoint, each remote signal associated with a remote endpoint of the one or more remote endpoints;
- the local endpoint including a metric extractor coupled to the one or more inputs, the metric extractor configured to determine a plurality of metric ratings by:
- generating a metric vector for each signal of the plurality of signals, each metric vector comprising a plurality of metric values generated for the each signal, the plurality of metric values comprising a first metric value and a second metric value;
- and
- applying a function to each metric vector to generate a metric rating for each signal, the function weighting the first metric value more than the second metric value because the first metric value has a greater effect on signal importance than the second metric, each metric rating reflecting an importance of a signal of the plurality of signals, the plurality of metric ratings comprising a local metric rating and one or more remote metric ratings, the local metric rating corresponding to the local signal, each remote metric rating corresponding to a remote signal of the one or more remote signals;
- and
- a comparator coupled to the metric extractor and configured to:
- compare the local metric rating and the one or more remote metric ratings;
- and
- select a subset of the plurality of signals according to the comparison in order to manage the multicast conference call.
7 more elements
A computer-readable medium encoded with logic for managing a multicast conference call, the logic configured to:
- receive a plurality of signals at a local endpoint participating in a multicast conference call among the local endpoint and one or more remote endpoints, the plurality of signals comprising a local signal and one or more remote signals, the local signal associated with the local endpoint, each remote signal associated with a remote endpoint of the one or more remote endpoints;
- determine, at the local endpoint, a plurality of metric ratings by:
- generating a metric vector for each signal of the plurality of signals, each metric vector comprising a plurality of metric values generated for the each signal, the plurality of metric values comprising a first metric value and a second metric value;
- and
- applying a function to each metric vector to generate a metric rating for each signal, the function weighting the first metric value more than the second metric value because the first metric value has a greater effect on signal importance than the second metric, each metric rating reflecting an importance of a signal of the plurality of signals, the plurality of metric ratings comprising a local metric rating and one or more remote metric ratings, the local metric rating corresponding to the local signal, each remote metric rating corresponding to a remote signal of the one or more remote signals;
- compare the local metric rating and the one or more remote metric ratings;
- and
- select a subset of the plurality of signals according to the comparison in order to manage the multicast conference call.
5 more elements
A system for managing a multicast conference call, comprising:
- means for receiving a plurality of signals at a local endpoint participating in a multicast conference call among the local endpoint and one or more remote endpoints, the plurality of signals comprising a local signal and one or more remote signals, the local signal associated with the local endpoint, each remote signal associated with a remote endpoint of the one or more remote endpoints;
- means for determining, at the local endpoint, a plurality of metric ratings by:
- generating a metric vector for each signal of the plurality of signals, each metric vector comprising a plurality of metric values generated for the each signal, the plurality of metric values comprising a first metric value and a second metric value;
- and
- applying a function to each metric vector to generate a metric rating for each signal, the function weighting the first metric value more than the second metric value because the first metric value has a greater effect on signal importance than the second metric, each metric rating reflecting an importance of a signal of the plurality of signals, the plurality of metric ratings comprising a local metric rating and one or more remote metric ratings, the local metric rating corresponding to the local signal, each remote metric rating corresponding to a remote signal of the one or more remote signals;
- means for comparing the local metric rating and the one or more remote metric ratings;
- and
- means for selecting a subset of the plurality of signals according to the comparison in order to manage the multicast conference call.
5 more elements
A method for managing a multicast conference call, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of signals at a local endpoint participating in a multicast conference call among the local endpoint and one or more remote endpoints, the plurality of signals comprising a local signal and one or more remote signals, the local signal associated with the local endpoint, each remote signal associated with a remote endpoint of the one or more remote endpoints;
- determining a plurality of metric ratings, each metric rating reflecting an importance of a signal of the plurality of signals, the plurality of metric ratings comprising a local metric rating and one or more remote metric ratings, the local metric rating corresponding to the local signal, each remote metric rating corresponding to a remote signal of the one or more remote signals, the plurality of metric ratings determined by:
- establishing the metric values for a signal of the plurality of signals according to a metric appended to the signal;
- determining a metric rating for the signal in accordance with the metric values;
- generating a metric vector for each signal of the plurality of signals;
- and
- determining a metric rating for each signal of the plurality of signals in accordance with the metric vector for the signal by applying a function to each metric vector;
- comparing the local metric rating and the one or more remote metric ratings;
- selecting a subset of the plurality of signals according to the comparison in order to manage the multicast conference call by:
- identifying a predetermined number of highest ranked metric ratings;
- and
- selecting the signals corresponding to the highest ranked metric ratings;
- mixing the remote signals of the subset of the plurality of signals;
- outputting the mixed remote signals of the subset of the plurality of signals;
- determining if the subset of the plurality of signals comprises the local signal;
- and
- transmitting the local signal if the subset of the plurality of signals comprises the local signal.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.