Enhanced application-layer multicast for peer-to-peer conferencing

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

• identifying an overall plurality of nodes for a conference call, the overall plurality of nodes comprising:
• a plurality of bridging nodes that can mix individual audio signals into a composite audio signal and provide the composite audio signal to another node;
• a plurality of mixing-capable nodes that can mix the individual audio signals but do not provide the composite audio signal to another node;
• and
• a plurality of mixing-incapable nodes that are not capable of mixing the individual audio signals;
• associating a mixing-incapable node from the plurality of mixing-incapable nodes and a mixing-capable node from the plurality of mixing-capable nodes with a bridging node from the plurality of bridging nodes to yield a subconference;
• and
• when the bridging node receives an audio stream from an external node that is outside of the subconference:
• relaying audio signals in the audio stream to the mixing-capable node as unmixed individual audio signals based on predetermined performance criteria;
• and
• mixing the audio signals and providing the composite audio signal to the mixing-incapable node.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
• identifying an overall plurality of nodes for a conference call, the overall plurality of nodes comprising:
• a plurality of bridging nodes that can mix individual audio signals into a composite audio signal and provide the composite audio signal to another node;
• a plurality of mixing-capable nodes that can mix the individual audio signals but do not provide the composite audio signal to another node;
• and
• a plurality of mixing-incapable nodes that are not capable of mixing the individual audio signals;
• associating a mixing-incapable node from the plurality of mixing-incapable nodes and a mixing-capable node from the plurality of mixing-capable nodes with a bridging node from the plurality of bridging nodes to yield a subconference;
• and
• when the bridging node receives an audio stream from an external node that is outside of the subconference:
• relaying audio signals in the audio stream to the mixing-capable node as unmixed individual audio signals based on predetermined performance criteria;
• and
• mixing the audio signals and providing the composite audio signal to the mixing-incapable node.