Audio processing in a multi-participant conference

A method for a focus computing device that engages in a multi-participant communication session with a plurality of non-focus computing devices, the method comprising:

• receiving audio streams from the plurality of non-focus computing devices and from the focus computing device;
• based on a first assessment of computational resources of the focus computing device, identifying a first number that represents a maximum number of audio streams for compositing by the focus computing device;
• selecting the first number of received audio streams for the focus computing device to process, the first number being less than a total number of participant computing devices;
• generating at least two different composite audio streams for at least two different participant computing devices using no more than the selected number of received audio streams;
• sending each participant computing device the composite audio stream for that device;
• based on a second assessment of the computational resources of the focus computing device during the communication session, identifying a second number that represents the maximum number of audio streams for compositing by the focus computing device, wherein the second number is different from the first number and the first and second numbers can vary from session to session;
• and
• selecting the second number of received audio streams for the focus computing device to process.

A non-transitory computer readable medium of a focus computing device that engages in a multi-participant communication session with a plurality of non-focus computing devices, the focus computing device receiving audio streams from the plurality of non-focus computing devices and from a participant using the focus computing device, the computer readable medium storing a computer program that is executable by at least one processing unit, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

• based on a first assessment of computational resources of the focus computing device, identifying a first number that represents a maximum number of audio streams for compositing by the focus computing device;
• selecting a first subset of the received audio streams for compositing, wherein the first subset contains the first number of the received audio streams, wherein the first number is less than a total number of participant computing devices in order to reduce an amount of the computational resources of the focus computing device that is used for compositing;
• generating a set of composite streams from the selected audio streams, wherein each participant computing device receives a composite stream from the set of composite streams during the communication session;
• based on a second assessment of the computational resources of the focus computing device during the communication session, identifying a second number that represents the maximum number of audio streams for compositing by the focus computing device, wherein the second number is different than the first number and the first and second numbers can vary from session to session;
• and
• selecting a second subset of the received audio streams for compositing, wherein the second subset contains the second number of the received audio streams.