Audio-video multi-participant conference systems using PSTN and internet networks

A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions for a multi-participant conference process to be executed by a local moderator computer, the process comprising:

• receiving audio data from a telephone through a public switched telephone network (PTSN);
• receiving audio data and video data from a first remote computer through an Internet;
• receiving audio data and video data from a second remote computer through the Internet;
• receiving audio data from a local audio input device communicatively connected to the local moderator computer;
• receiving video data from a local video input device communicatively connected to the local moderator computer;
• mixing the audio data received from the telephone with the audio data received from the local audio input device and the video data received from the local video input device into mixed audio-video data;
• transmitting the mixed audio-video data to the first remote computer and the second remote computer;
• mixing the audio data received from the first remote computer and the audio data received from the second remote computer with the audio data received from the local audio input device into mixed audio data;
• compressing the mixed audio data;
• transmitting the compressed mixed audio data to the telephone;
• and transmitting collaboration data to the first remote computer and the second remote computer.

A computer-implemented multi-participant conference system utilizing a local moderator computer, the system comprising:

• a voice over IP decoder configured to decode audio data received by the local moderator computer from a telephone through a public switched telephone network (PSTN);
• a voice over IP encoder configured to compress audio data transported from the local moderator computer to the telephone through the PSTN;
• a first mixer configured to mix decoded audio data received by the local moderator computer from the telephone through the PSTN with audio data received by the local moderator computer from a local audio input device and video data received by the local moderator computer from a local video input device into an audio-video stream for transmission through an Internet to a first remote computer and a second remote computer;
• a second mixer configured to mix audio data received by the local moderator computer from the first remote computer and the second remote computer through the Internet with audio data received by the local moderator computer from the local audio input device into an audio stream for transmission to the telephone through the PSTN;
• and
• a data collaboration unit configured to transmit collaboration data from the local moderator through the internet to the first remote computer and the second remote computer.