Method and device for controlling a conference

A communication system connecting a plurality of conference environments comprised of at least one conference server, at least one image reproduction unit at each conference environment on which images corresponding to at least some conference participants are displayed and at least one microphone at each conference environment, the at least one conference server containing a processor and a non-transitory memory having a program which causes the communication system to perform a method comprising:

• a) calculating respective virtual images of a majority of the conference environments, each virtual image containing at least one image corresponding to at least one conference participant who is present at that conference environment;
• b) calculating an aggregate representation of the virtual images of all conference environments, wherein the conference participants are equally distributed optically in the aggregate representation and the conference participants are acoustically equally distributed in the aggregate representation;
• c) displaying the aggregate representation on at least one image reproduction unit;
• d) calculating an individual representation for an individual conference participant based upon the aggregate representation of the respective conference environment of which the individual participant is a part;
• and
• e) providing the individual participant with the individual representation while simultaneously providing to that individual the aggregate representation.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having a program defining a method that is executable by a conference server in a communication system for conducting a conference among sets of conference participants, one set of conference participants being at a first conference environment and at least one other set of conference participants being at another conference environment, the conference participants being connected by the communication system, the method comprises:

• calculating respective virtual images of a majority of the conference environments, each virtual image containing at least one image corresponding to at least one conference participant who is present at that conference environment;
• calculating an aggregate representation of the virtual images of all conference environments for displaying of the aggregate representation, wherein the conference participants are equally distributed optically in the aggregate representation and the conference participants are acoustically equally distributed in the aggregate representation;
• calculating an individual representation for an individual conference participant based upon the aggregate representation of the respective conference environment of which the individual participant is a part;
• and
• providing the individual participant with the individual representation while simultaneously providing to that individual the aggregate representation.