111111
`
`1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
`US 20050207357Al
`
`(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication
`Koga
`
`(10) Pub. No.: US 2005/0207357 Al
`Sep. 22, 2005
`( 43) Pub. Date:
`
`(54) MULTIPOINT CONFERENCING SYSTEM
`EMPLOYING IP NETWORK AND ITS
`CONFIGURATION METHOD
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor: Takahiro Koga, Tokyo (JP)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`FOLEY AND LARDNER
`SUITE 500
`3000 K STREET NW
`WASHINGTON, DC 20007 (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: NEC Personal Products, Ltd.
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`11/079,215
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Mar. 15, 2005
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Mar. 19, 2004
`
`(JP) ...................................... 2004-080360
`
`Publication Classification
`
`Int. Cl? ........................... H04L 12/28; H04L 12/54
`(51)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ........................... 370/260; 370/389; 370/428
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A multipoint conferencing system for allowing a conference
`to be held among a plurality of terminals capable of making
`communication via an IP network includes: a telephone
`conference server for, out of said plurality of said terminals,
`recognizing the terminal participating in the conference as a
`terminal belonging to either a speaker group or a listener
`group, and for generating audio data by making a mixing of
`audio data from the terminal belonging to said speaker
`group; and a audio delivering section for delivering the
`audio data for which a mixing was made by said telephone
`conference server to terminals belonging to said speaker
`group and said listener group. Further, the terminal is made
`movable between the speaker group and listener group.
`
`15
`
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`
`(TERMINAL)
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`p 1 SPEAKER GROUP~--
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`5
`
`GTL 1005
`IPR of U.S. Pat. No. 8,135,115
`
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`FIG. 1
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`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 2 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
`
`FIG. 2
`
`PARTICIPANT/
`
`SECTION
`
`8
`
`SPEAKER I
`~ i
`
`SELECTING
`SECTION
`
`114
`
`1
`
`SPEECH
`IDENTIFYING
`SECTION
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`I
`
`-"
`
`..,_
`
`MULTIPOINT
`
`l_:ISTENER DB
`
`TERMINAL 1/F
`
`r----14
`1 ~ TELEPHONE CONFERENCE SERVER
`LISTENER MANAGING SECTION
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE MANAGING SECTION
`1 02 ~ TELEPHONE ~ 1 01 1 O
`SPEAKER
`c:::-::
`~. CONFERENCE
`SELECTION
`- - - - ; -...... "'~1'1~ CONTROLLING K--- ---------- --
`CONTROLLING
`SECTION
`~ ~ t ~ 104 ~
`i ~ ~ 113
`I ~ I FIRST AUDIO I _ _... ___
`10~ /
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`~~~~~~~~~
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`TE:~~~;L 1/F
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`(
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`SECTION
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`110 ~---------
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`~ L----------------'
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`
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`
`'
`'
`
`-----------------· 122
`-...: TERMINAL E YV
`L---------------'
`6
`-~~ LISTENER GROUP
`
`./
`
`0003
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 3 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
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`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 4 of 19
`FIG. 4
`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
`
`LISTENER DB
`
`TERMINAL IP
`xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
`xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
`
`SPEECH PROHIBITION FLAG
`1
`0
`
`SPEECH FLAG
`1
`0
`
`xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
`
`1
`
`0
`
`FIG. 5
`
`MULTICAST GROUP DB
`
`MULTICAST IP
`ooo.ooo.ooo.xxx
`
`TERMINAL IP
`xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
`xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
`
`xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
`
`0005
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 5 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
`
`FIG. 6
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE SERVER 126
`
`TELEPHONE
`CONFERENCE
`MANAGING
`SECTION 1
`
`MULTIPOINT
`CONNECTION
`CONTROLLING
`SECTION 2
`
`AUDIO
`DELIVERING
`SERVER 108
`
`TERMINAL
`A 118
`
`---------- --;~;~~~~-~~-;~~~~-;;·~~t~~;~~~~~EPHONE CONFER NCE FROM TERMINAL A 118 S
`-------------------------- ____________ jjlgj ____________ ----------------------------
`REQUEST FOR CALL
`CONNECTION TO AUDIO
`ELIVERING SERVER 108 (8)
`
`1
`
`5
`
`0
`
`COMPLETION OF CALL
`CONNECTION TO AUDIO
`ELIVERING SERVER 108 (8)
`
`REQUEST FOR CHANNEL
`CONNECTION TO AUDIO
`ELIVERING SERVER 108 8
`
`S307
`
`COMPLETION OF CHANNEL
`CONNECTION TO AUDIO
`ELIVERING SERVER 108 (8)
`
`S315
`
`S406
`
`COMPLETION OF CHANNEL
`CONNECTION TO TERMINAL A
`118 (9)
`
`PROCESS FOR
`REGISTERING
`TERMINAL A 1181NTO
`PARTICIPANT DB 102
`
`'
`-------------1'
`__ A_!!~O ~<?_M~U!:11£A~O~ !_!72_
`
`1-'
`"
`PROCESS OF CONNECTIN CALL CONNECTION 12 TO
`
`---------- _T~i'~l'~----------
`
`S309
`
`PROCESS OF CONNECTING CONTROL CHANNEL 13 TO
`TERMINAL A 118
`
`ABILITY EXCHANGING PROCESS 13
`
`MASTER-SLAVE DECIDING PROCESS 13
`
`0006
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 6 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
`
`FIG. 7
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE SERVER 126
`
`TELEPHONE
`CONFERENCE
`MANAGING
`SECTION 1
`
`MULTIPOINT
`CONNECTION
`CONTROLLING
`SECTION 2
`
`AUDIO
`DELIVERING
`SERVER 108
`
`TERMINAL B
`PAR~]~j~~~ING
`TERMINALS
`
`---------- :;~~~~~~-;~~~~~~~;-~~~~~~~;-~;~~-~~-:~~::~~:~~:-~~~~-~~-~~:~=-~~~=-~)! ~01
`
`S208
`REQUEST FOR
`, "- DISCONNECTING CHANNEL TO
`,
`\ALL TERMINALS (9)
`"'---"
`
`PROCESS OF ENDING
`MULTICAST DELIVERY r-
`TO ALL TERMINALS
`
`PROCESS OF DISCONNECTING
`~~~~N~HL~NNEL 19 TO ALL
`_A
`..f'\,
`~08 "f
`~[' S409
`
`PROCESS OF DISCONNECTING
`CONTROL CHANNEL 18 TO ALL
`~T_E_RM_I_NA..;.:L:..;;S _ ___, ___ -+1
`~
`
`COMPLETION OF
`S4 ~ 1 r--..
`DISCONNECTING CHANNEL
`'----'
`'\
`TO ALL TERMINALS (9)
`~------------~------~------~ S410
`REQUEST FOR
`S2~9 / DISCONNECTING CHANNEL S316
`"'---" "\0 ALL TERMINALS (8) ~ PROCESS OF DISCONNECTING AUDIO
`CHANNEL 14 TO ALL TERMINALS
`~A==============~============~
`"
`PROCESS OF D'l...l C'ONNECTING CONTROL
`'"''
`CHANNEL 13 TO ALL TERMINALS
`
`COMPLETION OF
`S32Q
`DISCONNECTING CALL
`, ~ CONNECTION TO ALL
`~ TERMINALS (8)
`~---~----_,
`
`S319
`PROCESS OF DISCONNECTING CALL
`~ CONNECTION 12 TO ALL TERMINALS
`
`~-------------- -------------+
`
`S211
`\.._/C
`
`REQUEST FOR DISCONNECTING
`CHANNEL TO AUDIO DELIVERING PROCESS OF
`SERVER 108 (8)
`DISCONNECTING AUDIO
`.. CHANNEL 17
`
`COMPLETION OF CHANNEL
`S323
`CONNECTION TO AUDIO
`'--./ ~ELIVERING SERVER 108 (8)
`
`S321
`)
`f
`"
`" PROCESS OF DISCONNECTING"
`CONTROLCHANNEL16
`~
`S322
`
`S2~ 2 ""- ~~~Lu~g~~~~T?b~c-?~~55J6NG
`'-"
`'t'ELIVERING SERVER 108 (8)
`I"---s- ---------...
`COMPLETION OF
`S3~5 /" g~~~~~~g~~~g ~C5~o
`'----'
`)_pELIVERING SERVER 108 (8)
`
`PROCESS OF DISCONNECTING
`i..oi.CALL CONNECTION 15
`....llo.
`
`S324
`
`S213
`rJ
`PROCESS OF
`INITIALIZING
`PARTICIPANT DB 102
`
`-
`
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE-ENDING COMPLETION MESSAGE
`
`----------------------------~--------1!!~-----------------r-----------~-----------
`
`S214
`
`REQUEST FOR
`S31 ~ 8
`DISCONNECTING CHANNEL
`JO ALL TERMINALS (B)
`
`S21Q
`REQUEST FOR DISCONNECTING
`-'" CALL CONNECTION TO ALL
`,
`'-._/
`\TERMINALS (8)
`
`~ ~
`S317
`
`0007
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 7 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
`
`FIG. 8
`
`START
`
`NO
`
`NO
`
`S153
`
`S155
`
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE
`MANAGING SECTION 1 ISSUES
`COMMAND FOR ESTABLISHING
`CONNECTION OF CONTROL ch.13
`AND AUDIO ch.14 TO TERMINAL
`REQUESTING PARTICIPATION IN
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE FOR
`AUDIO DELIVERING SECTION 3,
`AND AUDIO DELIVERING SECTION
`3 EXECUTES THIS.
`
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE
`MANAGING SECTION 1 ISSUES
`COMMAND FOR ESTABLISHING
`CONNECTION OF CONTROL ch.11
`AND AUDIO ch.12 TO TERMINAL
`FOR MULTIPOINT CONNECTION
`CONTROLLING SECTION 2, AND
`MULTIPOINT CONNECTION
`CONTROLLING SECTION 2
`EXECUTES THIS.
`
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE
`MANAGING SECTION 1 ISSUES
`COMMAND FOR ESTABLISHING
`CONNECTION OF CONTROL ch.15
`AND AUDIO DELIVERY ch.16 TO
`TERMINAL REQUESTING
`PARTICIPATION IN TELEPHONE
`CONFERENCE FOR LISTENER
`MANAGING SECTION 4, AND
`LISTENER MANAGING SECTION 4
`EXECUTES THIS.
`
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE
`MANAGING SECTION 1 ISSUES
`COMMAND FOR ESTABLISHING
`CONNECTION OF CONTROL ch.13
`AND AUDIO DELIVERY ch.14 TO
`TERMINAL FOR AUDIO
`DELIVERING SERVER 108, AND
`AUDIO DELIVERING SERVER 108
`EXECUTES THIS.
`
`0008
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 8 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
`
`FIG. 9
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE SERVER 126
`
`TELEPHONE
`CONFERENCE
`MANAGING
`SECTION 1
`
`MULTIPOINT
`CONNECTION
`CONTROLLING
`SECTION 2 ·
`
`AUDIO
`DELIVERING
`SERVER 108
`
`TERMINAL
`A 118
`
`S326
`1,
`- -Auo-;D ca"MM'uNIG..ila'N (77: '\ ~
`-------------I//
`IPATING IN TELEPHONE CON~ERE NCE FROM TERMINAL A 118 (125)
`REQUEST MESSAGE FOR PART
`§~~-~~~~~i~~;i;+~~~~:~~--- -----------------------------r----------------------------
`
`S504
`
`PROCESS OF CONNECTING CALL CONNECTION 12 TO
`TERMINAL A 118
`-
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`-
`
`- -1-------------
`
`A 118 (8)
`COMPLETION OF CALL
`CONNECTION TO TERMINAL
`A 118 (8)
`
`REQUEST FOR CHANNEL
`CONNECTION TO TERMINAL
`A 116 (8)
`
`-
`
`PROCESS OF CONNECTIN CONTROL CHANNEL 13 TO
`TERMINAL A 118
`
`ABILITY EXCHANGING PROCESS (13)
`
`MASTER-SLAVE DECIDING PROCESS (13)
`
`S333
`
`COMPLETION OF CHANNEL
`CONNECTION TO TERMINAL
`PR<;?CESS OF CONNECTING AUDI CHANNEL 14 TO TERMINAL A 118
`A 116 (8)
`~--~~------------~ /1
`/ - - - - - -AUDIOCOMMUNICATio"'N{14)--------
`
`' ------------- --------------
`
`,1
`
`REQUEST FOR CHANNEL
`CONNECTION TO TERMINAL
`A 118 (9)
`
`S415
`
`PROCESS OF
`MULTICAST DELIVERY
`TO TERMINAL A 118
`
`S417
`
`COMPLETION OF CHANNEL
`CONNECTION TO TERMINAL
`A 118(9)
`
`PROCESS OF
`REGISTERING
`TERMINAL A 118 INTO
`PARTICI~ANT DB 102
`
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION COMPLETION MESSAGE TO TERMINAL A 118 ( 1)
`
`S418
`
`S506
`
`TERMINAL OF
`SPEAKER GROUP 5
`' I '
`- AUDiO COMMUNlCATtON (19) '
`------------, /
`1/
`
`0009
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 9 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
`
`FIG. 10
`
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE SERVER 126
`
`MULTIPOINT
`TELEPHONE
`TERMINAL I
`CONNECTION
`CONFERENCE
`CONTROLLING
`MANAGING
`j
`B 119
`SECTION 2
`SECTION 1
`--------- -----------------------------r----------
`1
`S602
`REQUEST MESSAGE FOR WITHDRAWING FROM TELEPHONE CONFERENCE FROM TERMINAL B 119 (11) l--/
`r---------------------------- ----------------------------- ___________________________ /
`S220
`REQUESTFOR
`/I'-_ DISCONNECTING CHANNEL
`'-
`'-" 1 \TO TERMINAL B 119 (9)
`
`AUDIO
`DELIVERING
`SERVER 108
`
`(
`
`:ng~lEg~A0JN~1~?~~~ECTING I S~20
`PROCESS OF ENDING
`MULTICAST DELIVERY 1--l ~ERMINAL B 119
`l,r---/
`.J'- S421
`VL
`TOTERMINALB119
`~ N
`-v~
`8419
`8422
`COMPLETION OF
`M-1----------1--..~
`/\.
`DISCONNECTING CHANNEL
`PROCESS OF DISCONNECTING
`,
`~T~O~T~E~R=M=IN~A=L~B~1~19~(~9)~--~---~-\~----~ CONTROLCHANNEL18TO
`""'
`TERMINAL B 119
`§~~~~SJJ~fNG CHANNEL
`82~1 /
`'-" 1\ TO TERMINAL B 119 (9)
`8334
`PROCESS OF DISCONNECTING AUDIO
`1---"------------I~A ~ CHANNEL 14 TO TERMINAL B 119
`
`II..
`
`y
`
`S3~6 / '- gg~~~EJ~~~~~~ CHANNEL
`'-._/ 1 ~\TO TERMINAL B 119 (8)
`PROCES~ OF DISCONNECTING
`1
`~:....:.....:..=..:~;....::..--~-'------lS - 3 ~35 CONTROL CHANNEL 13 TO TERMINAL B
`REOUESTFOR
`5222
`DISCONNECTING CALL
`'-..../ 1\ ?~~~)ECTION TO TERMINAL B
`
`""'
`
`'--------...
`
`119
`
`--..
`
`COMPLETION OF
`53~8 /" g~~~~~T~g~~~g ~~~~INAL
`'-' I-\B 119 (8)
`
`53~~
`-4- - --_ - ... - - - - - - - -
`- - - - - - - - - - - - - ..
`PROCESS OF DISCONNECTING CALL
`CONNECTION 12 TO TERMINAL B 119
`
`S223
`~
`PROCESS OF
`DELETING TERMINAL
`B 119 FROM
`PARTICIPANT DB 102
`
`_
`
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE WITHDRAWAL COMPLETION MESSAGE TO
`
`5224
`---------~~~-~~~-~~-~~'-~'-'~--r--------------------------r---------~---------..
`
`0010
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 10 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 A1
`
`FIG. 11
`·-----------------------------------------------------------------
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE SERVER 126
`
`TELEPHONE
`CONFERENCE
`MANAGING
`SECTION 1
`
`MULTIPOINT
`CONNECTION
`CONTROLLING
`SECTION 2
`
`LISTENER
`MANAGING
`SECTION 4
`
`AUDIO
`DELIVERING
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`20TOTERMINALA118
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`"--./" TERMINAL A 118 (10)
`l ' l l f - - - - - - - - t - - - - - - - -1
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`PROCESS OF
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`~....._ _____ --'f(~:..<.:) _______ +---------1 AUDIO CHANNEL 19 TO
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`INTO PARTICIPANT
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`TELEPHONE COl FERENCE PARTICIPATION COMPLETION
`MESSAGE TO TERMINAL A 118 (11)
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`TERMINAL OF 1
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`8509
`
`0011
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 11 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
`
`FIG. 12
`-----------------------------------------------------------------.
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE SERVER 126
`:
`
`MULTIPOINT
`TELEPHONE
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`MANAGING
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`SECTION 4
`SECTION 2
`SECTION 1
`'
`--------- --------------------- --------------------- -----------~
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`AUDIO
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`TERMINAL J
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`~~--------------- ---------------------1-----------~-----------1----------------------~
`S234
`
`0012
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 12 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 A1
`
`FIG. 13
`
`TELEPHONE CONFERENCE SERVER 126
`
`TELEPHONE
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`MANAGING
`SECTION 1
`
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`AUDIO
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`TERMINAL l
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`A ~ CHANNE~ 21 TO TERMINAL C 121
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`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 13 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 A1
`
`FIG. 14
`
`TELEPHONECONFERENCESERVER126
`
`TELEPHONE
`CONFERENCE
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`SECTION 1
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`PROCESS OF DISCO~NECTING CONTROL CHANN~L 13 TO TERMINAL B 119 ~~52
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`"-.._/I~ TERMINAL B 119 (10)
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`20 TO TERMINAL B 119
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`AUDIO COMMUNICATION (21)
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`

`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 14 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 A1
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`SOFTWARE
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`
`Patent Application Publication Sep. 22, 2005 Sheet 18 of 19
`
`US 2005/0207357 A1
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`
`FIG. 20
`
`0020
`
`

`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
`
`Sep.22,2005
`
`1
`
`MULTIPOINT CONFERENCING SYSTEM
`EMPLOYING IP NETWORK AND ITS
`CONFIGURATION METHOD
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0001] The present invention relates to a telephone con(cid:173)
`ferencing system employing a network and its configuration
`system, and more particularly to a multipoint conferencing
`system employing an IP network of a many-participant type,
`which has the terminals arranged at a plurality of points, and
`its configuration method.
`[0002] Recently, an IP telephone of which a call between
`companions of an identical network/provider/terminal is
`basically free of charge has prevailed. In such a telephone,
`it can be thought that the IP network to be utilized for a
`connection thereof, which is a packet switching network, is
`utilized for telephone-conference-manner communication of
`a many-participant type because its multicast function can
`be employed. This system of the IP telephone (hereinafter,
`referred to as a terminal), in which a one-to-one call is
`normally made between the terminals, is a system for, by
`expanding this function to make a connection between each
`of a plurality of the terminals and the other, enabling a
`conference at which many persons participate to be held.
`
`[0003] The method shown in FIG. 15 is listed as a first
`method of the conventional example of this type. In the
`example shown in FIG. 15, each of all terminals A to C
`participating in the conference mutually transmits/receives
`audio data to/from all of the other call companions via an
`internet/IP network.
`
`[0004] The characteristic of this method lies in that the
`telephone conferencing system can be constructed only by a
`functional expansion on the terminal side, and that no
`special server for constructing the telephone conferencing
`system is required.
`
`[0005] Also, there exists the method employing a multi(cid:173)
`point connection server as a second method. As shown in
`FIG. 16, this is a method of, in a case where each of the
`terminals A to C makes a speech, transmitting the audio data
`to the multipoint connection server to make a mixing
`(synthesis) of the audio data spoken at each terminal par(cid:173)
`ticipating in the conference by the multipoint connection
`server, and to transmit this one kind of the audio data, for
`which a mixing was made, to each terminal.
`
`[0006] The characteristic of this method lies in that also in
`a case where the participant number of the telephone con(cid:173)
`ference increases, a throughput at each terminal participat(cid:173)
`ing in the conference is the same as the case of one-to-one
`communication.
`
`[0007] Also, as a third method, there exists the method
`employing a multipoint connection server to be disclosed in
`the patent document 1 (Publication of U.S. Pat. No. 2,970,
`645). As shown in FIG. 17, this is a method of detecting a
`processing load of each terminal participating in the tele(cid:173)
`phone conference by a multipoint connection server 100 to
`control a audio data packet, which is transmitted from the
`multipoint connection server, based upon the above process(cid:173)
`ing load information.
`
`[0008] The characteristic of this method lies in, before the
`processing load at the terminal participating in the telephone
`
`conference nears to a limit of its ability, suppressing an
`increase in the processing load at its terminal, which makes
`it possible to suppress a delay accompanied by the process(cid:173)
`ing on the side of the terminal that received the audio data.
`[0009] Also, as a fourth method, is listed another method
`to be disclosed in the patent document 1. As shown in FIG.
`18, this is a method of detecting a time of a audio data arrival
`(delay) at each terminal participating in the telephone con(cid:173)
`ference by a multipoint connection server 1000 to control a
`audio data packet, which is transmitted from the multipoint
`connection server, based upon the above arrival time infor(cid:173)
`mation.
`[0010] The speakers increase and the audio data packet to
`be transmitted augments correspondingly, whereby a delay
`due to tightness occurs in some cases, depending upon the
`status of a transmission line, and the characteristic of this
`method lies in that occurrence of such a problem can be
`avoided in advance by changing a transfer method of the
`audio data packet to be transmitted, based upon the above
`arrival time information.
`[0011] Also, as a fifth method, there exists the method to
`be disclosed in the patent document 2 (Publication of U.S.
`Pat. No. 3,457,202). As shown in FIG. 19, this is a method
`of, on the assumption that even though the multipoint
`connection server is employed, a mixing of the audio data is
`not made in the multipoint connection server, regarding a
`predetermined terminal as a speaker, thereby to perform a
`process of distributing only the audio data coming from the
`above speaker's terminal to all of the other terminals par(cid:173)
`ticipating in the conference for transmission, and a process
`of switching the speaker.
`[0012] The characteristic of this method lies in that the
`multipoint connection server does not make a mixing of the
`audio data, whereby a throughput in the multipoint connec(cid:173)
`tion server is fewer as compared with that of the second
`method.
`[0013] Also, as a sixth method, as shown in FIG. 20, there
`exists the method of controlling audio communication
`between each of the terminals participating in the conference
`and the other so that even though the multipoint connection
`server is employed, it is only one-to-one communication that
`is concurrently made.
`[0014] The characteristic of this method lies in that the
`multipoint connection server performs only a process of
`switching the speaker, whereby a throughput in the multi(cid:173)
`point connection server is fewer as compared with that of the
`fifth method to the extent that a process is spared of
`distributing the audio data coming from the speaker's ter(cid:173)
`minal to all of the other terminals participating in the
`conference for transmission.
`[Patent document 1] Publication of U.S. Pat.
`[0015]
`No. 2,970,645
`
`[0016]
`[Patent document 2] Publication of U.S. Pat.
`No. 3,457,202
`
`[0017] Of the forgoing methods conventionally per(cid:173)
`formed, the first method has not only the controversial point
`that as the number of the terminals participating in the
`conference increases, the throughput at each terminal aug(cid:173)
`ments and exceeds a processing ability thereof, but also the
`controversial point that as the number of the terminal
`
`0021
`
`

`
`US 2005/0207357 Al
`
`Sep.22,2005
`
`2
`
`participating in the conference increases, the data amount
`flowing within the network also augments. For example,
`with a one-to-one call, two kinds of the audio data, which are
`speech audio data of both terminals, flow at a hi-direction;
`however when the number of the terminals participating in
`the conference is three, each terminal has to transmit the
`audio data, which the terminal itself spoke, to the remaining
`(3-1=2) two terminals, so 2x3=6 kinds of the audio data
`result in flowing, likewise, with four terminals, 3x4=12
`kinds of the audio data, that is, in case where the number of
`the participants is N, (N-1)xN kinds of the audio data flow
`therein, which causes the data amount to augment.
`
`[0018] Also, one kind of the audio data for which a mixing
`was made by the multipoint connection server is transmitted
`to each terminal in the second method, thereby making it
`poss