PTO/AIA/15 (07-12)
`Approvedfor use through 01/31/2014. OMB 0651-0032
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unlessit displays a valid OMB contrel number.
`UTILITY
`MEET 12.002
`PATENT APPLICATION
`DYE, Thomas
`First Inventor
`
`T RAN S M ITTAL
`Title
`VOICE CONFERENCE CALL USING PSTN AND INTERNET NETWORKS
`(Only fornew nonprovisional applications under 37 CFR 1.53(b))
`Express Mail Label No.,
`Commissionerfor Patents
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria VA 22313-1450
`
`APPLICATION ELEMENTS
`See MPEP chapter 600 conceming utility patent application contents.
`
`ADDRESSTO:
`
`1 FeeTransmittal Form.
`or equivalen
`2.
`Applicant claims small entity status.
`See 37 CER 1.27.
`.
`[Total Pages 21
`3.[V] Specification.
`Both the claims and abstract must start on a new page
`(For information on the preferred arrangement, see MPEP § 608.01(a))
`4.
`Drawing(s). (35 U.S.C. 113)
`[Total Sheets 5
`5. Inventor's Oath or Declaration.
`[Total Sheets 3
`(including substitute statements under 37 CFR 1.64 and assignments serving as an
`oath or declaration under 37 CFR 1.63(e))
`Newly executed(original or copy)
`A copyfrom a prior application (37 CFR 1.63(d))
`Application Data Sheet. *see Note below.
`See 37 CFR 1.76 (PTO/AIA/M4 or equivalent)
`
`]
`]
`
`7. CL]
`
`CD-ROMor CD-R.
`in duplicate, large table or Computer Program (Appendix)
`
`ACCOMPANYING APPLICATION PARTS
`.
`9. rt AssignmentPapers.
`(cover sheet & document(s))
`Nameof Assignee
`
`
`10. cm 37 CFR 3.73(c) Statement.
`(when there is an assignee)
`
`Power of Attorney.
`
`
`
`11. Pt English Translation Document.
`(if applicable)
`12. rt Information Disclosure Statement.
`(PTO/SB/08 or PTO-1449)
`[Icopies of citations attached
`13. PI Preliminary Amendment.
`14. F"} Return Receipt Postcard.
`(MPEP § 503) (Should he specifically itemized)
`
`15. {| Certified Copy of Priority Document(s).
`(if foreign priority is claimed)
`
`16.
`
`CL] Landscape Table on CD
`8. Nucleotide and/or Amino Acid Sequence Submission.
`(if applicable, items a.—c. are required)
`a. CL] Computer Readable Form (CRF)
`Nonpublication Request.
`b. cI Specification SequenceListing on:
`Under36 U.S.C. 122(b)(2}(B)(i).. Applicant must attach form PTO/SB/35 or
`equivalent.
`i. C]
`CD-ROMor CD-R(2 copies); or
`17. [Vv lother: Substitute specification marked, substitute specification clean
`ii. LC Paper
`c. [| Statements verifying identity of abave copies
`
`*Notes (1} Benefit claims under 37 CFR 1.78 and foreign priority claims under 1.55 mast be included in an Apptication Data Sheet (ADS).
`(2) For applications fled under 35 U.S.C. 171, the application must contain an ADS specifying ine applicant Wf tne apphcantis an
`assignee, parson to whom the inventor is under an abligatian fo assign, ar person wha otherwise shaws sufficient propriatary
`interest in the matter. See 37 CFR 1.46(b).
`
`18. CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS
`
`
`
`The address associated with Customer Number: 48008 Correspondence address below OR
`
`
`
`Michael A. Kerr
`
`Address
`
`P.O. Box 18600
`
`
`
`Signature Date|November9, 2012/Michael A. Kerr/
`
`
`
`Michael A. Kerr
`
`This collection of information is required by 37 CFR 1.53(b). The information is required to obtain or retain a benefit by the public whichis to file (and by the
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`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Department of Commerce, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria. VA 22313-1450. DO NOT SEND FEES OR COMPLETED
`FORMSTO THIS ADDRESS. SEND TO: Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
`ifyou need assistance in completing the form, call 1-800-PTO-9199 and select option 2.
`
`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 1 of 416
`
`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 1 of 416
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`

`

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`A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the public after
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`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 2 of 416
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`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 2 of 416
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`

`

`
`
`~~
`
`~~
`
`DECLARATION AND POWER OF ATTORNEY
`
`Attomey Docket Number 5757-00601
`
`As a below namedinventor, I hereby declare that:
`
`Myresidence,post office address, and citizenship are as stated below next to my name.
`
`I believe I am theoriginal, first and sole inventor(if only one nameis listed below) or an original, first and
`
`joint inventor (if plural names are listed below) of the subject matter which is claimed and for which a patentis
`
`sought on the invention entitled “MEDLA BASED COLLABORATION USING MIXED-MODE PSTN AND
`
`INTERNET NETWORKS,”the specification of which:
`
`(] is attached hereto.
`
`(1 wasfiled on March 9, 2004 as Application Serial No. 10/796,560
`and was amended on
`(if applicable).
`
`I hereby state that I have reviewed and understand the contents of the above-identified specification,
`including the claims, as amended by any amendmentreferred to above.
`
`I acknowledge the duty to disclose to the Patent and Trademark Office all information known to me to be
`material to patentability of the subject matter claimed in this application, as “materiality” is defined in 37 CFR. §
`1.56.
`
`T hereby claim foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or § 365(b) of any foreign
`application(s) for patent or inventor's certificate listed below, or under § 365(a) of any PCT international application
`listed below designating at least one country other than the United States of America, and have identified below any
`foreign application for patent or inventor's certificate, or of any PCT international application, having a filing date
`before that of the application on which priority is claimed.
`
`Cert. copy
`Priority
`Filing Date
`Country
`Prior Foreign Application No.
`
`(mm/dd/yy) Claimed=Attached
`N/A
`
`I hereby claim the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(€) of any United States provisional application(s) listed
`
`below.
`
`Provisional Application No.
`
`60/453 ,307
`
`Filing Date
`(mm/dd/yy)
`
`03/10/03
`
`I hereby claim the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of any United States application(s) listed below, or under
`§ 365(c) of any PCTinternational application listed below designating the United States of America, and, insofar as
`the subject matter of each of the claims of this application is not disclosed in the prior United States or PCT
`international application in the manner provided by the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. § 112, I acknowledge the duty to
`disclose all information known to me to be material to the patentability of the subject matter claimed in this
`application, as “materiality” is defined in 37 C.F.R. § 1.56, which became available between the filing date of the
`prior application and the national or PCT internationalfiling date of this application.
`
`Parent Application No.
`
`N/A
`
`Filing Date
`(mm/dd/yy)
`
`Parent Patent No. (if applicable) or Status
`
`
`
`
`
`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 3 of 416
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`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 3 of 416
`
`

`

`b
`
`“mn,
`
`Attorney Docket Number 5757-00601
`
`I hereby revoke any previous Powers of Attorney and appoint Jeffrey C. Hood, Reg. No. 35,198; B. Noél
`Kivlin, Reg. No. 33,929; Robert C. Kowert Reg, No. 39,255; Eric B. Meyertons, Reg. No. 34,876; Mark S.
`Williams, Reg. No. 50,658; and Mark K. Brightwell, Reg. No. 47,446; with full power of substitution and
`tevocation, to prosecute the application, to makealterations and amendments therein, to transactall business in the
`Patent and Trademark Office in connection therewith, and to receive the Letters Patent.
`
`Please direct all communications to:
`
`Jeffrey C. Hood
`Meyertons Hood Kivlin Kowert & Goetzel PC
`P.O. Box 398
`Austin, Texas 78767-0398
`Phone: (512) 853-8800
`
`I hereby declare thatall statements made herein of my own knowledge are true and thatall statements made
`herein on information and belief are believed to be true; and further that these statements were made with the
`knowledge that willful false statements and the like so made are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, under
`18 U.S.C. § 1001 and that such willful false statements may jeopardize the validity of the application or any patent
`issued thereon.
`
`Inventor's Full Name:
`
`Thomas A. Dye
`
`
`
`Inventor'sSignature: LL>‘ Date:Gp5pBY
`
`City and State (or Foreign Country) of Residence:
`
`Austin, TX
`
`Citizenship:
`
`U.S.A.
`
`Post Office and Residence Address:
`
`6621 Candle Ridge Cove, Austin, TX 78731
`(Include number, street name,city, state and zip code)
`
`Inventor's Full Name:
`
`Thomas A, Dundon
`
`Inventor's Signature:
`
`Date:
`
`City and State (or Foreign Country) of Residence:
`
`Austin, TX
`
`Citizenship:
`
`ULS.A.
`
`Post Office and Residence Address:
`
`3505 Eldorado Tr., Austin, TX 78739
`(include number,street name,city, state and zip code)
`
`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 4 of 416
`
`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 4 of 416
`
`

`

`‘
`
`~~
`
`a™
`
`Attorney Docket Number 5757-00601
`
`] hereby revoke any previous Powers of Attorney and appoint Jeffrey C. Hood, Reg. No. 35,198; B. Noél
`Kivlin, Reg. No. 33,929; Robert C. Kowert Reg. No. 39,255; Eric B. Meyertons, Reg. No. 34,876; Mark S.
`Williams, Reg. No. 50,658; and Mark K. Brightwell, Reg. No. 47,446; with full power of substitution and
`revocation, to prosecute the application, to make alterations and amendments therein, to transact all business in the
`Patent and Trademark Office in connection therewith, and to receive the Letters Patent.
`
`Please direct all communications to:
`
`Jeffrey C. Hood
`Meyertons Hood Kivlin Kowert & Goetzel PC
`P.O. Box 398
`Austin, Texas 78767-0398
`Phone: (512) 853-8800
`
`I hereby declare that all statements made herein of my own knowledgeare true and thatall statements made
`herein on information and belief are believed to be true; and further that these statements were made with the
`knowledge that willful false statements and the like so made are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, under
`18 U.S.C. § 1001 and that such willful false statements may jeopardize the validity of the application or any patent
`issued thereon.
`
`Inventor's Full Name:
`
`Inventor's Signature:
`
`Thomas A. Dye
`
`Date:
`
`Cityand State (or Foreign Country) of Residence:
`
`.
`
`Austin, TX
`
`Citizenship:
`
`U.S.A.
`
`Post Office and Residence Address:
`
`6621 Candle Ridge Cove, Austin, TX 78731
`(Include number, street name, city, state and zip code)
`
`Inventor's Full Name:
`
`Thomas A. Dundon
`
`Inventor'sSignature:
`
`oSinh,ms sK }‘nolo -
`
`Austin, TX
`
`City and State (or Foreign Country) of Residence:
`
`Date:
`
`Citizenship:
`
`2. Aepc
`
`Post Office and Residence Address:
`
`3505 Eldorado Tr., Austin, TX 78739
`(Include number,street name,city, state and zip code)
`
`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 5 of 416
`
`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 5 of 416
`
`

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`CSCO-1002
`CISCO SYSTEMS, INC. / Page 6 of 416
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`aE
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`PSTN Client
`412
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`FIG. 6
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`Priority Claim
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`This application claims benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application Serial No.
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`60/453,307titled "THE METHOD AND PROCESS FOR MEDIA BASED
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`COLLABORATION USING MIXED-MODE PSTN AND INTERNET NETWORKS’ filed
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`March 10, 2003, whoseinventors are Thomas A. Dye and Tom Dundon which is hereby
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`incorporated by referencein its entirety.
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`Field of the Invention
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`The present invention relates to computer system architectures and more
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`particularly to audio and video telecommunications for collaboration over hybrid
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`networks.
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`Description of the Related Art
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`Since their introduction in the early 1980's, audio/video conferencing systems
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`("video conferencing systems") have enabled users to communicate between remote
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`sites using telephone lines based on dedicated or switched networks. Recently,
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`technology and products to achieve the same overInternet Protocol have been
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`attempted. Many such systems have emerged on the marketplace. Such systems
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`produce low-frame-rate and low quality communications due to the unpredictable nature
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`of the Internet. Such connections have been known to produce long latencies with
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`limited bandwidth, resulting in jerky video, dropped audio and lossoflip sync.
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`Therefore, most video conferencing solutions have relied on dedicated switched
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`networks such as T1/T3, ISDN or ATM. These systems have the disadvantage of higher
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`cost and complexity and a lack of flexibility due largely to interoperability issues and
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`higher costclient equipment. High costs are typically related to expensive conferencing
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`hardware and dedicated pay-per-minute communications usage. Most often these
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`dedicated communications circuits are switched circuits which use a fixed bandwidth
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`allocation.
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`In most prior art systems the public switched telephone network (PSTN) is used
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`to transfer audio during conferencing and collaboration with remote parties. It is known
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`that quality of audio reception is poor overtypical prior art Internet protocol (IP)
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`systems. Prior art audio/video conferencing systems which use IP networks for audio
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`and video transport lack the ability to terminate audio to client end systems through both
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`PSTN and IP networks. Thus, it is desirable to achieve a hybrid mix of audio and video
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`data over PSTN and IP based audio/video conferencing to achieve full duplex real-time
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`operation for all conference participants.
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`Modem voice over IP telephony systems have used the H.323 standard from the
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`international telecommunications union (1TU). The H.323 standard focuses on the
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`transmission of audio and video information through the Internet or switched private
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`networks. Figure 1 illustrates a prior art H.323 system. The block diagram of Figure 1
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`includes a number of major components, including the general Internet 435, Internet
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`H.323 bridges or gateways 411, telecommunications PSTN 433 (Public Switched
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`Telephone Network), wireless and land-line phone handsets 412/413, standard Internet
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`router 453, an optional gatekeeper 205, a multipoint control unit 203, a standard local
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`area network 457, a voice over IP server running the H.323 protocol 201, and multiple
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`I/O and display terminals 455. Figure 1
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`is an example of the prior art conferencing
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`system used between hybrid networks connecting the PSTN and Internet. Hybrid
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`networks are used to communicate audio on internal LAN and W AN networksas well
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`as transfer of audio to the existing telephone or PSTN network. While the H.323
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`recommendation allows for video conferencing, the prior art systems use private
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`switched networksto establish transport that require expensive H.323 bridges between
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`dedicated networks and the PSTN. Each of the componentsin Figure 3 servesthis
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`purpose to achieve audio telecommunications between multiple parties.
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`Referring again to Figure 1, the components of Figure 1 are interconnected as
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`follows. Prior art technology uses PC or client terminals 455 connected through a local
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`area network 457 to either a data server or a specialized audio/video server 201. The
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`network server 201 contains the application necessary to generate the H.323 network
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`protocol. The data server 201 may be connected to a local gatekeeper 205 thatis
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`responsible for management control functions. As known the gatekeeper 205is
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`responsible for various duties such as admission control, status determination, and
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`bandwidth management. Data server 201 functions are specified and handled through
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`the ITU-H.225.0RAS recommendations. In addition, management control unit (MCU)
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`203 is connected to the data server 201. The multipoint control unit of a 203 is required
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`by the eight-step ITU- 5 H.323 recommendation for flexibility to negotiate end points and
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`determine compatible setups for any conference media correspondents. The multipoint
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`control unit 203 enables communication between three or more end points. Similar to a
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`multipoint bridge, the gatekeeper 205 and the multipoint control unit 203 are optional
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`componentsof the H.323 enabled network. Anotheruseful job of the multipoint control
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`unit 203 is to determine whether to unicast or multicast the aucio or video streams. As
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`known by one skilled in the art, these decisions are dependent on the capability of the
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`underlying network and the topology of the multipoint conference. The multipoint control
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`unit 203 determines the capabilities of each client tennina1455 and status each of
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`media stream.
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`Again referring to Figure 1 a standard networkrouter 453 is connected between
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`the local area network 457 and the Internet 435. At the outer edges of the Internet,
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`"points of presence" are located at multiple end-point or call termination sites. Gateways
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`411 are used to the transcode the H.323 network information onto the PSTN 433.
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`Standard telephone handsets 413 or wireless phones 412 are connected to the PSTN
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`telephony system.
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`Figure 2 illustrates the embodiment of the H.323 protocol stack 200, its
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`components and their interfaces to the local area network computers at the network
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`interface 300. The input and control devices 455 along with a local area network 457 of
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`Figure 1 are shownin Figure 2, consisting of the audio input output block 452, the video
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`input and output block 451, the system control unit and data collaboration unit 459.
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`Theseinput devices are largely responsible for the delivery of media data to the H.323
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`protocol stack 200 shownin Figure 2.
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`Again referring to Figure 2 the sub blocksof functionality that make up the H.323
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`protocol stack 200 is described. The H.323 protocol stack consists ofan audio codec
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`211, a video CoDec 213 connected to the audio/video 452 451 input and output blocks.
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`The audio and video CoDecs are responsible for compression and decompression of
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`the audio and video sources. The real-time network protocol component215 is
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`connected to the audio video CoDecsand is also responsible for preparation of the
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`media data for transport according to the RTP (real-time protocol) recommendations.
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`Again referring to the prior art system of Figure 2, the H.323 protocol stack has a
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`system control unit 459 which connects to multiple control blocks within the H.323
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`protocol stack 200. The system control unit connects to the RTC Protocol block 217 for
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`real-time transport of the control information used to set-up and tear downthe
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`conference. The system control unit 459 also connects to the call-signaling units 221
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`and 219 for call signaling protocols and media stream packetization application used for
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`packet based multimedia communications. The system control unit 459 also connects to
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`the control signaling block 223 used for control of protocols for multimedia
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`communications. Lastly, the H.323 recommendation defines a data collaboration
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`capability as known and outlined in the T.120 data collaboration unit 225.
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`All of the defined blocks make up the H.323 protocol network interface to the
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`Transport protocol and networkinterface unit 300 for transport of data through the
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`modem or router 453 to the Internet 435.
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`Summaryofthe Invention
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`The present invention comprises various embodiments which enable audio from
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`standard and wireless telephones systems to be mixed with audio, video and
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`collaboration data resident in IP networksin preparation for transport, preferably over a
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`novel multicasting technique using virtual private networks. In one embodiment, audio
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`data terminating or originating from the PSTN may be multiplexed into openor private
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`IP networksfor efficient transport to multiple local or remote client computers. This
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`allows video and audio collaboration clients to talk with remote telephony devices during
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`the processof Multiparty audio/video conferencing.
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`In an alternate embodiment, without video conferencing, the method may use
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`public networksto transport a multicast enabled IP audio stream during multi-party
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`audio conferencing without the need for a conventional audio bridge device. Audio data
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`is transported in a hybrid network comprising the PSTN and IP network.In this
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`embodiment, a localclient initiates a call to the remote telephone or wireless telephony
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`device from a local dial-out application located preferably on the clients' computer. Call
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`set-up is initiated as a series of control packet data transfers to a Voice-over-IP (VoIP)
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`server or PSTN gateway located at some predetermined Internet address on the world-
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`wide-web. Control data packets are transported to the VoIP server via a sec1|:fe
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`multicast enabled virtual private network. The local client computer compresses the
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`audio data prior to transport to the VoIP server. The VoIP Server uses standard ITU-T,
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`H.323 or SIP audio telephony transport protocol on the primary network connection
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`protocol in preparation for entry to the secondary PSTN. The H.323 or SIP call
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`instantiation is a protocol completed by the VoIP server which requests further transport
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`of the digitized audio stream through a gatewayto the public PSTN. In this embodiment,
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`the majority of the audio data in transport overvirtual private tunnels is multicast
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`enabled such that the final termination or origination points are geographically close to
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`the local or remote client computers. Once the proprietary data packets are handed off
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`to the VoIP server or remote PSTN gateway, the invention ensures that standard
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`protocols such as H.323 or SIP are used to further process for audio call set-up, tear-
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`down and transport as know by those knowledgeable in the art.
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`The H.323 or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) are used for call set-up of the
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`network connections between the Hybrid networks and the remote telephone(s)
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`(PSTN). Once IP network to PSTNcall connection is established, compressed digitized
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`audio packet data is grouped into multicast packets and encapsulated for traversal
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`through the openInternet. Transport between the remote PSTN client (Callee) and the
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`Local (Caller) is accomplished with full duplex audio betweenall audio and video
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`participants within the conference. In one embodiment, compression may be
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`accomplished with a standard audio CoDec suchas that specified in the ITV-T G.729
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`recommendation or with a proprietary audio CoDec as know in the art. Thus, audio data
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`transcoders at the VoIP server may be used to match the expected audio decoders
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`located at the PSTN gateways. The unique process compressesthe "Callee" audio data
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`at the local client computerprior to multicast transport to other remote clients and to the
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`VoIP server. This process minimizes the transport bandwidth during the first mile
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`connection to/from the Internet.
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`In one embodiment, the method for adding a telephone participant to a
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`multiparticipant video conference operatesas follows. A first message is sent to each of
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`a plurality of multicast appliances overthe Internet, wherein the first message
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`comprises a group address which identifies participants. Each of the multicast
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`appliances receivesthe first message. A plurality of virtual private networks are then
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`established across the Internet between the multicast appliances. As a result, one or
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`more of the participants are able to communicatein the multi-participant video
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`conference. The telephone participant then joins the multi-participant video conference
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`wherein this comprisesa first participant contacting the telephone participant;
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`establishing a phone number with a voIP server; the VoIP server communicating with a
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`gatewayto call the telephone participant; and the telephone participant participating in
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`the multi-participant video conference.
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`In one embodiment, the telephone participant participates in the multi-participant
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`video conference as follows: the telephone participant speaking in the video conference;
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`generating digital voice data in response to the telephone participant speaking;
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`transforming the digital voice data into IP packets; transmitting the IP packets containing
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`the digital voice data to the first participant; at a computer system ofthe first participant,
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`decoding the IP packets containing the digital voice data to producethe digital voice
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`data; mixing the digital voice data of the telephone participant with digital voice data of
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`the first participant; and providing the mixed digital voice data of the telephone
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`participant and the first participant to the