Apparatus and method for multi-station conferencing

Abstract

A system and method for multi-media half-duplex conferencing in a computer network comprising a plurality of stations and a control server. The method and system include, respectively, means for and the steps of receiving a packet at the server from one station of the plurality of stations including a digital representation of information of at least one information type selected from audio information and video Information, identifying the station as a transmitting station, blocking packets transmitted from the plurality of stations at the server except from the first transmitting station, distributing packets from the transmitting station, thereby providing audio information generated by a user of the transmitting stations to users of the other stations of the plurality of stations and repeating the steps of receiving, identifying, blocking and transmitting for a different one of the plurality of station, thereby replacing the transmitting station with a different transmitting station, thereby providing the half-duplex multi-station conference.

1 . A method for multi-media half-duplex conferencing in a computer network comprising a plurality of stations and a control server, the method comprising the steps of; 
 receiving a packet at said server from one station of said plurality of stations including a digital representation of information of at least one information type selected from audio information and video information:    identifying said station as a transmitting station;    blocking packets transmitted from said plurality of stations at said server except from said first transmitting station;    distributing packets from said transmitting station, thereby providing audio information generated by a user of said transmitting stations to users of the other stations of said plurality of stations; and    repeating said steps of receiving, identifying, blocking and transmitting for a different one of said plurality of station, thereby replacing said transmitting station with a different transmitting station, thereby providing said half-duplex multi-station conference.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said step of replacing comprises the steps of receiving a packet indicating an end of transmission of said representation of said Information; and 
 receiving a packet from a different station, thereby providing said identification of said second transmitting station.  
 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said step of replacing comprises the steps of not receiving packets from said transmitting station for a predetermined period of time; and 
 receiving a packet from said second station after said predetermined period of time, thereby providing said activation of said second transmitting station.  
 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  and further comprising the step of visually indicating to said users which user utilizing the station which is said transmitting station.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein said step of indicating comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting a packet including a user Identification from said first station to said control server;  
 adding said user identification to a participants list of users participating is said half-duplex conference, thereby providing a current participants list;  
 storing said current identification list with an indication which station is the current transmitting user;  
 providing said user identification list in said stations; and  
 displaying said identification list including said indication of said current transmitting user.  
 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein said step of storing comprises the steps of: 
 storing an update of said current participants list with an indication which station is the current transmitting user;  
 retrieving said update in said stations; and  
 displaying said update including said indication of said current transmitting user.  
 
     
     
         7 . A method for visually indicating to participants of a multi-station conference, which participant is the current active participant, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a list of participants in said multi-station conference;    determining a participant as a currently active participant; and    indicating to other participants of said multi-station conference who is the currently active participant or participants.    
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said step of indicating comprising the steps of: 
 providing said participants list or an updated portion thereof with an indication of the currently active participant; and  
 displaying said identification list including said indication of said current active participant or participants.  
 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said steps of providing said participant list and said step of providing are independent of said step of indicating.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said conference is a half-duplex multi-station conference or a full-duplex multi-station conference.  
     
     
         11 . A system for multi-media half-duplex conferencing in a computer network comprising a plurality of stations and a control server comprising: 
 means for receiving a packet at said server from one station of said plurality of stations including a digital representation of information of at least one information type selected from audio information and video information;    means for activating said station as a transmitting station;    means for blocking packets from said plurality of stations except from said first transmitting station;    means for distributing packets from said transmitting station, thereby providing audio information generated by a user of said transmitting stations to users of the other stations of said plurality of stations; and    means for repeating said steps of receiving, activating, blocking and transmitting for a different one of said plurality of station, thereby providing said half-duplex multi-station conference.    
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 11  wherein said means for replacing comprises means for receiving a packet indicating an end of transmission of said representation of said information; and 
 means for receiving a packet from said different one of said plurality of stations, thereby providing said activation of said second transmitting station.  
 
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 11  wherein said means for replacing comprises means for determining non-receipt of packets from said transmitting station for a predetermined period of time; and 
 means for receiving a packet from said different one of said plurality of stations after said predetermined period of time, thereby providing said activation of said second transmitting station.  
 
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 11  and further comprising means for visually indicating to said users which user utilizing the station which is said transmitting station.  
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 14  wherein said step of indicating comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting a packet including a user identification from said first station to said control server;  
 adding said user identification to an identification list of users participating is said half-duplex conference, thereby providing a current identification list;  
 storing said current identification list with an indication which station is the current transmitting user;  
 retrieving said user identification list in said stations and  
 displaying said identification list including said indication of said current transmitting user.  
 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 15  wherein said means for storing comprises: 
 means for storing an update of said current identification list with an indication which station is the current transmitting user;  
 means for retrieving said update in said stations; and  
 means for displaying said update including said indication of said current transmitting user.  
 
     
     
         17 . A system for visually indicating to participants of a multi-station conference, which participant is the current active participant comprising: 
 an operator for providing a participant lists or an update thereof; and    a conference bridge server connected to first means for determining a currently active participant and to second means independent of said first means for providing said visual indication of said currently active participant to said participants of said multi-station conference.    
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 17  wherein said conference bridge server comprises: 
 a CPU for receiving said participant lists or said update thereof;  
 a storage unit for storing said participant lists and said updates thereof; and  
 a voice activity unit connected to said first means for detecting said currently active participant,  
 wherein said CPU is operative to provide to said participants said participants list or an update thereof upon with an indication of said currently active user upon detecting a currently active user by said voice activity unit.  
 
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 17  wherein said first means are telephony means and said second means are computer network means.  
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 17  wherein said conference is a half-duplex multi-station conference or a full-duplex multi-station conference.