At+t Corp.

Other

Ashok K Kuthyar

Ram S Ramamurthy

Peter H Stuntebeck

Robert Edward Markowitz

Antonio DeSimone

Kenneth H Rosen

David Hilton Shur

Sanjay Agraharam

Joseph Golan

Carlos Alberto Perea

Robert F Mortenson

Bryant Richard Parent

Barin Geoffry Haskell

Murali Aravamudan

Roy Philip Weber

Joseph Thomas O'Neil

Radhika R Roy

Mehmet Reha Civanlar

Howard Paul Katseff

Bethany Scott Robinson

Sandeep Sibal

James Robert Ensor

Sudhir Raman Ahuja

Steven Howard Nurenberg

Mon-Mei Chen

Ramarao Pemmaraju

Ram S Mamamurthy

Joseph Thomas O'neil

Ram S Ramaurthy

Antonio Desimone

We have realized that for a connection over a large data network, such as an Internet connection that couples a web access device to a terminal server connected to an applications server, delays associated with the process of downloading large data files over such a connection, occur primarily in the leg of the connection that couples the applications server to a terminal server while little congestion is typically observed in the leg of the connection that couples the Internet access device to the terminal server. The aforementioned delay is reduced by establishing a separate connection from the applications server to the Point Of Presence server outside or independently of the backbone of the large data network thereby allowing users to receive enhanced grade of service for file transfer operations.

System for providing enhanced grade of service for connections over a large network

In a multicast capable IP network implemented over an ATM network, each client terminal on a multimedia conference, for each media type it transmits, is assigned a multicast IP address and a port number (together known as a socket) on which to transmit packets, wherein each assigned multicast IP address is unique and different than the multicast IP address assigned to any other client for any media type. Each client terminal then selects, for each media type, which clients on the conference it wants to receive packets from. Only packets that are in fact requested by a client are routed over the multicast IP network to the requesting client. A single special purpose Multicast Address Resolution System (MARS) server is associated with the conference when the conference is established. Each client terminal uses that MARS server, whether on the same or different IP sub-networks, but on a common ATM network, for purposes of mapping the multicast IP addresses used in the conference into a set of unicast ATM endpoint addresses used by the ATM-connected client terminals. Similarly, when a specific conference uses a Multicast Server, a single special purpose Multicast Server is used for all clients on the conference, whether on the same or different IP sub-networks, for purposes of establishing point-to-multipoint ATM connections to the conference endpoints.

Method for managing multicast addresses for transmitting and receiving

A network-based device creates composite video streams containing video images of users for display on video conferencing screens. Video image streams are cascaded through a series of quad boxes to create combined video streams and ultimately the composite video stream. The composite video stream produces a display grid comprised of a plurality of image boxes. The device uses quad box input port mapping to direct a specific video image stream to a specific image box by controlling the cascade path of each video image stream through the quad boxes in creating the composite video stream. A user interface permits a user to selectively determine the layout of user images on the video conferencing screen. Screen layout extends to size of each user image being incrementally controlled and location of each user image being selectively determined depending upon the size and the number of the various user images. By controlling size and location of each user image, the screen display area available for other uses, such as the display of applications programs, is increased.

Composite image display device and service for video conferencing

In a multicast capable IP network, each client terminal on a multimedia conference, for each media type it transmits, is assigned a multicast IP address and a port number (together known as a socket) on which to transmit packets, wherein each assigned multicast IP address is unique and different than the multicast IP address assigned to any other client for any media type. Each client terminal then selects, for each media type, which clients on the conference it wants to receive packets from. Only packets that are in fact requested by a client are routed over the multicast IP network to the requesting client. When a conference originator establishes the conference, a number of multicast IP addresses are allocated for later assignment to the clients during the conference. As each client joins the conference, it is assigned a multicast IP address from the allocated group for each media type it will transmit. Those assigned addresses are then marked as unavailable for assignment to any other client that subsequently joins the conference. When the original client later exits the conference, its assigned multicast IP address(es) is (are) marked as available for assignment to a later joining client. At the conclusion of the conference, all multicast IP addresses allocated to the conference are marked as available for use in another conference.

Real time delivery of multimedia information accessed either through the Internet, or otherwise, simultaneously, or sequentially time delayed to one more users, is enabled by delivering the multimedia information over a switched network via a multipoint control unit. A client establishes a connection with a server, or other remote location where desired multimedia information is resident, identifies the desired multimedia information and provides client information identifying the locations of the users. The client information may include the telephone numbers or other access numbers of each of the multiple users. The multimedia information is then delivered by a multimedia server to a bridging apparatus through a switched network guaranteeing high quality of service, secure connection and billing control. Connecting one or more users to a live agent is also made possible by providing the telephone numbers of the users and the live agent directly to the multipoint control unit. The delivery of the multimedia information can be secured by comparing the client information to a segmented 'to call' list to determine whether the client is authorized to receive the requested multimedia information. Alternatively, or in addition, security can be implemented by mounting a video camera at the client's endpoint and connecting a database running face recognition software to the multimedia server. The multimedia server's call to the user triggers the camera to take a picture of the user. The selected content is restricted to authorized users by comparing the picture to pictures of authorized faces stored in the database.

Multimedia information service access

Real-time multimedia services are transmitted over a hybrid network including a nonguaranteed quality of service packet switched local area network and a circuit switched ISDN wide area network having a centralized multimedia bridge located within the wide area network. The local area networks and multimedia bridge are interconnected via ISDN routers. An algorithm executed by the multimedia bridge receives signals from the packet switched network and detects the absence of properties needed for real-time audio visual services. The data signals are processed to compensate for the absence of the properties and then are transmitted over the wide area network to enable real-time audio visual services.

Packet mode multimedia conferencing services over an ISDN wide area

A communications system uses a World Wide Web (Web) server to provide multimedia messaging functions over the Internet. Multimedia workstations are interconnected via the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Parties are provided with multimedia mailboxes on message servers that are connected to the PSTN and the Internet. In order to identify the message server on which a called party's mailbox is located, the Web server provides the multimedia number of the called party's message server when a call is made. In addition, the Web server provides the multimedia number of the called party. When a multimedia call is unanswered, the system uses the multimedia number of the message server and the called party multimedia number provided by the Web server to record and store a message for the called party in the called party's mailbox.

Multimedia messaging using the internet

A method and system is disclosed for handling multimedia messages when the intended recipient is unavailable. The telecommunication based method and system allows a party to leave a greeting message which will be furnished to a caller when the party is unavailable. The method and system further allows a caller to leave a multimedia message for the unavailable intended recipient. The method and system further alerts the party that a multimedia message has been recorded and allows the party to retrieve the multimedia message.

Network based multimedia messaging method and system

A multimedia telecommunications network provides telephone service which may involve one or more of audio, video, and data communications. In one example of the invention, the multimedia telecommunications network contains a virtual meeting services complex which provides multimedia telecommunications service to subscribers of the network. Multimedia telephone calls can be completed automatically by the virtual meeting services complex in a manner similar to that now used to complete conventional audio telephone calls. The multimedia telecommunications network containing this virtual meeting services complex is able to connect together users having diverse equipment and is able to handle integrated and nonintegrated network access mechanisms.

Multimedia telecommunications network and service

Growing community of inventors

Holmdel, NJ, United States of America

Ashok K Kuthyar