8x8, Inc.

Netergy Networks, Inc.

Other

Ykk Corporation

8.times.8, Inc.

Netergy Microelectronics, Inc.

Barry Dean Andrews

Paul A Voois

Bryan R Martin

Ruili Hu

May Shu-Pei Chiang

Stephane Bryant

Marc Petit-Huguenin

Philip Stanley Bednarz

Truman Joe

Isabelle Dalmasso

Paul Ning

Paul C Ning

Katherine Wang Kwan

Aspects of the invention are directed to a telephony system that is adapted to receive, route, process, and deliver communications data using a cost-effective, user-friendly operations platform and a broadband communication network. For example, the system includes a computer server arrangement and a plurality of endpoint devices communicatively coupled to one or more communication channels comprising an Internet protocol (IP) network. Packet-based (VoIP) calls are transmitted over an IP network, and translated to standard PSTN call signals when necessary. The broadband telephony system of the present invention utilizes each user's own IP network endpoint device as not only each user's local gateway onto the IP network, but also as a remote gateway for bridging other user's calls from the IP network to a local PSTN network in order to reach non-users.

Distributed local telephony gateway

Aspects of the invention are directed to a telephony system that is adapted to receive, route, process, and deliver communications data using a cost-effective, user-friendly operations platform and a broadband communication network. For example, the system includes a computer server arrangement and a plurality of endpoint devices communicatively coupled to one or more communication channels comprising an Internet protocol (IP) network. Packet-based (VoIP) calls are transmitted over an IP network, and translated to standard PSTN call signals when necessary. The broadband telephony system of the present invention utilizes each user's own IP network endpoint device as not only each user's local gateway onto the IP network, but also as a remote gateway for bridging other user's calls from the IP network to a local PSTN network in order to reach non-users. Users access the VoIP network of the present invention using the user-owned equipment (as a VoIP network endpoint device) they already have in place for accessing the Internet through a broadband channel. Additionally, the VoIP-based telephony system of the present invention provides an integral means to reach many IP network non-users, thus more-quickly establishing a sufficiently large geographically-distributed communications system. According to a one example embodiment, a broadband telephony system includes a plurality of remote endpoint devices coupled to a broadband data network, and a plurality of remote PSTNs coupled between the plurality of remote endpoint devices and a plurality of remote audio interfaces. Each remote endpoint device is coupled to one remote PSTN, each remote PSTN is coupled to more than one remote endpoint device, each remote PSTN is coupled to at least one remote audio interface, and each remote audio interface is coupled to one remote PSTN. An originating endpoint device is then coupled to a destination audio interface for delivery of an audio signal using a database that is accessible over the broadband data network, for determining an optimized path for the audio signal from the originating endpoint device to the destination audio interface.

A multimedia communication arrangement processes and multiplexes different types of data, including data from an adaptive data rate data source and a nonadaptive data rate data source, to substantially increase data throughput over a communication channel. The rate at which data is collected from the adaptive data rate data source varies based on the available channel bandwidth of the modem. The transmission rate is optionally adjusted in response to a detected error rate. Furthermore, the amount of filtering performed by a video camera on an image before the image is encoded by a codec can be adjusted. In addition, a data recovery terminal optionally selectively adjusts intervals at which received audio data is sampled to potentially reduce latency periods.

Data processor having controlled scalable input data source and method thereof

According to one aspect of the disclosure, the present invention provides methods and arrangements for the removal or reduction of divergence artifacts between a transmitting codec and a receiving codec. One of a number of implementations includes using a deblocking filter in an inverse transformer loop and selectively disabling the filter upon certain conditions.

Deblocking filter for encoder/decoder arrangement and method with divergence reduction

According to one aspect of the disclosure, the present invention provides methods and arrangements for the removal or reduction of divergence artifacts between a transmitting codec and a receiving codec.

Deblocking filter for encoder/decoder arrangement and method with

A still image is progressively transmitted over a communications channel by computing, encoding, and outputting for transmission difference information representing the difference between the still image and a lower quality representation of the still image that has been received by a remote location. This process is repeated, with additional difference information being generated to supplement the image received at the remote location, such that the quality of the image at the remote location improves over time. The difference information may be encoded in a format compatible with existing video compression standards and processed by a receiving terminal regardless of the presence of still mode capability.

Progressive still frame mode

A still image is progressively transmitted over a communications channel by computing, encoding, and outputting for transmission difference information representing the difference between the still image and a previously-transmitted image that has been stored at a remote location. This process is repeated, with additional difference information being generated to supplement the image received at the remote location, such that the quality of the image at the remote location improves over time. The difference information may be encoded in a format compatible with existing video compression standards and processed by a receiving terminal regardless of the presence of still mode capability.

A multimedia communication system processes and multiplexes different types of data, including data from an adaptive data rate data source and a nonadaptive data rate data source, to substantially increase data throughput over a communication channel. The system includes: a first data source, responsive to a control signal, including a video image processor constructed to capture images and to present the images as a first type of data at a rate determined as a function of the control signal; at least one additional data source generating at least one additional data signal; a data signal processor that determines an available bandwidth factor for the communication channel, generates the control signal in response to this factor, collects the first type of data at a rate that varies in response to the available channel bandwidth of the modem, and collects the at least one additional type of data at at least one established rate. A communication channel modem transmits the data to a receiving terminal as the data is presented by the data signal processor.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Barry Dean Andrews