CA2296189C - System for teleconferencing in which collaboration types and participants by names or icons are selected by a participant of the teleconference - Google Patents

Abstract

A multimedia collaboration system that integrates separate real-time and asynchronous networks--the former for real-time audio and video, and the latter for control signals and textual, graphical and other data--in a manner that is interoperable across different computer and network operating system platforms and which closely approximates the experience of face-to-face collaboration, while liberating the participants from the limitations of time and distance. These capabilities are achieved by exploiting a variety of hardware, software and networking technologies in a manner that preserves the quality and integrity of audio/video/data and other multimedia information, even after wide area transmission, and at a significantly reduced networking cost as compared to what would be required by presently known approaches. The system architecture is readily scalable to the largest enterprise network environments.
It accommodates differing levels of collaborative capabilities available to individual users and permits high-quality audio and video capabilities to be readily superimposed onto existing personal computers and workstations and their interconnecting LANs and WANs. In a particular preferred embodiment, a plurality of geographically dispersed multimedia LANs are interconnected by a WAN. The demands made on the WAN are significantly reduced by employing multi-hopping techniques, including dynamically avoiding the unnecessary decompression of data at intermediate hops, and exploiting video mosaicing, cut-and-paste and audio mixing technologies so that significantly fewer wide area transmission paths are required while maintaining the high quality of the transmitted audio/video.

Description

SYSTEM FOR TELECONFERENCING IN WHICH COLLABORATION
TYPES AND PARTICIPANTS BY NAMES OR ICONS ARE
SELECTED BY A PARTICIPANT OF THE TELECONFERENCE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to computer-based systems for enhancing collaboration between and among individuals who are separated by distance andlor time (referred to herein as "distributed collaboration"). Principal among the invention's goals is to replicate in a desktop environment, to the maximum extent possible, the full range, level and intensity of interpersonal communication and information sharing which would occur if all the participants were together in the same room at the same time (referred to herein as "face-to-face collaboration").
It is well known to behavioral scientists that interpersonal communication involves a large number of subtle and complex visual cues, referred to by names like "eye contact" and "body language, " which provide additional information over and above the spoken words and explicit gestures. These cues are, for the most part, processed subconsciously by the participants, and often control the course of a meeting.
In addition to spoken words, demonstrative gestures and behavioral cues, collaboration often involves the sharing of visual information -- e.g., printed material such as articles, drawings, photographs, charts and graphs, as well as videotapes and computer-based animations, visualizations and other displays -- in such a way that the participants can collectively and interactively examine, discuss, annotate and revise the information. This combination of spoken words, gestures, visual cues and interactive data sharing significantly enhances the effectiveness of collaboration in a variety of contexts, such as "brainstorming" sessions among professionals in a particular field, consultations between one or more experts and one or more clients, sensitive business or political negotiations, and the like. In distributed collaboration settings, then, where the participants cannot be in the same place at the same time, the beneficial effects of face-to-face collaboration will be realized only to the extent that each of the remotely located participants can be "recreated" at each site.
To illustrate the difficulties inherent in reproducing the beneficial effects of face-to-face collaboration in a distributed collaboration environment, consider the case of decision-making in the fast-moving commodities trading markets, where many thousand of dollars of profit (or loss) may depend on an expert trader making the right decision within hours, or even minutes, of receiving a request from a distant client. The expert requires immediate access to a wide range of potentially relevant information such as financial data, historical pricing information, current price quotes, newswire services, government policies and programs, economic forecasts, weather reports, etc.
Much of this information can be processed by the expert in isolation. However, before making a decision to buy or sell, he or she will frequently need to discuss the information with other experts, who may be geographically dispersed, and with the client. One or more of these other experts may be in a meeting, on another call, or otherwise temporarily unavailable. In this event, the expert must communicate "asynchronously" -- to bridge time as well as distance.
As discussed below, prior art desktop videoconferencing systems provide, at best, only a partial solution to the challenges of distributed collaboration in real time, primarily because of their lack of high-quality video (which is necessary for capturing the visual cues discussed above) and their limited data sharing capabilities. Similarly, telephone answering machines, voice mai., fax machines and conventional electronic mail systems provide incomplete solutions to the problems presented by deferred (asynchronous) collaboration because they are totally incapable of communicating visual cues, gestures, etc. and, like conventional videoconferencing systems, are generally limited in the richness of the data that can he exchanged.
It has been proposed to extend traditional videoconferencing capabilities from conference centers, where groups of participants must assemble in the same room, to the desktop, where individual participants may remain in their office or home. Such a system is disclosed in U.S. Patent IS No. 4,710,917 to Tompkins et al. for Video Conferencing Network issued on December I, 1987. It has also been proposed to augment such video conferencing systems with limited "video mail"
facilities. However, such dedicated videoconferencing systems (and extensions thereof) do not effectively leverage the investment in existing embedded information infrastructures -- such as desktop personal computers and workstations, local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) environments, building wiring, etc. -- to facilitate interactive sharing of data in the form of text, images, charts, graphs, recorded video, screen displays and the like.
That is, they attempt to add computing capabilities to a videoconferencing system, rather than adding multimedia and collaborative capabilities to the user's existing computer system. Thus, while such systems may be useful in limited contexts, they do not provide the capabilities required for maximally effective collaboration, and are not cost-effective.
Conversely, audio and video capture and processing capabilities have recently been integrated into desktop and portable personal computers and workstations (hereinafter generically referred to as "workstations"). These capabilities have been used primarily in desktop multimedia authoring systems for producing CD-ROM-haled works. While such systems are capable of processing, combining, and recording audio, vide and data locally (i.e., at the desktop), they do not adequately support networked collaborative environments, principally due to the substantial bandwidth requirements for real-time transmission of high-quality, digitized audio and full-motion video which preclude conventional LANs from supporting more than a few workstations. Thus, although currently available desktop multimedia computers frequently include videoconferencing and other multimedia or collaborative capabilities within their advertised feature set (see, e.g., A. Reinhardt, "Video Conquers the Desktop," BYTE, September 1-993, pp. 64-90), such systems have not yet solved the many problems inherent in any practical implementation of a scalable collaboration system.
SiJN)MARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a teleconferencing system for conducting a teleconference among a plurality of participants comprising a plurality of video display devices each having associated participant video capture capabilities, and participant audio capture and reproduction capabilities; and at least one communication path along which signals representing participant audio and video can be transmitted; wherein the system is configured to display, a first and a second set of potential participants in which the first set includes names of potential participants and the second set includes icons representing potential participants, and a set of collaboration types;
wherein the system is further configured to allow a selecting participant to initiate collaboration by selecting one or more participants from the displayed sets of potential participants, and at least one collaboration type from the displayed set of collaboration types, and thereby establish communication of the selected type, with each selected participant.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for conducting a teleconference among a plurality of participants, each having an associated video capture and display and audio capture and reproduction capabilities, the method comprising the steps of displaying a first and a second set of potential participants in which the first set includes names of potential participants and the second set includes icons representing potential participants, and a set of collaboration types;
selecting one or more participants from among a plurality of the displayed sets of potential participants;
selecting a desired collaboration type from among a plurality of the displayed collaboration types; and establishing communication of the selected type, with the selected participant to define a teleconference call.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a teleconferencing system for conducting a teleconference among a plurality of participants comprising a plurality of video display devices each having associated participant video capture capabilities, and participant audio capture and reproduction capabilities; at least one communication path along which signals representing participant audio and video can be transmitted; an A/V switching circuitry to provide port-to-port connections for signals transmitted between the participants; and wherein the system is configured to allow a selecting participant to initiate any of a plurality of types of collaboration by selecting one or more desired participants from among a plurality of potential participants;
and desired collaboration type from among a set of collaboration types, including, at least one of, data conferencing, videoconferencing, telephone conferencing, the sending of faxes and the sending of multimedia mail messages; and establishing communication of the selected type, with the selected participant(s).
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for conducting a teleconference among a plurality of participants, each having an associated video capture and display and audio and video AV capture and reproduction capabilities, the method comprising the steps of selecting one or more desired participants from among a plurality of potential participants; selecting desired collaboration type from among a plurality of collaboration types, including data conferencing, videoconferencing, telephone conferencing, the sending of faxes and the sending of multimedia mail messages; and producing signals representative of the selected collaboration type; and switching produced signals by an A/V switching circuitry to provide port-to-port connections between the participants to establish communication of the selected type, with the selected participant(s).
In accordance with the present invention, computer hardware, software and communications technologies are combined in novel ways to produce a multimedia collaboration system that greatly facilitates distributed collaboration, in part by replicating the benefits of face-to-face collaboration.
The system tightly integrates a carefully selected set of multimedia and collaborative capabilities, principal among which are desktop teleconferencing and multimedia mail.
As used herein, desktop teleconferencing includes real-time audio and/or video teleconferencing, as well as data conferencing. Data conferencing, in turn, includes snapshot sharing (sharing of "snapshots" of selected regions of the user's screen), application sharing (shared control of running applications), shared whiteboard (equivalent to sharing a "blank"
window), and associated telepointing and annotation capabilities. Teleconferences may be recorded and stored for later playback, including both audiolvideo and all data interactions.
While desktop teleconferencing supports real-time interactions, multimedia mail permits the asynchronous exchange of arbitrary multimedia documents, including previously recorded teleconferences. Indeed, it is to be understood that the multimedia capabilities underlying desktop teleconferencing and multimedia mail also greatly facilitate the creation, viewing, and manipulation of high-quality multimedia documents in general, including animations and visualizations that might be developed, for example, in the course of information analysis and modeling.
Further, these animations and visualizations may be generated for individual rather than collaborative use, such that the present invention has utility beyond a collaboration context.
The invention provides for a collaborative multimedia workstation (CMW) system wherein very high-quality audio and video capabilities can be readily superimposed onto an enterprise's existing computing and network infrastructure, including workstations, LANs, WANs, and building wiring.
In a preferred embodiment, the system architecture employs separate real-time and asynchronous networks - the former for real-time audio and video, and the latter for non-real-time audio and video, text, graphics and other data, as well as control signals.
These networks are interoperable across different computers (e.g., Macintosh, Intel-based PCs, and Sun workstations), operating systems (e.g., Apple System 7, DOS/Windows, and UNIX) and network operating systems (e.g., Novell Netware and Sun ONC +). In many cases, both networks can actually share the same cabling and wall jack connector.
The system architecture also accommodates the situation in which the user's desktop computing and/or communications equipment provides varying levels of media-handling capability.

For example, a collaboration session - whether real-time or asynchronous - may include participants whose equipment provides capabilities ranging from audio only (a telephone) or data only (a personal computer with a modem) to a full complement of real-time, high-tidelity audio and full-motion video, and high-spend data network facilities.
The CMW system architecture is readily scalable to very large enterprise-wide network environments accommodating thousands of users. Further, it is an open architecture that can accommodate appropriate standards. Finally, the CMW system incorporates an intuitive, yet powerful, user interface, making the system easy to learn and use.
The present invention thus provides a distributed multimedia collaboration environment that achieves the benefits of face-to-face collaboration as nearly as possible, leverages ("snaps on to") existing computing and network infrastructure to the maximum extent possible, scales to very large networks consisting of thousand of workstations, accommodates emerging standards, and is easy to learn and use. The specitic nature of the invention, as well as its objects, features, advantages and uses, will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description and examples, and from the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a multimedia collaboration system embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 2A and 2B are representations of a computer screen illustrating, to the extent possible in a still image, the full-motion video and related user interface displays which may he generated during operation of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 is a block and schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a "multimedia local area network" (MLAN) of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a block and schematic diagram illustrating how a plurality of geographically dispersed MLANs of the type shown in Figure 3 can he connected via a wide area network in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating how collaboration sites at distant locations L1-L8 are conventionally interconnected over a wide area network by individually connecting each site to every other site.
Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating how collaboration sites at distant locations L1-L8 are interconnected over a wide area network in an embodiment of the invention using a mufti-hopping approach.
Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of video mosaicing circuitry provided in the MLAN of Figure 3.

Figures 8A, 8B and 8C illustrate the video window on a typical computer screen which may be generated during operation of the present invention, and which contains only the callee for two-party calls (8A) and a video mosaic of all participants, e.g., for tour-party (8B) or eight-party (8C) conference calls.
Figure 9 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of audio mixing circuitry provided in the MLAN of Figure 3.
Figure 10 is a block diagram illustrating video cut-and-paste circuitry provided in the MLAN
of Figure 3.
Figure 1 I is a schematic diagram illustrating typical operation of the video cut-and-haste circuitry in Figure 10.
Figures 12-17 (consisting of Figures 12A, 12B, 13A, 13B, 14A, 14B, 15A, 15B, 16, 17A
and 17B) illustrate various examples of how the present invention provides video mosaicing, video cut-and-pasting, and audio mixing at a plurality of distant sites for transmission over a wide area network in order to provide, at the CMW of each conference participant, video images and audio captured from the other conference participants.
Figures 18A and 18B illustrate two different embodiments of a CMW which may be employed in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a CMW add-on box containing integrated audio and video I/O circuitry in accordance with the present invention Figure 20 illustrates CMW software in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, integrated with standard multitasking operating system and applications software.
Figure 21 illustrates software modules which may be provided for running on the MLAN
Server in the MLAN of Figure 3 for controlling operation of the AV and Data Networks.
Figure 22 illustrates an enlarged example of "speed-dial" face icons of certain collaboration participants in a Collaboration Initiator window on a typical CMW screen which may be generated during operation of the present invention.
Figure 23 is a diagrammatic representation of the basic operating events occurring in a preferred embodiment of the present invention during initiation of a two-party call.
Figure 24 is a block and schematic diagram illustrating how physical connections are established in the MLAN of Figure 3 for physically connecting first and second workstations for a two-party videoconference call.
Figure 25 is a block and schematic diagram illustrating how physical connections are established in MLANs such as illustrated in Figure 3, for a two-party call between a first CMW
located at one site and a second CMW located at a remote site.
Figures 26 and 27 are block and schematic diagrams illustrating how conference bridging is provided in the MLAN of Figure 3.

Figure 28 diagrammatically illustrates how a snapshot with annotations may be stored in a plurality of bitmaps during data sharing.
Figure 29 is a schematic and diagrammatic illustration of the interaction among multimedia mail (MMM), multimedia call/conference recording (MMCR) and multimedia document management (MMDM) facilities.
Figure 30 is a schematic and diagrammatic illustration of the multimedia document architecture employed in an emhodiment of the invention.
Figure 31A illustrates a centralized Aadio/Video Storage Server.
Figure 31B is a schematic and diagrammatic illustration of the interactions between. the Audio/Video Storage Server and the remainder of the CMW System.
Figure 31C illustrates an alternative embodiment of the interactions illustrated in Figure 31B.
Figure 31D is a schematic and diagrammatic illustration of the integration of MMM, MMCR
and MMDM facilities in an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 32 illustrates a generalized hardware implementation of a scalable Audio/Video Storage Server.
Figure 33 illustrates a higher throughput version of the server illustrated in Figure 32, using SCSI-based crosspoint switching to increase the numher of possible simultaneous file transfers.
Figure 34 illustrates the resulting multimedia collaboration environment achieved by the integration of audiolvideoldata teleconferencing and MMCR, MMM and MMDM.
Figures 35-42 illustrate a series of CMW screens which may be generated during operation of the present invention for a typical scenario involving a remote expert who takes advantage of many of the features provided by the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
OVERALL SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
Referring initially to Figure 1, illustrated therein is an overall diagrammatic view of a multimedia collaboration system in accordance with the present invention. As shown, each of a plurality of "multimedia local area networks" (MLANs) 10 connects, via lines 13, a plurality of CMWs 12-1 to 12-10 and provides audio/videoldata networking for supporting collaboration among CMW users. WAN IS in turn connects multiple MLANs 10, and typically includes appropriate combinations of common carrier analog and digital transmission networks.
Multiple MLANs 10 on the same physical premises may he connected via hridgeslroutes 11, as shown, to WANs and one another.
In accordance with the present invention, the system of Figure 1 accommodates both "real time" delay- and fitter-sensitive signals (e.g., real-time audio and video teleconferencing) and classical asynchronous data (e.g., data control signals as well as shared textual, graphics and other media) communication among multiple CMWs 12 regardless of their location.
Although only ten CMWs 12 are illustrated in Figure 1, it will he understood that many more could be provided. As also indicated in Figure 1, various other multimedia resources 16 (e.g., VCRs, laserdiscs, TV feeds, etc.) are connected to MLANs 10 and are thereby accessible by individual CMWs 12.
CMW 12 in Figure 1 may use any of a variety of types of operating systems, such as Apple System 7, UNIX, DOS/Windows and OSI2. The CMWs can also have different types of window systems. Specific embodiments of a CMW 12 are described hereinafter in connection with Figures 18A and 18B. Note that this invention allows for a mix of operating systems and window systems across individual CMWs.
CMW 12 provides real-time audiolvideoldata capabilities along with the usual data processing capabilities provided by its operating system. For example, Fig. 2A
illustrates a CMW screen containing live, full-motion video of three conference participants, while Figure 2B illustrates data and shared annotated by those conferees (lower left window). CMW 12 provides for bidirectional communication, via lines 13, within MLAN 10, for audiolvideo signals as well as data signals.
Audiolvideo signals transmitted trom a CMW 12 typically comprise a high-quality live video image and audio of the CMW operator. These signals are obtained from a video camera and microphone provided at the CMW (via an add-on unit or partially or totally integrated into the CMW), processed, and then made available to low-cost network transmission subsystems.
Audio/video signals received by a CMW l2 from MLAN 10 may typically include:
video images of one or more conference participants and associated audio, video and audio from multimedia mail, previously recorded audiolvideo from previous calls and conferences, and standard broadcast television (e.g., CNN). Received video signals are displayed on the CMW screen or on an adjacent monitor, and the accompanying audio is reproduced by a speaker provided in or near the CMW. In general, the required transducers and signal processing hardware could he integrated into the CMW, or be provided via a CMW add-on unit, as appropriate.
1n the preferred embodiment, it has been found particularly advantageous to provide the above-described video at standard NTSC-quality TV performance (i.e., 30 frames per second at 640x480 pixels per frame and the equivalent of 24 bits of color per pixel) with accompanying high-:. fidelity audio (typically between 7 and 15 KHz).
MULTIMEDIA LOCAL AREA NETWORK
Referring next to Figure 3, illustrated therein is a preferred embodiment of MLAN 10 having ten CMWs (12-1,-12-10), coupled therein via lines 13a and 13h. MLAN 10 typically extends over a distance from a few hundred feet to a few miles, and is usually located within a building or a group of proximate buildings.

Given the current state of networking technologies, it is useful (for the sake of maintaining quality and minimizing costs) to provide separate signal paths for real-time audiolvideo and classical asynchronous data communications (including digitized audio and video enclosures of multimedia mail messages that are free from real-time delivery constraints). At the moment, analog methods for carrying real-time audiolvideo are preferred. In the future, digital methods may be used.
Eventually, digital audio and video signal paths may he multiplexed with the data signal path as a common digital stream. Another alternative is to multiplex real-time and asynchronous data paths together using analog multiplexing methods. For the purposes of illustration, however, these two signal paths are treated as using physically separate wires. Further, as this embodiment uses analog networking for audio and video, it also physically separates the real-time and asynchronous switching vehicles and, in particular, assumes an analog audiolvideo switch. In the future, a common switching vehicle (e.g., ATM) could he used.
The MLAN 10 thus can he implemented in the preferred embodiment using conventional technology, such as typical Data LAN hubs 25 and A/V Switching Circuitry 30 (as used in television studios and other closed-circuit television networks), linked to the CMWs 12 via appropriate transceivers and unshielded twisted pair (UTP) wiring. Note in Figure 1 that lines 13, which interconnect each CMW 12 within its respective MLAN 10, comprise two sets of lines 13a and 13b Lines 13a provide hidirectional communication of audiolvideo within MLAN 10, while lines 13b provide for the hidirectional communication of data. This separation permits conventional LANs to be used for data communications and a supplemental network to be used for audiolvideo communications. Although this separation is advantageous in the preferred embodiment, it is again to be understood that audiolvideoldata networking.can also be implemented using a single pair of lines for both audiolvideo and data communications via a very wide variety of analog and digital multiplexing schemes.
While lines 13a and 13h may he implemented in various ways, it is currently preferred to use commonly installed 4-pair UTP telephone wires, wherein one pair is used for incoming video with accompanying audio (mono or stereo) multiplexed in, wherein another pair is used for outgoing multiplexed audiolvideo, and wherein the remaining two pairs are used for carrying incoming and outgoing data in ways consistent with existing LANs. For example, IOBaseT
Ethernet uses RJ-45 pins 1, 2, 4, and 6, leaving pins 3, 5, 7, and 8 availahle for the two AIV
twisted pairs. The resulting system is compatihle with standard (AT&T 258A, EIAITIA 568, 8P8C, lOBaseT, ISDN, 6P6C, etc.) telephone wiring found commonly throughout telephone and LAN cable plants in most office buildings throughout the world. These UTP wires are used in a hierarchy or peer arrangements of star topologies to create MLAN 10, descrihed helow. Note that the distance range of the data wires often must match that of the video and audio. Various UTP-compatible data LAN
networks may be used. such as Ethernet, token ring, FDDI, ATM, etc. For distances longer than the maximum distance specified by the data LAN protocol, data signals can he additionally processed for proper UTP operations.
As shown in Figure 3, lines 13a from each CMW 12 are coupled to a conventional Data LAN huh 25, which facilitates the communication of data (including control signals) among such S CMWs. Lines 13h in Figure 3 are connected to AIV Switching Circuitry 30. One or more conference bridges 35 are coupled to A/V Switching Circuitry 30 and possibly (if needed) the Data LAN hub 25, via lines 35h and 35a, respectively, for providing multi-party conferencing in a particularly advantageous manner, as will hereinafter he described in detail.
A WAN gateway 40 provides for bidirectional communication between MLAN 10 and WAN IS in Figure 1. For this purpose, Data LAN huh 25 and AIV Switching Circuitry 30 are coupled to WAN
gateway 40 via outputs 25a and 30a, respectively. Other devices connect to the A/V Switching Circuitry 30 and Data LAN huh 25 to add additional features (such as multimedia mail, conference recording, etc.) as discussed below.
Control of AIV Switching Circuitry 30, conference bridges 35 and WAN gateway 40 in Figure 3 is provided by MLAN Server 60 via lines 60h, 60c, and 60d, respectively. In one embodiment, MLAN Server 60 supports the TCP/IP network protocol suite.
Accordingly, software processes on CMWs 12 communicate with one another and MLAN Server 60 via MLAN
10 using these protocols. Other network protocols could also be used, such as IPX. The manner in which software running on MLAN Server 60 controls the operation of MLAN 10 will be described in detail hereinafter.
Note in Figure 3 that Data LAN hub 25, AIV Switching Circuitry 30 and MLAN
Server 60 also provide respective lines 25h, 30h, and 60e for coupling to additional multimedia resources 16 (Figure I), such as multimedia document management, multimedia databases, radiolT'V channels, etc.
Data LAN huh 25 (via hridgeslrouters 11 in Figure 1) and A/V Switching Circuitry 30 additionally provide lines 25c and 30c for coupling to one or more other MLANs 10 which may be in the same locality (i.e., not tar enough away to require use of WAN technology). Where WANs are required, WAN gateways 40 are used to provide highest quality compression methods and standards in a shared resource fashion, thus minimizing costs at the workstation tbr a given WAN
quality level, as discussed below.
The basic operation of the preferred embodiment of the resulting collaboration system shown in Figures 1 and 3 wilt next he considered. Important features of the present invention reside in providing npt only multi-party real-time desktop audio/video/data teleconferencing among geographically distributed CMWs, hut also in providing from the same desktop audiolvideoldata/textlgraphics mail capabilities, as well as access to other resources, such as databases, audio and video t7les, overview cameras, standard TV channels, etc.
Fig. 2B illustrates a CMW screen showing a multimedia EMAIL mailbox (top left window) containing references to a number of received messages along with a video enclosure (top right window) to the selected message.
Returing to Figures 1 and 3, AIV Switching Circuitry 30 (whether digital or analog as in the preferred embodiment) provides common audio/video switching for CMWs 12, conference bridges S 35, WAN gateway 40 and multimedia resources 16, as determined by MLAN Server 60, which in turn controls conference bridges 35 and WAN gateway 40. Similarly, asynchronous data is communicated within MLAN 10 utilizing common data communications formats where possible (e.g., for snapshot sharing) so that the system can handle such data in a common manner, regardless of origin, thereby facilitating multimedia mail and data sharing as well as audio/video communications.
For example, to provide multi-party teleconferencing, an initiating CMW 12 signals MLAN
Server 60 via Data LAN huh 25 identifying the desired conference participants.
After determining which of these conferees will accept the call, MLAN Server 60 controls A/V
Switching Circuitry 30 (and CMW software via the data network) to set up the required audio/video and data paths to conferees at the same location as the initiating CMW.
When one or more conferees are at distant locations, the respective MLAN
Servers 60 of the involved MLANs 10, on a peer-to-peer basis, control their respective A/V
Switching Circuitry 30, conference bridges 35, and WAN gateways 40 to set up appropriate communication paths (via WAN
15 in Figure I ) as required for interconnecting the conferees. MLAN Servers 60 also communicate with one another via data paths so that each MLAN 10 contains updated information as to the capabilities of all of the system CMWs 12, and also the current locations of all parties available for teleconferencing.
The data conferencing component of the above-described system supports the sharing of visual information at one or more CMWs (as described in greater detail below).
This encompasses both "snapshot sharing" (sharing "snapshots" of complete or partial screens, or of one or more selected windows) and "application sharing" (sharing both the control and display of running applications). When transferring images, lossless or slightly lossy image compression can be used to reduce network bandwidth requirements and user-perceived delay while maintaining high image quality.
In all cases, any participant can point at or annotate the shared data. These associated telepointers and annotations appear on every participant's CMW screen as they are drawn (i.e., effectively in real time). For example, note Figure 2B which illustrates a typical CMW screen during a multi-party teleconferencing session, wherein the screen contains annotated shared data as well as video images of the conferees. As described in greater detail below, all or portions of the audio/video and data of the teleconference can he recorded at a CMW (or within MLAN 10), complete with all the data interactions.

In the above-described preferred embodiment, audiolvideo tile services can be implemented either at the individual CMWs I? or by employing a centralized audiolvideu storage server. This is one example of the many types of additional servers that can he added to the basic system of MLANs 10. A similar approach is used for incorporating other multimedia services, such as commercial TV
channels, multimedia mail, multimedia document management, multimedia conference recording, visualization servers, etc. (as described in greater detail below). Certainly, applications that run self-contained on a CMW can he readily added, hut the invention extends this capability greatly in the way that MLAN 10, storage and other functions are implemented and leveraged.
In particular, standard signal formats, network interfaces, user interface messages, and call models can allow virtually any multimedia resource to he smoothly integrated into the system.
Factors facilitating such smooth integration include: (i) a common mechanism for user access across the network; (ii) a common metaphor (e.g., placing a call) for the user to initiate use of such resource; (iii) the ability for one function (e.g., a multimedia conference or multimedia database) to access and exchange information with another function (e.g., multimedia mail);
and (iv) the ability to extend such access of one networked function by another networked function to relatively complex nestings of simpler functions (for example, record a multimedia conference in which a group of users has accessed multimedia mail messages and transferred them to a multimedia database, and then send part of the conference recording just created as a new multimedia mail message, utilizing a multimedia mail editor if necessary).
A simple example of the smooth integration of functions made possible by the above-described approach is that the GUI and software used for snapshot sharing (described below) can also be used as an input/output interface for multimedia mail and more general forms of multimedia documents. This can be accomplished by structuring the interprocess communication protocols to be uniform across all these applications. More complicated examples -specifically multimedia conference recording, multimedia mail and multimedia document management -will be presented in detail below.
WIDE AREA NETWORK
Next to ha described in connection with Figure 4 is the advantageous manner in which the present invention provides fur real-time audio/videoldata communication among geographically dispersed MLANs 10 via WAN 15 (Figure I), whereby communication delays, cost and degradation of video quality are significantly minimized from what would otherwise he expected.
Four MLANs 10 are illustrated at locations A, B, C and D. CMWs 12-1 to 12-10, AIV
Switching Circuitry 30, Data LAN huh 25, and WAN gateway 40 at each location correspond to those shown in Figures 1 and 3. Each WAN gateway 40 in Figure 4 will be seen to comprise a routerlcodec (R&C) hank 42 coupled to WAN IS via WAN switching multiplexer 44.
The roofer is used for data interconnection and the codes is used for audio/video interconnection (for multimedia mail and document transmission, as well as videoconferencing). Codecs from multiple vendors, or supporting various compression algorithms may ha employed. In the preferred embodiment, the router and codes are comhined with the switching multiplexer to form a single integrated unit.
Typically, WAN 15 is comprised of TI or ISDN common-carrier-provided digital links (switched or dedicated), in which case WAN switching multiplexers 44 are of the appropriate type (T1, ISDN, fractional T1, T3, switched 56 Kbps, etc.). Note that the WAN
switching multiplexer 44 typically creates suhchannels whose bandwidth is a multiple of 64 Kbps (i.e., 256 Kbps, 384, 768, etc.) among the T1, T3 or ISDN carriers. Inverse multiplexers may he required when using 56 Kbps dedicated or switched services from these carriers.
In the MLAN 10 to WAN l5 direction, routerlcodec hank 42 in Figure 4 provides conventional analog-to-digital conversion and compression of audiolvideo signals received from A/V
Switching Circuitry 30 for transmission to WAN 15 via WAN switching multiplexer 44, along with transmission and routing of data signals received from Data LAN huh 25. In the WAN 15 to MLAN 10 direction, each router/codec hank 42 in Figure 4 provides digital-to-analog conversion and decompression of audiolvideo digital signals received from WAN 15 via WAN
switching multiplexer 44 for transmission to A/V Switching Circuitry 30, along with the transmission to Data LAN hub 25 of data signals received from WAN 15.
The system also provides optimal routes for audio/video signals through the WAN. For example, in Figure 4, location A can take either a direct route to location D
via path 47, or a two-hop route through location C via paths 48 and 49. If the direct path 47 linking location A and location D is unavailable, the multipath route via location C and paths 48 and 49 could be used.
In a more complex network, several multi-hop routes are typically available, in which case the routing system handles the decision making, which for example can be based on network loading considerations. Note the resulting two-level network hierarchy: a MLAN l0 to MLAN 10 (i.e., site-to-site) service connecting codecs with one another only at connection endpoints.
The cost savings made possible by providing the ahove-descrihed multi-hop capability (with intermediate codes bypassing) are very significant as will hecome evident by noting the examples of Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 shows that using the conventional "fully connected mesh" location-to-location approach, thirty-six WAN links are required for interconnecting the nine locations L1 to L8.
On the other hand, using the above multi-hop capabilities, only nine WAN links are required, as shown in Figure 6. As the number of locations increase, the difference in cost becomes even greater.
For example, for 100 locations, the conventional approach would require about 5,000 WAN links, while the multi-hop approach of the present invention would typically require 300 or fewer (possibly considerably fewer) WAN links. Although specific WAN links for the multi-hop approach of the invention would require higher bandwidth to carry the additional traffic, the cost involved is very much smaller as compared to the cost for the very much larger number of WAN
links required by the conventional approach.
At the endpoints of a wide-area call, the WAN switching multiplexer routes audio/video signals directly from the WAN network interface through an available codec to MLAN 10 and vice versa. At intermediate hops in the network, however, video signals are routed from one network interface on the WAN switching multiplexer to another network interface.
Although A/V Switching Circuitry 30 could he used for this purpose, the preferred embodiment provides switching functionality inside the WAN switching multiplexer. By doing so, it avoids having to route audio/video signals through codecs to the analog switching circuitry, thereby avoiding additional codec delays at the intermediate locations.
A product capable of performing the basic switching functions described above for WAN
switching multiplexer 44 is available from Teleos Corporation, Eatontown, New Jersey (U.S.A.).
This product is not known to have been used for providing audiolvideo multi-hopping and dynamic switching among various WAN links as described above.
In addition to the above-described multiple-hop approach, the present invention provides a particularly advantageous way of minimizing delay, cost and degradation of video quality in a multi-party video teleconference involving geographically dispersed sites, while still delivering full conference views of all participants. Normally, in order for the CMWs at all sites to be provided with live audio/video of every participant in a teleconference simultaneously, each site has to allocate (in router/codec hank 42 in Figure 4) a separate codec tbr each participant, as well as a like number of WAN trunks (via WAN switching multiplexer 44 in Figure 4).
As will next be described, however, the preferred embodiment of the invention advantageously permits each wide area audiolvideo teleconference to use only one codec at each site, and a minimum number of WAN digital trunks. Basically, the preferred embodiment achieves this most important result by employing "distributed" video mosaicing via a video "cut-and-paste"
technology along with distributed audio mixing.
DISTRIBUTED VIDEO MOSAICING
Figure 7 illustrates a preferred way of providing video mosaicing in the MLAN
of Figure 3 -i.e., by combining the individual analog video pictures from the individuals participating in a teleconference into a single analog mosaic picture. As shown in Figure 7, analog video signals 112-1 to 112-n from the participants of a teleconference are applied to video mosaieing circuitry 36, which in the preferred embodiment is provided as part of conference bridge 35 in Figure 3. These analog video inputs 112-I to 112-n are obtained from the A/V Switching Circuitry 30 (Figure 3) and may include video signals from CMWs at one or more distant sitar (received via WAN
gateway 40) as well as from other CMWs at the local site.

Video mosaicing circuitry, 36, represented by block is capable of receiving N
individual analog video picture signals (where N is a squared integer, i.e., 4, 9, 16, etc.). Circuitry 36 first reduces the size of the N input video signals by reducing the resolutions of each by a factor of M
(where M is the square root of N (i.e., 2, 3, 4, etc.), and then arranging them in an M-by-M mosaic of N images. The resulting single analog mosaic 36a obtained from video mosaicing circuitry 36 is then transmitted to the individual CMWs for display on the screens thereof.
As will become evident hereinafter, it may be preferable to send a different mosaic to distant sites, in which case video mosaicing circuitry 36 would provide an additional mosaic 36b for this purpose. A typical displayed mosaic picture (N=4, M=2) showing three participants is illustrated in Figure 2A. A mosaic containing four participants is shown in Figure 8B. It will be appreciated that, since a mosaic (36a or 36b) can be transmitted as a single video picture to another site, via WAN 15 (Figures 1 and 4), only one codec and digital trunk are required. Of course, if only a single individual video picture is required to be sent from a site, it may be sent directly without being included in a mosaic.
Note that for large conferences it is possible to employ multiple video mosaics, one for each video window supported by the CMWs (see, e.g., Figure 8C). In very large conferences, it is also possible to display video only from a select focus group whose members are selected by a dynamic "floor control" mechanism. Also note that, with additional mosaic hardware, it is possible to give each CMW its own mosaic. This can be used in small conferences to raise the maximum number of participants (from MZ to MZ = 1 - i.e., 5, 10, 17, etc.) or to give everyone in a large conference their own "focus group" view.
Also note that the entire video mosaicing approach described thus far and continued below applies should digital video transmission be used in lieu of analog transmission, particularly since both mosaic and video window implementations use digital formats internally and in current products are transformed to and from analog for external interfacing. In particular, note that mosaicing can be done digitally without decompression with many existing compression schemes.
Further, with an all-digital approach, mosaicing can be done as needed directly on the CMW.
Figure 9 illustrates audio mixing circuitry 38, represented by block for use in conjunction with the video mosaicing circuitry 36 in Figure 7, both of which may be part of conference bridges 35 in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 9, audio signals 114-1 to 114-n are applied to audio summing circuitry 38 for combination. These input audio signals 114-1 to 114-n may include audio signals from local participants as well as audio sums from participants at distant sites. Audio mixing circuitry 38 provides a respective "minus-1" sum output 38a-1, 38a-2, etc. for each participant. Thus, each participant hears every conference participant's audio except his/her own.
' In the preferred embodiment, sums are decomposed and formed in a distributed fashion, creating partial sums at one site which are completed at other sites by appropriate signal insertion.

Accordingly, audio mixing circuitry 38 is able to provide one or more additional sums, such as indicated by output 38, for sending to other sites having conference participants.
Neat to be considered is the manner in which video cut-and-paste techniques are advantageously employed in the preferred embodiment. It will be understood that, since video S mosaics and/or individual video pictures may be sent from one or more other sites, the problem arises as to how these situations are handled. Video cut-and-paste circuitry 39, as illustrated in Figure 10, is provided for this purpose, and may also be incorporated in the conference bridges 35 in Figure 3.
Referring to Figure 10, video cut-and-paste circuitry 39 eives analog video inputs i 16, which may be comprised of one or more mosaics or single video pictures received from one or more distant sites and a mosaic or single video picture produced by the local site.
It is assumed that the local video mosaicing circuitry 36 (Figure 7) and the video cut-and-paste circuitry 39 have the capability of handling all of the applied individual video pictures, or at least are able to choose which ones are to be displayed based on existing available signals.
The video cut-and-paste circuitry 39 digitizes the incoming analog video inputs 116, selectively rearranges the digital signals on a region-by-region basis to produce a single digital M-by-M mosaic, having individual pictures in selected regions, and then converts the resulting digital mosaic back to analog form to provide a single analog mosaic picture 39a for sending to local participants (and other sites where required) having the individual input video pictures in appropriate regions. This resulting cut-and-paste analog mosaic 39a will provide the same type of display as illustrated in Figure 8B. As will become evident hereinafter, it is sometimes beneficial to send different cut-and-paste mosaics to different sites, in which case video cut-and-paste circuitry 39 will provide additional cut-and-paste mosaics 39b-1, 39b-2, etc. for this purpose.
Figure 11 diagrammatically illustrates an example of how video cut-and-paste circuitry may operate to provide the cut-and-paste analog mosaic 39a. As shown in Figure 11, four digitized individual signals 116a, 116b, 116c and 116d derived from the input video signals are "pasted" into selected regions of a digital frame buffer 17 to form a digital 2x2 mosaic, which is converted into an output analog video mosaic 39a or 39b in Figure 10. The required audio partial sums may be provided by audio mixing circuitry 39 in Figure 9 in the same manner, replacing each cut-and-paste video operation with a partial sum operation.
Having described in connection with Figures 7-11 how video mosaicing, audio mixing, video cut-and-pasting, and distributed audio mixing may be performed, the following description of Figures 12-17 will illustrate how these capabilities may advantageously be used in combination in the context of wide-area videoconferencing. For these examples, the teleconference is assumed to have four ~ participants designated as A, B, C, and D, in which case 2x2 (quad) mosaics are employed. It is to be understood that greater numbers of participants could be provided. Also, two or more simultaneously occurring teleconferences could also be handled, in which case additional mosaicing, cut-and-paste and audio mixing circuitry would be provided at the various sites along with additional WAN paths. For each example, the "A" figure illustrates the video mosaicing and cut-and-pasting provided, and the corresponding "B" figure (having the same figure number) illustrates the associated audio mixing provided. Note that these figures indicate typical delays that might be encountered for each example (with a single "UNIT" delay ranging from 0-450 milliseconds, depending upon available compression technology).
Figures 12A and 12B illustrate a 2-site example having two participants A and B at Site #1 and two participants C and D at Site #2. Note that this example requires mosaicing and cut-and-paste at both sites.
Figures 13A and 13B illustrate another 2-site example, but having three participants A, B
and C at Site #1 and one participant D at Site #2. Note that this example requires mosaicing at both sites, but cut-and-paste only at Site #2.
Figures 14A and 14B illustrate a 3-site example having participants A and B at Site #1, participant C at Site #2, and participant D at Site #3. At Site #1, the two local videos A and B are put into a mosaic which is sent to both Site #2 and Site #3. At Site #2 and Site #3, cut-and-paste is used to insert the single video (C or D) at that site into the empty region in the imported A, B, and D or C mosaic, respectively, as shown. Accordingly, mosaicing is required at all three sites, and cut-and-paste is only required for Site #2 and Site #3.
Figures 15A and 15B illustrate another 3-site example having participant A at Site #1, participant B at Site #2, and participants C and D at Site #3. Note that mosaicing and cut-and-paste are required at all sites. Site #2 additionally has the capability to send different cut-and-paste mosaics to Site #1 and Site #3. Further note with respect to Figure 15B that Site #2 creates minus-1 audio mixes for Site #1 and Site #2, but only provides a partial audio mix (A&B) for Site #3. These partial mixes are completed at Site #3 by mixing in C's signal to complete D's mix (A+B+C) and D's signal to complete C's mix (A+B+D).
Figure 16 illustrates a 4-site example employing a star topology, having one participant at each site; that is, participant A is at Site #1, participant B is at Site #2, participant C is at Site #3, and participant D is at Site #4. An audio implementation is not illustrated for this example, since standard minus-1 mixing can be performed at Site #1, and the appropriate sums transmitted to the other sites.
Figures 17A and 17B illustrate a 4-site example that also has only one participant at each site, but uses a line topology rather than a star topology as in the example of Figure 16. Note that this example requires mosaicing and cut-and-paste at all sites. Also note that Site #2 and Site #3 are each ' required to transmit two different types of cut-and-paste mosaics.

h The preferred embodiment also provides the capability of allowing a conference participant to select a close-up of a participant displayed un a mosaic. This capability is provided whenever a full individual video picture is available at that user's site. In such case, the AIV Switching Circuitry 30 (Figure 3) switches the selected toll video picture (whether obtained locally or from another site) to the CMW that requests the close-up.
Next to he described in connection with Figures 18A, 18B, 19 and 20 are various embodiments of a CMW 'n accordance with the invention.
COLLABORATIVE MULTIMEDIA WORKSTATION HARDWARE
One embodiment of a CMW 12 of the present invention is illustrated in Fig.
18A. Currently available personal computers (e.g., an Apple Macintosh or an IBM-compatible PC, desktop or laptop) and workstations (e.g., a Sun SPARCstation) can he adapted to work with the present invention to provide such features as real-time videoconferencing, data conterencing, multimedia mail, etc. In business situations, it can he advantageous to set up a laptop to operate with reduced functionality via cellular telephone links and removable storage media (e.g., CD-ROM, video tape with timecode support, etc.), hut take on full capability hack in the office via a docking station connected to the MLAN 10. This requires a voice and data modem as yet another function server attached to the MLAN.
The currently available personal computers and workstations serve as a base workstation platform. The addition of certain audio and video t/0 devises to the standard components of the base platform 100 (where standard components include the display monitor 200, keyboard 300 and mouse or tablet (or other pointing device) 400), all of which connect with the base platform box through standard peripheral ports 101, 102 and 103, enables the CMW to generate and receive real-time audio and video signals. These devices include a video camera 500 for capturing the user's image, gestures and surroundings (particularly the user's face and upper body), a microphone 600 for capturing the user's spoken words (and any other sounds generated at the CMW), a speaker 700 for presentinb incoming audio signals (such as the spoken words of another participant to a videoconference or audio annotations to a document), a video input card 130 in the hale platform 100 for capturing incoming video signals (e.o., the image of another participant to a videoconference, or videomail), and a video display card 120 tier displaying video and graphical output on monitor 200 (where video is typically displayed in a separate window).
These peripheral audio and video I/O devices are readily available from a variety of vendors and are just beginning to become standard features in (and often physically integrated into the monitor andlor hale plattbrm ot~ certain personal computer and workstations.
She, ~, the aforementioned BYTE article ("Video Conduers the Desktop"), which describes current models of Apple's Macintosh AV series personal computers and Silicon Graphics' Indy workstations.

i ~i i Add-on box 800 (shown in Fig. 18A and illustrataJ in greater detail in Fig.
19) integrates these audio and video IIO devices with additional timctions (such as adaptive echo canceling and signal switching) and interfaces with AV Network 901. AV Network 901 is the part of the MLAN
which carries hidirectional audio and video signals among the CMWs and AIV
Switching 5 Circuitry 30 - e.g., utilizing existing UTP wiring W carry audio and video signals (digital or analog, as in the present emhodiment).
In the present emhodirr~nt, the AV network 901 is separate and distinct from the Data Network 902 portion of the MLAN 10, which carries hidirectional data signals among the CMWs and the Data LAN huh (e.g., an Ethernet network that also utilizes UTP wiring in the present 10 embodiment with a network interface card 110 in each CMW). Note that each CMW will typically be a node on both the AV and the Data Networks.
There are several approaches to implementing Add-on hox 800. In a typical videoconference, video camera 500 and microphone 600 capture and transmit outgoing video and audio signals into ports 801 and 802, respectively, of Add-on hox 800. These signals are transmitted via AudioIVideo I/O port 805 across AV Network 901. Incoming video and audio signals (from another videoconference participant) are received across AV network 901 through Audio/Video I/O port 805.
The video signals are sent out of V-OUT port 803 of CMW add-on hox 800 to video input card 130 of base platform 100, where they are displayed (typically in a separate video window) on monitor 200 utilizing the standard hale platform video display card 120. The audio signals are sent out of A-OUT port 804 of CMW add-on hox 800 and played through speaker 700 while the video signals are displayed on monitor 200. The same signal tlow occurs for other non-teleconferencing applications of audio and video.
Add-on hox 800 can he controlled by CMW software (illustrated in Fig. 20) executed by base platform 100. Control signals can he communicated between bass platform port 104 and Add-on box Control port 806 (e.g., an RS-232. Centronics, SCSI or other standard communications port).
Many other emhodiments of the CMW illustrated in Fig. 18A will work in accordance with the present invention. For example, Add-~~n hox 800 itself van he implemented as an add-in card to the base platform 100. Connections to the audio and video 110 devices need not change, though the connection for base platform control can he implemented internally (e.g., via the system bus) rather than through an external RS-232 or SCSI peripheral port. Various additional levels of integration can also be achieved as will he evident to those skilled in the art. Fur example, microphones, speakers, video cameras and UTP transceivers can he integrated into the hale platform 100 itself, and all media handling technology and communications can he integrated onto a single card.
A handsetlheadset .jack enahles the use of an integrated audio IIO device as an alternate to the separate microphone and speaker. A telephone interface could he integrated into add-on box 800 as a local implementation of computer-integrated telephony. A "hold" (i.e., audio and video mute) switch andlor a separate audio mute switch could he added to Add-on box 800 if such an implementation were deemed preferable to a software-haled interface.
The internals of Add-on box 800 of Fig. 18A are illustretad in Fig. 19. Video signals generated at the CMW (e.p., captured by camera 500 of Fig. 18A) are sent to CMW add-on box 800 via V-IN port 801. They then typically pass unaffected through Loophack/AV
Mute circuitry 830 via video ports 833 (input) and 834 (output) and into A/V Transceivers 840 (via Video In port 842) where they are transformed from standard video cable signals to UTP signals and sent out via port 845 and Audio/Video I10 port 805 onto AV Network 901.
The Loophack/AV Mute circuitry 830 can, however, ha placed in various modes under software control via Control port 806 (implemented, for example, as a standard UART). If in loopback mode (e.g., tbr testing incoming and outgoing signals at the CMW), the video signals would he routed hack out V-OUT port 803 via video port 831. If in a mute mode (e.g., muting audio, video or both), video signals might, tier example. he disconnected and no video signal would be sent out video port 834. Loophack and muting switching functionality is also provided for audio in a similar way. Note that computer control of loophack is very useful for remote testing and diagnostics while manual override of computer control on mute is effective for assured privacy from use of the workstation tbr electronic spying.
Video input (e.g., captured by the video camera at the CMW of another videoconference participant) is handled in a similar fashion. It is received along AV Network 901 through AudioIVideo IIO port 805 and port 845 of A/V Transceivers 840, where it is sent out Video Out port 841 to video port 832 of LoophackIAV Mute circuitry 830, which typically passes such signals out video port 831 to V-OUT port 803 (for receipt by a vidro input card or other display mechanism, such as LCD display 810 of CMW Side Mount unit 850 in Fig. 18B, to he discussed).
Audio input and output (e.g., for playback through speaker 700 and capture by microphone 600 of Fig. 18A) passes through A/V transceiver 840 (via Audio In port 844 and Audio Out port 843) and Loophack/AV Mute circuitry 830 (through audio ports 837/838 and 8361835) in a similar manner. The audio input and output ports of Add-on box 800 interface with standard amplifier and equalization circuitry, as well as an adaptive room echo canceler 814 to eliminate echo, minimize feedback and provide enhanced audio performance when using a separate microphone and speaker.
In particular, use of adaptive room echo cancelers provides high-quality audio interactions in wide area conferences. Because adaptive room echo canceling requires training periods (typically involving an objectionable blast of high-amplitude white noisy or tone sequences) for alignment with each acoustic environment. it is preferred that separate echo canceling he dedicated to each workstation rather than sharing a smaller group of echo cancelers across a larger group of workstations.

Audio inputs passing through audio port 835 of LoophackIAV Mute circuitry 830 provide audio signals to a speaker (via standard Echo Cancaler circuitry 814 and A-OUT
port 804) or to a handset or headset (via 1/0 ports 807 and 808, respectively, under volume control circuitry 815 controlled by software through Control port 806). In all cases, incoming audio signals pass through power amplifier circuitry 812 before being sent out of Add-on box 800 to the appropriate audio-emitting transducer.
Outgoing audio signals generated at tt~ CMW (e.g., by microphone 600 of Fig.
18A or the mouthpiece of a handset or headset) enter Add-on box 800 via A-IN port 802 (for a microphone) or Handset or Headset I/0 ports 807 and 808, respectively. In all cases, outgoing audio signals pass through standard preamplifier (811) and equalization (813) circuitry, whereupon the desired signal is selected by standard "Select" switching circuitry 816 (under software control through Control part 806) and passed to audio port 837 of LoophackIAV Mute circuitry 830.
It is to he understood that AIV Transceivers 840 may include muxingldemuxing facilities so as to enable the transmission of audiolvideo signals on a single pair of wires, e.g., by encoding audio signals digitally in the vertical retrace interval of the analog video signal.
Implementation of other audio and video enhancements, such as stereo audio and external audio/video IIO ports (e.g., for recording signals generated at the CMW), are also well within the capabilities of one skilled in the art. If stereo audio is used in teleconferencing (i.e., to create useful spatial metaphors for users), a second echo canceler may he recommended.
Another embodiment of the CMW of this invention. illustrated in Fig. 18B, utilizes a separate (fully self-contained) "Side Mount" approach which includes its own dedicated video display. This embodiment is advantageous in a variety of situations, such as instances in which additional screen display area is desired (e.g., in a laptop computer or desktop system with a small monitor) or where it is impossible or undesirable to retrofit older, existing or specialized desktop computers for audiolvideo support. In this embodiment, vide« camera 500, microphone 600 and speaker 700 of Fig. 18A are integrated together with the functionality of Add-on box 800.
Side Mount 850 eliminates the necessity of external connections to these integrated audio and video IIO devices, and includes an LCD display 810 for displaying the incoming vide signal (which thus eliminates the need for a base platform video input card 130).
Given the proximity of Side Mount device 850 to the user, and the direct access to audio/video I/O within that device, various additional controls 820 can be provided at the user's touch (all well within the capabilities of those skilled in the art). Note that, with enough additions, Side Mount unit 850 can become virtually a standalone device that does not require a separate computer for services using only audio and vide. This also provides a way of supplementing a network of full-feature workstations with a few low-cost additional "audio video intercoms" for certain sectors of an enterprise (such as clerical, reception, factory floor.
etc.).

A portable laptop implementation can he made to deliver multimedia mail with video, audio and synchronized annotations via CD-ROM or an arid-on videotape unit with separate video, audio and time code tracks (a stereo videotape player can use the second audio channel for time code signals). Videotapes or CD-ROMs can ha created in main offices and express mailed, thus avoiding the need for high-bandwidth netwe~rking when on the road. Cellular phone links can be used to obtain both voice and data communications (via modems). Modem-haled data communications are sufficient to support remote control of mail or presentation playback, annotation, file transfer and fax features. The laptop can then he brought into the office and attached to a docking station where the available MLAN 10 and additional functions adapted from Add-on box 800 can be supplied, providing full CMW capability.
COLLABORATIVE htULTll1-iEDIA WORKSTATION SOFTWARE
CMW software modules 160 are illustrated generally in Fig. 20 and discussed in greater detail below in conjunction with the software running on MLAN Server 60 of Fig. 3. Software 160 allows the user to initiate and manage (in conjunction with the server software) videoconferencing, data conferencing, multimedia mail and other collaborative sessions with other users across the network.
Also present on the CMW in this embodiment are standard multitasking operating systemlGUI software 180 (a.g.. Apple Macintosh System 7. Microsoft Windows 3.1, or UNIX with the "X Window System" and Motif or other GU1 "window manager" software) as well as other applications 170, such as word.processing and spreadsheet programs. Software modules 161-168 communicate with operating systemIGU1 software 180 and other applications 170 utilizing standard function calls and interapplication protocols.
The central component of the Collaborative Multimedia Workstation software is the Collaboration Initiator 161. All collaborative functions can he accessed through this module. When the Collaboration Initiator is started, it exchanges initial configuration information with the Audio Video Network Manager (AVNM) 60 (shown in Fig. 3) through Data Network 902.
Information is also sent from the Collaboration Initiator to the AVNM indicating the location of the user, the types w of services available on that workstation (e.g., videoconferencing, data conferencing, telephony, etc.) .
and other relevant initialization intbrmation.
The Collaboration Initiator presents a user intertace that allows the user to initiate collaborative sessions (both real-time and asynchronous). In the preferred embodiment, session participants can he selected from a graphical rolodex 163 that contains a scrollable list of user names or from a list of quick-dial buttons 162. Quivk-dial buttons show the face icons for the users they represent. In the preferred embodiment. the icon representing the user is retrieved by the ~'Collahoration Initiator from the Directory Server 66 an MLAN Server 60 when it starts up. Users can dynamically add new quick-dial buttons by drabding the corresronding entries from the graphical rolodex onto the quick-dial panel.
Once the user elects to initiate a collaborative session, he or she selects one or more desired participants by, for example, clicking on that name m select the desired participant from the system rolodex or a personal rolodex, or by clicking on the quick-dial button for that participant (see, e.g., Fig. 2A). In either case, the user then selects the desired session type -e.g., by clicking on a CALL button to initiate a videoconference call, a SHARE hatton tx~ initiate the sharing of a snapshot image or blank whitehoard, or a MAIL button to send mail. Alternatively, the user can double-click on the rolodex name or a face icon to initiate the default session type -e.g., an audiolvideo conference call.
The system also allows sessions to ha invoked from the keyboard. It provides a graphical editor to hind combinations of participants and session types to certain hot keys. Pressing this hot key (possibly in conjunction with a moditier key, e.g., < Shift > or < Ctrl >
) will cause the Collaboration Initiator to start a session of the specitied type with the given participants.
Once the user selects the desired participant and session type, Collaboration Initiator module 161 retrieves necessary addressing intormation from Directory Service 66 (see Fig. 21 ). In the case of a videoconference call, the Collaboration Initiator (or, in another embodiment, Videophone module 169) then communicates with the AVNM (as described in greater detail below) to set up the necessary data structures and manage the various states of that call, and to control A/V Switching Circuitry 30, which selects the appropriate audio and video signals to he transmitted tolfrom each participant's CMW. 1n the case of a data conferencing session, the Collaboration Initiator locates, via the AVNM, the Collaboration Initiator modules at the CMWs of the chosen recipients, and sends a message causing the Collaboration Initiator modules to invoke the Snapshot Sharing modules 164 at each participant's CMW. Subsequent videoconferencing and data conferencing functionality is discussed in greater detail below in the context of particular usage scenarios.
As indicated previously, additional collaborative services - such as Mail 165, Application Sharing 166, Computer-Integrated Telephony 167 and Computer Integrated Fax 168 - are also available from the CMW by utilizing Collaboration Initiator module 161 to initiate the session (i.e., to contact the participants) and to invoke the appmpriata application necessary to manage the collaborative session. When initiating asynchronous collaboration (e.g., mail, fax, etc.), the Collaboration Initiator contacts Directory Service 66 tbr address information (e.g., EMAIL address, fax number, etc.) tbr the selected participants and invokes the appropriate collaboration tools with the obtained address information. For real-time sessions, the Collaboration Initiator queries the Service Server module 69 inside AVNM 63 for the current location of the specitied participants. Using this location information, it communicates (via the AVNM) with the Collaboration Initiators of the other session participants to coordinate session setup. As a result, the various Collaboration Initiators will ?2 invoke modules 166, 167 or 168 (including activating any necessary devices such as the connection between the telephone and the CMW's audio Il0 port). Further details on multimedia mail are provided helow.
1~1LAN SERVER SOFTWARE
Figure 21 diagrammatically illustrates software 62 comprised of various modules (as discussed above) provided for running on MLAN Server 60 (Figure 3) in the preferred embodiment.
It is to he understood that additional software modules could also he provided. It is also to be understood that, although the software illustrated in Figure 21 offers various significant advantages, as will become evident hereinafter, different forms and arrangements of software may also be employed within the scope of the invention. The software can also ha implemented in various sub-parts running as separate processes.
In one emhodiment, clients (e.g., software-controlling workstations, VCRs, laserdisks, multimedia resources, etc.) communicate with the MLAN Server Software Modules 62 using the TCPIIP network protocols. Generally, the AVNM 63 cooperates with the Service Server 69, Conference Bridge Manager (CBM 64 in Figure 21) and the WAN Network Manager (WNM 65 in Figure 21) to manage communications within and among hoth MLANs 10 and WANs 15 (Figures 1 and 3).
The AVNM additionally cooperates with AudiaIVideo Storage Server 67 and other multimedia services 68 in Figure 21 to support various types of collahorative interactions as described herein. CBM 64 in Figure 21 operates as a client of the AVNM 63 to manage conferencing by controlling the operation of conference bridges 35. This includes management of the video mosaicing circuitry 37, audio mixing circuitry 38 and cut-and-paste circuitry 39 preferably incorporated therein.
WNM 65 manages the allocation of paths (codecs and trunks) provided by WAN
gateway 40 for accomplishing the communications to other sites called for by the AVNM.
Audio Video Network Manager The AVNM 63 manages AIV Switching Circuitry 30 in Figure 3 for selectively routing audio/video signals to and from CMWs 12. and also to and from WAN gateway 40, as called for by clients. AudiolvidZO devices (e.g., CMWs 12, conference bridges 35, multimedia resources 16 and WAN gateway 40 in Figure 3) connected to AIV Switching Circuitry 30 in Figure 3, have physical connections for audio in, audio out, video in and video out. For each device on the network, the AVNM combines these four connections into a port abstraction, wherein each port represents an addressable hidirectional audiolvideu channel. Each device connected to the network has at least one port. Different ports may share the same physical connections on the switch.
For example, a conference bridge may typically have tour ports (for 2x2 mosaicing) that share the same video-out connection. Not all devices need hoth video and audio connections at a port.
For example, a TV
tuner port needs only incoming audiulvideu connections.
In response to client program requests, the AVNM provides connectivity hetween audiolvideo devices by connecting their ports. Connecting ports is achieved by switching one port's physical input connections to the other port's physical output connections (fur hoth audio and video) and vice-versa. Client programs can specify which of the 4 physical connections on its ports should be switched. This allows client programs to estahlish unidirectional calls (e.f., by specifying that only the port's input connections should he switched and not the port's output connections) and audio-only or video-only calls (hy specifying audio connections only or video connections only).
Service Server Before client programs can access audiu/videu resources through the AVNM, they must register the collaborative services they provide with the Service Server 69.
Examples of these services indicate "video call", "snapshot sharing", "conference" and "video tile sharing." These service records are entered into the Service Server's service datahase. The service database thus keeps track of the location of client programs and the types of collahorative sessions in which they can participate. This allows the Cullahoration Initiator to tind cullahoration participants no matter where they are located. The service datahase is replicated by all Service Servers: Service Servers communicate with other Service Servers in other MLANs throughout the system to exchange their service records.
Clients may create a plurality of services, depending an the collahorative capabilities desired.
When creating a service, a client can specify the network resources (e.g.
ports) that will be used by this service. In particular, service information is used to associate a user with the audiolvideo ports physically connected to the particular CMW into which the user is lugged in.
Clients that want to receive requests do so by putting their services in listening made. If clients want to accept incoming data shares, hut want to hlock incoming vide calls, they must create different services.
A client can create an exclusive service on a set of ports to prevent other clients from creating services on these ports. This is useful, fur example, to prevent multiple conference bridges from managing the same set of conference hridge ports.
Next to he considered is the preferred manner in which the AVNM 63 (Figure 21), in cooperation with the Service Server 69, CBM 64 and participating CMWs provide for managing AIV Switching Circuitry 30 and conference hridges 35 in Figure 3 during audio/videoldata teleconferencing. The participating CMWs may include workstations located at both local and remote sites.
BASIC T~VO-PARTY VIDEOCONFERENC1NG

As previously described, a CMW includes a Collaboration Initiator software module 161, (see Fig. 20) which is uszcl to establish person-to-person and multiparty calls.
The corresponding collaboration initiator window advantageously provides quick-dial face icons of frequently dialed persons, as illustrated, for example, in Figure 22, which is an enlarged view of typical face icons along with various initiating buttons (described in greater detail below in connection with Figs. 35-42).
Videoconference calls can he initiated, for example, merely by double-clic!:ing on these icons. When a call is initiated, the CMW typically provides a scram display that includes a live video picture of the remote conference participant, as illustrated fur example in Figure 8A. In the preferred embodiment, this display also includes control huttonslmenu items that can be used to place the remote participant on hold, to resume a call on hold, to add one or more participants to the call, to initiate data sharing and to hang up the call.
The basic underlying software-controlled operations occurring for a two-party call are diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 23. After logging to AVNM 63, as indicated by (1) in Figure 23, a caller initiates a call (e.g., by selecting a user from the graphical rolodex and clicking the call button or by double-clicking the face icon of the callee on the quick-dial panel). The caller's Collaboration Initiator responds by identifying the selected user and requesting that user's address from Directory Service 66, as indicated by (2) in Figure 23. Directory Service 66 looks up the callee's address in the directory database, as indicated by (3) in Figure 23, and then returns it to the caller's Collaboration Initiator, as illustrated by (4) in Figure 23.
The caller's Collaboration Initiator sends a request to the AVNM to place a video call to the caller with the specified address, as indicated by (5) in Figure 23. The AVNM
queries the Service Server to find the service instance of type "video call" whose name corresponds to the callee's address. This service record identities the location of the callee's Collaboration Initiator as well as the network ports that the callee is connected tu. If no service instance is found for the callee, the AVNM notifies the caller that the callee is not logged in. 1f the callee is local, the AVNM sends a call event to the callee's Collaboration Initiator, as indicated by (6) in Figure 23. 1f the callee is at a remote site, the AVNM forwards the call request (5) through the WAN gateway 40 for transmission, via WAN 15 (Figure 1) to the Collaboration Initiator of the callee's CMW at the remote site.
The callee's Collaboration initiator can respond to the call event in a variety of ways. In the preferred embodiment, a user-selectable sound is generated to announce the incoming call. The Collaboration Initiator can then act in one of two modes. In "Telephone Mode,"
the Collaboration Initiator displays an invitation massage on the CMW screen that contains the name of the caller and buttons to accept or refuse the wall. The Collaboration Initiator will then accept or refuse the call, depending on which button is pressed by the callee. In "Intercom Mode," the Collaboration Initiator accepts all incoming calls automatically, unless there is already another call active on the callee's CMW, in which case hehaviur reverts to Telephone Mode.
The callee's Collaboration Initiau~r than notifies the AVNM as to whether the call will he accepted or refused. It the call is accepted, (7), the AVNM sets up the necessary communication paths hetween the caller end the c:allee required to estahlish the call. The AVNM then notifies the caller's Collahoration Initiator that the call has heen estahlished by sending it an accept event (8). If the caller and callee are at different sites, their AVNMs will coordinate in setting up thf.
communication paths at hoth sites; as required by the call.
The AVNM may provide for managing connections among CMWs and other multimedia resources for audiolvideoldata communications in various ways. The manner employed in the preferred embodiment will next he descrihed.
As has been described previously, the AVNM manages the switches in the A/V
Switching Circuitry 30 in Figure 3 to provide port-to-port connections in response to connection requests from clients. The primary data structure used by the AVNM for managing these connections will be referred to as a callhandle, which is comprised of a plurality of hits, including state bits.
Each port-to-port connection managed by the AVNM comprises two callhandles, one associated with each end of the connection. The callhandle at the client port of the connection permits the client to manage the client's end of the connecticm. The callhandle mode bits determine the current state of the callhandle and which of a port's tour switch connections (video in, video out, audio in, audio out) are involved in a call.
AVNM clients sand call, requests to the AVNM whenever they want to initiate a call. As pan of a call request, the client specifies the local service in which the call will be involved, the name of the specific port to use for the call, identifying information as to the callee, and the call mode. In response, the AVNM creates a callhandle on the caller's port.
All callhandles are created in the "idle" state. The AVNM then puts the caller's callhandle in the "active" state. The AVNM next creates a callhandle for the callee and sends it a call event, which places the callee's callhandle in the "ringing" state. When the callee accepts the call, its callhandle is placed in the "active" state, which results in a physical connection between the caller w and the callee. Each port can have en arhitrary numher of callhandles hound to it, but typically only one of these callhandles can he active at the same time.
After a call has heen set up, AVNM clients can send requests to the AVNM to change the state of the call, which can advantageously ha accomplished by controlling the callhandle states. For example, during a call. a call request from another perty could arrive. This arrival could be signaled to the user by providing an alert indication in a dialog hox on the user's CMW
screen. The user could refuse the call by clicking on a refuse huttun in the dialog hox, or by clicking on a "hold"

button on the active call window to put the current call on hold and allow the incoming call to be accepted.
The placing of the currently active call on hold can advantageously be accomplished by changing the caller's callhandle from the active state to a "hold" state, which permits the caller to answer incoming calls or initiate new cabs, without releasing the previous call. Since the connection set-up to the callee will be retained, a call on hold can conveniently be resumed by the caller clicking on a resume button on the active call window, which returns the corresponding callhandle back to the active state. Typically, multiple calls can be put on hold in this manner. As an aid in managing calls that are on hold, the CMW advantageously provides a hold list display, identifying these on-hold calls and (optionally) the length of time that each party is on hold. A
corresponding face icon could be used to identify each on-hold call. In addition, buttons could be provided in this hold display which would allow the user to send a preprogrammed message to a party on hold. For example, this message could advise the callee when the call will be resumed, or could state that the call is being terminated and will be reinitiated at a later time.
Reference is now directed to Figure 24 which diagrammatically illustrates how two-party calls are connected for CMWs WS-l and WS-2, located at the same MLAN 10. As shown in Figure 24, CMWs WS-1 and WS-2 are coupled to the local A/V Switching Circuitry 30 via ports 81 and 82, respectively. As previously described, when CMW WS-1 calls CMW WS-2, a callhandle is created for each port. If CMW WS-2 accepts the call, these two callhandles become active and in response thereto, the AVNM causes the AIV Switching Circuitry 30 to set up the appropriate connections between ports 81 and 82, as indicated by the dashed line 83.
Figure 25 diagrammatically illustrates how two-party calls are connected for CMWs WS-1 and WS-2 when located in different MLANs l0a and lOb. As illustrated in Figure 25, CMW WS-1 of MLAN l0a is connected to a port 91a of A/V Switching Circuitry 30a of MLAN
10a, while CMW WS-2 is connected to a port 91b of the audio/video switching circuit 30b of MLAN lOb. It will be assumed that MLANs l0a and IOb can communicate with each other via ports 92a and 92b (through respective WAN gateways 40a and 40b and WAN 15). A call between CMWs WS-1 and WS-2 can then be established by AVNM of MLAN l0a in response to the creation of callhandles at ports 91a and 92a, setting up appropriate connections between these ports as indicated by dashed line 93a, and by AVNM of MLAN lOb, in response to callhandles created at ports 91b and 92b, setting up appropriate connections between these ports as indicated by dashed line 93b. Appropriate paths 94a and 94b in WAN gateways 40a and 40b, respectively, are set up by the WAN
network manager 65 (Figure 21) in each network.
CONFERENCE CALLS
', Next to be described in the specific manner in which the preferred embodiment provides for multi-party conference calls (involving more than two participants). When a multi-party conference call is initiated, the CMW provides a screen that is similar to the screen for two-party calls, which displays a live video picture of the callee's image in a video window.
However, for mufti-party calls, the screen includes a video mosaic containing a live video picture of each of the conference participants (including the CMW user's own picture), as shown, for example, in Figure 8B. Of course, other embodiments could show only the remote conference participants (and not the local CMW user) in the conference mosaic (or show a mosaic containing both participants in a two-party call). In addition to the controls shown in Figure 8B, the mufti-party conference screen also includes buttons/menu items that can be used to place individual conference participants on hold, to remove individual participants from the conference, to adjourn the entire conference, or to provide a "close-up" image of a single individual (in place of the video mosaic).
Mufti-party conferencing requires all the mechanisms employed for 2-party calls. In addition, it requires the conference bridge manager CBM 64 (Figure 21) and the conference bridge 36 (Figure 3). The CBM acts as a client of the AVNM in managing the operation of the conference bridges 36.
The CBM also acts as a server to other clients on the network. The CBM makes conferencing services available by creating service records of type "conference" in the AVNM service database and associating these services with the ports on A/V Switching Circuitry 30 for connection to conference bridges 36.
The preferred embodiment provides two ways for initiating a conference call.
The first way is to add one or more parties to an existing two-party call. For this purpose, an ADD button is provided by both the Collaboration Initiator and the Rolodex, as illustrated in Figures 2A and 22.
To add a new party, a user selects the party to be added (by clicking on the user's rolodex name or face icon as described above) and clicks on the ADD button to invite that new party. Additional parties can be invited in a similar manner. The second way to initiate a conference call is to select the parties in a similar manner and then click on the CALL button (also provided in the Collaboration Initiator and Rolodex windows on the user's CMW screen).
Another alternative embodiment is to initiate a conference call from the beginning by clicking on a CONFERENCE/MOSAIC icon/button/menu item on the CMW screen. This could initiate a conference call with the call initiator as the sole participant (i.e., causing a conference bridge to be allocated such that the caller's image also appears on his/her own screen in a video mosaic, which will also include images of subsequently added participants). New participants could be invited, for example, by selecting each new party's face icon and then clicking on the ADD
button.
Next to be considered with reference to Figures 26 and 27 is the manner in which conference calls are handled in the preferred embodiment. For the purposes of this description it will be assumed that up to four parties may participate in a conference call. Each conference uses four ' bridge ports 136-1, 136-2, 136-3 and 136~t provided on A/V Switching Circuitry 30a, which are respectively coupled to bidirectional audio/video lines 36-1, 36-2, 36-3 and 36-4 connected to conference hridge 36. Hawever, from this description it will he apparent how a conference call may he provided for additional parties, as well as simultaneously incurring conference calls.
Once the Collahoration Initiator determines that a cunferenm is to he initiated, it queries the AVNM for a conference service. If such a service is availahle, the Collahoration Initiator requests the associated CBM to allocate a conference hridoe. The Collahoration Initiator then places an audiolvideo call to the CBM to initiate the conference. When the CBM accepts the call, the AVNM
couples port 101 of CMW WS-I to lines 36-l of cemference hridge 36 by a connection 137 produced in response to callhandles created fur port 101 of WS-I and hridge Port 136-I.
When the user of WS-I selects the appropriate face icon and clicks the ADD
button to invite a new participant to the conference, which will ha assumed to he CMW WS-3, the Collaboration Initiator on WS-1 sends an add request to the CBM. In response, the CBM calls WS-3 via WS-3 port 103. When CBM initiates the call; the AVNM creates callhandles tbr WS-3 port 103 and bridge port 136-2. When WS-3 accepts the call, its callhandle is made "active,"
resulting in connection 138 being provided to connect WS-3 and lines 136-2 of conference hridge 36.
Assuming CMW WS-1 next adds CMW WS-5 and then CMW WS-8, callhandles for their respective ports and bridge ports 136-3 and 136-4 are created, in turn, as described above fur WS-I and WS-3, resulting in connections 139 and 140 being provided to connect WS-5 and WS-9 to conference bridge lines 36-3 and 36-4, respectively. The conferees WS-l, WS-3, WS-5 and WS-8 are thus coupled to conference bridge lines 136-l, 136-2, 136-3 and 136-4, respectively as shown in Figure 26.
It will he understood that the video mosaicing circuitry 36 and audio mixing circuitry 38 incorporated in conference bridge 36 operate as previously described, to form a resulting four-picture mosaic (Figure 8B) that is sent to all of the conference participants, which in this example are CMWs WS-1, WS-2, WS-5 and WS-8. Users may leave a conference by just hanging up, which causes the AVNM to delete the associated callhandles and to send a hangup notitication to CBM. When CBM
receives the notitication, it notities all other conference participants that the participant has exited. In the preferred embodiment, this results in a blackened portion of that participant's video mosaic image being displayed on the screen of all remaining participants.
The manner in which the CBM and the conference bridge 36 operate when conference participants are located at different sites will be evident from the previously described operation of the cut-and-paste circuitry 39 (Figure 10) with the video mosaicing circuitry 36 (Figure 7) and audio mixing circuitry 38 (Figure 9). In such case, each incoming single vide picture or mosaic from another site is connected to a respective one of the conference hridg~ lines 36-1 to 36-4 via WAN
gateway 40.
The situation in which a two-party call is converted to a conference call will next be considered in connection with Figure 27 and the previously considered 2-party call illustrated in Figure 24. Converting this 2-party call to a cunferenre requires that this two-party call (such as illustrated between WS-1 and WS-2 in Figure 24) he rerouted dynamically so as to he coupled through conference bridge 36. When the user of WS-I clicks on the ADD button to add a new party (for example WS-5), the Collaboration Initiator of WS-1 sends a redirect request to the AVNM, which cooperates with the CBM to break the two-party connection 83 in Figure 24, and then redirect the callhandles created tbr ports 81 and 83 to callhandles created for bridge ports 136-1 and 136-2, respectively.
As shown in Figure 27, this results in producing a connection 86 between WS-1 and bridge port 136-1, and a connection 87 between WS-2 and bridge port 136-2, thereby creating a conference set-up between WS-1 and WS-2. Additional conference participants can then he added as described above for the situations described shove in which the conference is initiated by the user of WS-1 either selecting multiple participants initially or merely selecting a "conference" and then adding subsequent participants.
Having described the preferred manner in which two-party calls and conference calls are set up in the preferred embodiment, the preferred manner in which data conferencing is provided between CMWs will next he described.
DATA CONFERENCING
Data conferencing is implemented in the preferred embodiment by certain Snapshot Sharing software provided at the CMW (see Figure 20). This software permits a "snapshot" of a selected portion of a participant's CMW screen (such as a window) to ha displayed on the CMW screens of other selected participants (whether or not those participants are also involved in a videoconference).
Any number of snapshots may he shared simultaneously. Once displayed, any participant can then telepoint on or annotate the snapshot, which animated actions and results will appear (virtually simultaneously) on the screens of all other participants. The annotation capabilities provided include tines of several different widths and text of several different sizes. Also, to facilitate participant identification, these annotations may he provided in a different color for each participant. Any annotation may also he erased by any participant. Figure 2B (lower left window) illustrates a CMW
screen having a shared graph on which participants have drawn and typed to call attention to or '~ supplement specific portions of the shared image.
A participant may initiate data confereneing with selected participants (selected and added as described above for videoconference calls) by clicking on a SHARE button on the screen (available in the Rolodex or Collaboration Initiator windcnvs: shown in Figure 2A, as are CALL and ADD
buttons), followed by selection of the window to ht shared. When a participant clicks on his SHARE
button, his Collaboration Initiator module 161 (Figure 20) queries the AVNM to locate the Collaboration Initiators of the selected participants, resulting in invocation of their respective Snapshot Sharing modules 164. The Snapshot Sharing sot'tware modules at the CMWs of each of the selected participants query their local operating system 180 to determine available graphic formats, and then send this information to the initiating Snapshot Sharing module, which determines the format that will produce the mast advantageous diaplay quality and performance for each selected participant.
After the snapshot to ha shared is displayed on all CMWs, each participant may telepoint on or annotate the snapshot, which actions and results are displayed on the CMW
screens of all participants. This is preferably accomplished by monitoring the actions made at the CMW (e.g., by tracking mouse movements) and sending these "operating system commands" to the CMWs of the other participants, rather than continuously exchanging hitmaps, as would he the case with traditional "remote control" products.
As illustrated in Figure 28, the original unchanged snapshot is stored in a first bitmap 210a.
A second hitmap 210h stores the combination of the original snapshot and any annotations. Thus, when desired (e.g., by clicking on a CLEAR button located in each participant's Share window, as illustrated in Figure 2B), the original unchanged snapshot can he restored (i.e., erasing all annotations) using hitmap 210a . Selective erasures can he accomplished by copying into (i.e., restoring) the desired erased area of hitmap 210h with the corresponding portion from hitmap 210a.
Rather than causing a new Share window to ha created whenever a snapshot is shared, it is possible to replace the contents of an existing Share window with a new image.
This can be achieved in either of two ways. First, the user can click on the GRAB button and then select a new window whose contents should replace the contents of the existing Share window.
Second, the user can click on the REGRAB button to cause a (presumably modified) version of the original source window to replace the contents of the existing Share window. This is particularly useful when one participant desires to share a long document that cannot ha displayed on the screen in its entirety. For example, the user might display the first page of a spreadsheet on his screen, use the SHARE button to share that page, discuss and perhaps annotate it, then return to the spreadsheet application to position to the next page, use the REGRAB button to share the new page, and so on. This mechanism represents a simple, effective step toward application sharing.
Further, instead of sharing a snapshot of data on his current screen, a user may instead choose to share a snapshot that had previously hewn saved as a tile. This is achieved via the LOAD
button, which causes a dialog box to appear, prompting the user to select a tile. Conversely, via the SAVE button, any snapshot may he saved, with all current annotations.
The capabilities described above were carefully selected to he particularly effective in environments where the principal goal is to share existing intbrmation, rather than to create new information. In particular, user interfaces arc designed to make snapshot capture, telepointing and annotation extremely easy to use. Nevertheless. it is also to ha understood that, instead of sharing snapshots, a blank "whitehoard" can also he shared (via the WHITEBOARD button provided by the Rolodex, Collaboration Initiator, and active call windows), and that more complex paintbox capabilities could easily he added tier application areas that raquirr such capabilities.
As pointed out previously herein, important featuras of the present invention reside in the manner in which the capabilities and advantages of multimedia mail (MMM), multimedia conference recording (MMCR), and multimedia document management (MMDM) are tightly integrated with audio/videoldata teleconferencing to provide a multimedia collaboration system that facilitates an unusually higher level of communication and collaboration between geographically dispersed users than has heretofore been achievable by known prior art systems. Figure 29 is a schematic and diagrammatic view illustrating haw multimedia calls/conferences, MMCR, MMM and MMDM work together to provide the above-described features. In the preferred embodiment, MM Editing Utilities shown supplementing MMM and MMDM may be identical.
Having already described various embodiments and examples of audio/video/data teleconferencing, next to he considered are various ways of integrating MMCR, MMM and MMDM
with audiolvideoldata teleconferencing in accordance with the invention. For this purpose, basic preferred approaches and features of each will hr considered along with preferred associated hardware and software.

In one embodiment, the creation, storage, retrieval and editing of multimedia documents serve as the basic element common to MMCR, MMM and MMDM. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment advantageously provides a universal tbrmat tW multimedia documents.
This format defines multimedia documents as a collection of individual components in multiple media combined with an overall structure and timing component that captures the identities, detailed dependencies, references to, and relationships among the various other components. The information provided by this structuring component forms the basis for spatial layout, order of presentation, hyperlinks, temporal synchronization, etc., with respect to the composition of a multimedia document. Figure 30 shows the structure of such documents as well as their relationship with editing and storage facilities.
w Each of the components of a multimedia document uses its own editors for creating, editing, and viewing. In addition, each compcment may use dedicated storage facilities.
In the preferred embodiment, multimedia documents are advantageously structured tbr authoring, storage, playback and editing by storing some data under conventiemal tile systems and some data in special-purpose storage servers as will he discussed later. The Conventional File System 504 can be used to store alt non-time-sensitive portions of a multimedia document. In particular, the following are examples of non-time-sensitive data that can he stored in a conventional type of computer t7le system:

1. structured and unstructured text 2. raster images 3. structured graphics and veetc~r graphics (e.g.. PostScript) 4. references to tiles in other tile systems (video, hi-tidality audio, etc.) via pointers 5. restricted firms of executables 6. structure and timing information for all of the ahcwe (spatial layout, order of presentation, hyperlinks, temporal synchronization, etc.) Of particular importance in multimedia documents is support for time-sensitive media and media that have synchronization requirements with other media components. Some of these time-sensitive media can be stored on conventional tile systems while others may require special-purpose storage facilities.
Examples of time-sensitive media that can ha stored on conventional file systems are small audio tiles and short or low-quality video clips (e.g. as might be produced using Quicklime or Video IS for Windows). Other examples include window event lists as supported by the Window-Event Record and Play system 512 shown in Figure 30. This component allows for storing and replaying a user's interactions with application programs by capturing the requests and events exchanged between. the client program and the window system in a time-stamped sequence. After this "record" phase, the resulting information is stored in a conventional tile that can later he retrieved and "played" back.
During playback the same sequence of window system requests and events reoccurs with the same relative timing as when they were recorded. In prior-art systems, this capability has been used for creating automated demonstrations. In the present invention it can he used, for example, to reproduce annotated snapshots as they occurred at recording As described above in connection with collaborative workstation software, Snapshot Share 518 shown in Figure 30 is a utility used in multimedia calls and conferencing for capturing window or screen snapshots, sharing with one or more call or conference participants, and permitting group annotation, telepointing, and re-grabs. Here, this utility is adapted so that its captured images and window events can be recorded by the Window-Event Record and Play system 512 while being used by only one person. By synchronizing events associated with a video or audio stream to specific frame numbers or time codes, a multimedia call or conference can he recorded and reproduced in its entirety. Similarly, the same functionality is preferably used to create multimedia mail whose authoring steps are virtually identical to participating in a multimedia call or conference (though other forms of MMM are not precluded).
Some lima-sansitiva media require dedicatad storage servers in order to satisfy real-time requirements. High-quality audio/video segments, tier example, require dedicated real-time audio/video storage server. A preferred embodiment of such a server will be described later. Next to he considered is how the current invention guarantees symhronization hetween different media components.
1~1EDIA SYNCHRONIZATION
S A preferred manner for providing multimedia synchronization in the preferred embodiment will next he considered. Only multimedia documents with real-lima material need include synchronization functions and intbrmation. Synchronization ter such situations may he provided as descrihed below.
Audio or video segments can exist without heing accompanied by the other. If audio and video are recorded simultaneously ("co-recorded"), the preferred emhodiment allows the case where their streams are recorded and played hack with automatic synchronization - as would result from conventional VCRs, laserdisks, or time-division multiplexed ("interleaved") audiolvideo streams.
This excludes the need to tightly synchronize (i.e., "lip-sync") separate audio and video sequences.
Rather, reliance is on the co-recording capahility of the Real-Time Audio/Video Storage Server 502 to deliver all closely synchronized audio and video directly at its signal outputs.
Each recorded video seyuenca is tagged with time codes (e.a. SMPTE at 1130 second intervals) or video frame numhers. Each recorded audio sequence is lagged with time codes (e.g., SMPTE or MIDI) or, if co-recorded with video, video frame numhers.
The preferred emhodiment also provides synchronization hetween window events and audio andlor video streams. The tbllowing functions are supported:
I. Media-time-driven Synchronization: synchronization of window events to an audio, video, or audiolvideo stream, using the real-time media as the timing source.
2. Machine-time-driven-Synchronization:
a. synchronization of window events to the system clock h. synchronization of the start of an audio, video, or audiolvideo segment to the system clock 1f no audio or video is involved, machine-lima-driven synchronization is used throughout the document. Whenever audio andlor video is playing, media-time-synchronization is used. The system supports transition hetween machine-time and media-time synchronization whenever an audiolvideo segment is started or stopped.
As an example, viewing a multimedia document might proceed as follows:
Document starts with an annotated share (machine-time-driven synchronization) 3~

Nezt, start audio only (a "voice annotation") as text and graphical annotations on the share continue (audio is timing source for window events).
Audio ends, but annotations continue (machine-time driven synchronization).
Next, start co-recorded audio/video continuing with further annotations on same share (audio is timing source for window events).
° Next, start a new share during the continuing audio/video recording;
annotations happen on both shares (audio is timing source for window events).
Audio/video stops, annotations on both shares continue (machine-time-driven synchronization).
Document ends.
AUDIO/VIDEO STORAGE
As described above, the present invention can include many special-purpose servers that provide storage of time-sensitive media (e.g. audiolvideo streams) and support coordination with other media. This section describes the preferred embodiment for audio/video storage and recording services.
Although storage and recording services could be provided at each CMW, it is preferable to employ a centralized server 502 coupled to MLAN 10, as illustrated in Figure 31. A centralized server 502, as shown in Figure 31, provides the following advantages:
1. The total amount of storage hardware required can be far less (due to better utilization resulting from statistical averaging).
2. Bulky and expensive compression/decompression hardware can be pooled on the storage servers and shared by multiple clients. As a result, fewer compression/decompression engines of higher performance are required than if each workstation were equipped with its own compression/decompression hardware.
3. Also, more costly centralized codecs can be used to transfer mail wide area among campuses at far lower costs than attempting to use data WAN technologies.
4. File system administration (e.g. backups and file system replication, etc.) are far less costly and higher performance.
The Real-Time Audio/Video Storage Server 502 shown in Figure 31A structures and manages the audio/video files recorded and stored on its storage devices. Storage devices may typically include computer-controlled VCRs, as well as rewritable magnetic or optical disks. For example, server 502 in Figure 31A includes disks 60e for recording and playback. Analog information is transferred between disks 60e and the A/V Switching Circuitry 30 via analog IIO 62. Control is provided by control 64 coupled to Data LAN hub 25.

At a high level, the centralized audiolvideo storage and playback server 502 in Figure 31A
performs the following functions:
File Management:
It provides mechanisms tier creating, naming, time-stamping, storing, retrieving, copying, deleting, and playing hack soma or all portions of an audio/video file.
File Transfer and Replication The audio/video tile server supports replication of tiles on different disks managed by the same tile server to t'acilitate simultaneous access to the same tiles.
Moreover, tile transfer facilities are provided to support transmission of audiolvideo files between itself and other audiolvideo storage and playhack engines. File transfer can also be achieved by using the underlying audio/video network facilities: servers establish a real-time audio/video network connection hetween themselves so one server can "play hack" a tile whip the second server simultaneously records it.
Disk Management The storage facilities support specific disk allocation, garhage collection and defragmentation facilities. They also support mapping disks with other disks (for replication and staging modes, as appropriate) and mapping disks, via I/O
equipment, with the appropriate Video/Audio network port.
Synchronization support Synchronization hetween audio and video is ensured by the multiplexing scheme used by the storage media, typically by interleaving the audio and video streams in a time-division-multiplexed fashion. Further, if synchronization is required with other stored media (such as window system graphics), then frame numhers, time codes, or other . _ timing events era generated by the storage carver. An advantageous way of providing this synchronization in the preferred emhodiment is to synchronize record and playhack to received frame numher or time code events.
Searching To support infra-tile searching, at least start, stop, pause, fast forward, reverse, and fast reverse operations era provided. To support inter-tile searching, audio/video tagging, or morn generalized ''go-to" operations and mechanisms, such as frame numhers or time coda are supported at a search-function level.

Connection Mauuycmerrt The server handles requests tin audiolvideo network connections from client programs (such as video viewers and editors running on client workstations) for real-time recording and real-time playback of audiolvideo tiles.
Next to he considered is how centralized audiolvidee> storage servers provide for real-time re :ording and playback of video streams.
Real-Tine Disk Delivery To support real-time audiolvideo recording and playback, the storage server needs to provide a real-time transmission path between the storage medium and the appropriate audiolvideo network port for each simultaneous client accessing the server. For example, if one user is viewing a video file at the same time several other people are creating and storing new video files on the same disk, multiple simultaneous paths to the storage media are required. Similarly, video mail sent to large distribution groups, video databases, and similar functions may also require simultaneous access to the same video t7les, again imposing multiple access requirements on the video storage capabilities.
For storage servers that are based on computer-controlled VCRs or rewritahle laserdisks, a real-time transmission path is readily available through the direct analog connection between the disk or tape and the network port. However, because of this single direct connection, each VCR or laserdisk can only he accessed by one client program at the same time (multi-head laserdisks are an exception). Therefore, storage servers haled on VCRs and laserdisks are dift7cult to scale for multiple access usage. In the preferred embodiment, multiple access to the same material is provided by tile replication and staging, which greatly increases storage requirements and the need for moving information quickly among storage media unity serving different users.
Video systems based an magnetic disks are more readily scalable tbr simultaneous use by multiple-people. A generalized hardware implementation ot'such a scalable storage and playback system.502 is illustrated in Figure 32. Individual ll0 cards 530 supporting digital and analog I/O are linked by infra-chassis digital networking (e.g. husks) tbr tilt transfer within chassis 532 holding some number of these cards. IVlllltlple lhaSSIS 532 are linked by inter-chassis networking. The Digital Video Storage System available from Parallax Graphics is an example of such a system implementation.
The bandwidth available tier the transfer of tiles among disks is ultimately limited by the bandwidth of thaw infra-chassis and inter-chassis networking. For systems that use sufficiently powerful video compression schemes, real-time delivery requirements for a small number of users can he met by existing tile system software (smh as the Unix tile system), provided that the block-ini size of the storage system is optimized fm video storage and that sufficient huffering is provided by the operating system software to guarantee continuous flow of the audi«/video data.
Special-purpove softwaralhardware solutions can ha nnwided tc> guarantee higher performance under heavier usage or higher handwidth conditions. For example, a higher throughput version of Figure 32 is illustrated in Figure 33, which uses crosspuint switching, such as provided by SCSI
Crossbar 540, which increases the total handwidth of the inter-chassis and infra-chassis network, thereh; increasing the number of possible simultaneous tile transfers.
Real-Time Network Delivery By using the same audio/video tbrmat as used for audiolvideo teleconferencing, the audio/video storage system can leverage the previously described network facilities: the MLANs 10 can be used to establish a multimedia network connection between client workstations and the audio/video storage servers. Audio/Video editors and viewers running on the client workstation use the same software interfaces as the multimedia teleconferencing system to establish these network IS connections.
The resulting architecture is shown in Figure 31B. Client workstations use the existing audiolvideo network to connect to the storage server's network ports. These network ports are connected to compressionldecompression engines that plug into the server bus.
These engines compress the audio/video streams that come in over the network and store them on the local disk.
Similarly, for playback, the server reads stored video segments from its local disk and routes them through the decompression engines hack to client workstations for local display.
The present invention allows for alternative delivery strategies. For example, some compression algorithms are asymmetric, meaning that decompression requires much less compute power than compression. In some cases, real-time decompression can even he done in software, without requiring any special-purpose decompression hardware. As a result, there is no need to decompress stored audio and video on the storage server and play it hack in realtime over the network. Instead, it can he more efficient to transfer an entire audiolvideo t7le from the storage server to the client workstation, cache it on the workstation's disk, and play it hack locally. These observations lead to a modified architecture as presented in Figure 31C. In this architecture, clients interact with the storage server as follows:
To record video, clients set up real-time audiolvide« network connections to the storage server as hetbre (this connection could make use of an analog line).
In response to a connection request, the storage server allocates a compression module to the new client.

As soon as the client starts recording, the storage server routes the output from the compression hardware ar en audiolvideu tile allocated on its local storage devices.
o For playhack, this audin/videu tile gets transferred over the data network to the client workstation and pre-staged on the workstation's local disk.
~ The client uses local decompression software andlor hardware to play back the audio/video on its local audio and video hardware.
This approach frees up audio/video network ports and compressionldecompression engines on the server. As a result, the server is scaled to support a higher numher of simultaneous recording sessions, therehy further reducing the cost of the system. Note that such an architecture can be part of a preferred emhodiment for reasons other than compression/decompression asymmetry (such as the economics of the technology of the day, existing emhedJed hale in the enterprise, etc.).
MULTIMEDIA CONFERENCE RECORDING
Multimedia conference recording (MMCR) will next ha considered. For full-feature multimedia desktop calls and conferencing (e.g. audiolvideo calls or conferences with snapshot share), recording (storage) capahilities are preferahly provided for audio and video of al! parties, and also for all shared windows, including any telepointing and annotations provided during the teleconference. Using the multimedia synchronization facilities described above, these capabilities are provided in a way such that they can. hr replayed with accurate correspondence in time to the recorded audio and video, such as by synchronizing to frame numhers or time.
code events.
A preferred way of capturing audio and video from calls would he to record all calls and conferences as if they ware multi-party conferences (even tier two-party calls), using video mosaicing, audio mixing and cut-and-pasting, as previously described in connection with Figures 7-11. It will be appreciated that MMCR as described will advantageously permit users at their desktop to review real-time collaboration as it previously occurred, including during a later teleconference. The output of a MMCR session is a multimedia document that can he stored, viewed. and edited using the multimedia document facilities described earlier.
Figure 31 D ShtIWS how conference recording relates to the various system components described earlier. The Multimedia Conference Record/Play system 522 provides the user with the additional GUIs (graphical user interfaces) and other functions required to provide the previously described MMCR functionality.
The Conference lnvoker 518 shown in Figure 31D is a utility that coordinates the audiolvideo calls that must he made to connect the audiolvideo storage server 502 with special recording outputs on conference bridge hardware (35 in Figure a). The resulting recording is linked to information identifying the conference, a function also perti~rmecl by this utility.

Now considering multimedia mail (MMM), it will he understood that MMM adds to the - above-described MMCR the capability of delivering delayed mllahoration, as well as the additional ability to review the information multiple times and, as described hereinafter, to edit, re-send, and archive it. The captured information is preferably a superset of that captured during MMCR, except that no other user is involved and the user is given a chance to review and edit before sending the message.
The Multimedia Mail system 524 in Figure 31D pnwides the user with the additional GUIs and other functions required to provide the previously described MMM
functionality. Multimedia Mail relies on a conventional Email system 506 shown in Figure 31 D for creating, transporting, and browsing messages. However, multimedia doeumznt editor and viewers are used for creating and viewing message bodies. Multimedia documents (as described atxwe) consist of time-insensitive components and time-sensitive components. The Conventional Email system 506 relies on the Conventional File system 504 and Real-Time Audio/Video Storage Server 502 for storage support.
The time-insensitive components are transported within the Conventional Email system 506, while the real-time components may he separately transported through the audio/video network using file transfer utilities associated with the Real-Time Audio/Video Storage Server 502.
MULTIMEDIA DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT
Multimedia document management (MMDM) provides long-term, high-volume storage for MMCR and MMM. The MMDM system assists in providing the following capabilities to a CMW
user:
1. Multimedia documents can he authored as mail in the MMM system or as call/conference recordings in the MMCR system and then passed on to the MMDM system.
2. To the degree supported by external compatible multimedia editing and authoring systems, multimedia documents can also he authored by means other than MMM and MMCR.
3. Multimedia documents stored within the MMDM system can be reviewed and searched 4. Multimedia documents stored within the MMDM system can he used as material in the creation of subsequent MMM.
5. Multimedia documents stored within the MMDM system can he edited to create other multimedia documents.

The Multimedia Document Management system 526 in Figure 31D provides the user with the additional GUIs and other functions required to provide the previously described MMDM
functionality. The MMDM includes sophisticated searching and editing capabilities in connection with the MMDM multimedia document such that a user can rapidly access desired selected portions of a stored multimedia document. The Specialized Search system 520 in Figure 31D comprises utilities that allow users to do more sophisticated searches across and within multimedia documents. This includes content-based and content-based searches (employing operations such as speech and image recognition, information filters, etc.), time-based searches, and event-based searches (window events, call management events, speech/audio events, etc.).
CLASSES OF COLLABORATION
The resulting multimedia collaboration environment achieved by the above-described integration of audio/video/data teleconferencing, MMCR, MMM and MMDM is illustrated in Figure 34. It will be evident that each user can collaborate with other users in real-time despite separations in space and time. In addition, collaborating users can access information already available within their computing and information systems, including information captured from previous collaborations. Note in Figure 34 that space and time separations are supported in the following ways:
1. Same time, different place Multimedia calls and conferences 2. Different time, same place MMDM access to stored MMCR and MMM information, or use of MMM
directly (i.e., copying mail to oneself) 3. Different time, different elace MMM
4. Same time. same place Collaborative, face-to-face, multimedia document creation By use of the same user interfaces and network functions, the present invention smoothly spans these three venus.
REMOTE ACCESS TO EXPERTISE

iii In order to illustrate how tha present invention may he implemented and operated, an exemplary preferred emhodiment will ha descrihad having features applicahle to the aforementioned scenario involving remote access to expertise. It is to he understood that this exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative, and is not to he considered as limiting the scope of the invention, since the invention may he adapted for other applications (such as in engineering and manufacturing) or uses having more or less hardware, software and operating features and comhined in various ways.
Consider the following sce tario involving access from remote sites to an in-house corporate "expert" in the trading of financial instruments such as in the securities market:
The focus of the scenario revolves around the activitids of a trader who is a specialist in securities. The setting is the start of his day at his desk in a major financial center (NYC) at a major U.S. investment hank.
The Expert has heen actively watching a particular security over the past week and upon his arrival into the office, he notices it is on the rise. Before going home last night, he previously set up his system to filter overnight news on a particular family of securities and a security within that family. He scans the filtered news and sees a story that may have a long-term impact on this security in question. He believes he needs to act now in order to get a good price on the security. Also, through filtered mail, he seas that his counterpart in London, who has also been watching this security, is interested in getting our Expert's opinion once he arrives at work.
The Expert issues a multimedia mail message on the security to the head of sales worldwide for use in working with their client base. Also among the recipients is an analyst in the research department and his counterpart in London. The Expert, in preparation tar his previously established "on-call" office hours, consults with others within the corporation (using the videocunferencing and other collaborative techniques described ehove), accesses eompany records from his CMW, and analyzes such information, employing software-assisted analytic techniques.
His office hours are now at hand, so he enter "intercom" mode, which enehles incoming calls to appear automatically (without requiring the Expert to "answer his phone" and elect to accept or reject the call).
The Expert's computer beeps, indicating an incoming call, and the image of a field representative 201 and his client 202 who are located at a hank branch somewhere in the U.S.
appears in video window 203 of the Expert's screen (shown in Fig. 35). Note that, unless the call is converted to a "conference" call (whether explicitly via a menu selection or implicitly by calling two or more other participants or adding a third participant to a call), the callers will see only each other in the video window and will not see themselves as part of a video mosaic.
Also illustrated on the Expert's screen in Fig. 3S is the Collaboration Initiator window 204 from which the Expert c;an (utilizing Collaboration Initiator software module 161 shown in Fig. 20) initiate and control various collaborative sessions. For example, the user can initiate with a selected participant a video call (CALL button) ur thd addition of that selected participant to an existing video call (ADD button), as well as a share session (SHARE button) using a selected window or region on the screen (or a blank region via the WHITEBOARD button tim suhseyuent annotation). The user can also invoke his MAIL software (MAIL button) and prep:~re outgoing or check incoming Email messages (the presence of which is indicated by a picture of an envelope in the dog's mouth in In Box icon 205), as well as check for "I called" messages from other callers (MESSAGES button) left via the LEAVE WORD button in video wioduw 203. Viddu window 203 also contains buttons from which many of these and certain additional features can he invoked, such as hanging up a video call (HANGUP button), putting a call on hold (HOLD halloo), resuming a call previously put on hold (RESUME button) or muting the audio portion of a call (MUTE button). In addition, the user can invoke the recording of a conference by the conference RECORD button. Also present on the Expert's screen is a standard desktop window 20C containing icons from which other programs (whether or not part of this invention) can ha launched.
Returning to the example, the Expert is now engaged in a videoconference with field representative 201 and his client 202. In the course of this videoconference, as illustrated in Fig. 36, the field representative shares with the Expert a graphical image 210 (pie chart of client portfolio holdings) of his client's portfolio holdings (hy clicking on his SHARE button, corresponding to. the SHARE button in video window 203 of the Expert's screen, and selecting that image from his screen, resulting in the shared image appearing in the Share window 211 of the screen of all participants to the share) and begins to discuss the client's investment dilemma. The field representative also invokes a command to secretly bring up the client profile on the Expert's screen.
After considering this inti~rmation, reviewing the shared portfolio and asking clarifying questions, the Expert illustrates his advice by creating (using his own modeling software) and sharing a new graphical image 220 (Fig. 37) with the field representative and his client. Either party to the share can annotate that image using the drawing tools 221 (and the TEXT
button, which permits typed characters to he displayed) provided within Share window 21 I, or "regrah" a modified version of the original image (hy using the REGRAB halloo), or remove all such annotations (by using the CLEAR button of Sham window 2l 1), or "grab" a new image to share (hy clicking on the GRAB
button of Share window 211 and selecting that new image from the screen). In addition, any participant to a shared session ran add a new participant by selecting that participant from the rolodex or quick-dial list (as described above for video calls and fur data cunferencing) and clicking the ADD
button of Share window 211. Ona can also save the shared image (SAVE button), load a previously saved image to he shared (LOAD button), or print an image (PRINT button).
While discussing the Expert's advice, field representative 201 makes annotations 222 to image 220 in order to illustrate his concerns. While responding to thr concerns of field represent five 201, the Expert hears a beep and receives a visual notice (New Call window 223) on his screen (not visible to the tield representative and his client), indicating the existence of a new incoming call and identifying the caller. At this point, the Expert can accept the new call (ACCEPT button), refuse the new call (REFUSE button, which will result in a message heino displayed on the caller's screen indicating that the Expert is unavailable) or add the new caller to the Expert's existing call (ADD
button). In this case, the Expert elects yet another option (mu shown) - to defer the call and leave the caller a standard message that the Expert will cell hack in X minutes (in this case, 1 minute).
The Expert then elects also tn defer his existing call, falling the tield representative and his client that he will call them back in 5 minutes, and then elects to return the initial deferred call.
It should be noted that the Expert's act of deferring a call results not only in a message being sent to the caller, but also in the caller's name (and perhaps other intbrmation associated with the call, such as the time the call was deferred or is to he resumed) being displayed in a list 230 (see Fig.
38) on the Expert's screen from which the call can ha reinitiated. Moreover, the "state" of the call (e.g., the information heinb shared) is retained so that it can he recreated when the call is reinitiated.
Unlike a "hold" (described above), deferring a call actually breaks the logical and physical connections, requiring that the entire call he reinitiated by the Collaboration Initiator and the AVNM
as described above.
Upon returning to the initial deferred call, the Expert engages in a videoconference with caller 231, a research analyst who is located 10 doors up from the Expert with a complex question regarding a particular security. Caller 231 decides tc~ add London expert 232 to the videoconference (via the ADD button in Collaboration Initiator window 204) to provide additional information regarding the tactual history of the security. Upon selecting the ADD button, video window 203 now displays, as illustrated in Fig. 38, a video mosaic consisting of three smaller images (instead of a single large image displaying only caller 231 ) of the Expert 233, caller 231 and London expert 232.
During this videoconference, an urgent PRIORITY request (New Call window 234) is received from the Expert's boss (who is engaged in a three-party videoconference call with two members of the hank's operations department and is attempting to add the Expert to that call to answer a quick question). The Expert puts his three-party videoconference on hold (merely by clicking the f~iOLD button in vidcx~ window 203) and accepts (via the ACCEPT
button of New Call window 234) the urgent call from his boss, which results in the Expert being added to the boss' three-party videoconference call.
As illustrated in Fig. 39, video winde~w 203 is now rtplaced with a tour-person video mosaic representing a four-party conference call consisting of the Expert 233, his boss 241 and the two members 242 and 243 of the hank's up~rations department. The Expert quickly answers the boss' question and, by clicking on the RESUME huttcm (ot' video window 203) adjacent to the names of the other participants to the call un held, simultaneously hands up on the conference call with his boss and resumes his three-party conference call involving the securities issue, as illustrated in video window 203 of Fig. 40.
While that call was on hold, however, analyst 231 and London expert 232 were still engaged in a two-way videoconference (with a blackened portion of the video mosaic on their screens indicating that the Expert was on hold) and had shared and annotated a graphical image 250 (see annotations 251 to image 250 of Fig. 40) illustrating certain financial concerns. Once the Expert resumed the call, analyst 231 added the Expert to the share session, causing Share window 211 containing annotated image 250 to appear on the Expert's screen. Optionally, snapshot sharing could progress while the video was on hold.
Before concluding his conference regarding the securities, the Expert receives notification of an incoming multimedia mail message - e.g., a beep accompanied by the appearance of an envelope _ 252 in the dog's mouth in In Box icon 205 shown in Fig. 40. Once he concludes his call, he quickly scans his incoming multimedia mail message by clicking on In Box icon 205, which invokes his mail software, and then selecting the incoming message for a quick scan, as generally illustrated in the top two windows of Fig. 2B. He decides it can wait for further review as the sender is an analyst other than the one helping on his security question.
He then reinitiates (by selecting deferred call indicator 230, shown in Fig.
40) his deferred call with field representative 201 and his client 202, as shown in Fig. 41.
Note that the full state of the call is also recreated, including restoration of previously shared image 220 with annotations 222 as they existed when the call was deferred (see Fig. 37). Note also in Fig. 41 that, having reviewed his only unread incoming multimedia mail message, In Box icon 205 no longer shows an envelope in the dog's mouth, indicating that the Expert currently has no unread incoming messages.
As the Expert continues to provide advice and pricing information to field representative 201, he receives notification of three priority calls 261-263 in short succession.
Call 261 is the Head of Sales for the Chicago office. Working at home, she had instructed her CMW to alert her of all urgent news or messages, and was subsequently alerted to the arrival of the Expert's earlier multimedia mail message. Call 262 is an urgent international call. Call 263 is from the Head of Sales in Los Angeles. The Expert quickly winds down and then concludes his call with field representative 201.
The Expert notes from call indicator 262 that this call is not only an international call (shown in the top portion of the New Call window), but he realizes it is from a laptop user in the field in Central Mexico. The Expert elects to prioritize his calls in the following manner: 262, 261 and 263.
He therefore quickly answers call 261 (by clicking on its ACCEPT button) and puts that call on hold while deferring call 263 in the manner described above. He then proceeds to accept the call identified by international call indicator 262.

Note in Fig. 42 deferred call indicator 271 and the indicator tbr the call placed on hold (next to the highlighted RESUME huttun in vidou wincJuw 203), as well as the image of caller 272 from the laptop in the tiold in Control Moxicu. Although Mexivan caller 272 is outdoors and has no direct access to any wired telephone connection, his laptnp has two wireless modems permitting dial-up access to two data connections in the noarost field oftico (through which his calls were routed). The system automatically (hasod upcm the laptop's registorod service capabilities) allocated one connection for an analog telephone voico wall (using his laptop's built-in m crophone and speaker and the Expert's computer-integrated tolephony capahilitios) m provide audio teloconferencing. The other connection provides control, data conforoncing and one-way digital video (i.e., the laptop user cannot see the image of the Expert) from tho laptop's built-in camera, albeit at a very slow frame rate (e.g., 3-10 small frames per second) due to the relatively slow dial-up phone connection.
It is important to note that, despite the limited capabilities of the wireless laptop equipment, the present invention accommodates such capahilitios, supplementing an audio telephone connection with limited (i.e., relatively slow) one-way vidou and data conforoncing functionality. As telephony and video compression technologies improve, the present invontiun will accommodate such improvements automatically. Moreover, even with one participant to a teleconference having limited capabilities, other participants neod not he roducod to this "lowest common denominator." For example, additional participants could he added to tho call illustrated in Fig. 42 as described above, and such participants could havo full vidooconforencing, data conferencing and other collaborative functionality vis-a-vis one another, while having limited functionality only with caller 272.
As his day ovolvod, the off-site salosperson 272 in Mexico was notitied by his manager through the laptop about a new security and hecamo convinced that his client would have particular interest in this issue. The salesperson therefore decided to contact the Expert as shown in Figure 42.
While discussing the security ISSUdS, the Export again shares all captured graphs, charts, etc.
The salesperson 272 also neods the Export's help on another issuo. He has hard copy only of a client's portfolio and needs soma advice on its composition hetbre he meets with the client tomorrow. He says he will tax it to the Expert for analysis. Upon receiving the fax--on his CMW, via computer-integrated fax--the Expert asks if he should either send the Mexican caller a "Quicklime" movie (a lower quality comprossod vidou standard from Apple Computer) on his laptop tonight or send a highor-quality CD via FaJX tomorrow - the notie>n hoing that the Expert can produce an actual vidoo presentation with models and annotations in video them. The salesperson can then play it to his client tomorrow afternex~n and it will ho as if tho Export is in the room. The Mexican caller docidos he would profer the CD.
Continuing with this scenario, the Export learns, in the course of his call with remote laptop caller 272, that he missed an important issue during his previous quick scan of his incoming multimedia mail mossage. The Expert is upset that tho sender of the message did not utilize the "video highlight" feature to highlight this aspect of the message. This feature permits the composer of the message to detine "tabs" (e.D., by clickinb a TAG button, noo shown) during record time which are stared with the message altmg with a "time stamp," and which cause a predet3ned or selectable audio and/or visual indicator to he played/displayed at that precise paint in the message during playback.
Because this issue relates to the caller that the Expert has an hold, the Expert decides to merge the two calls together by adding the call an hold to his existing call.
As noted above, both the Expert and the previously held caller will have full video capabilities vis-a-vis one another and will see a three-way mosaic image (with the image of caller ?72 at a slower frame rate), whereas caller 272 will have access only to the audio portion of this three-way conference call, though he will have data eanfereneing functionality with bath of the other participants.
The Expert forwards the multimedia mail message to both caller 272 and the other participant, and all threw of them review the vidaa enc;losura in greater detail and discuss the concern raised by caller 272. They share certain relevant data as desrrihad shave and realize that they need to ask a quick question of anathar remote expert. They add that expert to the call (resulting in the addition of a fourth image to the video mosaic, also not shown) life less than a minute while they obtain a quick answer to their question. They then continue their three-way call until the Expert provides his advice and then adjourns the call.
The Expert campuses a new multimedia mail message, retarding his image and audio synchronized (as described shave) to the screen displays resulting from his simultaneous interaction with his CMW (e.g., running a program that pertbrms certain calculations and displays a graph while the Expert illustrates certain points by telepainting on the screen, during which time his image and spoken words are also captured). He sends this me_ssag~ to a number of salesfarce recipients whose identities are determined automatically by an outgoing mail tiller that utilizes a database of information an each potential recipient (e.g., selecting only those whale clients have investment policies which allow this type of investment).
The Expert than receives an audio and visual reminder (not shown) that a particular video feed (e.g., a short segment of a tinancial cable television show featuring new tinancial instruments) will be triggered automatically in a fdw minutes. He uses this time to search his local securities database, which is dynamically updated from tinencial information feeds (e.g., prepared from a broadcast textual strum of current financial events with indexed headers that automatically applies data tillers to select incoming events relating to certain securities). The video feed is then displayed an the Expert's scram and ha watches this short video segment.
After analyzing this extremely up-ta-date information, the Expert then reinitiates his previously deferred call, from indicator 271 shown in Fig. ~3, which he knows is from the Head of Sales in Las Angeles, who is seeking to provide his prime clients with securities advice on another securities transaction based upon the most recent availahlc information. The Expert's call is not answered directly, though he receives a short prerecorded video message (left by the caller who had to leave his home for a maetina across town soon attar his priority massage was deferred) asking that the Expert leave him a multimedia mail reply message with advice for a particular client, and explaining that he will access this messagd remotely from his laptop as soon as his meeting is concluded. The Expert complies with this request and composes and sends this mail message.
The Expert then receives an audio and visual reminder on his screen indicating that his office hours will end in two minutes. He switches from "intercom" mode to "telephone"
mode so that he will no longer be disturhed without an opportunity to reject incoming calls via the New Call window described above. He then receives and accepts a t7nal call concerning an issue from an electronic meeting several months ago, which was recorded in its entirety. ' The Expert accesses this recorded meeting from his ''corporate memory". He searches the recorded meeting (which appears in a second video window on his screen as would a live meeting, along with standard controls for stoplplay/rewind/fast torward/etc.) for an event that will trigger his memory using his fast forward controls, hut cannot Ic~cat~ the desired portion of the meeting. He then elects to search the ASCII text log (which was automatically extracted in the background after the meeting had heen recordad, using the latest voice recognition techniques), hut still cannot locate the desired portion of the meeting. Finally, he applies an information titter to perform a content-oriented (rather than literal) search and finds the portion of the maeting he was seeking. After quickly reviewing this short portion of the previously recorded meeting, the Expert responds to the caller's question, adjourns the cal! and concludes his oftica hours.
It should he noted that the shove scenario involves many state-of-the-art desktop tools (e.g., video and information feeds, information tittering and voice recognition) that can be leveraged by our Expert during videoconferencing, data conferencing and other collahorative.
activities provided by the present invention - because this invention, instead of providing a dedicated videoconferencing system, provides a desktop multimedia rollahoration system that integrates into the Expert's existing workstation/LANIWAN environment.
It should also be noted that all of the praczding collahorative activities in this scenario took "' place during a relatively short portion of thz expert's day (e.g., less than an hour of cumulative time) while the Expert remained in his office and continued to utilize the tools and information available from his desktop. Prior to this invention, such a scanario would not have keen possible because many of these activitias could have taken place only with fare-to-face collahoration, which in many circumstances is not feasihle or ec;onc>mi~al and which thus may well have resulted in a loss of the associated business opportunities.
, Although the present invention has haen descrihed in connacti<m with particular preferred embodiments and examples, it is to he understood that many modifications and variations can be made in hardware, software, operation, uses, protocols and data formats without departing from the scope to which the inventions disclosed herein are entitled. For example, for certain applications, it will be useful to provide some or all of the audio/video signals in digital form. Accordingly, the present invention is to be considered as including all apparatus and methods encompassed by the appended claims.

Claims (24)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A teleconferencing system for conducting a teleconference among a plurality of participants comprising:
a plurality of video display devices each having associated participant video capture capabilities, and participant audio capture and reproduction capabilities; and at least one communication path along which signals representing participant audio and video can be transmitted;
wherein the system is configured to display (i) a first and a second set of potential participants in which the first set includes names of potential participants and the second set includes icons representing potential participants, and (ii) a set of collaboration types;
wherein the system is further configured to allow a selecting participant to initiate collaboration by selecting one or more participants from the displayed sets of potential participants and at least one collaboration type from the displayed set of collaboration types, and thereby establish communication of the selected type with each selected participant.

2. The teleconferencing system of claim 1, wherein the second set of participants is a subset of participants, and wherein the system allows the selecting participant to select:
one or more desired participants from the first set of potential participants; and one or more desired participants from the second set of potential participants, and thereby establishing communication with all selected participants.

3. The teleconferencing system of claim 2, wherein the selecting participant can use at least one computer graphic user interface to select at least one of the participant(s) and/or at least one of the collaboration types.

4. The teleconferencing system of claim 1, wherein the set of collaboration types includes at least one of data conferencing, videoconferencing, telephone conferencing, sending faxes, sending electronic mail, and the sending of multimedia mail messages.

5. The teleconferencing system of claim 1, wherein the system defaults to a default collaboration type upon selection of a participant.

6. The teleconferencing system of claim 1, wherein the system allows pre-selecting a desired participant and a default collaboration type.

7. The teleconferencing system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to allow a participant to select a further participant from among a plurality of potential participants and to add the new participant to an active teleconference call.

8. The teleconferencing system of claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to:
detect during a first teleconference call between a first and a second participant, an attempt by a third caller to initiate a second teleconference call with the second participant;
notify the second participant of the attempt; and allow the second participant to add the third caller to the first teleconference call.

9. The teleconferencing system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to allow at least one participant access to at least one audio and/or video signal source and to reproduce audio and video based on signals from the accessed signal source for another participant.

10. The teleconferencing system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to support a maximum number of N calls for a participant and to enable that participant, when faced with M, greater than N, possible calls, to select N of the M possible calls.

11. The teleconferencing system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to allow a participant in a teleconference call with a plurality of other participants to place on hold at least one of the other participants.

12. The teleconferencing system of claim 1, configured to allow a participant in a teleconference call with a plurality of other participants to disconnect at least one of the other participants.

13. A method for conducting a teleconference among a plurality of participants, each having an associated video capture and display and audio capture and reproduction capabilities, the method comprising the steps of:
displaying (i) a first and a second set of potential participants in which the first set includes names of potential participants and the second set includes icons representing potential participants, and (ii) a set of collaboration types;
selecting one or more participants from among a plurality of the displayed sets of potential participants;
selecting a desired collaboration type from among a plurality of the displayed collaboration types; and establishing communication of the selected type, with the selected participant to define a teleconference call.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second set is a subset of the first set, the method further comprising the steps of:
selecting one or more desired participants from the first set of potential participants; and selecting one or more desired participants from the second set of potential participants;

and thereby establishing communications with all selected participants.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of collaboration types includes at least one of data conferencing, videoconferencing, telephone conferencing, sending faxes, sending electronic mail and sending multimedia mail messages.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of selecting one or more participants invokes a default collaboration type.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:
selecting a new participant from among a plurality of potential participants; and adding the new participant to an active teleconference call.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:
detecting, during a first teleconference call between a first and a second participant, an attempt by a third caller to initiate a second teleconference call with the second participant;
notifying the second participant of the attempt; and adding the third caller to the first teleconference call.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of allowing at least one participant access to at least one audio and/or video signal source; and reproducing video and/or audio based on signals, from the accessed signal source; for another participant.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein a maximum number of calls equal to N can be supported for a participant, the method further comprising the steps of:

enabling that participant, in a teleconference call, when faced with M, greater than N, possible calls to select N of the M possible calls.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of allowing a participant in a teleconference call with a plurality of other participants to place on hold at least one of the other participants.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of allowing a participant in a teleconference call with a plurality of other participants to disconnect at least one of the other participants.

23. A teleconferencing system for conducting a teleconference among a plurality of participants comprising:

a plurality of video display devices each having associated participant video capture capabilities and participant audio capture and reproduction capabilities;

at least one communication path along which signals representing participant audio and video can be transmitted;

and an A/V switching circuitry to provide port-to-port connections for signals transmitted between the participants;

wherein the system is configured to allow a selecting participant to initiate any of a plurality of types of collaboration by selecting:

(i) one or more desired participants from among a plurality of potential participants; and (ii) desired collaboration type from among a set of collaboration types, including at least one of data conferencing, videoconferencing, telephone conferencing, the sending of faxes and the sending of multimedia mail messages;
and establishing communication of the selected type, with the selected participant(s).

24. A method for conducting a teleconference among a plurality of participants, each having an associated video capture and display and audio and video AV
capture and reproduction capabilities, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting one or more desired participants from among a plurality of potential participants;

selecting a desired collaboration type from among a plurality of collaboration types including data conferencing, videoconferencing, telephone conferencing, the sending of faxes and the sending of multimedia mail messages;

producing signals representative of the selected collaboration type; and switching produced signals by an A/V switching circuitry to provide port-to-port connections between the participants to establish communication of the selected type with the selected participant(s).