Two-way audio/video conference system

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for exchanging audio/visual information between a caller and a called party through the Internet. The method includes the steps of setting up a session link between the caller and called party using a tunneled real time control protocol and collecting audio and video information from the caller and called party. The method further includes the steps of forming the audio and video portions into data objects, attaching a time stamp to each formed data object and exchanging the formed audio and video data objects as real time packets using a transport control protocol between the caller and called party through the session link.

1 . A method of exchanging audio/visual information between a caller and a called party through the Internet, such method comprising the steps of: 
 setting up a session link between the caller and called party using a tunneled real time control protocol;    collecting audio and video information from the caller and called party;    forming the audio and video portions into data objects attaching a time stamp to each formed data object; and    exchanging the formed audio and video data objects as real time packets using a transport control protocol between the caller and called party through the session link.    
   
   
       2 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 1  further comprising the caller connecting to a server to set up the session link using the transport control protocol.  
   
   
       3 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 2  authenticating an identity of the caller using a server authentication program.  
   
   
       4 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 3  further comprising receiving video frame information via a video capture card and substantially simultaneously receiving audio information via an audio input, both residing on a personal computer of respective caller and called party.  
   
   
       5 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 4  wherein the step of forming the data objects further comprises incorporating capture characteristics of the audio and video information.  
   
   
       6 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 5  wherein the incorporated capture characteristics of the audio information further comprises at lease one of the group consisting of sample rate, bit length of each sample, and a channel number.  
   
   
       7 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 5  wherein the step of forming the data objects further comprises incorporating capture characteristics of video information including at least one of the group consisting of x position, y position and color space.  
   
   
       8 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 5  further comprising re-sampling the audio and video information to obtain packets of a predetermined data format.  
   
   
       9 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 8  further comprising partitioning the packets into smaller data packets.  
   
   
       10 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 9  further comprising sending a access request from the caller to the called party under the tunneled real time protocol.  
   
   
       11 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 10  further comprising the caller and called party transmitting and receiving audio and video information.  
   
   
       12 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 11  wherein further comprising ordering each packet received by the caller and called party based upon timestamp and then by smallest relative sequence number.  
   
   
       13 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 12  further comprising copying a first packet of the ordered packets into a synch buffer and processing the first packet.  
   
   
       14 - 21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . An apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information between a caller and a called party through the Internet, such apparatus comprising: 
 means for setting up a session link between the caller and called party using a tunneled real time control protocol;    means for collecting audio and video information from the caller and called party;    means for forming the audio and video portions into data objects means for attaching a time stamp to each formed data object; and    means for exchanging the formed audio and video data objects as real time packets using a transport control protocol between the caller and called party through the session link.    
   
   
       23 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 22  further comprising means for connecting the call to a server to set up the session link using the transport control protocol.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 23  further comprising means for authenticating an identity of the caller using a server authentication program.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 24  further comprising means for receiving video frame information via a video capture card and substantially simultaneously receiving audio information via an audio input, both residing on a personal computer of respective caller and called party.  
   
   
       26 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 25  wherein the means for forming the data objects further comprises means for incorporating capture characteristics of the audio and video information.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 26  wherein the incorporated capture characteristics of the audio information further comprises at lease one of the group consisting of sample rate, bit length of each sample, and a channel number.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 26  wherein the means for forming the data objects further comprises means for incorporating capture characteristics of video information including at least one of the group consisting of x position, y position and color space.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 26  further comprising means for re-sampling the audio and video information to obtain packets of a predetermined data format.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 29  further comprising means for partitioning the packets into smaller data packets.  
   
   
       31 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 30  further comprising means for sending a access request from the caller to the called party under the tunneled real time protocol.  
   
   
       32 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 31  further comprising means for transmitting and receiving audio and video information between the caller and called party.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 32  further comprising means for ordering each packet received by the caller and called party based upon timestamp and then by smallest relative sequence number.  
   
   
       34 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 33  further comprising means for copying a first packet of the ordered packets into a synch buffer and processing the first packet.  
   
   
       35 - 42 . (canceled)  
   
   
       43 . An apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information between a caller and a called party through the Internet, such apparatus comprising: 
 a session controller adapted to set up a session link between the caller and called party using a tunneled real time control protocol;    an audio and video card for collecting audio and video information from the caller and called party;    a capture application adapted to form the audio and video portions into data objects    a packetizing application adapted to attach a time stamp to each formed data object; and    a transport application adapted to exchange the formed audio and video data objects as real time packets using a transport control protocol between the caller and called party through the session link.    
   
   
       44 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 43  further comprising a server adapted to set up the session link using the transport control protocol.  
   
   
       45 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 44  further comprising an authentication application adapted to authenticate an identity of the caller using a server authentication program.  
   
   
       46 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 45  further comprising audio and video codecs for incorporating capture characteristics of the audio and video information.  
   
   
       47 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 46  wherein the incorporated capture characteristics of the audio information further comprises at lease one of the group consisting of sample rate, bit length of each sample, and a channel number.  
   
   
       48 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 46  wherein the means for forming the data objects further comprises means for incorporating capture characteristics of video information including at least one of the group consisting of x position, y position and color space.  
   
   
       49 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 48  further comprising a synch buffer for ordering each packet received by the caller and called party based upon timestamp and then by smallest relative sequence number.  
   
   
       50 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 1  further comprising determining a sleep time for an exchanged packet.  
   
   
       51 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 50  further comprising comparing the determined sleep time for an exchanged packet with a sleep time threshold and if the sleep time threshold is greater than the determined sleep time, processing the packet.  
   
   
       52 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 22  further comprising means for determining a sleep time for an exchanged packet.  
   
   
       53 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 52  further comprising means for comparing the determined sleep time for an exchanged packet with a sleep time threshold and if the sleep time threshold is greater than the determined sleep time, processing the packet.  
   
   
       54 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 43  further comprising an audio player that determines a sleep time for an exchanged packet and processes the audio packet when the determined sleep time exceeds a sleep time threshold.  
   
   
       55 . The apparatus for exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 43  further comprising a video player that determines a sleep time for an exchanged packet and processes the video packet when the determined sleep time exceeds a sleep time threshold.  
   
   
       56 . A method of processing an information packet comprising: 
 providing an information packet;    determining a sleep time of the information packet;    comparing the sleep time of the packet with a time threshold; and    if the sleep time is greater than the time threshold, processing the information packet.    
   
   
       57 . The method of processing the information packet as in  claim 56  further comprising defining the information packet as audio/visual information being exchanged between a caller and called party.  
   
   
       58 . The method of processing the information packet as in  claim 57  further comprising setting up a session link between the caller and called party using a tunneled real time control protocol.  
   
   
       59 . The method of processing the information packet as in  claim 58  further comprising collecting audio and video information from the caller and called party.  
   
   
       60 . The method of processing the information packet as in  claim 59  further comprising forming the audio and video portions into data objects.  
   
   
       61 . The method of processing the information packet as in  claim 60  further comprising attaching a time stamp to the formed data objects.  
   
   
       62 . The method of processing the information packet as in  claim 61  further comprising exchanging the formed audio and video data objects as real time packets using a transport control protocol between the caller and called party through the session link.  
   
   
       63 . The method of processing the information packet as in  claim 62  further comprising exchanging the formed audio and video data objects between caller and called party through the Internet.  
   
   
       64 . A method of processing a frame comprising: 
 providing a video frame and an audio frame;    moving the video frame into a video ring buffer and the audio frame into an audio ring buffer; and    adding an audio lead time to the audio ring buffer.    
   
   
       65 . The method of processing the packet as in  claim 64  further comprising defining the provided video and audio frame as audio/visual information being exchanged between a caller and called party through the Internet.  
   
   
       66 . The method of processing the packet as in  claim 65  further comprising setting up a session link between the caller and called party using a tunneled real time control protocol.  
   
   
       67 . The method of processing the packet as in  claim 66  further comprising collecting audio and video information from the caller and called party.  
   
   
       68 . The method of processing the packet as in  claim 67  further comprising forming the audio and video portions into data objects.  
   
   
       69 . The method of processing the packet as in  claim 68  further comprising attaching a time stamp to the formed data objects.  
   
   
       70 . The method of processing the packet as in  claim 69  further comprising exchanging the formed audio and video data objects as real time packets using a transport control protocol between the caller and called party through the session link.  
   
   
       71 . The method of exchanging audio/visual information as in  claim 1  further comprising exchanging instant messages between the caller and called party through the session link.