Method and apparatus for audio teleconferencing a plurality of phone channels

US5495522A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Multilink Inc. · US

Inventors

• Bruce S. Allen · East Kingston, US
• Marshall B. Garrison · Derry, US
• Philip S. Brodsky · Methuen, US
• Richard LeBlanc · Plaistow, US
• Philip J. Baun, Jr. · Andover, US
• Gary R. McCarthy · East Bridgewater, US
• Arthur P. Leondires · Atkinson, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 7, 1994
• Grant date: Feb 27, 1996
• Expiry date: Nov 7, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04M2201/38
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An improved system for connecting and processing a plurality of phone user in a teleconference on a common digital bus. The apparatus includes a plurality of digital processing units (DSPs) associated with selective phone lines and in communication with each other. Each DSP determines an activity status for each associated phone line and transmits that status to the other DSPs, The DSPs create and update respective identical "talk-lists" which reflect the active conferees whose voice data is currently being output on the phone channels. The system thus provides scaleable teleconferencing in a real-time configuration without switching between the various signals on the common bus such that each incoming caller or even a plurality of conferences has equal priority.