Multimedia communications software with network streaming and multi-format conferencing
US6839734B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 21, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 4, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 21, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L65/65
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Computers, particularly personal computers, have become everyday communications devices, nearly as common as telephones and televisions. A big reason for this is the expansion of computer networks, such as the Internet, which allow sending and receiving information, including audio and video information, from one computer to one or more other computers. Communicating audio and video information between computers can be problematic because users have to wait for the information to be fully downloaded before viewing or hearing it and because different computers sometimes communicate using incompatible communications protocols, which prevents comprehension. Accordingly, the inventors devised new methods, software, and computer systems that support interactive data streaming (real-time exchange of multimedia data) and full-duplex communications, for example, network conferencing, using more than one communications protocol.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.