Internet teleconferencing

1. A conferencing system comprising:

an input configured to receive N encoded speech signals from N terminals; and

a signal processing arrangement configured to determine L encoded signals, of the N encoded speech signals, each indicative of an amount of sound that is louder than amounts of sound indicated by signals of the N encoded signals other than the L signals, the signal processing arrangement being further configured to produce at least N minus L sets of signals similar to the L signals and to transmit at least a set of the similar signals toward each of the terminals other than the terminals from which the L signals were received;

wherein the signal processing arrangement is configured to transmit the signals toward the terminals in an unmixed format.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the signal processing arrangement is configured to determine the L signals based on amounts of energy in the N signals.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the signal processing arrangement is configured to transmit a reduced set of signals toward each of the terminals from which the L signals are received, the reduced set including the L similar signals minus the signals similar to the signals received from the terminals toward which the reduced set is being transmitted.

4. A conferencing system comprising:

an input configured to receive N encoded speech signals from N terminals; and

a signal processing arrangement configured to determine L encoded signals, of the N encoded speech signals, each indicative of an amount of sound that is louder than amounts of sound indicated by signals of the N encoded signals other than the L signals, the signal processing arrangement being further configured to produce at least N minus L sets of signals similar to the L signals and to transmit at least a set of the similar signals toward each of the terminals other than the terminals from which the L signals were received;

wherein the N signals include packets having data portions and headers, and the signal processing arrangement is configured to alter the headers of the packets to transmit the packets toward appropriate terminals.

5. A method comprising:

receiving N encoded first telecommunications signals from N terminals;

selecting L loudest signals from the N signals;

producing second telecommunications signals that are similar to the L signals; and

transmitting the second signals toward the terminals other than the terminals from which the L signals were received;

wherein the second signals are transmitted toward the terminals in an unmixed format.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining the L signals based upon amounts of energy in the N signals.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising transmitting, toward each of the terminals from which the L signals were received, the second signals minus each of the second signals similar to the signals received from the respective terminals.

8. A method comprising:

receiving N encoded first telecommunications signals from N terminals;

selecting L loudest signals from the N signals;

producing second telecommunications signals that are similar to the L signals; and

transmitting the second signals toward the terminals other than the terminals from which the L signals were received;

wherein the first signals contain RTP packets having data portions and headers, the method further comprising altering at least some of the headers to produce the second signals.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein L equals one.

10. A conferencing system comprising:

an input configured to receive N encoded first speech signals from N terminals;

means for selecting L loudest signals from the N signals and producing second telecommunications signals that are similar to the L signals; and

an output device configured to transmit, toward the terminals, the second signals;

wherein the output device is configured to transmit the second signals in an unmixed format toward the terminals.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the output device is configured to transmit the second signals except the second signals, if any, associated with the first signals received from the respective terminals toward which the second signals are transmitted.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein L equals one.

13. A computer program product, residing on a computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

receive N encoded first telecommunications signals from N terminals;

select L loudest signals from the N signals;

produce second telecommunications signals that are similar to the L signals; and

transmit the second signals toward the terminals from which the signals of the N signals other than the L signals were received;

wherein the instructions for causing the computer to transmit the second signals are configured to cause the computer to transmit the second signals toward the terminals in an unmixed format.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising instructions for causing a computer to determine the L signals based upon amounts of energy in the N signals.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising instructions for causing a computer to transmit, toward each of the terminals from which the L signals were received, the second signals minus the second signal similar to the signal received from the respective terminal.

16. A computer program product, residing on a computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

receive N encoded first telecommunications signals from N terminals;

select L loudest signals from the N signals;

produce second telecommunications signals that are similar to the L signals; and

transmit the second signals toward the terminals from which the signals of the N signals other than the L signals were received;

wherein the first signals contain RTP packets having data portions and headers, the computer program product further comprising instructions for causing a computer to alter at least some of the headers to produce the second signals.