Video conference bridge setting sharing, pushing, and rationalization
A conference system is provided with enhanced settings capabilities. A controller can poll for settings at each endpoint in a conference system and be able via the video stream to selectively display and compare settings among the endpoints. One location can push its settings to one or more locations to overcome failures or degradation in the conference. The settings between different controllers may be rationalized via a common denominator method or tabular method to build a knowledge of how to configure conferences and to automate responses to problems.
1. A communication system, comprising:
a first multipoint control unit (MCU) in communication with a first communication endpoint, the first MCU comprising:
a memory operable to store first conference settings for the first communication endpoint, wherein the first conference settings for the first communication endpoint are used by the first MCU to configure the first communication endpoint to communicate with the first MCU in the first conference;
a processor in communication with the memory, the processor operable to execute a second conference associated with the first communication endpoint in accordance with the first conference settings, wherein the first conference settings for the first communication endpoint are used by the first MCU to configure the first communication endpoint to communicate with the first MCU in the second conference;
a second MCU in communication with the first MCU, the second MCU comprising:
a second memory operable to store the first conference settings for the first communication endpoint, wherein the first conference settings for the first communication endpoint are received from the first MCU;
a second processor in communication with the second memory, the second processor operable to:
normalize the first conference settings; and
execute a third conference associated with the first communication endpoint in accordance with the normalized first conference settings, wherein the normalized first conference settings for the first communication endpoint are used by the second MCU to configure the first communication endpoint to communicate with the second MCU in the third conference.
2. The communication system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
a second communication endpoint in communication with the second MCU;
wherein the second memory stores second conference settings for the second communication endpoint; and
wherein the second MCU sends the second conference settings to the first MCU.
3. The communication system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the second memory stores endpoint characteristics for the first communication endpoint and the second communication endpoint.
4. The communication system as defined in claim 3 , wherein the second memory stores endpoint call characteristics for the first communication endpoint and the second communication endpoint.
5. The communication system as defined in claim 4 , wherein the endpoint characteristics and the endpoint call characteristics are associated with the first conference settings or the second conference settings, and wherein the first conference settings are received by an RTP communication or other proprietary mechanism from the first MCU during the first conference.
6. The communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first conference settings for the first communication endpoint comprise a type of codec used by the first communication endpoint in the first conference.
7. The communication system as defined in claim 6 , wherein the type of codec used by the first communication endpoint is one of a plurality of codecs supported by the first communication endpoint.
8. The communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the normalized first conference settings for the first communication endpoint that are used by the second MCU to configure the first communication endpoint to communicate with the second MCU in the third conference are based on a physical separation between the first communication endpoint and the second MCU.
9. The communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the second MCU sends the normalized first conference settings to the first communication endpoint in the third conference.
10. The communication system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the normalized first conference settings for the first communication endpoint that are used by the second MCU to configure the first communication endpoint to communicate with the second MCU in the third conference comprise a different codec setting.
11. A method, comprising:
storing, by a microprocessor in a first multipoint control unit (MCU), first conference settings for a first communication endpoint, wherein the first conference settings for the first communication endpoint are used by the first MCU to configure the first communication endpoint to communicate with the first MCU in the first conference;
executing, by the microprocessor, a second conference associated with the first communication endpoint in accordance with the first conference settings, wherein the first conference settings for the first communication endpoint are used by the first MCU to configure the first communication endpoint to communicate with the first MCU in the second conference;
sending, by the microprocessor, the first conference settings for the first communication endpoint to a second MCU, wherein the second MCU normalizes the first conference settings for the first communication endpoint, wherein the second MCU executes a third conference associated with the first communication endpoint in accordance with the normalized first conference settings, wherein the normalized first conference settings for the first communication endpoint are used by the second MCU to configure the first communication endpoint to communicate with the second MCU in the third conference.
12. The method as defined in claim 11 , wherein a second communication endpoint is in communication with the second MCU, wherein the second MCU stores second conference settings for the second communication endpoint, and wherein the second MCU sends the second conference settings to the first MCU.
13. The method as defined in claim 12 , wherein the second MCU stores endpoint characteristics for the first communication endpoint and the second communication endpoint.
14. The method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the second MCU stores endpoint call characteristics for the first communication endpoint and the second communication endpoint.
15. The method as defined in claim 14 , wherein the endpoint characteristics and the endpoint call characteristics are associated with the first conference settings or the second conference settings, and wherein the first conference settings are received by an RTP communication or other proprietary mechanism from the first MCU during the first conference.
16. The communication system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the first conference settings for the first communication endpoint comprise a type of codec used by the first communication endpoint in the first conference.
17. The communication system as defined in claim 16 , wherein the type of codec used by the first communication endpoint is one of a plurality of codecs supported by the first communication endpoint.
18. The communication system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the normalized first conference settings for the first communication endpoint that are used by the second MCU to configure the first communication endpoint to communicate with the second MCU in the third conference are based on a physical separation between the first communication endpoint and the second MCU.
19. The communication system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the second MCU sends the normalized first conference settings to the first communication endpoint in the third conference.
20. The communication system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the normalized first conference settings for the first communication endpoint that are used by the second MCU to configure the first communication endpoint to communicate with the second MCU in the third conference comprise a different codec setting.