Multi-stream video switching with selective optimized composite
A method of facilitating a multi-participant communication session with an efficient use of network bandwidth and processing resources is described. The processing resources are made available to the session participants via a switching fabric and composites of less active session participants can be used to minimize the bandwidth utilization between a media server and endpoints.
1. A system, comprising:
a microprocessor; and
a computer readable medium, coupled with the microprocessor and comprising microprocessor readable and executable instructions that program the microprocessor to execute:
a switching fabric executed as a software framework that provides an interconnection between a plurality of communication devices involved in a conference and a processing resources backplane that enables a selective deployment of processing resources to the conference; and
a controller that controls connections between endpoints and the processing resources backplane of the switching fabric based on a number of communication devices involved in the conference, wherein the controller is one of a plurality of controllers included in a cluster of media controllers and wherein the processing resources are a cluster of processing resources that are dynamically added and removed from the conference while the conference is in progress;
a plurality of ports connecting the switching fabric to each of the plurality of communication devices, respectively; and
one or more network interfaces that connect the processing resources backplane to the processing resources.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing resources comprise a plurality of software transcoding and composite resources distributed across two or more servers each of which perform video decoding, compositing, and encoding.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein a media channel is used to carry media between the processing resources and the switching fabric and wherein a network control protocol is used to enable an exchange of control information between the processing resources and the switching fabric.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is external to the switching fabric and wherein a network control protocol is used by the controller to control the processing resources.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the switching fabric includes a video switching fabric and an audio anchoring and compositing module, wherein a network control protocol is used to share audio and video synchronization data between the video switching fabric and the audio anchoring and compositing module, wherein the video switching fabric delivers video media to the communication devices via a first media channel, and wherein the audio anchoring and compositing module delivers audio media to the communication devices via a second media channel.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication devices are each connected with the switching fabric using uniquely negotiated attachment options.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ports are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and/or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports.
8. A method, comprising:
providing, by a microprocessor, a switching fabric as a software framework for an interconnection between a plurality of communication devices involved in a conference and a processing resources backplane that enables a selective deployment of processing resources to the conference, wherein the switching fabric connects a plurality of ports to each of the plurality of communication devices, respectively, and wherein the processing resources backplane connects one or more network interfaces to the processing resources; and
controlling, by the microprocessor, a controller that controls connections between endpoints and the processing resources backplane of the switching fabric based on a number of communication devices involved in the conference, wherein the microprocessor controls one of a plurality of controllers included in a cluster of media controllers and wherein the processing resources are a cluster of processing resources that are dynamically added and removed from the conference while the conference is in progress.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the processing resources comprise a plurality of software transcoding and composite resources distributed across two or more servers, each of which perform video decoding, compositing, and encoding.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein a media channel is used to carry media between the processing resources and the switching fabric and wherein a network control protocol is used to enable an exchange of control information between the processing resources and the switching fabric.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the controller is external to the switching fabric and wherein a network control protocol is used by the controller to control the processing resources.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the switching fabric includes a video switching fabric and an audio anchoring and compositing module, wherein a network control protocol is used to share audio and video synchronization data between the video switching fabric and the audio anchoring and compositing module, wherein the video switching fabric delivers video media to the communication devices via a first media channel, and wherein the audio anchoring and compositing module delivers audio media to the communication devices via a second media channel.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the communication devices are each connected with the switching fabric using uniquely negotiated attachment options.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of ports are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and/or User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports.
15. A system, comprising:
a microprocessor; and
a computer readable medium, coupled with the microprocessor and comprising microprocessor readable and executable instructions that program the microprocessor to execute:
a switching fabric executed as a software framework providing an interconnection between a plurality of communication devices involved in a conference and a processing resources backplane that enables a selective deployment of processing resources to the conference, wherein the switching fabric includes a video switching fabric and an audio anchoring and compositing module, wherein a network control protocol is used to share audio and video synchronization data between the video switching fabric and the audio anchoring and compositing module, wherein the video switching fabric delivers video media to the communication devices via a first media channel, and wherein the audio anchoring and compositing module delivers audio media to the communication devices via a second media channel; and
a controller that controls connections between endpoints and the processing resources backplane of the switching fabric based on a number of communication devices involved in the conference;
a plurality of ports connecting the switching fabric to each of the plurality of communication devices, respectively; and
one or more network interfaces that connect the processing resources backplane to the processing resources.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processing resources comprise a plurality of software transcoding and composite resources distributed across two or more servers each of which perform video decoding, compositing, and encoding.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein a media channel is used to carry media between the processing resources and the switching fabric and wherein a network control protocol is used to enable an exchange of control information between the processing resources and the switching fabric.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is external to the switching fabric and wherein a network control protocol is used by the controller to control the processing resources.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is one of a plurality of controllers included in a cluster of media controllers and wherein the processing resources are a cluster of processing resources that are dynamically added and removed from the conference while the conference is in progress.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the communication devices are each connected with the switching fabric using uniquely negotiated attachment options.