Importance

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Abstract

A videoconferencing network for digital computer workstations that operate on a local area network (LAN) to exchange data. The network includes a signalling local area network (A-LAN), connected to a first port of a plurality of workstations, for transmitting and receiving data signals between selected ones of the workstations and a broadband local area network (B-LAN) connected to a second port of the plurality of workstations, for transmitting and receiving television signals between selected ones of these workstations. Each television signal is transmitted at a selected frequency channel so that no two transmissions interfere. A software program, stored in and operable on the computer of each workstation, generates and receives data messages, transmitted via the A-LAN, to and from the computer of another workstation, respectively. These data messages initiate and control the transmission of the television signals on the B-LAN such that a plurality of television signals are transmitted simultaneously on the B-LAN, with each television signal assigned to a separate frequency channel. The software program in each computer monitors the status of the channel allocations and generates the channel selecting control signals.

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First Claim