METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECORDING AND INDEXING AN AUDIO AND MULTIMEDIA CONFERENCE

摘要

A method and apparatus for recording and indexing audio information exchanged during an audio conference call, or video, audio and data information exchanged during a multimedia conference. For a multimedia conference, the method and apparatus utilize the voice activated switching functionality of a multipoint control unit (MCU) (26) to provide a video signal, which is input to the MCU (26) from a workstation from which an audio signal is detected, to each of the other workstations participating in the conference. A workstation and/or participant-identifying signal generated by the multipoint control unit (26) is stored, together or in correspondence with the audio signal and video information, for subsequent ready retrieval of the stored multimedia information. For an audio conference, a computer (32') is connected to an audio bridge (44) for recording the audio information along with an identification signal for correlating each conference participant with that participant's statements.