Abstract

A video conferencing network includes remote video terminals (10) interconnected to a switching network (66) through coaxial cables (16). The switching network (66) is operable to provide an audio and video data path between two or more video terminals (10). The switching network (66) operates as both an audio/video crosspoint switch and also as a network controller. In the network control mode, the switching network (66) operates in both a master mode for maintaining data communication with all of the video terminals (10) and also in a slave mode for maintaining status of devices attached to the switching network (66). In the master mode, the switching network (66) receives requests from each of the video terminals (10) and services these requests to determine available data paths for interconnection with other video terminals. In the slave mode, the switch (66) is in data communication with all of the video terminals (10) to determine the status thereof which is stored in a slave status table. This information in the status table is transferred to a separate network table that is maintained in the master mode for network purposes.