Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for processing audio data for a teleconference. A preferred system has a bridge terminal and a plurality of client terminals configured on a local area network. The bridge terminal intermittently receives packets of audio data from each client terminal, selectively mixes the audio data, and transmits packets of mixed audio data to the client terminals. The rate at which the bridge terminal mixes data is preferably greater than the rates at which the client terminals capture and play back audio data. Each client terminal implements special processing to determine how to handle each new packet of mixed audio data received from the bridge terminal. The special processing is based on the number of packets in the receiving buffer of the client terminal.