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In a multilocation conference terminal for transmitting audio and video information to a plurality of remote locations, rapid video and non-disrupted audio switching are obtained by employing a plurality of single composite digital signals each including all the video information from an associated

In a multilocation conference terminal for transmitting audio and video information to a plurality of remote locations, rapid video and non-disrupted audio switching are obtained by employing a plurality of single composite digital signals each including all the video information from an associated location and all of the audio mixes for all of the locations in a conference. Then, the composite signals are switched prior to conversion for transmission to one or more of the locations. Since each composite signal includes all the audio mixes for all of the locations, when video from anyone of the locations is selected for transmission to any of the locations, the audio mixes for those locations are also switched.

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In apparatus for transmitting video and audio information to a plurality of remote locations: means associated with each of the remote locations for receiving at least first and second digital signals from each remote location, one of said at least first and second received signals includes video co

In apparatus for transmitting video and audio information to a plurality of remote locations: means associated with each of the remote locations for receiving at least first and second digital signals from each remote location, one of said at least first and second received signals includes video control signals in first prescribed bit locations, audio information in second prescribed bit locations and video information in third prescribed bit locations and the other of said at least first and second received signals includes video information, and said receiving means includes first formatting means for inserting said control signals and said audio information into first predetermined time slots of a first corresponding digital signal, for inserting said video information from said one of said at least first and second received signals into second predetermined time slots of said first corresponding signal and for inserting said video information from said other of said at least first and second received signals into third predetermined time slots in an at least second corresponding digital signal for the location; means for processing said audio information from each of said remote locations into audio information to be transmitted to each of said remote locations; second means for formatting said processed audio information for each remote location into predetermined fixed time slots assigned to the corresponding location in a plurality of composite signals associated on a one-to-one basis with the remote locations; means associated with said receiving means for generating said plurality of composite signals, said generating means including means for combining said formatted audio information with said formatted video information to generate said composite signal for each location including the video information from that location in first predetermined time slots and the processed audio information for each of the plurality of locations in second predetermined time slots corresponding to the locations, wherein each of said composite signals includes all the video information from an associated location and the processed audio information for all of the remote locations; and means supplied with said plurality of composite signals for controllably selecting any of said composite signals for transmission to any of said remote locations.