Smart device pairing and configuration for meeting spaces

• US 10,321,095 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2018
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Krantz, Anton, Verthein, William George, Shoroff, Srikanth, Parandekar, Amey, Vakil, Mohammad N., Shaw, Steven, Duong, Nghiep, Tandon, Ankit
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Binh Kien
• Application Number:
  US15/926,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20180278890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401, 348 1402, 348 1404, 348 1405, 348 1407, 348 1408, 348 1409, 348 1412, 348 1416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/082 using echo cancellers echo cancellers per se H04B3/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Pairing and configuring a computing device for use in a meeting space is provided. An appliance may communicate a broadcast to a computing device which announces the availability of a meeting space for a meeting. The computing device may establish a connection with the appliance. The computing device may then join the meeting in the meeting space.

Claims

1. A method of pairing and configuring a computing device for use in a physical meeting space, comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, a broadcast from an appliance communicating that the physical meeting space is available for a meeting, wherein the broadcast indicates that the appliance is available to establish a connection to facilitate the meeting, and wherein the broadcast is restricted to a proximate physical location of the physical meeting space;

automatically establishing the connection between the computing device and the appliance based on the broadcast, comprising;

identifying pairing instructions using a communication protocol;

receiving an authentication code from the appliance; and

joining the meeting in the physical meeting space by connecting to the appliance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the computing device, the broadcast from the appliance comprises receiving the broadcast from within the physical meeting space.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing, by the computing device, the connection with the appliance, comprises generating a prompt on the computing device requesting confirmation of a scheduled meeting time in the physical meeting space.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein joining the meeting in the physical meeting space comprises joining the meeting when the computing device is remotely located with respect to the appliance, the appliance being located in the physical meeting space.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein joining the meeting in the physical meeting space comprises joining the meeting when the computing device is in proximity to the appliance, the appliance being located in the physical meeting space.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically updating a roster of meeting participants on the computing device; and

communicating, via the computing device, one or more of content, commands, or responses during the meeting.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

starting the meeting when the computing device establishes the connection.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions; and

a processor, functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to the computer-executable instructions and operative to;

receive a broadcast from a meeting appliance communicating that a physical meeting space is available for a meeting, wherein the broadcast indicates that the meeting appliance is available to establish a connection to facilitate the meeting, and wherein the broadcast is restricted to a proximate physical location of the meeting space;

automatically establish a connection with the meeting appliance based on the broadcast, the processor further operative to;

identify pairing instructions using a communication protocol; and

receive an authentication code from the meeting appliance; and

start the meeting in the physical meeting space by connecting to the meeting appliance.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the connection is established in response to a prompt requesting confirmation of a scheduled meeting time in the physical meeting space.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor, in joining the meeting in the physical meeting space, is operative to automatically update a roster of meeting participants.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein starting the meeting in the physical meeting space comprises starting the meeting when the apparatus is remotely located with respect to the meeting appliance, the meeting appliance being located in the physical meeting space.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

communicating, via the apparatus, one or more of content, commands, or responses during the meeting.

13. A computer-readable storage device storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a mobile computing device, cause the mobile computing device to perform a method of pairing and configuring the mobile computing device for use in a physical meeting space, the method comprising:

receiving, a broadcast from a meeting appliance located in a physical meeting space communicating that the physical meeting space is available for a meeting, wherein the broadcast indicates that the meeting appliance is available to establish a connection to facilitate the meeting, and wherein the broadcast is restricted to the proximate physical location of the physical meeting space;

utilizing pairing instructions using a communication protocol and receiving an authentication code from the meeting appliance to establish the connection with the meeting appliance based on the broadcast; and

starting a meeting in the physical meeting space by connecting to the meeting appliance.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein utilizing pairing instructions to establish the connection with the meeting appliance comprises automatically connecting the mobile computing device to the meeting appliance.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein utilizing pairing instructions to establish the connection with the meeting appliance comprises generating a prompt on the mobile computing device requesting confirmation from a user of a scheduled meeting time in the physical meeting space.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein joining the meeting in the physical meeting space comprises joining the meeting when the mobile computing device is remotely located with respect to the meeting appliance.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein joining the meeting in the physical meeting space comprises joining the meeting when the mobile computing device is in proximity to the meeting appliance.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, further comprising:

automatically updating a roster of meeting participants on the mobile computing device, wherein automatically updating the roster comprises;

updating a list of meeting participants who are physically present in the physical meeting space during the meeting;

updating a list of meeting participants who are remotely connected to the physical meeting space, via the meeting appliance, during the meeting; and

automatically updating presence information associated with one or more of the meeting participants during the meeting.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the connection is established when the mobile computing device is in the physical meeting space.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 13, wherein joining the meeting in the physical meeting space comprises starting the meeting when the mobile computing device establishes the connection.