Internet-enabled portable audio/video teleconferencing method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A teleconferencing method, comprising:
- (a) providing a local computer having an IP communications link to the Internet;
(b) running Internet telephony application software on said local computer;
(c) providing a microphone and a speaker remote from said local computer;
(d) transmitting a first signal representative of voice sounds detected by said microphone from said microphone to said local computer over a short range wireless link, for processing of said first signal by said Internet telephony application software and transmission of said first signal over said IP communications link to a remote computer by said Internet telephony application software; and
, (e) receiving from said remote computer over said IP communications link a second signal representative of remote sounds produced at said remote computer, processing said second signal by said Internet telephony application software and transmitting said processed second signal to said speaker over said short range wireless link, for reproduction of said remote sounds by said speaker.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A local computer having an IP communications link to the Internet runs Internet telephony application software. A microphone and a speaker are provided at a location removed from but within a reasonably short distance the computer. A first signal representative of voice sounds detected by the microphone is transmitted to the computer over a short range wireless link. The computer'"'"'s Internet telephony software processes the first signal and further transmits it over the IP link to a remote computer. A second signal representative of remote sounds produced at the remote computer is received by the local computer from the remote computer over the IP link. The local computer'"'"'s Internet telephony software processes the second signal and further transmits the processed second signal over the wireless link, for reproduction of the remote sounds by the speaker. Optionally, a camera and a video display may be provided at the location removed from the local computer. A third signal representative of images captured by the camera is transmitted to the local computer over the wireless link. The local computer'"'"'s Internet telephony software processes the third signal and further transmits it over the IP link to the remote computer. A fourth signal representative of remote images captured at the remote computer is received by the local computer from the remote computer over the IP link. The local computer'"'"'s Internet telephony software processes the fourth signal and further transmits the processed fourth signal over the wireless link, for reproduction of the remote images on the video display. Command and control application software can be run on the local computer. Before the first signal is passed to the Internet telephony software it is processed by the command and control software to determine if it contains a voice command. If so, the first signal is processed by the command and control software to perform the command to control operation of the local computer.
32 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A teleconferencing method, comprising:
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(a) providing a local computer having an IP communications link to the Internet;
(b) running Internet telephony application software on said local computer;
(c) providing a microphone and a speaker remote from said local computer;
(d) transmitting a first signal representative of voice sounds detected by said microphone from said microphone to said local computer over a short range wireless link, for processing of said first signal by said Internet telephony application software and transmission of said first signal over said IP communications link to a remote computer by said Internet telephony application software; and
,(e) receiving from said remote computer over said IP communications link a second signal representative of remote sounds produced at said remote computer, processing said second signal by said Internet telephony application software and transmitting said processed second signal to said speaker over said short range wireless link, for reproduction of said remote sounds by said speaker. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. Internet telephony communication apparatus comprising:
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(a) a microphone;
(b) a speaker;
(c) a first antenna;
(d) a first receiver/transmitter electrically coupled between said microphone, said speaker and said first antenna;
(e) a power supply electrically coupled between said microphone, said speaker, said first antenna and said first receiver/transmitter;
(f) a second antenna and a second receiver/transmitter electrically connectible to a local computer running Internet telephony application software;
wherein;
(i) a first signal representative of voice sounds detected by said microphone is transmitted by said first receiver/transmitter and said first antenna to said second antenna and said second receiver/transmitter over a short range wireless link, for processing of said first signal by said Internet telephony application software and transmission of said first signal over an IP communications link to a remote computer by said Internet telephony application software; and
,(ii) a second signal representative of remote sounds produced at said remote computer is received over said IP communications link, processed by said Internet telephony application software and transmitted by said second receiver/transmitter and said second antenna to said first antenna and said first receiver/transmitter over said short range wireless link for reproduction of said remote sounds by said speaker. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18)
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15. A teleconferencing method, comprising:
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(a) providing a local computer;
(b) running Internet telephony application software on said local computer;
(c) providing a first microphone and a first speaker at a first location remote from and within wireless communication range of said local computer;
(d) providing a second microphone and a second speaker at a second location remote from said first location and remote from and within wireless communication range of said local computer;
(e) transmitting a first signal representative of voice sounds detected by said first microphone from said first microphone to said local computer over a first short range wireless link;
(f) processing said first signal by said Internet telephony application software and transmitting said first signal from said local computer to said second speaker over a second short range wireless link;
(g) transmitting a second signal representative of voice sounds detected by said second microphone from said second microphone to said local computer over said second short range wireless link; and
,(h) processing said second signal by said Internet telephony application software and transmitting said second signal from said local computer to said first speaker over said first short range wireless link.
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17. Teleconferencing apparatus comprising:
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(a) a local computer running Internet telephony application software;
(b) a first microphone, a first speaker, a first antenna and a first receiver/transmitter at a first location remote from and within wireless communication range of said local computer;
(c) a second microphone, a second speaker, a second antenna and a second receiver/transmitter at a second location remote from said first location and remote from and within wireless communication range of said local computer;
(d) a third antenna and a third receiver/transmitter electrically coupled to said local computer;
wherein;
(i) a first signal representative of sounds detected by said first microphone is transmitted by said first receiver/transmitter and said first antenna to said third antenna and said third receiver/transmitter over a first short range wireless link, processed by said Internet telephony application software, further transmitted from said third receiver/transmitter and said third antenna to said second antenna and said second receiver/transmitter over a second short range wireless link for reproduction on said second speaker of said sounds detected by said first microphone; and
,(ii) a second signal representative of sounds detected by said second microphone is transmitted by said second receiver/transmitter and said second antenna to said third antenna and said third receiver/transmitter over said second short range wireless link, processed by said Internet telephony application software, further transmitted from said third receiver/transmitter and said third antenna to said first antenna and said first receiver/transmitter over said first short range wireless link for reproduction on said first speaker of said sounds detected by said second microphone.
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Specification