Speakerphone transmitting control information embedded in audio information through a conference bridge

• US 20050213725A1
• Filed: 03/15/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polycom Incorporated (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Rodman, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,885,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/202.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1309 Apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1324 Conference call

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for improved audio, video, and data conferencing. The present invention provides a conferencing system comprising a plurality of endpoints communicating data including audio data and control data according to a communication protocol. A local conference endpoint may control or be controlled by a remote conference endpoint. Data comprising control signals may be exchanged between the local endpoint and remote endpoint via various communication protocols. In other embodiments, the present invention provides for improved bridge architecture for controlling functions of conference endpoints including controlling functions of the bridge.

Claims

1. A conference endpoint for connection to a network and for use with a multipoint conferencing bridge which mutes all but a selected number of sources, the conference endpoint comprising:

an audio processing unit;

a control module coupled to the audio processing unit; and

a network interface coupled to the control module;

wherein the control module is operable to provide control data embedded in audio data to said network interface,

wherein said control module embeds control data in audio data in a manner to allow control data to be transferred to another endpoint through the multipoint conferencing bridge,

wherein the control data is embedded in audio data using an analog protocol, and

wherein the control data is substantially humanly inaudible.

2. The conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein said manner is to continuously embed the control data in audio data.

3. The conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein said manner is to embed the control data in audio data at a selected rate for a selected time after the occurrence of a selected event.

4. The conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein said manner is to embed the control data in audio data only when the audio exceeds a selected volume level.

5. The conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein said manner is to provide audio representing noise having a selected volume level and thereafter embed the control data in audio data.

6. The conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein said manner is to momentarily increase the amplitude of the control data to a selected level and embed this amplified control data in audio data and thereafter embed the standard amplitude control data in audio data.

7. The conference endpoint of claim 1, wherein said network interface is configured to work with one or both of an IP network or a PSTN.

8. The conference endpoint of claim 7, wherein if said network interface is configured to work with the PSTN, then audio data and control data are provided according to a protocol selected from the group consisting of modem data, ISDN, and analog.

9. A conferencing system comprising:

a multipoint conferencing bridge which mutes all but a selected number of sources below a selected volume level;

a network coupled to said bridge; and

a conference endpoint including;

an audio processing unit;

a control module coupled to the audio processing unit; and

a network interface coupled to the control module and to the network;

wherein the control module is operable to provide control data embedded in audio data to said network interface,

wherein said control module embeds control data in audio data in a manner to allow control data to be transferred to another endpoint through the multipoint conferencing bridge,

wherein the control data is embedded in audio data using an analog protocol, and

wherein the control data is substantially humanly inaudible.

10. The conferencing system of claim 9, wherein said manner is to continuously embed the control data in audio data.

11. The conferencing system of claim 9, wherein said manner is to embed the control data in audio data at a selected rate for a selected time after the occurrence of a selected event.

12. The conferencing system of claim 9, wherein said manner is to embed the control data in audio data only when the audio exceeds a selected volume level.

13. The conferencing system of claim 9, wherein said manner is to provide audio representing noise having a selected volume level and thereafter embed the control data in audio data.

14. The conferencing system of claim 9, wherein said manner is to momentarily increase the amplitude of the control data to a selected level and embed this amplified control data in audio data and thereafter embed the standard amplitude control data in audio data.

15. The conferencing system of claim 9, wherein said network interface is configured to work with one or both of an IP network or a PSTN.

16. The conferencing system of claim 9, wherein if said network interface is configured to work with the PSTN, then audio data and control data are provided according to a protocol selected from the group consisting of modem data, ISDN, and analog.

17. A method for operating a conference endpoint for connection to a network and for use with a multipoint conferencing bridge which mutes all but a selected number of sources, the method comprising:

receiving an audio signal; and

embedding a control signal in the audio signal;

wherein the control signal is embedded in the audio signal in a manner to allow the control signal to be transferred to another endpoint through the multipoint conferencing bridge

wherein the control signal is embedded in the audio signal using an analog protocol, and

wherein the control signal is substantially humanly inaudible.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said manner is to continuously embed the control signal in the audio signal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said manner is to embed the control signal in the audio signal at a selected rate for a selected time after the occurrence of a selected event.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said manner is to embed the control signal in the audio signal only when the audio exceeds a selected volume level.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said manner is to provide audio representing noise having a selected volume level and thereafter embed the control signal in the audio signal.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said manner is to momentarily increase the amplitude of the control signal to a selected level and embed this amplified control signal in the audio signal and thereafter embed the standard amplitude control signal in the audio signal.