Wireless extensions for a conference unit and methods thereof

• US 20120058754A1
• Filed: 09/02/2010
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Couse, Peter Francis, Davies, Jim
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• 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

Abstract

A telecommunication conference device, system and method for enhancing participation within a conference call. The present application relates to telecommunications, and more particularly, to a conference phone capable of being connected with wireless devices such that they can be used as microphone extensions. In one embodiment, the conference phone can include a wireless interface and a microphone. The conference phone can connect with one or more wireless devices through the wireless interface. The conference phone can receive audio from the one or more wireless devices and at the same time, can receive audio from the microphone on the conference phone. The audio received by the conference phone, through the one or more wireless devices and the microphone, can be combined into a single audio stream using an audio mixer. The teleconference phone can remove echoing effects that are within the audio stream and then transmit the audio over a telephone network.

Claims

1. A telecommunication conference device comprising:

a wireless interface;

at least one microphone;

at least one processor; and

a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said memory storing program instructions that when executed by said processor, causes said processor to;

connect with at least one wireless device through said wireless interface;

receive audio from said at least one wireless device and said at least one microphone;

process said audio; and

transmit said audio over a telephone network.

2. The telecommunication device of claim 1, wherein said wireless interface is set up for communicating with Bluetooth™

technologies.

3. The telecommunication device of claim 1, wherein said at least one wireless device is a headset.

4. The telecommunication device of claim 1, wherein said memory storing program instructions, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to limit a number of connections to wireless devices.

5. The telecommunication device of claim 4, further comprising a database for storing information about said wireless devices.

6. The telecommunication device of claim 1, wherein said memory storing program instructions, when executed by said processor, causing said processor to connect with said at least one wireless device comprises:

receiving a password from said at least one wireless device;

confirming said at least one wireless device through said password; and

sending a passkey to said at least one wireless device when confirmed.

7. The telecommunication device of claim 1, further comprising a speaker.

8. The telecommunication device of claim 7, wherein said memory storing program instructions, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to route incoming audio from said telephone network to said speaker.

9. The telecommunication device of claim 7, wherein said memory storing program instructions, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to route incoming audio from said telephone network to said at least one wireless device.

10. The telecommunication device of claim 7, wherein said memory storing program instructions, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to route said audio received from said at least one wireless device to said speaker.

11. A telecommunications system comprising:

a conference phone for transmitting communications;

wherein said communications are provided by at least one wireless device connected with said conference phone and at least one receiver on said conference phone, said conference phone mixing said communications and cancelling echoes within said communications before transmitting said communications.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said conference phone comprises a key for pairing with said at least one wireless device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said at least one wireless device comprises a key for paring with said conference phone.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said conference phone prevents incoming communications from being sent to said at least one wireless device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein said conference phone comprises a display for listing connected wireless devices.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein said communications provided by said at least one wireless device is broadcasted over a speaker on said conference phone.

17. A method for enhancing participation within a conference call using a telecommunications conference device, said method comprising:

connecting at least one headset with said conference device;

receiving audio from said at least one headset and a microphone associated with said conference device;

processing said audio received from said at least one headset and said microphone; and

providing said audio to a telephone network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein connecting said at least one headset with said conference device comprises determining whether a maximum number of headsets have been connected.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein processing said audio comprises combining said audio and cancelling echoes from said combined audio.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving incoming audio and sending said incoming audio to a speaker on said conference device.