METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING AN IMMERSIVE MEETING EXPERIENCE FOR REMOTE MEETING PARTICIPANTS

• US 20120216129A1
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Inventors: Ng, Hock M., Sutter, Edward L., Abbot, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US13/029,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20120216129A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

An immersive meeting capability is depicted and described herein. The immersive meeting capability is configured for improving various aspects of a meeting held between one or more local participants located at a physical location at which the meeting is being held and one or more remote participants remote from the physical location at which the meeting is being held. The immersive meeting capability enables the remote participants to access and/or control one or more devices located at the physical location at which the meeting is being held and/or one or more views associated with the physical location at which the meeting is being held, thereby enabling remote participants to become immersed into the meeting.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor and a memory configured to;

present, at a user device, a representation of a physical area configured for use in hosting a meeting, wherein the physical area includes a device configured for being accessed remotely, wherein the representation of the physical area includes a representation of the device or a representation of a view available from the device;

detect, at the user device, selection of an icon associated with the representation of the device or the representation of a view available from the device; and

propagate, from the user device, a message configured for requesting access to the device or the view available from the device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message is propagated toward at least one of the device and a management system associated with the device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive content from the device; and

initiate presentation of the received content.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive information indicative of a change to the representation of the physical area presented at the user device; and

modify the representation of the physical area presented at the user device based on the information indicative of the change to the representation of the physical area presented at the user device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the information indicative of a change to the representation of the physical area presented at the user device comprises at least one of:

information indicative of a movement of the device within the physical area; and

information indicative of a movement of a local participant in the meeting; and

information indicative of a change in a source of content at the physical area.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

propagate, from the user device, a message configured for controlling the device or the view available from the device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one of a camera, a projector, a digital whiteboard, an audio conferencing device, a video conferencing device, and a sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store the representation of the physical area for presentation of the representation of the physical area at the user device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a display screen configured to display the representation of the physical area.

10. A method, comprising:

using a processor for;

presenting, at a user device, a representation of a physical area configured for use in hosting a meeting, wherein the physical area includes a device configured for being accessed remotely, wherein the representation of the physical area includes a representation of the device or a representation of a view available from the device;

detecting, at the user device, selection of an icon associated with the representation of the device or the representation of a view available from the device; and

propagating, from the user device, a message configured for requesting access to the device or view associated with the icon.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor and a memory configured to;

obtain a representation of a physical area configured for use in hosting a meeting, wherein the physical area includes a device configured for being accessed remotely;

create an area configuration for the physical area, wherein creating the area configuration comprises associating an icon with a representation of the device or a representation of a view available from the device; and

propagate the area configuration toward a user device of a remote participant of a meeting held in the physical area.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein associating an icon with a representation of the device comprises:

automatically determining a location of the device within the representation of the physical area; and

automatically associating the icon with the location of the device within the representation of the physical area.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein associating an icon with a representation of a view available from the device comprises:

automatically determining a location of the view available from the device within the representation of the physical area; and

automatically associating the icon with the location of the view available from the device within the representation of the physical area.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein creating the area configuration further comprises:

receiving device configuration information associated with configuration of the device; and

associating the device configuration information with the icon associated with the device.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein creating the area configuration further comprises:

identifying a location of a local participant of the meeting within the physical area; and

associating an icon with the local participant of the meeting within the representation of the physical area.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive information indicative of a change associated with the physical area; and

update the area configuration to reflect the change associated with the physical area.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the change associated with the physical area comprises at least one of:

a change of location of the device at the physical area; and

a movement of a local participant of the meeting within the physical area.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, from a user device remote from the physical area, a request for the area configuration; and

propagate the area configuration toward the user device.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured for:

receiving, from a user device remote from the physical area, a request to access the device, wherein the request to access the device is initiated using the area configuration; and

propagating, toward the device, the request received from the user device.

20. A method, comprising:

using a processor for;

obtaining a representation of a physical area configured for use in hosting a meeting, wherein the physical area includes a device configured for being accessed remotely;

creating an area configuration for the physical area, wherein creating the area configuration comprises associating an icon with a representation of the device or a representation of a view available from the device; and

propagating the area configuration toward a user device of a remote participant of a meeting held in the physical area.