Multi-modal communications with conferencing and clients
First Claim
1. A method of connecting participants into a multi-modal conference comprising:
- receiving at least one of an incoming audio signal and incoming text-based message;
when an incoming audio signal is received, transcoding the incoming audio signal to a text-based message, interleaving the text-based message with other incoming text-based messages and providing the interleaved text-based messages to at least one participant having a text-based receiver connected into the multi-modal conference; and
when an incoming text-based message is received, transcoding the incoming text-based message to an audio signal and providing the audio signal to at least one participant having an audio-based receiver connected into the multi-modal conference based on a plurality of mechanisms, the plurality of mechanisms comprising;
when an idle period is present within voice communications on the multi-modal conference unit, turn taking, conference identification, participant identification, ordering of interjections, modulation of meaning, expectation of shared awareness, floor domination and combinations thereof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for merging multi-modal communications are disclosed. The multi-modal communications can be synchronous, asynchronous and semi-synchronous. By way of a non-limiting example, at least two devices operating with varied modalities can be connected to a conferencing appliance. The conferencing appliance can integrate the differing modalities from the at least two devices by executing at least one of turn taking, conference identification, participant identification, ordering of interjections, modulation of meaning, expectation of shared awareness, floor domination and combination thereof.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of connecting participants into a multi-modal conference comprising:
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receiving at least one of an incoming audio signal and incoming text-based message; when an incoming audio signal is received, transcoding the incoming audio signal to a text-based message, interleaving the text-based message with other incoming text-based messages and providing the interleaved text-based messages to at least one participant having a text-based receiver connected into the multi-modal conference; and when an incoming text-based message is received, transcoding the incoming text-based message to an audio signal and providing the audio signal to at least one participant having an audio-based receiver connected into the multi-modal conference based on a plurality of mechanisms, the plurality of mechanisms comprising;
when an idle period is present within voice communications on the multi-modal conference unit, turn taking, conference identification, participant identification, ordering of interjections, modulation of meaning, expectation of shared awareness, floor domination and combinations thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system comprising:
at least two receivers operating with different modalities connected to a conferencing appliance, wherein the conferencing appliance merges the modalities from the at least two receivers by executing a plurality of mechanisms, the plurality of mechanisms comprising;
turn taking, conference identification, participant identification, ordering of interjections, modulation of meaning, expectation of shared awareness, floor domination and combinations thereof.- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A multi-modal conference unit comprising:
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at least one processor; and a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing program instructions that when executed by the processor, causes the processor to; receive at least one text-based message from a participant; buffer the at least one text-based message in a queue; transcode the at least one text-based message to an audio signal; and placing the audio signal on at least one outgoing link connected to a participant based on a plurality of mechanisms, the plurality of mechanisms comprising;
when an idle period is present within voice communications on the multi-modal conference unit, turn taking, conference identification, participant identification, ordering of interjections, modulation of meaning, expectation of shared awareness, floor domination and combinations thereof. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification