Audio output in video conferencing and speakerphone based on call type

• US 7,688,345 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Kenoyer, Michael L., Mock, Wayne E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/252,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20060238611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 379/202.01, 370260-261
• US Class Current: 348/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A conference call may involve participants with video conferencing systems and participants with speakerphone systems. In some embodiments, sound from speakerphone participants may be sent through a speakerphone sound system while sound from video participants may be sent through the video sound system (e.g., near a video monitor). Sound may be localized through a combination of both the video sound system and the speakerphone sound system to produce a spatially correct sound field for in room participants.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a speakerphone with a speakerphone sound system;

a video conferencing sound system;

a device communicatively coupled to the speakerphone sound system and the video conferencing sound system wherein the device is configured to place audio from a conferencing audio-only participant to the speakerphone sound system and audio from a video participant to the video conferencing sound system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one remote conference participant is a speakerphone only participant.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one remote conference participant is a video conferencing participant.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to place audio from a conferencing audio-only participant to the video conferencing sound system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is further configured to place audio from a video conferencing participant to the speakerphone sound system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein adjusting the volume of the video conferencing sound system adjusts the volume of the speakerphone.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio from at least two speakerphone only participants is reproduced through the speakerphone sound system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio from at least two video sound system participants is reproduced through the video conferencing sound system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the audio from the video conferencing sound system and the audio from the speakerphone sound system may be adjusted separately.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving call data comprising audio data;

determining if the call data is from an audio-only participant;

sending audio data to a speakerphone sound system if the call data is from the audio-only participant

determining if the call data is from a video conference participant if the call data is not from an audio-only participant; and

sending audio data to a video conference sound system if the call data is from a video conference participant.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

separately adjusting the volume of the video conferencing sound system and the speakerphone sound system.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting the volume of the video conferencing sound system and the speakerphone sound system jointly.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving audio from a second video conferencing participant; and

reproducing the audio from both video conferencing participants through the video conferencing system.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving audio from a second speakerphone participant; and

reproducing the audio from both speakerphone participants through the speakerphone.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the audio from the video conferencing participant and the speakerphone participant are received by a device, and wherein the device directs the audio from the video conferencing participant to the video conferencing sound system and directs the audio from the speakerphone participant to the speakerphone.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending audio from a conferencing audio-only participant to the video conferencing sound system.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending audio from a video conferencing participant to the speakerphone sound system.

18. A system, comprising:

a first receiving means configured to receive audio from a video conferencing participant;

a second receiving means configured to receive audio from a speakerphone participant;

a reproducing means configured to reproduce the audio from the video conferencing participant through a video conferencing sound system and reproduce the audio from the speakerphone conferencing participant through the speakerphone sound system.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

an adjustment means configured to adjust the volume of the video conferencing system and the speakerphone jointly.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

an adjustment means configured to separately adjust the volume of the video conferencing system and the speakerphone system.