Wireless communications connection device

• US 7,945,624 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callpod Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Callpod Incorporated
• Inventors: Guccione, Darren S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N.
• Application Number:
  US12/722,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20100172271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 370/337, 707/10, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/230, 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for setting up a wireless conference call, wireless non-call conference, and sharing audio and/or video content. The method includes the steps of providing an audio mixer that receives an audio input from each of at least three audio interfaces, mixes, cleans, and amplifies and/or de-amplifies the audio signal from the audio inputs and provides an equalized audio output to each of the at least three audio interfaces; providing a first local wireless interface; providing a second local wireless interface; and, providing a third wireless interface, so as to permit simultaneous two-way (incoming and outgoing) communications between each participant during wireless conferencing, and so as to permit simultaneous one-way communications between an audio and/or video content source and each local participant during wireless sharing of audio and/or video content between the local participants.

Claims

1. A wireless communications device disposed in an electronic device having audio capabilities, comprising:

at least three wireless controllers, the wireless controllers each having an audio interface;

an audio mixer configured to receive digital audio input signals from the audio interfaces of the at least three wireless controllers, to mix and clean the digital audio input signals, and to provide an equalized audio output to the at least three wireless controllers;

a first wireless interface between a first audio interface of the at least three wireless controllers and a first wireless device;

a second wireless interface between a second audio interface of the at least three wireless controllers and a second wireless device;

a third wireless interface between a third audio interface of the at least three wireless controllers and a third wireless device; and

at least one antenna disposed within the electronic device having audio capabilities for the first wireless interface, the second wireless interface and the third wireless interface,

wherein the audio mixer is configured to provide simultaneous two-way, full-duplex communications between the first wireless device and the second wireless device in a wireless non-call conferencing mode, and to provide simultaneous two-way, full-duplex communications between the first wireless device, the second wireless device, and the third wireless device in a wireless conferencing mode, and to provide simultaneous one-way communications between an audio and/or video content source and the first wireless device and the second wireless device in a wireless sharing mode.

2. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the at least one antenna comprises a first antenna for the first wireless interface, a second antenna for the second wireless interface and a third antenna for the third wireless interface.

3. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the at least one antenna comprises an antenna of the electronic device.

4. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the audio mixer is a field-programmable gate array.

5. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the first wireless interface, the second wireless interface, and the third wireless interface utilize a Bluetooth protocol.

6. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first wireless device, the second wireless device and the third wireless device comprises a cellular phone.

7. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first wireless device, the second wireless device and the third wireless device comprises a headset.

8. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the wireless non-call conferencing mode operates using a local wireless network.

9. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the wireless conferencing mode operates using a local wireless network.

10. The wireless communications device of claim 9 wherein the wireless conferencing mode operates using the local wireless network and a cellular network.

11. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the wireless sharing mode operates using a local wireless network.

12. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the wireless non-call conferencing mode and the wireless conferencing mode utilize synchronous connection-oriented links under a Bluetooth protocol.

13. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the wireless sharing mode utilizes asynchronous connectionless links under a Bluetooth protocol.

14. The wireless communications device of claim 1 wherein the audio and/or video content source comprises the electronic device.

15. A method for wirelessly conferencing and sharing content using an electronic device having audio capabilities, the method comprising:

providing at least three wireless controllers in the electronic device, the wireless controllers each having an audio interface;

providing an audio mixer in the electronic device, the audio mixer configured to receive digital audio input signals from the audio interfaces of the at least three wireless controllers, to mix and clean the digital audio input signals, and to provide an equalized audio output to the at least three wireless controllers;

providing a first wireless interface between a first audio interface of the at least three wireless controllers and a first wireless device;

providing a second wireless interface between a second audio interface of the at least three wireless controllers and a second wireless device;

providing a third wireless interface between a third audio interface of the at least three wireless controllers and a third wireless device;

providing at least one antenna disposed within the electronic device having audio capabilities for the first wireless interface, the second wireless interface and the third wireless interface;

providing simultaneous two-way, full-duplex communications between the first wireless device and the second wireless device in a wireless non-call conferencing mode;

providing simultaneous two-way, full-duplex communications between the first wireless device, the second wireless device, and the third wireless device in a wireless conferencing mode; and

providing simultaneous one-way communications between an audio and/or video content source and the first wireless device and the second wireless device in a wireless sharing mode.

16. The method for wirelessly conferencing and sharing content using an electronic device having audio capabilities of claim 15 wherein the at least one antenna comprises a first antenna for the first wireless interface, a second antenna for the second wireless interface and a third antenna for the third wireless interface.

17. The method for wirelessly conferencing and sharing content using an electronic device having audio capabilities of claim 15 wherein the at least one antenna comprises an antenna of the electronic device.

18. The method for wirelessly conferencing and sharing content using an electronic device having audio capabilities of claim 15 wherein the first wireless interface, the second wireless interface, and the third wireless interface utilize a Bluetooth protocol.

19. The method for wirelessly conferencing and sharing content using an electronic device having audio capabilities of claim 15 wherein the wireless non-call conferencing mode, the wireless conferencing mode and the wireless sharing mode operate using a local wireless network.

20. The method for wirelessly conferencing and sharing content using an electronic device having audio capabilities of claim 19 wherein the wireless conferencing mode operates using the local wireless network and a cellular network.