Mobile telephone hosted meeting controls

• US 8,331,908 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2010
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Verthein, William George, Barkley, Warren Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean A
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US12/896,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20120083244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/2.1, 345/179, 345/173, 455/420, 455/416, 455/456.6, 455/414.1, 455/177.1, 455/463, 455/411, 455/403, 455/550.1, 455/456.1, 715/730, 715/758, 709/204, 709/229, 709/206, 704/275, 704/E15.045, 340/8.1, 348/E7.083, 348/14.12, 348/734
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for controlling components associated with a room using a mobile phone. A gateway is configured to receive a command from a mobile phone. Upon receiving the command, the gateway determines whether the command is a room command or a presentation command. If the command is a room command, the gateway causes the room component to respond to the room component. If the command received is a presentation command, the gateway causes the presentation component to respond to the presentation command. A user may input commands to the mobile phone by making gestures with or on a screen of the mobile phone, by utilizing phone keys of the mobile phone, or by interacting with user interface controls displayed on the mobile phone.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling components associated with a room, using a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving at a meeting controller including a room controller and a presentation controller, from a registered mobile device, a command for controlling at least one component associated with a room;

determining if the command is a room command for controlling a room component associated with the room;

upon determining that the command is a room command for controlling the room component associated with the room, causing the room component to respond to the room command by the room controller;

upon determining that the command is not a room command, determining if the command is a presentation command for controlling a presentation component associated with a presentation;

upon determining that the command is a presentation command for controlling the presentation component associated with a presentation, causing the presentation component to respond to the presentation command by the presentation controller;

determining if the mobile device is authorized to send the command;

upon determining that the mobile device is not authorized to send the command, returning a response to the mobile device that the mobile device is not authorized to send the command; and

upon determining that the mobile device is authorized to send to the command, causing a component associated with the command to respond to the command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

upon determining that the command is not a room command or a presentation command, determining if the command is an input command for controlling an input switch component; and

in response to determining that the command is an input command, causing the input switch component to respond to the input command.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein causing the room component to respond to the room command comprises transmitting the room command to a room controller configured to identify a room component associated with the room command and to send the room command to the room component associated with the room command, thereby causing the room command to be executed.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein causing the presentation component to respond to the presentation command comprises transmitting the presentation command to a presentation computer configured to send an instruction corresponding to the presentation command to the presentation component associated with the presentation command, thereby causing the presentation command to be executed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving a command from the mobile phone, receiving a request to register the mobile device;

authenticating the mobile device in response to the request to register the mobile device; and

upon authenticating the mobile device, registering the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein authenticating the mobile device comprises:

sending a request to the mobile device for authentication information;

receiving the authentication information in response to the request for authentication information;

determining whether the authentication information received is correct; and

upon determining that the authentication information is correct, registering the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the command for controlling at least one component associated with a room comprises a gesture made with the mobile phone or a gesture made on a screen of the mobile phone.

9. An apparatus for enabling meeting room controls to be controlled using one or more mobile phones, the apparatus comprising:

a meeting controller including a room controller and a presentation controller;

a processor;

a memory for storing computer-readable instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to

receive, from a registered mobile phone, a command for controlling at least one component,

determine if the command is a room command for controlling a room component associated with the room,

upon determining that the command is a room command for controlling the room component associated with the room, cause the room component to respond to the room command by the room controller,

upon determining that the command is not a room command, determine if the command is a presentation command for controlling a presentation component associated with a presentation, and

upon determining that the command is a presentation command for controlling the presentation component associated with a presentation, cause the presentation component to respond to the presentation command by the presentation controller,

determining if the mobile phone is authorized to send the command;

upon determining that the mobile phone is not authorized to send the command, returning a response to the mobile phone that the mobile phone is not authorized to send that command; and

upon determining that the mobile phone is authorized to send the command, causing a component associated with the command to respond to the command.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

upon determining that the command is not a room command or a presentation command, determine if the command is an input command for controlling an input switch component; and

upon determining that the command is an input command, to cause the input switch component to execute the input command.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein causing the room component to respond to the room command comprises passing the room command to a room controller configured to identify a room component associated with the room command and to send an instruction corresponding to the room command to the room component associated with the room command, thereby causing the room command to be executed.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein causing the presentation component to respond to the presentation command comprises passing the presentation command to a presentation computer configured to execute the presentation command, thereby causing the presentation command to be executed.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

upon receiving a command from the mobile phone, determine if the mobile phone is authorized to send a command;

upon determining that the mobile phone is not authorized to send a command, return a response to the mobile phone that the mobile phone is not authorized to send a command; and

upon determining that the mobile phone is authorized to send a command, cause a component associated with the command to respond to the command.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a request to register the mobile phone prior to receiving a command from the mobile phone;

authenticate the mobile phone upon receiving the request; and

upon authenticating the mobile phone, register the mobile phone.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein registering the mobile phone comprises:

adding an identifier associated with the mobile phone to a registered list;

defining the time period for which the mobile phone is registered; and

notifying the mobile phone that the mobile phone has been registered.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the command for controlling at least one component associated with a room comprises a gesture made with the mobile phone or a gesture made on a screen of the mobile phone.

17. A mobile phone for controlling components associated with a meeting room, comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a control application comprising computer-readable instructions stored in the memory which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to

receive a request from a gateway for authentication credentials of a user using the mobile phone;

transmit authentication credentials to the gateway;

receive registration notification from the gateway that the mobile phone is registered to transmit a command to a meeting controller;

receive a gesture,

determine if the received gesture represents a command for controlling at least one component associated with the meeting room, and

upon determining that the received gesture represents the command for controlling at least one component associated with the meeting room, to transmit the command to the gateway, wherein the gateway is configured to transmit the command to the meeting controller that controls one of a room component by a room controller associated with the meeting controller, or a presentation component by a presentation controller associated with the meeting controller.

18. The mobile phone of claim 17, wherein the mobile phone further comprises a touch screen, and wherein the control application is further configured when executed by the processor to cause the processor to:

present a user interface control on the touch screen;

upon presenting the user interface control on the touch screen, receive an input selecting a component to control; and

upon receiving an input selecting a component to control, operate in a gesture recognition mode to receive the gesture.

19. The mobile phone of claim 18, wherein the gesture comprises a gesture made with the mobile phone or a gesture made on the touch screen of the mobile phone.