Conferencing system utilizing a mobile communication device as an interface

• US 8,487,975 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: King, Keith C., Brandt, Matthew K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/692,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 379/202.01, 379/204.01, 709/201, 709/204, 709/207, 709/223, 715/753, 370/261, 455/413, 455/416, 726/4
• US Class Current: 348/14.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• 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

Initiating a conference in a conferencing system (e.g., a videoconferencing or aduioconferencing system). Input may be received to the conferencing system from a mobile communication device. The input may specify one or more participants in the videoconference, e.g., by selecting from contact information stored on the mobile communication device. Accordingly, the conferencing system may initiate the conference based on the received input. The videoconference may include the one or more participants selected from the contact information stored on the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A computer accessible memory medium comprising program instructions for initiating a videoconference in a videoconferencing system, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

receive input to the videoconferencing system from a mobile communication device, wherein the input specifies one or more participants in the videoconference, wherein the one or more participants are selected from contact information stored on the mobile communication device, wherein the contact information is not otherwise associated with a program or application on the mobile communication device that is associated with the videoconferencing system;

initiate the videoconference in the videoconferencing system based on the received input, wherein the videoconference includes the one or more participants selected from the contact information stored on the mobile communication device.

2. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein said receiving input is performed in a wireless manner.

3. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive one or more commands from the mobile communication device during the videoconference, wherein the one or more commands correspond to one or more functions of the videoconferencing system; and

perform the one or more functions based on the one or more commands.

4. The memory medium of claim 3, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

display the videoconference on a display in a first visual configuration;

wherein the one or more commands comprise a modification to the first visual configuration, and wherein said performing the one or more functions comprises displaying the videoconference on the display in a second visual configuration based on the one or more commands.

5. The memory medium of claim 1, wherein the contact information comprises one or more telephone numbers.

6. A method for initiating a videoconference in a videoconferencing system, the method comprising:

receiving input to the videoconferencing system from a mobile communication device, wherein the input specifies one or more participants in the videoconference, wherein the one or more participants are selected from contact information stored on the mobile communication device, wherein the contact information is not otherwise associated with a program or application on the mobile communication device that is associated with the videoconferencing system;

the videoconferencing system initiating the videoconference based on the received input, wherein the videoconference includes the one or more participants selected from the contact information stored on the mobile communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said receiving input is performed in a wired manner.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving one or more commands from the mobile communication device during the videoconference, wherein the one or more commands correspond to one or more functions of the videoconferencing system; and

performing the one or more functions based on the one or more commands.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a first video stream in the videoconference;

wherein the one or more commands comprise a modification to the first video stream, and wherein said performing the one or more functions comprises changing the first video stream to a second video stream based on the one or more commands.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the contact information comprises one or more IP addresses.

11. A computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions for initiating a videoconference in a videoconferencing system from a mobile communication device, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

display a user interface on the mobile communication device, wherein the user interface displays contact information for one or more potential participants in the videoconference, wherein the contact information is not otherwise associated with a program or application on the mobile communication device that is associated with the videoconferencing system;

receive user input to the user interface of the mobile communication device, wherein the user input specifies one or more participants for the videoconference;

provide information regarding the one or more participants for the videoconference from the mobile communication device to the videoconferencing system;

wherein the videoconferencing system is operable to initiate the videoconference with the one or more participants based on the information received from the mobile communication device.

12. The memory medium of claim 11, wherein said providing information is performed in a wireless manner.

13. The memory medium of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive further user input to the user interface during the videoconference, wherein the further user input specifies one or more commands corresponding to one or more functions of the videoconference; and

provide the one or more commands to the videoconferencing system.

14. The memory medium of claim 13,

wherein the one or more commands comprise a command to modify to a first visual configuration of a display of the videoconference.

15. The memory medium of claim 11, wherein the contact information comprises one or more telephone numbers.

16. A method for initiating a videoconference in a videoconferencing system from a mobile communication device, comprising:

displaying a user interface on the mobile communication device, wherein the user interface displays contact information for one or more potential participants in the videoconference, wherein the contact information is not otherwise associated with a program or application on the mobile communication device that is associated with the videoconferencing system;

receiving user input to the user interface of the mobile communication device, wherein the user input specifies one or more participants for the videoconference;

providing information regarding the one or more participants for the videoconference from the mobile communication device to the videoconferencing system;

wherein the videoconferencing system is operable to initiate the videoconference with the one or more participants based on the information received from the mobile communication device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said providing information is performed in a wired manner.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving further user input to the user interface during the videoconference, wherein the further user input specifies one or more commands corresponding to one or more functions of the videoconference; and

providing the one or more commands to the videoconferencing system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more commands comprise a command to switch from a first video stream provided in the videoconference to a second video stream provided in the videoconference.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the contact information comprises one or more IP addresses.

21. A method for initiating an audio conference using a speakerphone, the method comprising:

receiving input to the speakerphone from a mobile communication device, wherein the input specifies one or more participants in the audioconference, wherein the one or more participants are selected from contact information stored on the mobile communication device, wherein the contact information is not otherwise associated with a program or application on the mobile communication device that is associated with the speakerphone;

the speakerphone initiating the audioconference based on the received input, wherein the audioconference includes the one or more participants selected from the contact information stored on the mobile communication device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said receiving input is performed in a wireless manner.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving one or more commands from the mobile communication device during the audioconference, wherein the one or more commands correspond to one or more functions of the speakerphone; and

performing the one or more functions based on the one or more commands.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the contact information comprises one or more telephone numbers.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

connecting to the mobile communication device in a wired manner.

26. A memory medium storing program instructions for initiating an audioconference using a speakerphone from a mobile communication device, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

display a user interface on the mobile communication device, wherein the user interface displays contact information for one or more potential participants in the audioconference, wherein the contact information is not otherwise associated with a program or application on the mobile communication device that is associated with the speakerphone;

receive user input to the user interface of the mobile communication device, wherein the user input specifies one or more participants for the audioconference;

provide information regarding the one or more participants for the audioconference from the mobile communication device to the speakerphone;

wherein the speakerphone is operable to initiate the audioconference with the one or more participants based on the information received from the mobile communication device.

27. The memory medium of claim 26, wherein said providing information is performed in a wireless manner.

28. The memory medium of claim 26, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

receive further user input to the user interface during the audioconference, wherein the further user input specifies one or more commands corresponding to one or more functions of the speakerphone; and

provide the one or more commands to the speakerphone.

29. The memory medium of claim 26, wherein the contact information comprises one or more telephone numbers.

30. The memory medium of claim 26, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

connect to the speakerphone device in a wired manner.