Automatically moving a conferencing based on proximity of a participant

• US 8,717,400 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2011
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lifesize, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Ranganath, Prithvi, Belur, Raghuram, Lakshmipathy, Sandeep
• Primary Examiner(s): El-Zoobi, Maria
• Application Number:
  US13/194,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20130027505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1408
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1845 broadcast or multicast in a specific location, e.g. geocast protocols for adapting network applications to user terminal location H04L67/52; services specially adapted for wireless communication networks making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42136 Administration or customisation of services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/563 User guidance or feature selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Customizing a conferencing system based on proximity of a participant. A first participant may be detected as being proximate to a first conferencing system. For example, the first participant may provide user input to check in to the first conferencing system. Alternatively, the conferencing system may automatically detect the first participant (e.g., by automatically detecting a personal device of the first participant). In response to detecting the proximate participant, the first conferencing system may be automatically customized for the participant.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions for automatically using a first conferencing system instead of a second conferencing system, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

detect a first participant is in proximity to the first conferencing system;

determine that a conference is scheduled for the first participant using the second conferencing system; and

automatically use the first conferencing system instead of the second conferencing system for the conference based on detecting the first participant is in proximity to the first conferencing system and based on determining that the conference is scheduled for the first participant.

2. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein said detecting the first participant comprises receiving user input from the first participant to check in to the first conferencing system.

3. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein said detecting the first participant is performed automatically.

4. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein said detecting the first participant is performed automatically and comprises automatically detecting a personal device of the first participant is in proximity to the first conferencing system.

5. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

determine a current time; and

determine a scheduled time of the conference;

wherein said automatically using the first conferencing system is performed if the difference between the current time and the scheduled time is below a first threshold of time.

6. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

provide a message to release the second conferencing system from the scheduled conference, wherein after releasing the second conferencing system, the second conferencing system is configured for use in another conference.

7. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

automatically customize the first conferencing system based on said detecting the first participant is in proximity to the first conferencing system.

8. A method for automatically using a first videoconferencing system instead of a videoconferencing conferencing system, comprising:

detecting a first participant is in proximity to the first videoconferencing system;

determining that a videoconference is scheduled for the first participant using the second videoconferencing system; and

automatically using the first videoconferencing system instead of the second videoconferencing system for the videoconferencing based on detecting the first participant is in proximity to the first videoconferencing system and based on determining that the videoconference is scheduled for the first participant.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said detecting the first participant comprises receiving user input from the first participant to check in to the first videoconferencing system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said detecting the first participant is performed automatically.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said detecting the first participant is performed automatically and comprises automatically detecting a personal device of the first participant is in proximity to the first videoconferencing system.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining a current time; and

determining a scheduled time of the videoconference;

wherein said automatically using the first videoconferencing system is performed if the difference between the current time and the scheduled time is below a first threshold of time.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a message to release the second videoconferencing system from the scheduled videoconference, wherein after releasing the second videoconferencing system, the second videoconferencing system is configured for use in another videoconference.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

automatically customizing the first videoconferencing system based on said detecting the first participant is in proximity to the first videoconferencing system.

15. A videoconferencing system, comprising:

a videoconferencing unit at a participant location;

at least one display coupled to the videoconferencing unit, wherein the at least one display is configured to provide video corresponding to other participant locations during a videoconference;

at least one audio output coupled to the videoconferencing unit, wherein the at least one audio output is configured to provide audio corresponding to the other participant locations during the videoconference;

at least one video input coupled to the videoconferencing unit, wherein the at least one video input is configured to capture video of the participant location for provision to the other participant locations;

at least one audio input coupled to the videoconferencing unit, wherein the at least one audio input is configured to capture audio of the participant location for provision to the other participant locations;

wherein the videoconference unit is configured to;

detect a first participant is in proximity to the conferencing system;

determine that a videoconference is scheduled for the first participant using a second videoconferencing system; and

automatically use the videoconferencing system instead of the second videoconferencing system for the videoconference based on detecting the first participant is in proximity to the videoconferencing system and based on determining that the videoconference is scheduled for the first participant.

16. The videoconferencing system of claim 15, wherein said detecting the first participant comprises receiving user input from the first participant to check in to the videoconferencing system.

17. The videoconferencing system of claim 15, wherein said detecting the first participant is performed automatically.

18. The videoconferencing system of claim 15, wherein said detecting the first participant is performed automatically and comprises automatically detecting a personal device of the first participant is in proximity to the videoconferencing system.

19. The videoconferencing system of claim 15, wherein the videoconference unit is further configured to:

determine a current time; and

determine a scheduled time of the conference;

wherein said automatically using the first videoconferencing system is performed if the difference between the current time and the scheduled time is below a first threshold of time.

20. The videoconferencing system of claim 15, wherein the videoconference unit is further configured to:

provide a message to release the second videoconferencing system from the scheduled conference, wherein after releasing the second videoconferencing system, the second videoconferencing system is configured for use in another videoconference.