Personal control apparatus and method for sharing information in a collaborative workspace

• US 9,456,686 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Epstein, Lewis, Kincaid, Brett, Yoo, Hyun, Stage, Suzanne, Scherrer, Lukas, Cheng, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US14/862,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20160014372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/08 Table tops; Rims therefor not restricted to table tops A47B95/04
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/066 with power or communication connection interface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2083/003 Table combination having a central power access component
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2083/006 having an incorporated display screen
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/00 Tables or desks for office equipment, e.g. typewriters, keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/06 characterised by means for holding, fastening or concealing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 37/00 Tables adapted for other particular purposes glass cutting tables C03B33/03
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/001 Office desks or work-stations combined with other pieces of furniture, e.g. work space management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/268 Signal distribution or switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/66 Transforming electric information into light information scanning details H04N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 : Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A system comprising a switching device linked to a common display screen and including a wireless receiver configured to receive content, the switching device configured to use the received content to drive the common display screen and a plurality of interface devices, each interface device including an interface housing, an interface device processor, a control button mounted within the housing and a plug linked to the housing via a cable, the plug receivable within a connection port of a computing device, a first interface device including a first device processor, a first plug and a first control button, the first processor configured to perform the steps of, with the first plug received in the connection port of the first computing device and first content presented on the first display screen while other content is presented on the common display screen, detecting selection of the first control button and, upon detecting selection of the first control button, causing a wireless transmission to the switching device, upon receiving the wireless transmission, the switching device presenting the content from the first computing device display screen on the common display screen.

Claims

1. A system for use with a common display screen and a plurality of portable computing devices including a first computing device, each computing device including a connection port and a device display screen, the first computing device including a first display screen, the system for controlling content presented on the common display screen, the system comprising:

a switching device linked to the common display screen and including a wireless receiver configured to receive content, the switching device configured to use the received content to drive the common display screen; and

a plurality of interface devices, each interface device including an interface housing, an interface device processor, a control button mounted within the housing and a plug linked to the housing via a cable, the plug receivable within the connection port of one of the computing devices, each interface device processor configured to perform similar processes, a first interface device including a first device processor, a first plug and a first control button, the first processor configured to perform the steps of, with the first plug received in the connection port of the first computing device and first content presented on the first display screen while other content is presented on the common display screen, detecting selection of the first control button and, upon detecting selection of the first control button, causing a wireless transmission to the switching device;

wherein, upon receiving the wireless transmission, the switching device presents the content from the first computing device display screen on the common display screen.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each connection port is a USB port and each plug is a USB plug.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein, with content presented on the first computing device display screen while other content is presented on the common display screen, upon selection of the first control button, the first device processor is configured to cause the first computing device to wirelessly transmit the first content to the switching device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first device processor is further configured to, while the first content is presented on the common display screen, detect a next selection of the first control button and, upon detection of the next selection of the first control button, cause the switching device to remove the first content from the common display screen.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein a second interface device includes a second device processor, a second plug and a second control button, the second processor configured to perform the steps of, with the second plug received in the connection port of a second computing device that includes a second display screen and second content presented on the second display screen while other content is presented on the common display screen, detecting selection of the second control button and, upon detecting selection of the second control button, causing a wireless transmission to the switching device;

wherein, upon receiving the wireless transmission from the second computing device, the switching device presents the content on the second computing device display screen on the common display screen adjacent the first content.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the switching device enables content from four computing devices to be presented on the common display screen at the same time.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein, with the first and second content presented on the display screen at the same time, upon detecting a next selection of the second control button, the second processor causing transmission of a wireless signal to the switching device causing the switching device to remove the second content from the common display screen while continuing to present the first content on the common display screen.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein each interface device includes at least one illumination device controllable to indicate at least first and second states including a first state when the interface device is plugged into a computing device connection port and content on the display screen of the computing device is not presented on the common display screen and a second state when the interface device is plugged into a computing device connection port and content on the display screen of the computing device is presented on the common display screen.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the first and second states are indicated via different color illumination.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the each interface device includes at least partially flat top and bottom surfaces and wherein the control button is circular and forms a portion of the flat top surface of the interface device.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein each illumination device includes an illumination ring that circumscribes the circular button on an associated interface device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein each illumination ring is circular.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein each cable is flexible.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the bottom surface of each interface device rests on an ambient surface when an associated connection plug is inserted into a connection port of one of the computing devices.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein a second interface device includes a second device processor, a second plug and a second control button, the second processor configured to perform the steps of, with the second plug received in the connection port of a second computing device that includes a second display screen and second content presented on the second display screen while other content is presented on the common display screen, detecting selection of the second control button and, upon detecting selection of the second control button, causing a wireless transmission to the switching device;

wherein, upon receiving the wireless transmission from the second computing device, the switching device removes the content from the common display screen and presents the content on the second computing device display screen on the common display screen.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the common display screen includes a display surface dividable into at least two spaces for presenting content from at least first and second computing devices simultaneously.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the control interface receives power from a computing device when linked thereto.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein audio content from the computing device is also provided to the switching device while content from the computing device is presented on the common display screen.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the control button in each interface device is a first control button and wherein each interface device includes at least a second control button, the common display dividable into at least first and second display areas, the first processor further configured to, with the first plug received in the connection port of the first computing device and first content presented on the first display screen while other content is presented in the first display area, detecting selection of the first control button and, upon detecting selection of the first control button, causing content from the first display screen to be presented in the first display area and, upon detecting selection of the second control button, causing content from the first display screen to be presented in the second display area.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein each interface device includes at least one indicator light, the interface device processors controlling the indicator lights in a similar fashion, the first interface device including a first indicator light, the first processor controlling the first indicator light to indicate a first state during replication of content from the first computing device linked to the first interface device on the common display screen.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the first indicator light is a two state indicator controllable to present first and second visually distinguished light effects.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the first visually distinguished light effect indicates that content from the computing device linked to the first interface device is presented on the common display screen and the second light effect indicates that content from the computing device linked to the first interface device is not presented on the common display screen.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein each interface device includes at least a separate indicator light associated with each of the control buttons, the interface device processors controlling the indicator lights in a similar fashion, the first interface device including first and second indicator lights associated with the first and second control buttons on the first interface device, the first processor controlling the first indicator light to indicate a first state while content from the computing device linked to the first interface device is presented in the first display area and controlling the second indicator light to indicate a first state while content from the computing device linked to the first interface device is presented in the second display area.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein each interface device includes third and fourth control buttons, the common display dividable into first, second, third and fourth display areas, the first processor further configured to, with the first plug received in the connection port of the first computing device and first content presented on the first display screen while other content is presented in the first display area, detecting selection of the first control button and, upon detecting selection of the first control button, causing content from the first display screen to be substantially replicated in the first display area, upon detecting selection of the second control button, causing content from the first display screen to be substantially replicated in the second display area, upon detecting selection of the third control button, causing content from the first display screen to be substantially replicated in the third display area and, upon detecting selection of the fourth control button, causing content from the first display screen to be substantially replicated in the fourth display area.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein each interface device includes at least one indicator light, the interface device processors controlling the indicator lights in a similar fashion, the first interface device including a first indicator light, the first processor controlling the first indicator light to indicate a first state during replication of content from the first computing device linked to the first interface device on the common display screen.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the first indicator light is a two state indicator controllable to present first and second visually distinguished light effects.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the first visually distinguished light effect indicates that content from the first computing device linked to the first interface device is presented on the common display screen and the second light effect indicates that content from the first computing device linked to the first interface device is not presented on the common display screen.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein each interface device includes at least a separate indicator light associated with each of the control buttons, the interface device processors controlling the indicator lights in a similar fashion, the first interface device including first, second, third and fourth indicator lights associated with the first, second, third and fourth control buttons on the first interface device, the first processor controlling the first indicator light to indicate a first state while content from the computing device linked to the first interface device is presented in the first display area, controlling the second indicator light to indicate a first state while content from the computing device linked to the first interface device is presented in the second display area, controlling the third indicator light to indicate a first state while content from the computing device linked to the first interface device is presented in the third display area, and controlling the fourth indicator light to indicate a first state while content from the computing device linked to the first interface device is presented in the fourth display area.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a side wall that forms a substantially cylindrical external surface and forms a cavity in which the processor and control button are located.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the housing has a substantially flat undersurface and wherein the control button is located at an upper end of the housing.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the control button has a substantially flat upper surface.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the control button is substantially circular.

36. The system of claim 35 further including a two state light device capable of generating light having first and second distinguishing visual appearances.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the light device includes a ring shaped light guide that surrounds the control button.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the cable extends laterally out of a cylindrical side surface of the housing.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the cable is flexible.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the control interface includes a wireless transmitter linked to the first processor.

19. A method for sharing information on a common display screen viewable by a plurality of conferees wherein each conferee has a video source device, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a switching device that includes at least a first output port linked to the common display screen and at least one input for receiving content to be presented on the common display screen as well as control signals, the switching device including a processor;

associating each of a plurality of video source devices with the switching device;

associating a separate control interface with each of the video sources, each control interface including a selectable control button and at least one indicator for indicating at least first and second different control states when content from an associated video source is presented on the common display screen and when content from the associated video source is not presented on the common display screen, respectively;

receiving control signals from the control interfaces;

controlling the content on the common display screen as a function of the control signals such that, when content from a video source is not presented on the common display screen and a control button on a control interface associated with the video source is selected, content from the associated video source is presented on the common display screen irrespective of which content was previously presented on the common display screen; and

controlling the indicators together such that indicators associated with video sources that present content on the common display screen are distinguished from indicators associated with video sources that are not presenting content on the common display screen.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of associating a separate control interface with each of the video sources includes plugging a separate control interface into each of the video source devices.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein each of the source devices includes a display screen and wherein the step of associating a separate control interface with each of the video sources includes presenting a separate virtual interface on each of the display screens of the source devices.

41. The method of claim 19 wherein each indicator includes a light device and wherein the step of controlling the indicators includes controlling a lighting effect of the indicators differently to indicate the first and second states.

42. The method of claim 19 wherein the common display screen is dividable into N separate display areas and wherein each of the control interfaces includes N separately selectable buttons, each button selectable to cause content from a video source associated with the interface that includes the button to be presented on a specific one of the N separate display areas.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein N is four.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein each of the control interfaces also includes N indicator devices controlled to indicate a first state upon content from an associated video source being presented on the common display screen.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein first, second, third and fourth indicator devices in each set of indicator devices on a control interface are associated with first, second, third and fourth areas of the display areas, respectively.

46. The method of claim 19 wherein the switching device includes a wireless transceiver for wirelessly receiving control signals associated with selection of the control buttons.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein each of the control interfaces includes a cable for linking the control interface to a computer device.