Control apparatus and method for sharing information in a collaborative workspace
First Claim
1. An assembly for sharing content from video source devices, the apparatus comprising:
- a table assembly having a top member and a table support structure for supporting the top member in a substantially horizontal orientation, the top member forming a top surface and an opening in the top surface;
a display assembly including at least a first display screen supported adjacent the table top and generally residing at a height above the height of the top surface of the table top;
a switching device supported by the table support structure and linked to the display assembly for providing content thereto to be presented via the first display screen;
a plurality of control cables, each control cable having proximal and distal ends, each distal end linked to the switching device below the table top and each proximal end moveable between a stowed position below the table top and adjacent the opening and a use position pulled out through the opening and to a location proximate the top surface of the table top for connection to a video source device; and
a control assembly including a control interface for each of the control cables, each control interface including at least a first selectable control;
wherein, a video source device is associated with one of the control interfaces by linking the distal end of a control cable associated with the control interface to the source device; and
wherein, when a source device is linked to one of the control cables, selection of the first selectable control on the interface associated with the linked control cable causes the switching device to provide video information to replicate the content from the display screen of the source device associated with the control interface including the selected first selectable control on the first display screen.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of selecting video source devices to drive first and second presentation spaces provided by at least one display screen in a collaborative workspace, the method comprising the steps of providing a control assembly that includes a plurality of control interfaces, each control interface including a separate selectable control associated with each of the presentation spaces, associating at least first and second video sources with first and second of the control interfaces, respectively, for each of the control interfaces, when a selectable control is selected, providing video information from the video source device associated with the control interface used to make the selection to the presentation space associated with the selectable control such that a plurality of video images from at least first and second different video source devices can be presented simultaneously in the presentation spaces.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. An assembly for sharing content from video source devices, the apparatus comprising:
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a table assembly having a top member and a table support structure for supporting the top member in a substantially horizontal orientation, the top member forming a top surface and an opening in the top surface; a display assembly including at least a first display screen supported adjacent the table top and generally residing at a height above the height of the top surface of the table top; a switching device supported by the table support structure and linked to the display assembly for providing content thereto to be presented via the first display screen; a plurality of control cables, each control cable having proximal and distal ends, each distal end linked to the switching device below the table top and each proximal end moveable between a stowed position below the table top and adjacent the opening and a use position pulled out through the opening and to a location proximate the top surface of the table top for connection to a video source device; and a control assembly including a control interface for each of the control cables, each control interface including at least a first selectable control; wherein, a video source device is associated with one of the control interfaces by linking the distal end of a control cable associated with the control interface to the source device; and wherein, when a source device is linked to one of the control cables, selection of the first selectable control on the interface associated with the linked control cable causes the switching device to provide video information to replicate the content from the display screen of the source device associated with the control interface including the selected first selectable control on the first display screen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of selecting video source devices to drive first and second presentation spaces provided by at least one display screen in a collaborative workspace, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a control assembly that includes a plurality of control interfaces, each control interface including a separate selectable control associated with each of the presentation spaces; associating at least first and second video sources with first and second of the control interfaces, respectively; for each of the control interfaces, when a selectable control is selected, providing video information from the video source device associated with the control interface used to make the selection to the presentation space associated with the selectable control such that a plurality of video images from at least first and second different video source devices can be presented simultaneously in the presentation spaces. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for use with source devices that include display screens and that present content on the display screens, the method for selecting displayed content from source devices to be replicated on at least a first common presentation space in a collaborative workspace, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a control assembly that includes; (i) a first control interface including at least a first interface first control button associated with the at least a first common presentation space, the first interface first control button including a first interface first indicator capable of indicating first, second and third different states; (ii) a second control interface including at least a second interface first control button associated with the at least a first common presentation space, the second interface first control button including a second interface first indicator capable of indicating first, second and third different states; associating first and second control cables with the first and second control interfaces, respectively, each control cable including a connector at a distal end for connection to a source device; prior to linking a source device to the first control cable, causing the first interface first indicator to indicate the first state; upon linking a source device to the first control cable and while the content on the display screen of the source device is not replicated on the first common presentation space, causing the first interface first indicator to indicate the second state; with the source device linked to the first control cable and while the content on the display screen of the source device is replicated on the first common presentation space, causing the first interface first indicator to indicate the third state; when the first interface first control button is selected, replicating the content from the source device linked to the first control cable on the at least a first common presentation space; prior to linking a source device to the second control cable, causing the second interface first indicator to indicate the first state; upon linking a source device to the second control cable and while the content on the display screen of the source device is not replicated on the first common presentation space, causing the second interface first indicator to indicate the second state; with the source device linked to the second control cable and while the content on the display screen of the source device is replicated on the first common presentation space, causing the second interface first indicator to indicate the third state; and when the second interface first control button is selected, replicating the content from the source device linked to the second control cable on the at least a first common presentation space. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for use with source devices that include display screens and that present content on the display screens, the method for selecting displayed content from source devices to be replicated on at least a first common display screen in a collaborative workspace, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a switching device that includes video inputs and at least a first output that is linked to the at least a first common display screen; providing at least a first control cable linked to a first of the video inputs at a distal end and that includes a proximal end; providing a first control interface that is associated with the at least a first control cable, the first control interface for controlling the switching device and including at least a first selectable control button and a first indicator capable of indicating at least two states when a source device is linked to the associated control cable including a first state when content on the linked source device display is not replicated on the at least a first common display screen and a second state when content on the linked source device display is replicated on the at leas a first common display screen; linking a source device to the first control cable; prior to an initial selection of the first control button, controlling the indicator to indicate the first state; upon an initial selection of the first control button, replicating the content from the source device display linked to the first control cable on the at least a first common display and controlling the indicator to indicate the second state. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. An apparatus for use with source devices that include display screens and that present content on the display screens, the apparatus for selecting displayed content from source devices to be replicated on at least a first common presentation space in a collaborative workspace, the apparatus comprising:
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(i) a first control interface including at least a first interface first control button associated with the at least a first common presentation space, the first interface first control button including a first interface first indicator capable of indicating first, second and third different states; (ii) a second control interface including at least a second interface first control button associated with the at least a first common presentation space, the second interface first control button including a second interface first indicator capable of indicating first, second and third different states; and first and second control cables with the first and second control interfaces, respectively, each control cable including a connector at a distal end for connection to a source device; wherein, prior to linking a source device to the first control cable, the first interface first indicator indicates the first state, upon linking a source device to the first control cable and while the content on the display screen of the source device is not replicated on the first common presentation space, the first interface first indicator indicates the second state, with the source device is linked to the first control cable and while the content on the display screen of the source device is replicated on the first common presentation space, the first interface first indicator indicates the third state, and, when the first interface first control button is selected, replicating the content from the source device linked to the first control cable on the at least a first common presentation space; and wherein, prior to linking a source device to the second control cable, the second interface first indicator indicates the first state, upon linking a source device to the second control cable and while the content on the display screen of the source device is not replicated on the first common presentation space, the second interface first indicator indicates the second state, with the source device linked to the second control cable and while the content on the display screen of the source device is replicated on the first common presentation space, the second interface first indicator indicates the third state, and when the second interface first control button is selected, replicating the content from the source device linked to the second control cable on the at least a first common presentation space.
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Specification