Personal control apparatus and method for sharing information in a collaborative workspace
First Claim
1. A cable management system for use in providing an interface between one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment and a video/audio source device configured to generate one or more signals that can connect to and cause at least one of an audio presentation and a visual presentation to be presented on said one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment, the cable management system comprising:
- a first portion that includes at least a first control cable, each control cable with a respective cable connector that is configured to operably link with a respective video/audio source device and to carry respective electrical signals from the video/audio source device to the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment through the respective one or more cables;
one or more control buttons, each of which is configured to generate a control signal when pressed by a user of the video/audio source device, the control signal causing transfer of control of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment from the video/audio source device of a previous user upon selection of the one or more buttons while the previous user is controlling the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment to the video/audio source device of the user that pressed a respective one of the control buttons and initiating control of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment upon selection of the one or more buttons while no user is controlling the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment; and
one or more illuminated indicators configured to illuminate in a manner indicative of a control state of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cable management system comprising at least a first control cable with a respective cable connector that is configured to operably link with a video/audio source device, a control button configured to generate a control signal when pressed thereby causing transfer of control of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment from a video/audio source device of a previous user upon selection of the button while the previous user is controlling the pieces of video/audio presentation equipment to a video/audio source device of the user that pressed the control button and initiating control of the pieces of video/audio presentation equipment upon selection of the button while no user is controlling the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment and an illuminated indicator configured to illuminate in a manner indicative of a control state of the video/audio presentation equipment.
263 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A cable management system for use in providing an interface between one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment and a video/audio source device configured to generate one or more signals that can connect to and cause at least one of an audio presentation and a visual presentation to be presented on said one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment, the cable management system comprising:
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a first portion that includes at least a first control cable, each control cable with a respective cable connector that is configured to operably link with a respective video/audio source device and to carry respective electrical signals from the video/audio source device to the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment through the respective one or more cables; one or more control buttons, each of which is configured to generate a control signal when pressed by a user of the video/audio source device, the control signal causing transfer of control of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment from the video/audio source device of a previous user upon selection of the one or more buttons while the previous user is controlling the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment to the video/audio source device of the user that pressed a respective one of the control buttons and initiating control of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment upon selection of the one or more buttons while no user is controlling the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment; and one or more illuminated indicators configured to illuminate in a manner indicative of a control state of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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8. A video/audio equipment management system comprising:
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at least one video/audio source device; one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment; a switching device electrically connected to both the at least one video/audio source device and the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment, and wherein the switching device is configured to provide at least one of audio signals and video signals from the at least one video/audio source device to the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment; and a cable management system positioned between the at least one video/audio source device and the switching device, and wherein the cable management system includes; one or more buttons, each of which is configured to generate a control signal when pressed by a user of the video/audio source device that indicates a desire by the user to cause transfer of control of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment from the video/audio source device of a previous user upon selection of the one or more buttons while the previous user is controlling the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment to the video/audio source device of the user that pressed a respective one of the one or more buttons and indicating a desire to initiate control of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment upon selection of the one or more buttons while no user is controlling the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment; and one or more illuminated indicators configured to illuminate in a manner indicative of a received control state signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for controlling an video/audio presentation equipment management system, the method comprising:
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determining whether a user of said video/audio presentation equipment management system has indicated a request to assume control of said video/audio presentation equipment management system; presenting at least one of an audio presentation and video presentation to said video/audio presentation equipment management system if said user requesting control is ready to provide at least one of an audio presentation and video presentation to said video/audio presentation equipment management system; and causing an illuminated indicator to illuminate to provide an indication that said user is in control of said video/audio presentation equipment management system, and wherein the step of determining comprises receiving one or more user control signals at a switching device; determining a level of use of the video/audio presentation equipment management system for each of said users based on said received one or more user control signals; and determining if any of said users of said video/audio presentation equipment management system has transmitted said request to assume control of said video/audio presentation equipment management system. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A cable management system comprising;
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a first portion that includes one or more cables each with a respective cable connector that is configured to operably connect to a video/audio source device and to carry respective electrical signals from the video/audio source device to one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment through the respective one or more cables; one or more buttons, each of which is configured to generate a control signal when pressed by a user of the video/audio source device that indicates a desire by the user to cause transfer of control of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment from the video/audio source device of a previous user upon selection of the one or more buttons while the previous user is controlling the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment to the video/audio source device of the user that pressed a respective one of the one or more buttons and indicating a desire to initiate control of the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment upon selection of the one or more buttons while no user is controlling the one or more pieces of video/audio presentation equipment; one or more illuminated indicators configured to illuminate in a manner indicative of a received control state signal; and a processor configured to receive and then process the one or more button generated control signals, and transmit the control signals to a switching device, and wherein said processor is further configured to receive state signals from said switching device and to control the one or more illuminated indicators, causing said one or more illuminated indicators to illuminate in a manner according to the received state signals. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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29. A cable management system for use in providing an interface between one or more pieces of video presentation equipment and at least first and second video source devices configured to connect to and cause visual presentation to be presented on said one or more pieces of video presentation equipment, the cable management system comprising:
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a first portion that includes at least first and second control cables, each control cable having a respective cable connector that is configured to operably link with a respective video source device and to carry respective signals from the video source device to the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment through the respective control cable; a first control button configured to generate a first control signal when selected by a user causing transfer of control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment from a video source device of a previous user upon selection of the one or more buttons while the previous user is controlling the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment to the video source device of the user that pressed the first control button and initiating control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment upon selection of the first control button while no user is controlling the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment; a second control button configured to generate a second control signal when selected by a user causing transfer of control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment from a video source device of a previous user upon selection of the one or more buttons while the previous user is controlling the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment to the video source device of the user that pressed the second control button; and at least first and second illuminated indicators that are spatially proximate the first and second control buttons, each illuminated indicator configured to illuminate in a manner indicative of a control state of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A cable management system for use in providing an interface between one or more pieces of video presentation equipment and at least first and second video source devices configured to connect to and cause visual presentation to be presented on said one or more pieces of video presentation equipment, the cable management system comprising:
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a first deck assembly that forms a first recess, the first deck assembly having a substantially flat and substantially horizontal bottom member that forms a first opening having an opening dimension; a first control cable having a first connector at a first end and an intermediate section that passes through the first opening, the first connector moveable between a storage location within the first recess and a use position pulled out of the first recess and linkable to the first video source device to receive video therefrom; a first control button associated with the first control cable, upon selection, the first control button generating a control signal indicating that a user that selected the first control button desires to initiate control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment irrespective of the current state of control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment; a second deck assembly that is separate from the first deck assembly and that forms a second recess, the second deck assembly having a substantially flat and substantially horizontal bottom member that forms a second opening having an opening dimension; a second control cable having a second connector at a first end and an intermediate section that passes through the second opening, the second connector moveable between a storage location within the second recess and a use position pulled out of the second recess and linkable to the second video source device to receive video therefrom; a second control button associated with the second control cable, upon selection, the second control button generating a control signal indicating that a user that selected the second control button desires to initiate control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment irrespective of the current state of control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment; and a second illuminated indicator controlled to indicate a current control state of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A cable management system for use in providing an interface between one or more pieces of video presentation equipment and a video source device configured to generate one or more signals that can connect to and cause at least one of an audio presentation and a visual presentation to be presented on said one or more pieces of video presentation equipment, the cable management system comprising:
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a first control cable including a first cable connector that is configured to operably link with the first video source device; a first control button configured to generate a control signal when pressed by a user of the first video source device, the control signal causing transfer of control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment from the video source device of a previous user upon selection of the first button while the previous user is controlling the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment to the first video source device and initiating control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment upon selection of the first control button while no user is controlling the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment; and a first illuminated indicator configured to indicate at least first and second different states, the first state indicating that the first video source device is driving the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment and that the first video source is not driving the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment, respectively; a second control cable including a second cable connector that is configured to operably link with the second video source device; a second control button configured to generate a control signal when pressed by a user of the second video source device, the control signal causing transfer of control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment from the video source device of a previous user upon selection of the second button while the previous user is controlling the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment to the second video source device and initiating control of the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment upon selection of the second control button while no user is controlling the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment; and a second illuminated indicator configured to indicate at least first and second different states, the first state indicating that the second video source device is driving the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment and that the second video source is not driving the one or more pieces of video presentation equipment, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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Specification