System for and method of conferencing with a handheld computer using multiple media types

• US 20030142200A1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Canova, Franics J. Jr., Ting, Albert H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,906,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• 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: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A method of videoconferencing is disclosed. The method of videoconferencing includes initiating, with a first handheld computer, a conferencing call with a second handheld computer. The method also includes communicating, by the first handheld computer to the second handheld computer, a combination of at least two of video data, audio data, text data, and application data. Further, the method includes accessing selectively and substantially simultaneously, by the second handheld computer a combination of at least two of video data, audio data, text data, and application data.

Claims

1. A method of videoconferencing, comprising:

initiating, with a first handheld computer, a conferencing call with a second handheld computer;

communicating, by the first handheld computer to the second handheld computer, a combination of at least two of video data, audio data, text data, and application data; and

accessing selectively and substantially simultaneously, by the second handheld computer a combination of at least two of video data, audio data, text data, and application data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

switching by the second handheld computer between accessing any combination of video data, text data, audio data, and application data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio data includes MPEG3 (MP3) data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the video data includes MPEG3 (MP3) data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the application data includes word processing data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the application data includes presentation application data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating, by the first handheld computer, a conferencing call with a conferencing device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the first handheld computer to a synchronization cradle.

9. A handheld computer, comprising:

a processor

a memory coupled to the processor;

a display coupled to the processor; and

a conferencing program stored in the memory and including functionality to access, either individually or simultaneously, at least two data types including video data, audio data, text data, and application data during a conference.

10. The handheld computer of claim 9, wherein the conferencing program provides functionality for a user to switch between the data types being accessed.

11. The handheld computer of claim 9, wherein the conferencing program provides a user interface on the display, the user interface being used to switch between data types being accessed.

12. The handheld computer of claim 9, wherein the conferencing program provides functionality for establishing a conference call with other conferencing devices via a conferencing server.

13. The handheld computer of claim 12, wherein the conferencing server is accessed via a synchronization cradle coupled to the handheld computer.

14. The handheld computer of claim 12, wherein the conferencing server is accessed via a wireless communications link.

15. The handheld computer of claim 14, wherein the wireless communications link is an IEEE 802.11 link.

16. The handheld computer of claim 14, wherein the wireless communications link is a Bluetooth link.

17. A method of accessing data, comprising:

establishing a conference call using a handheld computer;

outputting a first data type by the handheld computer, the first data type being one of video data, audio data, text data, and application data;

switching selectively between data types being output by the handheld computer, while maintaining the conference call.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

outputting a second data type simultaneously with the first data type, the second data type being different than the first data type and being one of video data, audio data, text data, and application data.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

outputting a third data type simultaneously with the first and second data types, the third data type being different than the first and second data types and being one of video data, audio data, text data, and application data.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

terminating the output of one of the first data type and the second data type without terminating the conference call.

21. A method of accessing data, comprising:

establishing a videoconference using a handheld computer;

displaying a video feed on the handheld computer, the video feed being at least a portion of a videoconferencing feed;

displaying simultaneously a text message on the handheld computer, the text message being received simultaneously with the video feed.

22. A method of accessing data, comprising:

establishing a videoconference using a handheld computer;

providing a video feed on the handheld computer, the video feed being at least a portion of a videoconferencing feed;

providing an audio feed on the handheld computer, the audio feed being at least a portion of the videoconferencing feed;

displaying simultaneously application data on the handheld computer, the application data being at least a portion of the videoconferencing feed.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

disabling, selectively, display of the video feed on the handheld computer.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

disabling, selectively, the audio feed on the handheld computer.