Selectively-Expandable Speakerphone System and Method
First Claim
1. A selectively expandable speakerphone system, comprising:
- a speakerphone console connected to a telephone system for transmitting and receiving audio signals over a telephone line;
one or more portable computers each having an included microphone and loudspeaker, and a wireless networking interface configured for communicating on any of a plurality of distinct wireless local area networks; and
a wireless audio access point for connecting the portable computers with the speakerphone console on a selected one of the wireless local area networks, communicating audio signals generated by the microphone to the speakerphone console for substantially simultaneous transmission over the telephone line, and communicating audio signals received over the telephone line by the speakerphone console to all of the one or more portable computers for substantially simultaneous playback on the loudspeakers.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
According to one embodiment, a selectively-expandable speakerphone system allows one or more portable computers to automatically, wirelessly interface with a speakerphone console via an audio access point. A scheduling module initiates the conference call at a scheduled time, whereupon the wireless network interface of each portable computer is automatically switched to an SSID uniquely associated with the audio access point, for connecting to the speakerphone console. The audio signals generated by the laptop microphones are mixed with any audio signal generated by an optional microphone on the speakerphone console, and the mixed audio signals are transmitted over the telephone line. Incoming audio signals are passed to the speakerphone console and wirelessly transmitted to the portable computers for substantially simultaneous playback on the respective loudspeakers.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A selectively expandable speakerphone system, comprising:
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a speakerphone console connected to a telephone system for transmitting and receiving audio signals over a telephone line; one or more portable computers each having an included microphone and loudspeaker, and a wireless networking interface configured for communicating on any of a plurality of distinct wireless local area networks; and a wireless audio access point for connecting the portable computers with the speakerphone console on a selected one of the wireless local area networks, communicating audio signals generated by the microphone to the speakerphone console for substantially simultaneous transmission over the telephone line, and communicating audio signals received over the telephone line by the speakerphone console to all of the one or more portable computers for substantially simultaneous playback on the loudspeakers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A laptop computer teleconferencing system, comprising:
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a plurality of laptop computers each having a microphone, a loudspeaker, and a wireless networking interface configured for communicating on any of a plurality of distinct wireless local area networks; a wireless audio access point for connecting the laptop computers with a telephone system on a selected one of the wireless local area networks, communicating audio signals generated by the microphones to the telephone system for substantially simultaneous transmission over a telephone line, and communicating audio signals received over the telephone line by the telephone system to all of the laptop computers for substantially simultaneous playback on the loudspeakers. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium including computer usable program code for conducting a conference call, the computer program product including:
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computer usable program code for connecting a plurality of portable computers to a speakerphone console on a wireless local area network; computer usable program code for generating an audio signal using the microphone on each portable computer; computer usable program code for wirelessly routing and transmitting the audio signal generated by the microphone of each portable computer to the speakerphone console for substantially simultaneous transmission over a telephone line; and computer usable program code for receiving and routing an audio signal received over the telephone line by the speakerphone console to the loudspeaker of each portable computer for substantially simultaneous playback on the loudspeakers. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification