System and method of synchronizing multiple microphone and speaker-equipped devices to create a conferenced area network

• US 8,095,120 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Afiniti Ltd
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Blair, Colin, Lang, Andrew W., Michaelis, Paul Roller, Hill, Deborah Jeanne, Chan, Kevin, Gentle, Christopher R., Hepworth, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US11/864,021
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• Field of Search: 455/416, 370/338, 370/347, 381/119, 379/202.01, 379/205.01
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/562 where the conference facilities are distributed

Abstract

The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for creating an ad-hoc conference station from speakers on a plurality of mobile communication devices. The ad-hoc conference station can cancel the echo of any incoming audio for all of the communication devices. This feature may be achieved by employing a master/slave configuration for the communication devices within a common area.

Claims

1. A conferencing method, comprising:

a first communication device detecting a second communication device within communication range of the first communication device;

determining that a user of the first communication device and a user of the second communication device want to participate in a common conference;

receiving local audio at the first communication device;

receiving local audio at the second communication device;

transmitting data representing the local audio received at the second communication device to the first communication device via a faster than audio connection;

the first communication device transmitting data representing the local audio received at the first and second communication devices to a remote communication device that is also part of the common conference;

receiving an audio signal from the remote communication device at the first communication device;

establishing a communication path between the second communication device and the remote communication device;

receiving, at the second communication device, a copy of the audio signal transmitted from the remote device to the first communication device; and

the first and second communication devices synchronizing playback of the audio signal received from the remote communication device;

further comprising;

determining signal volume for both the local audio received at the first communication device and the local audio received at the second communication device;

selecting the local audio that comprises a higher signal volume; and

using the selected local audio as the data that is transmitted to the remote communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the faster than audio connection comprises a wireless data transmission protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

canceling echo in the local audio received at the second communication device prior to transmitting data representing the local audio received at the second communication device to the first communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delaying transmission of the data to the remote communication device to ensure that a single representation of a local audio signal is transmitted to the remote communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an audio signal from the remote communication device at the first communication device;

determining an amount of time required to transmit data from the first communication device to the second communication device;

delaying playback of the audio signal received from the remote communication device at the first communication device;

the first communication device transmitting data representing the audio signal received from the remote communication device to the second communication device via a faster than audio connection; and

playing the audio received from the remote communication device at the first and second communication devices at substantially the same time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is a master communication device and the second communication device is a slave communication device, the method further comprising:

determining that a third communication device is within wireless communication range of the first communication device;

determining that a user of the third communication device wants to participate in the common conference;

establishing a master slave relationship between the first and third communication devices;

receiving local audio at the third communication device;

the third communication device transmitting data representing the received local audio to the first communication device via a faster than audio connection; and

the first communication device incorporating the data received from the third communication device into the data transmitted to the remote communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second communication devices comprise at least one of a cellular phone, a laptop computer, a personal computer, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote communication device comprises at least one of a conference bridge, phone, cellular phone, laptop computer, personal computer, and Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising processor executable instruction operable to perform the method of claim 1.

10. A conferencing method, comprising:

a first communication device detecting a second communication device within communication range of the first communication device;

determining that a user of the first communication device and a user of the second communication device want to participate in a common conference;

receiving local audio at the first communication device;

receiving local audio at the second communication device;

transmitting data representing the local audio received at the second communication device to the first communication device via a faster than audio connection;

the first communication device transmitting data representing the local audio received at the first and second communication devices to a remote communication device that is also part of the common conference;

receiving an audio signal from the remote communication device at the first communication device;

determining an amount of time required to transmit data from the first communication device to the second communication device;

delaying playback of the audio signal received from the remote communication device at the first communication device;

the first communication device transmitting data representing the audio signal received from the remote communication device to the second communication device via a faster than audio connection;

playing the audio received from the remote communication device at the first and second communication devices at substantially the same time;

determining that resources of the first communication device are limited;

establishing a communication path between the second communication device and the remote communication device;

receiving a copy of the audio signal transmitted to the first communication device at the second communication device;

skipping the transmitting data from the first communication device to the second communication device step; and

the first and second communication devices synchronizing playback of the audio signal received from the remote communication device.

11. A first communication device, comprising:

a microphone for receiving local audio;

a conferencing module operable to establish a faster than audio data connection with a second communication device, receive data that represents local audio received at the second communication device, wherein the data is received from the second communication device over the faster than audio data connection, wherein the conferencing module is further operable to combine the data received from the second communication device with local audio received by the microphone and transmit the combined data to a remote communication device, and wherein the conferencing module is further operable to synchronize playback of an audio signal received from the remote communication device with the second communication device;

wherein the conferencing module is further operable to determine signal volume for both the local audio received at the first communication device and the local audio received at the second communication device, select the local audio that comprises a higher signal volume, and use the selected local audio as the data that is transmitted to the remote communication device.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the faster than audio connection comprises a wireless data transmission protocol.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the second wireless device is operable to cancel echo in the local audio received at the second communication device prior to transmitting data representing the local audio received at the second communication device to the first communication device.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the conferencing module is further operable to delay transmission of the data to the remote communication device to ensure that a single representation of a local audio signal is transmitted to the remote communication device.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the conferencing module is further operable to receive an audio signal from the remote communication device, determine an amount of time required to transmit data from to the second communication device, transmit data representing the audio signal received from the remote communication device to the second communication device via the faster than audio connection, and play the audio received from the remote communication device at substantially the same time as the second communication device.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the conferencing module is further operable to determine that resources of the first communication device are limited and notify the second communication device that its resources are limited such that the second communication device can establish a separate connection with the remote communication device.

17. A conferencing system, comprising:

a plurality of local conference endpoints in communication with at least one remote conference endpoint, wherein the plurality of local conference endpoints communicate data with one another via a faster than audio data connection, wherein audio signals are transmitted from the at least one remote conference endpoint to a first local conference endpoint in the plurality of local conference endpoints, and wherein the first local conference endpoint is operable to transmit the audio signals to a second local conference endpoint in the plurality of local conference endpoints via the faster than audio data connection and cause the audio signals to be played from the first local conference endpoint at substantially the same time as the audio signals are played from the second local conference endpoint, and wherein the first local conference endpoint is configured to synchronize the playback of the audio signals with the second local conference endpoint;

wherein the audio signals received at the second local conference endpoint are transmitted to the first local conference endpoint via the faster than audio data connection, and wherein the first local conference endpoint transmits a combination of the audio signals received at the second local conference endpoint and audio signals received at the microphone of the first local conference endpoint to the remote conference endpoint.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first local conference endpoint is operable to delay its playback of the audio signals by an amount substantially equal to an amount of time required to transmit the audio signals from the first local conference endpoint to the second local conference endpoint.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of local conference endpoints comprise a microphone for receiving local audio and a speaker from playing the audio signals received from the remote conference endpoint.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of local conference endpoints are operable to perform echo cancellation on received local audio signals.