System and Method for Controlling Presentations and Videoconferences Using Hand Motions
Granted: May 8, 2008
Application Number:
20080109724
A system and method are disclosed for controlling presentations and videoconference using hand motions. A camera captures video of an area relative to content displayed on a display device from a content source. A control unit is communicatively coupled to the content source, the display device, and the camera. The control unit receives captured video from the camera. The control unit detects a hand motion by a presenter that occurs within the captured video and determines the location…
ULTRASONIC CAMERA TRACKING SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
Granted: April 24, 2008
Application Number:
20080095401
A camera tracking system includes a controllable camera, an array of microphones, and a controller. The microphones are positioned adjacent the controllable camera and are at least responsive to ultrasound emitted from a source. The microphones may additionally be capable of responding to sound in the audible spectrum. The controller receives ultrasound signals communicated from the microphones in response to ultrasound emitted from the source and processes the ultrasound signals to…
DUAL-TRANSFORM CODING OF AUDIO SIGNALS
Granted: April 24, 2008
Application Number:
20080097749
Methods, devices, and systems for coding and decoding audio are disclosed. At least two transforms are applied on an audio signal, each with different transform periods for better resolutions at both low and high frequencies. The transform coefficients are selected and combined such that the data rate remains similar as a single transform. The transform coefficients may be coded with a fast lattice vector quantizer. The quantizer has a high rate quantizer and a low rate quantizer. The…
FAST LATTICE VECTOR QUANTIZATION
Granted: April 24, 2008
Application Number:
20080097755
Methods, devices, and systems for coding and decoding audio are disclosed. Digital samples of an audio signal are transformed from the time domain to the frequency domain. The resulting transform coefficients are coded with a fast lattice vector quantizer. The quantizer has a high rate quantizer and a low rate quantizer. The high rate quantizer includes a scheme to truncate the lattice. The low rate quantizer includes a table based searching method. The low rate quantizer may also…
DESKTOP PHONE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE WIRELESS HANDSET
Granted: April 3, 2008
Application Number:
20080081610
Systems, methods, and devices for providing an external wireless interface for use with a desktop telephone are disclosed. In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, a telephone is provided which may include a universal connector operable to removably connect to any of a plurality of external radio transceivers. The external radio transceivers operate according a plurality of wireless communication protocols. In one embodiment, the universal connector may comprise…
SPEAKER AND SPEAKER ENCLOSURE
Granted: December 6, 2007
Application Number:
20070280498
Systems, methods, and devices for providing high quality speaker performance in a small-scale design are disclosed. In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, a small-scale speaker assembly is provided which is capable of delivering high-fidelity wideband audio. The speaker assembly includes a speaker driver and a number of electronic components within an enclosure. In some embodiments at least one microphone is included in the assembly. In some embodiments the…
SPEAKER WITH ACOUSTIC DAMPED PORT
Granted: December 6, 2007
Application Number:
20070280499
Systems, methods, and devices for improving speaker performance with an acoustic damped port are disclosed. In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, a damping material is placed around a vented frame of a speaker driver, and substantially covers or fills the vents of the frame. In some embodiments, the damping material results in improved impedance matching with acoustic delay, without required dimensional tuning (as with conventional ports). In some embodiments,…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXCHANGING CONNECTION INFORMATION FOR VIDEOCONFERENCING UNITS USING INSTANT MESSAGING
Granted: November 15, 2007
Application Number:
20070263075
A videoconferencing system includes a first videoconferencing unit coupled to a network and associated with a first instant messaging identity. The first videoconferencing unit obtains a second instant messaging identity and automatically sends a request instant message requesting videoconferencing connection information to the second instant messaging identity. A second videoconferencing unit is coupled to the network and is associated with the second instant messaging identity. The…
System, method, and apparatus for extending wireless personal area networks using conferencing connection
Granted: November 15, 2007
Application Number:
20070264988
A system, method, and apparatus are disclosed whereby a wireless Personal Area Network such as a Bluetooth piconet may be extended to a remote location beyond the normal range by means of a conferencing connection. The conferencing connection may comprise, for example, one or more ISDN lines or an IP connection between two or more conference endpoints. The broadband connection may include a video channel, an audio channel, a control channel, and a Bluetooth channel.
System and Method for Exchanging Connection Information for Videoconferencing Units Using E-mails
Granted: November 15, 2007
Application Number:
20070263074
A videoconferencing system includes a first videoconferencing unit coupled to a network and associated with a first e-mail address. The first videoconferencing unit receives a second e-mail address and automatically sends a request e-mail requesting connection information to the second e-mail address. A second videoconferencing unit is coupled to the network and is associated with the second e-mail address. The second videoconferencing unit receives the request e-mail and automatically…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING THE REACHABILITY STATUS OF IP AND SIP BASED VIDEOCONFERENCING SYSTEMS
Granted: November 15, 2007
Application Number:
20070263073
A videoconferencing system includes a first videoconferencing unit and one or more second videoconferencing units, each of which is coupled to one or more networks. The first videoconferencing unit includes a computer network tool for pinging the one or more second videoconferencing units to determine whether the one or more second videoconferencing units are reachable on the network. The one or more second videoconferencing units include a computer network tool for automatically…
System and Method for Dynamically Adjusting Bandwidth between Mutiple Video Streams of Videoconference
Granted: November 15, 2007
Application Number:
20070263072
A videoconferencing unit includes first and second encoder that each encodes a video stream of frames and generates variables indicating changes between frames of the video streams. The unit also includes a controller operatively coupled to the first and second encoders. The controller compares the variables from the encoders and determines first and second bit rates for the first and second encoders based on the comparison. Then, the controller sets the first and second encoders to the…
MIDDLEWARE SERVER FOR INTERFACING COMMUNICATIONS, MULTIMEDIA, AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Granted: October 11, 2007
Application Number:
20070239899
Disclosed herein is a middleware server for interfacing a MCU with a communication system and/or a management system within the context of an organization. The middleware server uses modular architecture, making the middleware server highly adaptable to different types of communication systems and management systems. The middleware server is useful for interfacing a MCU with communication devices including POTS telephones, IP-telephones, and multimedia endpoints and with management…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VIDEO ERROR CONCEALMENT
Granted: October 4, 2007
Application Number:
20070230583
The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a system and method for concealing video errors. The system encodes, reorders, and packetizes video information into video data packets for transmission over a communication network such that the system conceals errors caused by lost video data packets when the system receives, depacketizes, orders, and decodes the data packets. In one embodiment, the system and method encodes and packetizes video information, such that adjacent…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY ESTABLISHING OPTIMUM AUDIO QUALITY IN AN AUDIO CONFERENCE
Granted: October 4, 2007
Application Number:
20070230677
A system and method for dynamically establishing optimum audio quality in an audio conference is disclosed. A connection with one or more remote communication devices is initially established. An available data rate associated with the connection is then determined. Next, a bandwidth is assigned based on the available data rate. Finally, the assigned bandwidth is adjusted according to the available data rate.
System for Conducting Videoconferening Session over Television Network
Granted: September 20, 2007
Application Number:
20070216759
A videoconferencing system includes a camera, a microphone, and an interface module. The module is coupled a modem connected to a television network and is coupled to a television set and a set-top box. The module decodes encoded audio video signals received from the modem that are part of a videoconferencing session. The module also encodes audio and video signals received from the camera and the microphone and sends the encoded audio video signals to the modem to be part of the…
Method and system for providing continuous presence video in a cascading conference
Granted: September 6, 2007
Application Number:
20070206089
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for providing continuous presence video layout in a cascading video conference, i.e., a video conference that is conducted over more than one MCU. A cascading continuous presence composition controller (CCCC) selects which endpoints from among all of the endpoints participating in the conference should be displayed in the layout, regardless of which MCU the endpoints are associated with. The CCCC can be resident on one of the MCUs, resident on a…
System and Method for Controlling Videoconference with Touch Screen Interface
Granted: July 26, 2007
Application Number:
20070171273
A videoconferencing system includes a touch screen display device and a videoconferencing unit. The display device displays video data for the videoconference and generates touch data based on user selections relative to the touch screen. The videoconferencing unit is operatively coupled to the touch screen device by a video connection and a data interface connection, for example. The unit establishes and conducts a videoconference with one or more endpoints via a network. The unit sends…
Cluster of first-order microphones and method of operation for stereo input of videoconferencing system
Granted: June 28, 2007
Application Number:
20070147634
An arbitrarily positioned cluster of three microphones can be used for stereo input of a videoconferencing system. To produce stereo input, right and left weightings for signal inputs from each of the microphones are determined. The right and left weightings correspond to preferred directive patterns for stereo input of the system. The determined right weightings are applied to the signal inputs from each of the microphones, and the weighted inputs are summed to product the right input.…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WIDEBAND CONFERENCING
Granted: June 21, 2007
Application Number:
20070140456
A method and apparatus for wideband voice and optional data conferencing over a telecommunications network channel between at least two wideband communications devices. An exemplary method comprises establishing an audio link, verifying wideband capability between the at least two wideband communications devices, training modems of the at least two wideband communications device to line conditions, and adjusting the telecommunications connection line conditions between the communications…
