System and method for point to point integration of personal computers with videoconferencing systems
View Patent ↗A system and method for integrating a personal computer based presentation with a videoconferencing system. A coupling device includes a card, insertable into a PCMCIA slot of a laptop computer or like machine, which includes a cable coupled to the card at a first end and to a connector coupled at a second end. The card includes firmware for loading into RAM of the computer and software operable to execute code.
1. A system for integrating a computer-based presentation with a videoconference, comprising:
a memory card insertable into a slot of a computer and including firmware for launching software stored in RAM of the computer; and
a coupling device for coupling the memory card to a videoconferencing system;
wherein the software enables controlling the computer-based presentation on the videoconferencing system.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the coupling device couples the memory card to a port of a microphone pod and the microphone pod is coupled to the videoconferencing system.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the memory card is coupled to the microphone pod and the microphone pod is coupled via a digital microphone cable to the videoconferencing system.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein data can be transmitted to and received by the computer and the videoconferencing system via the digital microphone cable.
5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an interface at the computer, wherein the interface includes a plurality of buttons for playing, pausing, stopping and magnifying the presentation on the videoconferencing system.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a remote control to control the presentation.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the slot comprises a PCMCIA slot.
8. A method of integrating a computer-based presentation with a videoconference, comprising:
inserting into a slot of a computer a memory card storing firmware for launching software stored in RAM of the computer;
coupling the memory card via a coupling device to a videoconferencing system; and
executing an application supplied by the memory card to display on a screen of the computer an interface for controlling a presentation on the videoconferencing system.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of controlling the presentation by a remote control device.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the slot comprises a PCMCIA slot.