Method for pairing a computer with a video conference device

1. A method comprising:

generating a random identification token on a computer, said identification token identifying the computer;

modulating the identification token to an audio signal on the computer;

causing, with the computer, a speaker to emit the audio signal;

receiving, at a video conference device, the audio signal with a microphone associated with the video conference device;

demodulating the audio signal to obtain the identification token in the video conference device;

sending at least the identification token received via the audio signal and a unique identifier of the video conference device to the computer via a communication network to which both the computer and the video conference device are connected, communication via the communication network being separate from communication via the audio signal;

establishing a communication session through a communication network from the computer to the video conference device enabling control of, and data transfer to, the video conference device from the computer;

receiving an indication of an audio level of the audio signal received in the microphone; and

using the indication to put the video conference device in a list of video conference devices having received the audio signal sorted by received audio level in a user interface.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

adding a predefined signature as a heading of the audio signal in advance of the identification token before causing the audio signal to be emitted from the speaker; and

recognizing, by the video conference device, the predefined signature before demodulating the audio signal.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring an audio level of the audio signal received at the microphone and sending an indication of the audio level from the video conference device to the computer together with the identification token and the unique identifier.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

providing, in the computer, the user interface through which a user is allowed to control and transfer data to the video conference device through the communication session.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the establishing includes establishing the communication session with the video conference device in response to the video conference device transmitting the unique identifier of the video conference device together with the identification token that originated from the computer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unique identifier is an IP address.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein

in the sending step, the video conference device broadcasts a message including the identification token and the unique identifier, and

in the establishing step, the computer identifies the message based on the identification token and uses the message to establish the communication session.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein in the modulating step the identification token is modulated using one of frequency shift keying or phase shift keying.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions, which when executed by a computer causes the computer to implement a method comprising:

generating a random identification token on a computer, said identification token identifying the computer;

modulating the identification token to an audio signal on the computer;

causing, with the computer, a speaker to emit the audio signal;

receiving, at video conference device, the audio signal with a microphone associated with the video conference device,

demodulating the audio signal to the identification token in the video conference device;

sending at least the identification token, identifying the computer, received via the audio signal and a unique identifier of the video conference device to the computer via a communication network to which both the computer and the video conference device are connected, communication via the communication network being separate from communication via the audio signal;

establishing a communication session through a communication network from the computer to the video conference device enabling control of, and data transfer to, the video conference device from the computer; and

generating a list of one or more video conference devices having received the audio signal.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:

adding a predefined signature as a heading of the audio signal in advance of the identification token before causing the audio signal to be emitted from the speaker; and

recognizing, by the video conference device, the predefined signature before demodulating the audio signal.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises:

providing, in the computer, the user interface through which a user is allowed to control and transfer data to the video conference device through the communication session.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the establishing includes establishing the communication session with the video conference device in response to the video conference device transmitting the unique identifier of the video conference device together with the identification token that originated from the computer.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the unique identifier is an IP address.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9 , wherein the list of one or more video conference devices includes a plurality of video conference devices.

15. A system comprising:

a computer; and

a video conferencing device communicatively coupled to the computer through a packet switched communication network, wherein

the computer is configured to generate a random identification token, said identification token identifying the computer,

the computer is configured to modulate the identification token to an audio signal,

the computer is configured to cause a speaker to emit the audio signal,

the video conference device is configured to receive the audio signal with a microphone associated with the video conference device,

the video conference device is configured to demodulate the audio signal to obtain the identification token,

the video conference device is configured to send at least the identification token received via the audio signal and a unique identifier of the video conference device to the computer via the packet switched communication network, communication via the packet switched communication network being separate from communication via the audio signal, and

the computer is configured to establish a communication session through the packet switched communication network, that enables control of, and data transfer to, the video conference device from the computer,

the computer is configured to generate a list of one or more video conference devices having received the audio signal.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein

the computer is configured to add a predefined signature as a heading of the audio signal in advance of the identification token before causing the audio signal to be emitted from the speaker, and

the video conference device is configured to recognize the predefined signature before demodulating the audio signal.

17. The system according to claim 15 , wherein

the video conference device is configured to measure an audio level of the audio signal received at the microphone and to send an indication of the audio level to the computer together with the identification token and the unique identifier.

18. The system according to claim 15 , wherein

the computer is configured to provide providing, in the computer, a User Interface through which a user is allowed to control and transfer data to the video conference device through the communication session.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the communication session is established by the computer in response to the video conference device having transmitted the unique identifier of the video conference device together with the identification token that originated from the computer.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the unique identifier is an IP address.