Oral and video proceedings collection and transcription device

1. A communication system, comprising:

a first computer configured to transmit and receive audio and video data with a second computer through a network;

a speaker coupled to the first computer and configured to output real-time audio based on the audio data received from the second computer;

a display coupled to the first computer configured to output real-time video based on the video data received from the second computer;

an audio mixer configured to combine a first audio signal received from a microphone with a second audio signal received from the first computer to provide a third audio signal; and a capture device coupled to the audio mixer and to the first computer, the capture device configured to receive the third audio signal from the audio mixer and a video signal from a video camera coupled to the capture device, process the third audio signal and the video signal such that audio and video data of the third audio signal and the video signal may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, and pause processing of the audio and video data without interrupting the transmission and receipt of audio and video data between the first and the second computer through the network such that at least the speaker and display coupled to the first computer respectively continue to output audio and video received from the second computer in real time.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first splitter having an input coupled to an audio output of the first computer, a first output coupled to an input of the audio mixer, and a second output coupled to the speaker.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a second splitter having an input coupled to an output of the microphone, a first output coupled to an input of the audio mixer, and a second output coupled to an audio input of the first computer.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second audio signal received from the first computer is received by the first computer by way of the network from a second microphone directly coupled to the second computer.

5. A communication method, comprising:

establishing a network connection to a computer disposed at a remote location;

receiving first audio data from the computer through the network connection;

outputting the first audio data received from the computer to a speaker and to a sound mixer;

outputting second audio data received from a microphone to the sound mixer;

storing video data received from a video camera and the combination of the first and second audio data in a computer readable storage medium;

displaying real-time images on a display based on video data received from the computer; and in response to receiving a pause signal, ceasing to store the video data and the combination of the first and second audio data in a computer readable storage medium while continuing to maintain the network connection with the computer, display real time images, and output audio to the speaker.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving a second signal from a user to restart storing the video data and the combination of the first and second audio data in the computer readable storage medium; and

storing the video data and the combination of the first and second audio data in the computer readable storage medium in response to receiving the second signal.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first audio data is output to the speaker and to the audio mixer from a first audio splitter coupled to an audio output of a computer.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising transmitting audio and video data to the computer through the network connection.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second audio data received from the microphone is output to the audio mixer through a splitter that also outputs the second audio data to an audio input port of a computer.

10. A non-trnsitory computer readable storage medium encoded with program code, wherein when the program code is executed by a processor, the processor performs a method comprising:

establishing a network connection to a computer disposed at a remote location;

receiving first audio data from the computer through the network connection;

causing the first audio data received from the computer to be output to a speaker and to a sound mixer;

causing second audio data received from a microphone to be output to the sound mixer;

causing an audio signal including a combination of the first and second audio data to be output from the sound mixer to an audio and video capture device;

causing real-time images to be displayed on a display based on video data received from the computer; and

in response to receiving a pause signal, causing the storing of the video data and the combination of the first and second audio data in a computer readable storage medium to cease while continuing to maintain the network connection with the computer, the displaying of real time images on a display, and the output of audio data to the speaker.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the method includes encoding audio and video data.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the method includes causing audio and video data received from the microphone and the video camera to be transmitted to the computer disposed at the remote location through the network in real time.