Pairing devices in conference using ultrasonic beacon and subsequent control thereof
A videoconferencing system has a videoconferencing unit that use portable devices as peripherals for the system. The portable devices obtain near-end audio and send the audio to the videoconferencing unit via a wireless connection. In turn, the videoconferencing unit sends the near-end audio from the loudest portable device along with near-end video to the far-end. The portable devices can control the videoconferencing unit and can initially establish the videoconference by connecting with the far-end and then transferring operations to the videoconferencing unit. To deal with acoustic coupling between the unit's loudspeaker and the portable device's microphone, the unit uses an echo canceller that is compensated for differences in the clocks used in the A/D and D/A converters of the loudspeaker and microphone.
1. A method to communicate over a network in a network system, the method comprising:
outputting, in an imperceptible acoustic beacon in a near-end environment with a first device, connection information for connecting to a given device in the network, wherein the connection information comprises a network address of the given device encoded in the acoustic beacon;
connecting a second device in the near-end environment to the given device of the network system by receiving a response in the network system from the second device, the response being based on the second device using the output connection information and requesting connection of the second device to the given device;
obtaining, at the network system via the network, content from the second device; and
using the obtained content in the network system.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the given device is the first device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting the connection information with the first device comprises: encoding the connection information in an ultrasonic audio signal of the acoustic beacon; and outputting the ultrasonic audio signal with a loudspeaker of the first device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein connecting the second device to the given device comprises connecting the second device to the given device with a near-end connection of the network, wherein the near-end connection comprises a Local Area Network (LAN) connection, an intranet connection, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) connection, a Personal Area Network (PAN) connection, a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) connection, a wireless connection, or a combination thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the content from the second device comprises obtaining the content comprising a control at the given device from the second device; and wherein using the obtained content in the network system comprises operating a function of the given device according to the obtained control.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the content from the second device comprises obtaining the content comprising audio, video, an image, a document, and/or a presentation at the given device from the first device; and wherein using the obtained content in the network system comprises outputting the obtained content with the given device.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the content from the second device comprises obtaining the content comprising input at the give device from the second device; and wherein using the obtained content in the network system comprises sending the input from the given device to a far-end via a far-end connection.
8. A system to communicate over a network, the system comprising:
a loudspeaker for outputting audio in a near-end environment;
one or more interfaces for communicatively connecting in the network; and
at least one first device communicatively connected to the loudspeaker and the one or more interfaces, the at least one first device being configured to output connection information in an imperceptible acoustic beacon in the near-end environment with the loudspeaker, the connection information comprising a network address of a given device encoded in the acoustic beacon;
wherein the system is configured to:
receive a response from a second device in the near-end environment to connect with the given device in the network, the response being based on the second device using the output connection information and requesting connection of the second device with the given device; and
obtain, via the network, content from the second device; and
use the obtained content in the system.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the given device is the at least one first device.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein to obtain the content from the second device, the system is configured to obtain the content comprising a control at the given device from the second device; and wherein to use the obtained content in the system, the system is configured to operate a function of the given device according to the obtained control.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein to obtain the content from the second device, the system is configured to obtain the content comprising audio, video, an image, a document, and/or a presentation at the given device from the first device; and wherein to use the obtained content in the system, the system is configured to output the obtained content with the given device.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein to obtain the content form the second device, the system is configured to obtain the content comprising input at the give device from the second device; and wherein to use the obtained content in the system, the system is configured to send the input from the given device to the far-end via the far-end connection.
13. A method to communicate over a network in a network system, the method comprising:
detecting, with a first device in a near-end environment, an imperceptible acoustic beacon output by a second device in the near-end environment;
decoding, with the first device, connection information from the detected acoustic beacon, the connection information comprising a network address of a given device encoded in the acoustic beacon;
connecting the first device with the given device via the network by using the decoded connection information; and
transmitting content from the first device to the given device for use in the network system.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the given device is the second device.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein transmitting the content comprises transmitting the content comprising a control to operate a function of the given device.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein transmitting the content comprises transmitting the content comprising audio, video, an image, a document, and/or a presentation for output with the given device.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein transmitting the content comprises transmitting the content comprising input for sending from the given device to a far-end via a far-end connection.
18. A programmable storage device having program instructions stored thereon for causing a programmable control device to perform a method to communicate over a network in a network system, the method comprising:
detecting, with a first device in a near-end environment, an imperceptible acoustic beacon output by a second device in the near-end environment;
decoding, with the first device, connection information from the detected acoustic beacon, the connection information comprising a network address of a given device encoded in the acoustic beacon;
connecting the first device with the given device via the network by using the decoded connection information; and
transmitting content from the first device to the given device for use in the network system.
19. The programmable storage device of claim 18 , wherein the given device is the second device.
20. A first device to communicate over a network in a network system, the first device comprising:
a microphone detecting an imperceptible acoustic beacon output by a second device in a near-end environment;
one or more interfaces for communicatively connecting in the network; and
a processing unit communicatively connected to the microphone and the one or more interfaces, the processing unit being configured to:
decode connection information from the detected acoustic beacon, the connection information comprising a network address of a given device encoded in the acoustic beacon;
connect the first device with the given device via the network by using the decoded connection information; and
transmit content from the first device to the given device for use in the network system.
21. The first device of claim 20 , wherein the given device is the second device.
22. The first device of claim 20 , wherein to transmit the content, the processing unit is configured to transmit the content comprising a control to operate a function of the given device.
23. The first device of claim 20 , wherein to transmit the content, the processing unit is configured to transmit the content comprising audio, video, an image, a document, and/or a presentation at the given device for output with the given device.
24. The first device of claim 20 , wherein to transmit the content, the processing unit is configured to transmit the content comprising input for sending from the given device to a far-end via a far-end connection.