Managing connections of input and output devices in a physical room
A device management server computer (“server”) and processing methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the server is programmed to manage a plurality of input devices and output devices in a physical room. The server is programmed to analyze media data capturing actions performed by a user in real time as a participant in the physical room, determine how the user would like to connect at least one of the input devices and one of the output devices from the analysis, and enable the connection. The sever is programmed to interpret the actions and derive commands for connecting two or more devices based on predetermined data regarding the input devices and output devices and rules for referring to and connecting these devices.
1. A computer-implemented method of managing multiple devices in a physical room with multimedia communications in real time, comprising:
receiving and storing, by a processor, input data generated in real time by an input device of a plurality of input devices in a physical room,
the input data including digital image data or digital sound data depicting a user in the physical room performing an action with respect to at least one input device of the plurality of input devices or at least one output device of a plurality of output devices in the physical room;
determining in real time whether the input data indicates an explicit reference to a first input/output (I/O) device of the at least one input device or the at least one output device;
associating, in response to determining that the input data indicates an explicit reference to the first I/O device, the action with a handle for the first I/O device;
identifying, in response to determining that the input data does not indicate an explicit reference to an I/O device, a relative reference to a second I/O device;
determining that the input data indicates forming a connection of I/O devices;
identifying a third I/O device to be connected with the first I/O device or the second I/O device;
automatically establishing a direct or network connection between the first I/O device and the third I/O device or between the second I/O device and the third I/O device in real time;
automatically turning on or off a certain I/O device in the physical room when the certain I/O device is a last I/O device that is turned on, is an only I/O device of a device class in the physical room that can be turned on, has been turned on or off for a given period of time, is most compatible for a given I/O device, is most qualified for a given task, is closest to a given corner of the physical room or a given location of a group of individuals in the physical room.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the determining in real time whether the input data indicates an explicit reference comprising:
identifying first candidate sounds or first candidate gestures from the input data;
selecting second candidate sounds having a certain auditory similarity to the first candidate sounds or second candidate gestures having a certain visual similarity to the first candidate gestures;
causing a presentation of the first candidate sounds and the second candidate sounds or the first candidate gestures and the second candidate gestures to the user.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 ,
the determining in real time whether the input data indicates an explicit reference to the first I/O device comprising identifying a handle to the first I/O device,
the handle to the first I/O device including a spoken word or a gesture as a shorthand name for the first I/O device different from an identifier provided by a vendor of the first I/O device.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the relative reference to the second I/O device including touching the second I/O device, looking or pointing at the second I/O device, looking or pointing in a direction leading to the second I/O device, describing a positional relationship of the second I/O device to a portion of the physical room or an individual in the physical room, or describing an attribute other than an identifier of the second I/O device.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the input data indicating forming a connection of I/O devices including spoken words related to connect or hook up, gestures of brining two items together, or two references to I/O devices within a period of time.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
ranking the plurality of input devices and the plurality of output devices;
ranking a group of individuals including individuals in the physical room;
the third I/O device being identified based on a rank of each I/O device in the physical room or a rank of the user.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the third I/O device being a default compatible device or an only compatible device that is turned on for the first I/O device or second I/O device.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving device data comprising user guides, manuals, technical specifications, or data sheets;
identifying device attributes using text analysis techniques, including named entity recognition.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the automatically establishing comprising:
receiving data from one input device of the at least one input device;
transmitting the data to one output device of the at least one output device.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the automatically establishing comprising transmitting an instruction to a media switch to establish the direct or network connection.
11. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause performance of a method of managing multi-role activities in a physical room with multimedia communications in real time, the method comprising:
receiving and storing input data generated in real time by an input device of a plurality of input devices in a physical room,
the input data including digital image data or digital sound data depicting a user in the physical room performing an action with respect to at least one input device of the plurality of input devices or at least one output device of a plurality of output devices in the physical room;
determining in real time whether the input data indicates an explicit reference to a first input/output (I/O) device of the at least one input device or the at least one output device;
associating, in response to determining that the input data indicates an explicit reference to the first I/O device, the action with a handle for the first I/O device;
identifying, in response to determining that the input data does not indicate an explicit reference to an I/O device, a relative reference to a second I/O device;
determining that the input data indicates forming a connection of I/O devices;
identifying a third I/O device to be connected with the first I/O device or the second I/O device;
automatically establishing a direct or network connection between the first I/O device and the third I/O device or between the second I/O device and the third I/O device in real time;
automatically turning on or off a certain I/O device in the physical room when the certain I/O device is a last I/O device that is turned on, is an only I/O device of a device class in the physical room that can be turned on, has been turned on or off for a given period of time, is most compatible for a given I/O device, is most qualified for a given task, is closest to a given corner of the physical room or a given location of a group of individuals in the physical room.
12. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 11 , the determining in real time whether the input data indicates an explicit reference comprising:
identifying first candidate sounds or first candidate gestures from the input data;
selecting second candidate sounds having a certain auditory similarity to the first candidate sounds or second candidate gestures having a certain visual similarity to the first candidate gestures;
causing a presentation of the first candidate sounds and the second candidate sounds or the first candidate gestures and the second candidate gestures to the user.
13. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 11 ,
the determining in real time whether the input data indicates an explicit reference to the first I/O device comprising identifying a handle to the first I/O device,
the handle to the first I/O device including a spoken word or a gesture as a shorthand name for the first I/O device different from an identifier provided by a vendor of the first I/O device.
14. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 11 , the relative reference to the second I/O device including touching the second I/O device, looking or pointing at the second I/O device, looking or pointing in a direction leading to the second I/O device, describing a positional relationship of the second I/O device to a portion of the physical room or an individual in the physical room, or describing an attribute other than an identifier of the second I/O device.
15. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 11 , the input data indicating forming a connection of I/O devices including spoken words related to connect or hook up, gestures of brining two items together, or two references to I/O devices within a period of time.
16. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 11 , the method further comprising:
ranking the plurality of input devices and the plurality of output devices;
ranking a group of individuals including individuals in the physical room;
the third I/O device being identified based on a rank of each I/O device in the physical room or a rank of the user.
17. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 11 , the third I/O device being a default compatible device or an only compatible device that is turned on for the first I/O device or second I/O device.
18. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 11 , the automatically establishing comprising:
receiving data from one input device of the at least one input device;
transmitting the data to one output device of the at least one output device.