Granted Patent B2

US 12,634,411 · App. 18/362,850 · Granted May 19, 2026

Inventors: Jin Fang (Saratoga, CA); Ashley Alexandra Hellmann (San Francisco, CA); Robert Aaron Klegon (Chicago, IL); Cynthia Eshiuan Lee (Austin, TX); Nicholas P. Mueller (Fitchburg, WI); Stephen George Newton (San Jose, CA); Shane Paul Springer (Oregon City, OR)

Assignee: Zoom Communications, Inc.

H04N7/15H04L12/1822H04L12/1827

Abstract

Claims (42)

1 . A method, comprising:

pairing a follower device within a physical space to a leader device within the physical space to enable a companion mode designation for the follower device during a video conference;

determining, based on a connection of the leader device to the video conference and based on the pairing, an event associated with the follower device; and

performing, based on the event and the companion mode designation of the follower device, an action associated with the follower device,

wherein the leader device is a shared computing device and the follower device is a personal computing device, wherein the follower device connects to the video conference via the leader device based on a connection between the leader device and a server-side multimedia router associated with the video conference, and wherein the companion mode designation for the follower device causes a representation of the leader device and the follower device collectively as a single conference participant within a participant list of the video conference and enables the leader device to control the follower device during the video conference via the connection between the leader device and the server-side multimedia router.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the event corresponds to a determination that a state of the follower device changed from not in-use to in-use, and wherein determining the event comprises:

detecting a conference participant within a field of view of a camera of the follower device for a threshold period of time.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the event corresponds to a determination that a state of the follower device changed from not in-use to in-use, and wherein performing the action comprises:

automatically initiating a connection of the follower device to the video conference based on the determination that the state of the follower device changed from not in-use to in-use.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the event corresponds to a determination that a state of the follower device changed from in-use to not in-use, and wherein determining the event comprises:

failing to detect for more than a threshold period of time, within a field of view of a camera of the follower device, a conference participant previously within the field of view.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the event corresponds to a determination that a state of the follower device changed from in-use to not in-use, and wherein performing the action comprises:

automatically terminating a connection of the follower device to the video conference based on the determination that the state of the follower device changed from in-use to not in-use.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the follower device is paired with the leader device using ultrasonic functionality of the leader device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the follower device is one of a plurality of personal computing devices at fixed locations within the physical space.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the companion mode designation enables the leader device to maintain control over the follower device for the video conference.

9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

pairing a follower device within a physical space to a leader device within the physical space to enable a companion mode designation for the follower device during a video conference;

determining, based on a connection of the leader device to the video conference and based on the pairing, an event associated with the follower device; and

performing, based on the event and the companion mode designation of the follower device, an action associated with the follower device,

wherein the leader device is a shared computing device and the follower device is a personal computing device, wherein the follower device connects to the video conference via the leader device based on a connection between the leader device and a server-side multimedia router associated with the video conference, and wherein the companion mode designation for the follower device causes a representation of the leader device and the follower device collectively as a single conference participant within a participant list of the video conference and enables the leader device to control the follower device during the video conference via the connection between the leader device and the server-side multimedia router.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein determining the event comprises one of:

determining that the follower device changed from not in-use to in-use; or

determining that the follower device changed from in-use to not in-use.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein performing the action comprises one of:

connecting the follower device to the video conference; or

disconnecting the follower device from the video conference.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the follower device is paired to the leader device while the video conference is in-progress.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the action is initiated by the leader device based on the companion mode designation of the follower device.

14 . A system, comprising:

a memory subsystem storing instructions; and

processing circuitry configured to execute the instructions to:

pair a follower device within a physical space to a leader device within the physical space to enable a companion mode designation for the follower device during a video conference;

determine, based on a connection of the leader device to the video conference and based on the pairing, an event associated with the follower device; and

perform, based on the event and the companion mode designation of the follower device, an action associated with the follower device,

wherein the leader device is a shared computing device and the follower device is a personal computing device, wherein the follower device connects to the video conference via the leader device based on a connection between the leader device and a server-side multimedia router associated with the video conference, and wherein the companion mode designation for the follower device causes a representation of the leader device and the follower device collectively as a single conference participant within a participant list of the video conference and enables the leader device to control the follower device during the video conference via the connection between the leader device and the server-side multimedia router.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the event corresponds to a change in use of the follower device.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the action is initiated by the leader device.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the follower device is paired to the leader device using ultrasonic functionality of the leader device.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein, where the event corresponds to the follower device changing from not in-use to in-use, the action includes enabling use of the follower device in connection with the video conference.

19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein, where the event corresponds to the follower device changing from in-use to not in-use, the action includes disabling use of the follower device in connection with the video conference.

20 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the event is determined using data captured using a camera of the follower device.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (47)