IP Library Granted Patent US 12,627,768
Granted Patent B2
US 12,627,768 · App. 18/362,854 · Granted May 12, 2026

Selectively controlling follower device output for video conferencing

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.
H04N7/15H04L12/1822H04L65/4038
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,627,768
App. No.
18/362,854
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The output of visual content at various follower devices within a physical space is selectively controlled during a video conference. Multiple displays located at a physical space are designated as follower devices, in which the follower device designation of the multiple displays enables a leader device located at the physical space to control the multiple displays for a video conference. A configuration is enforced to cause, during the video conference, an output of first visual data associated with the video conference at a first display of the multiple displays and an output of second visual data associated with the video conference at a second display of the multiple displays. The leader device and the follower devices are collectively represented as a single logical entity to the video conference.

Claims (32)

1 . A method, comprising:

designating multiple displays located at a physical space as follower devices, wherein a leader device located at the physical space is a shared computing device that connects to a video conference via a server-side multimedia router associated with the video conference, wherein the follower devices each connects to the video conference via the leader device based on the connection between the leader device and the server-side multimedia router, and wherein follower device designations of the multiple displays causes a representation of the leader device and the follower devices collectively as a single conference participant within a participant list of the video conference and enables the leader device to control the multiple displays during the video conference via the connection between the leader device and the server-side multimedia router; and

enforcing a configuration to cause, during the video conference, an output of first visual data associated with the video conference at a first display of the multiple displays and an output of second visual data associated with the video conference at a second display of the multiple displays.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein enforcing the configuration comprises:

transmitting, by the leader device, a signal indicating to cause the output of the first visual data at the first display and the output of the second visual data at the second display.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration corresponds to configuration logic defined for the video conference, the method comprising:

defining the configuration logic to specify indicate visual data to output to specific displays of the multiple displays.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein designating the multiple displays as follower devices comprises:

authenticating the multiple displays for the video conference based on connections of the multiple displays to the leader device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first visual data corresponds to one or more first conference participant video streams and the second visual data corresponds to one or more second conference participant video streams.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first visual data corresponds to first video conference functionality and the second visual data corresponds to second video conference functionality.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first visual data corresponds to one or more conference participant video streams and the second visual data corresponds to functionality of the video conference.

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

designating multiple displays located at a physical space as follower devices, wherein a leader device located at the physical space is a shared computing device that connects to a video conference via a server-side multimedia router associated with the video conference, wherein the follower devices each connects to the video conference via the leader device based on the connection between the leader device and the server-side multimedia router, and wherein follower device designations of the multiple displays causes a representation of the leader device and the follower devices collectively as a single conference participant within a participant list of the video conference and enables the leader device to control the multiple displays during the video conference via the connection between the leader device and the server-side multimedia router; and

enforcing a configuration to cause, during the video conference, an output of first visual data associated with the video conference at a first display of the multiple displays and an output of second visual data associated with the video conference at a second display of the multiple displays.

9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the configuration is based on configuration logic defined for the physical space.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , the operations comprising:

pairing each of the multiple displays to the leader device for the video conference.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first display and the second display are displays of separate digital whiteboard devices.

12 . A system, comprising:

a memory subsystem storing instructions; and

processing circuitry configured to execute the instructions to:

designate multiple displays located at a physical space as follower devices, wherein a leader device located at the physical space is a shared computing device that connects to a video conference via a server-side multimedia router associated with the video conference, wherein the follower devices each connects to the video conference via the leader device based on the connection between the leader device and the server-side multimedia router, and wherein follower device designations of the multiple displays causes a representation of the leader device and the follower devices collectively as a single conference participant within a participant list of the video conference and enables the leader device to control the multiple displays during the video conference via the connection between the leader device and the server-side multimedia router; and

enforce a configuration to cause, during the video conference, an output of first visual data associated with the video conference at a first display of the multiple displays and an output of second visual data associated with the video conference at a second display of the multiple displays.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the configuration is based on capabilities of the first display and the second display.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first visual data corresponds to a first arrangement of conference participant video streams and the second visual data corresponds to a second arrangement of one or more of the conference participant video streams.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first visual data corresponds to conference participant video streams and the second visual data corresponds to a digital whiteboard.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first visual data corresponds to conference participant video streams and the second visual data corresponds to chat messages associated with the video conference.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first visual data corresponds to conference participant video streams and the second visual data corresponds to screen share media of the video conference.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first visual data corresponds to conference participant video streams and the second visual data corresponds to a user interface including host controls for the video conference.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the first visual data corresponds to a first digital whiteboard and the second visual data corresponds to a second digital whiteboard.

20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first display or the second display is a display of a digital whiteboard device.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: ZOOM VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: ZOOM COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 069839/0593 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: FANG, JIN; HELLMANN, ASHLEY ALEXANDRA; KLEGON, ROBERT AARON; LEE, CYNTHIA ESHIUAN; MUELLER, NICHOLAS P.; NEWTON, STEPHEN GEORGE; SPRINGER, SHANE PAUL
To: ZOOM VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 065509/0925 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250047809A1 · Feb 6, 2025
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