Patent · US Active

Multi-pod conference systems

US8031853B2 · kind B2 · utility

31Cited by
24References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 2, 2004
Grant dateOct 4, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 29, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M9/082
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

This disclosure describes a multi-pod conferencing system for local conference participants to communicate with remote conference participants that includes a plurality of pods for local conference participants where an individual pod connects to one or more plurality of pods through a data communication means. The individual pods further include the following: pod processor means; an input device and a display; a loudspeaker that couples to a digital to analog converter; 3 physical bi-polar microphones positioned at 120 degree intervals in the horizontal resting plane of the pod, each individual physical microphone connects to a pair of audio ports with each audio port being equal distance from the loudspeaker, the physical microphones couple to analog to digital converting mean and pod processor means; 3 virtual microphones; pod echo cancellation means; and microphone gating means. The disclosed system further includes a base unit that couples to the plurality of pods through the data communication means. The base unit further includes base controller means, where the base controller means couples to the converting means. The system further includes the command input and display …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.