Conferencing Patents (Class 379/202.01)
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Patent number: 11706386Abstract: When a user creates a new video exchange session via an online system, the user specifies an activity for the video exchange session. The activity may specify a name for the video exchange session, as well as other thematic content (e.g., visual effects, backgrounds) displayed via the video exchange session. The online system trains a machine learned model that predicts a likelihood that other users will accept an invitation to join the video exchange session if a certain activity is specified for the video exchange session. The online system may then use these likelihoods to rank and sort the activities for the user or to highlight activities with threshold likelihoods.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2020Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc.Inventor: Kathleen Warner
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Patent number: 11689592Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for configurable group-based media stream transmission allow media configurations to define how media (e.g., video data, audio data) is transmitted among different participant groups for an online communication session. In some embodiments, meeting participants may be assigned into either a presenter group or an audience group. The online communication session may be configured such that both video and audio data captured at the device of a presenter is shared with both the other presenters and the audience, while audio and/or video data captured at the devices of the audience is shared with only the presenters, but not the other members of the audience. As a result, the audience members are able to communicate with the presenters during the presentation but cannot communicate with the other members of the audience.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2022Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventor: Michal Aichinger
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Patent number: 11689379Abstract: Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable storage media are disclosed for generating meeting insights based on media data and device input data. For example, in one or more embodiments, the disclosed system utilizes analyzes media data including audio data or video data and inputs to client devices associated with a meeting to determine a portion of the meeting (e.g., a portion of the media data) that is relevant for a user. In response to determining a relevant portion of the meeting, the system generates an electronic message including content related to the relevant portion of the meeting. The system then provides the electronic message to a client device of the user. For instance, in one or more embodiments, the system generates a meeting summary, meeting highlights, or action items related to the media data to provide to the client device of the user.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2019Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.Inventors: Shehzad Daredia, Behrooz Khorashadi
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Patent number: 11673064Abstract: A method and system for setting a vocal collision queue is disclosed. A plurality of incoming audio streams associated with a plurality of user devices currently involved in a communication session is recorded. There is an overlap between portions of two or more of the audio streams in the communication session that is identified. A queue for the two or more identified audio streams is determined. The queue includes a sequence to the identified audio streams. Recordings corresponding to the overlapping portions of the identified audio stream are retrieved. The retrieved recordings are provided to the user devices in the communication session. The retrieved recordings are played sequentially in accordance with the determined sequence.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2021Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.Inventor: Celeste Bean
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Patent number: 11665286Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems and methods for a collaboration conferencing system to track a total number of concurrently utilized ports across any number of conferencing bridges of the network for a particular customer and one or more billing actions may occur based on this tracking. This may result in an alternate billing option for the customer's use of the system. Further, a telecommunications network administrator may provide access to the collaboration conferencing system based on a total number of concurrently utilized ports rather than on a per conference or per minute basis. With the information of the number of purchased ports by the customer, the administrator may more accurately predict an available capacity for the collaboration conferencing system needed to support all of the users of the system and the potential collaboration conferences.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2022Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLCInventors: Andrew J. Broadworth, Robert F. Nance, Gregory T. Ellison
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Patent number: 11662975Abstract: A method for teleconference includes receiving a first media stream that carries a first audio, and a second media stream that carries a second audio, and receiving a first audio weight for weighting the first audio and a second audio weight for weighting the second audio. The first audio weight and the second audio weight are different from each other and determined based on at least one of (i) content of the first audio and content of the second audio or (ii) received customization parameters. The method further includes generating a mixed audio by combining a weighted first audio based on the first audio weight and a weighted second audio based on the second audio weight.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: TENCENT AMERICA LLCInventors: Rohit Abhishek, Iraj Sodagar
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Patent number: 11656839Abstract: A distribution system comprises an audio server (101) for receiving incoming audio from remote clients (103) and for transmitting audio derived from the incoming audio to the remote clients (103). An audio apparatus comprises an audio a receiver (401) which receives data comprising: audio data for a plurality of audio components representing audio from a remote client of the plurality of remote clients; and proximity data for at least one of the audio components. The proximity data is indicative of proximity between remote clients. A generator (403) of the apparatus generates an audio mix from the audio components in response to the proximity data. For example, an audio component indicated to be proximal to a remote client may be excluded from an audio mix for that remote client.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2019Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.Inventors: Christiaan Varekamp, Jeroen Gerardus Henricus Koppens, Bart Kroon, Nathan Souviraa-Labastie, Arnoldus Werner Johannes Oomen
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Patent number: 11652857Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for improving interactions with and between computers in content providing, streaming and/or hosting systems supported by or configured with devices, servers and/or platforms. The disclosed systems and methods provide a novel conference framework that automatically determines and prioritizes speaker allocation within a conference in order to remedy and/or avoid conflicts between speakers so that a clear and decisive dialog can occur. The disclosed conference framework balances a determined weighting factor and queue management ranking of the conference to provide a prioritized speaker queue that enables all participants to speak without conflict or interruption. The disclosed systems and methods enable a prioritized, conflict-resolution based conferencing environment where orderly conferencing can occur while maintaining each participants rights to participate accordingly.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventors: John Aceron, Rohit Shirish Saraf, Bhumip Khasnabish, Serhad Doken
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Patent number: 11645630Abstract: Artificial intelligence is introduced into an electronic meeting context to perform various tasks before, during, and/or after electronic meetings. The artificial intelligence may analyze a wide variety of data such as data pertaining to other electronic meetings, data pertaining to organizations and users, and other general information pertaining to any topic. Capability is also provided to create, manage, and enforce meeting rules templates that specify requirements and constraints for various aspects of electronic meetings. Embodiments include improved approaches for translation and transcription using multiple translation/transcription services. Embodiments also include using sensors in conjunction with interactive whiteboard appliances to perform person detection, person identification, attendance tracking, and improved meeting start.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2021Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Steven Nelson, Hiroshi Kitada, Lana Wong
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Patent number: 11647122Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for processing audio signals associated with conferencing devices communicatively connected in a daisy-chain configuration using local connection ports included on each device are provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2021Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Shure Acquisition Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Ali Enteshari, Martin K. Reiling, Ryan Jerold Perkofski, Matthew Curtis Morrow, Michael Ryan Lester
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Patent number: 11640586Abstract: Systems and methods include generating an electronic calendar item associated with an event, generating an invitation associated with the electronic calendar item, the invitation comprising: a first option associated with one or more of conditional attendance and a portion of desired attendance; and a second option associated with one or more of a type of attendance; sending the invitation; receiving a response to the invitation, the response comprising a selection associated with one or more of the first option and the second option; and based on the selection, performing one or more actions associated with the event.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2021Date of Patent: May 2, 2023Assignee: Avaya Management L.P.Inventors: Sandesh Chopdekar, Valentine C. Matula, Pushkar Yashavant Deole, Navin Daga
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Patent number: 11637932Abstract: A method (S100) for optimizing speech pickup in a speakerphone system, wherein the speakerphone system comprises a microphone system placed in a specific configuration, wherein the method comprising receiving (S10) acoustic input signals (12) by the microphone system, processing (S20) said acoustic input signals (12) by using an algorithm (100) for focusing and steering a selected target sound signal towards a desired direction, and transmitting (S30) an output signal (13) based on said processing.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2021Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: EPOS Group A/SInventors: Anders Røser Hansen, Poul Peder Hestbek, Casper Fynsk
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Patent number: 11632258Abstract: Handling unacceptable behavior by a participant in a video conference includes detecting the unacceptable behavior by the participant by applying machine learning to data about the participant received from one or more capturing devices and by using a predetermined list of bad habits, determining recognition accuracy for the unacceptable behavior, and providing a response to the unacceptable behavior that varies according to the recognition accuracy. The machine learning may include an initial training phase that, prior to deployment, is used to obtain a general recognition capability for each item on the predetermined list of bad habits. The one or more capturing devices may include a laptop with a camera and a microphone, a mobile device, autonomous cameras, add-on cameras, headsets, regular speakers, smart watches, wristbands, smart rings, and wearable sensors, smart eyewear, heads-up displays, headbands, and/or smart footwear.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: All Turtles CorporationInventor: Phil Libin
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Patent number: 11627283Abstract: One variation of a method for enabling autopilot functionality during a video call includes, during an operating period: receiving a sequence of frames from a camera in a first device; detecting a face, of a first user, in the sequence of frames; generating a sequence of facial landmark containers representing facial actions of the face of the first user; transmitting the sequence of facial landmark containers to a second device for combination with a look model to generate a first synthetic image feed depicting facial actions of the first user; and detecting a trigger event. The method also includes, during an autopilot operating period, entering autopilot mode; retrieving a prerecorded autopilot sequence of facial landmark containers from a memory; and transmitting the prerecorded autopilot sequence of facial landmark containers to the second device for combination with the look model to generate a second synthetic image feed depicting predefined facial actions.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2022Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Present Communications, Inc.Inventors: Yousif Astarabadi, Matt Mireles, Shaun Astarabadi, Emil Romanus, Kristina Nikkhah, Louis Lanctot
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Patent number: 11627220Abstract: A call reminder functionality is provided by an arrangement that is operable with a network-enabled communication device in which a reminder to return a phone call can be generated in an automated manner upon the occurrence of a call event. When the call event occurs, an option is displayed on a user interface (“UI”) on the device to create a link between the call and the user's schedule application. If the user selects the option, a callback task is added to the user's task list maintained by the schedule application, and a reminder to make the callback is generated and then displayed on the UI at a future time. The reminder includes pertinent call information and also includes a button that enables the user to place the callback through the UI (i.e., a “one-click call back”).Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2022Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Ori Kaplan, Guy Weintraub, Guy Merin, Elad Ziklik
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Patent number: 11605385Abstract: A processor may receive information from one or more users. The information may include identifiers associated with the one or more users and audio associated with the one or more users. The processor may transcribe the audio into a text of the audio. The processor may parse the text into one or more segments. The processor may analyze each of the one or more segments. The processor may determine, from the analyzing, a specific subject of the information.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2019Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ana Gabriela Iturbe Desentis, Christof Schmitt
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Patent number: 11606465Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for automatically selecting a mute function based on audio content. One example method includes receiving, at a first computing device, a first audio input and, from a second computing device, a second audio input. Content of the first audio input and the second audio input is determined with natural language processing. Whether the content of the first audio input corresponds to the content of the second audio input is determined. A mute function is operated at the first computing device, based on the determination of whether the content of the first audio input corresponds to the content of the second audio input.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2020Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.Inventors: Rajendran Pichaimurthy, Madhusudhan Seetharam, Gyanveer Singh
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Patent number: 11604623Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method mitigates loss of communication between participants in a communication session when a local participant attempts to speak without manually unmuting the electronic device. The electronic device includes an image capturing device, a user interface device having a microphone, and a controller. The controller is communicatively coupled to the image capturing device and to the user interface device. The controller monitors, during the communication session with a second electronic device, an image stream received from the image capturing device for movements by the local participant in the communication session. The controller autonomously generates a prompt to unmute the microphone in response to determining that the microphone is muted while identifying at least one of a speaking movement of a mouth of the local participant to speak or a gesture by the local participant that correlates with the participant wanting to speak.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2021Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLCInventors: Rahul B Desai, Amit Kumar Agrawal, Olivier D Meirhaeghe
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Patent number: 11601485Abstract: A method including receiving, at a platform and from a first user using a first user device, selection of a uniform resource indicator (URI) unique to a second user using a second user device. The method also includes generating, automatically by the platform in response to receiving the URI, a conference session unique to the first user and the second user. The method also includes transmitting, automatically by the platform, a message to the second user, the message indicating that the conference session is initiated. The method also includes receiving, by the platform, an indication from the second user device that the second user joins the conference session. The method also includes joining, automatically by the platform, the first user device and the second user device in the conference session.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2021Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: INTUIT INC.Inventors: Amir Eftekhari, Roger C. Meike, Radya Cherkaoui
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Patent number: 11601480Abstract: Systems and methods for creating, monitoring, and managing a breakout conference for a conference call are disclosed. The methods determine topics for breakout rooms and their complexity scores. A breakout room is created for the topics, including separate breakout rooms for complex topics. An expertise score based on a plurality of factors for each device associated with a participant is also calculated. Devices are assigned to separate breakout rooms based on either just the expertise score or if the expertise score meets the threshold of the complexity score. Performance within the breakout rooms is displayed in real-time, such as in a graph. A moderator schedule is generated based the performance within the breakout rooms, where priority is given to a breakout room that has a negative performance over a breakout room with a positive performance.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2021Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.Inventors: Vishwas Sharadanagar Panchaksharaiah, Poovarasan Chitravel, Pawan Nagdeve, Gudimetla Baby, Sambeet Burma, Gyanveer Singh, Cato Yang
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Patent number: 11595451Abstract: Methods and apparatus for receiving user meeting control for network conferences. In an embodiment, a method for receiving user meeting controls includes transmitting a request to participate in a network conference. The request includes an identifier. The method also includes receiving meeting controls for use during the network conference. The meeting controls are determined from a policy database based on the identifier.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2020Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Zoom Video Communications, Inc.Inventors: James David Martin, Brendan James Ittelson
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Patent number: 11595453Abstract: A method for performing a conference communication by an intelligent is disclosed. The method includes sending, via a conference link to a conference server, an access request specifying a mapping character string and an identifier of an operating system running in the intelligent terminal; receiving a protocol string from the conference server generated according to the mapping character string and the identifier in the access request, the protocol string comprising a conference attendance credential; automatically initiating an instant message (IM) client in the operating system according to the protocol string; and sending an IM user identifier associated with the intelligent terminal and the conference attendance credential to the conference server to add the IM user identifier to a temporary IM user group corresponding to the conference attendance credential and establishing an Internet channel for the temporary IM user group to perform the conference communication via the IM client.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2021Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company LimitedInventors: Xingshi Bai, Shundong Gao, Xingjun Xiao, Haoyuan Li
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Patent number: 11579846Abstract: Described herein are a method and security enhancing device for a bi-directional communications device, comprising: an M-digit display; a processor; a security software application (security App) adapted to be stored in memory and executed by the processor; an N-digit random number generator adapted to periodically generate a new N-digit random number and transmit the same to the processor and the security App, and wherein the processor is further adapted to transmit the N-digit random number to the display to display the N-digit random number; and a wireless communications transceiver and antenna (wireless communications device) adapted to transmit and receive wireless communications to and from, respectively, one or more personal electronic devices that are adapted to wireless communicate using identical communications protocols as the wireless communications transceiver, and wherein the security App is adapted to receive and store the N-bit digit random number that changes periodically, and wherein the secType: GrantFiled: November 21, 2019Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Inventors: Ekin Binal, Joseph Sarrasin, Mark Hrozenchik
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Patent number: 11582323Abstract: A media device and methods that identify playback states reachable from a current content playback state and identify a reachable state that is likely to occur, are disclosed. A memory associated with the media device may receive frames that enable a smooth transition between the playback state and the reachable state. The media device may receive frames that correspond to points in the content that are separated by an amount of time that is proportional to the playback rate of the likely state. The frames may be frames corresponding to an image that may be played back at the playback rate of the likely state.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: TIVO CORPORATIONInventors: Ross Gilson, Derik Yarnell
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Patent number: 11582266Abstract: A computer system is provided. The computer system includes a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to scan user interface (UI) data representative of a plurality of UI controls; detect a portion of the UI data associated with private information, the portion corresponding to a UI control of the plurality of UI controls; record first session data comprising an obfuscated version of the UI control and unobfuscated versions of other UI controls of the plurality of UI controls; record second session data comprising an unobfuscated version of the UI control; encrypt the second session data to generate encrypted session data; and store the encrypted session data in association with the first session data.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2020Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc.Inventors: Manbinder Pal Singh, Georgy Momchilov
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Patent number: 11573999Abstract: A method of generating accessible content is described. Embodiments of the method identifies a plurality of channels for a multimedia communication session, generate a master timeline for the communication session, wherein the master timeline comprises a chronological ordering of events from each of the channels, and wherein each of the events is associated with event-specific audio data, and present the multimedia communication session to a user to enable the user to transition among the channels based on the master timeline.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2020Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Assignee: ADOBE INC.Inventors: Ajay Jain, Anurag Aggarwal, Sachin Soni, Sanjeev Tagra
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Patent number: 11570223Abstract: Systems, methods, and software to provide intelligent detection and automatic correction of erroneous audio settings in a video conference. Electronic conferences can often be the source of frustration and wasted resources as participants may be forced to contend with extraneous sounds, such as background/ambient noises, or conversations not intended for the conference, provided by an endpoint that should be muted. Similarly, participants may speak with the intention of providing their speech to the conference while their associated endpoint is muted. As a result, the conference may be awkward and lack a productive flow while endpoints are erroneously muted or non-muted. By intelligently processing at least the video portion of a video conference, endpoints/participants may be prompted to mute/unmute or automatically muted/unmuted.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Avaya Management L.P.Inventors: David Chavez, Pushkar Yashavant Deole, Sandesh Chopdekar, Navin Daga
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Patent number: 11563784Abstract: Systems are provided for managing and coordinating STT/TTS systems and the communications between these systems when they are connected in online meetings and for mitigating connectivity issues that may arise during the online meetings to provide a seamless and reliable meeting experience with either live captions and/or rendered audio. Initially, online meeting communications are transmitted over a lossy connectionless type protocol/channel. Then, in response to detected connectivity problems with one or more systems involved in the online meeting, which can cause jitter or packet loss, for example, an instruction is dynamically generated and processed for causing one or more of the connected systems to transmit and/or process the online meeting content with a more reliable connection/protocol, such as a connection-oriented protocol. Codecs at the systems are used, when needed to convert speech to text with related speech attribute information and to convert text to speech.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2021Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: Akash Alok Mahajan, Yifan Gong
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Patent number: 11558708Abstract: An apparatus including circuitry configured for receiving a spatial media content file including a plurality of viewpoints; circuitry configured for determining a first viewpoint from the plurality of viewpoints for a first user consuming the spatial media content file; circuitry configured for receiving an indication that affects an audio rendering of the first viewpoint for the first user, wherein the indication is associated with one or more actions of at least one second user consuming the spatial media content file; and circuitry configured for controlling the audio rendering of the first viewpoint for the first user in response to the receiving of the indication based on at least one of: a position and/or orientation of the first user, and the one or more actions of the second user.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2019Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Nokia Technologies OyInventors: Lasse Laaksonen, Sujeet Shyamsundar Mate, Kari Jarvinen
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Patent number: 11558440Abstract: An embodiment for simulating a live video presentation in a recorded video is provided. The embodiment may include receiving a previously recorded online meeting. The embodiment may also include transcribing and indexing the transcription of the previously recorded online meeting. The embodiment may further include receiving audio content from a user. The embodiment may also include searching for a response to the audio content in the transcription. The embodiment may further include in response to determining the response is found in the transcription, generating a solution for the audio content from the transcription. The embodiment may also include integrating the generated solution into the previously recorded online meeting. The embodiment may further include updating one or more video frames of the previously recorded online meeting based on the generated solution.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Girmaw Abebe Tadesse, Celia Cintas, Sarbajit K. Rakshit, Komminist Weldemariam
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Servicing group-based communication workspace add requests within a group-based communication system
Patent number: 11558439Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products for servicing a group-based communication workspace add request within a group-based communication system.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2022Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Slack Technologies, LLCInventors: Britton Jamison, Ryan Morris, Shivnag Kilaru, Smruthi Tatachar Venkatesh, Sharath Upadhya -
Patent number: 11552911Abstract: In a device including a processor and a computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium includes executable instructions causing the processor to control the device to perform functions of (i) displaying, via a display, a GUI for a first communication application, the GUI including a first portion displaying content of a first communication session associated with the first communication application, wherein participants of the first communication session includes a user of the device, and a second portion including a plurality of graphical elements, each graphical element associated with one of a plurality of functionalities related to a second communication application different from the first communication application; (ii) detecting an activity related to a second communication session associated with the second communication application; and (iii) in response to detecting the activity, displaying, via the second portion of the GUI, an indication of the detected activity related to the second commuType: GrantFiled: November 12, 2020Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventors: Jason Thomas Faulkner, Casey James Baker
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Patent number: 11546384Abstract: One or more endpoints may be registered with a gateway at a premises. The gateway may include local physical interfaces for communicating with a first subset of the endpoints. The gateway may further include Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) proxy servers for communicating with a second subset of the endpoints. Incoming communications to the premises may be routed by the gateway to one or more of the endpoints via the local physical interfaces or the SIP proxy servers. One or more endpoints may initiate outgoing communications via the local physical interfaces or the SIP proxy servers.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2018Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications, LLC.Inventors: Michael Connelly, Sree Kotay, Hari Venkatram Pedaprolu, Bhagabati Prasad Maharana
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Patent number: 11546473Abstract: In one aspect, a device may include at least one processor and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage may include instructions executable by the at least one processor to facilitate a video conference and to determine different volume levels at which audio for different conference participants should be set. Each different volume level may be greater than zero. The instructions may also be executable to, based on the determination, control audio for the video conference according to the different volume levels. The determination may be based on something other than one of the conference participants specifying one or more of the different volume levels.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2021Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventors: Scott Wentao Li, Robert James Norton, Jr., Robert J. Kapinos, Russell Speight VanBlon
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Patent number: 11546392Abstract: A communication system adapted to allow participants, during a collaboration event or session, to ask questions while also serving up or providing relevant context to the presenter. This can be done by the participant clicking anywhere on the screen of their display on their client device during an online presentation and then presenting their question (e.g., typing or otherwise entering their input) about that particular portion of the presentation. When a user clicks on their screen during the presentation, a new dialog will open with a screenshot of the point of the presentation that occurred as well as a dialog box to type in a question. When the participant submits their question, a question report can be created and sent to the server. This report may include a user identifier (ID), a timestamp of when the screenshot was taken, the coordinates of the click/selection location, and the question itself.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2020Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Mitel Networks CorporationInventors: Jonathan Braganza, Kevin Lee, Logendra Naidoo
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Patent number: 11509493Abstract: An electronic device, computer program product, and method enable hosting a communication session with customizable roles for participants that provides an adjustable balance of interaction and decorum. A controller configures the electronic device to identify, within an image stream from a next one of two or more second electronic devices that is not currently selected to present to a video communication session, at least one of a speaking movement of a mouth of a non-presenting participant or a gesture by the non-presenting participant to provide an audio input via the next second electronic device. In response to the identified speaking movement or the gesture, a host user interface of the electronic device presents an alert and enables host toggling of a selected one of the electronic device and the two or more second electronic devices to present a corresponding audio and video stream to the video communication session.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2021Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLCInventors: Amit Kumar Agrawal, Olivier D Meirhaeghe, Rahul B. Desai
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Patent number: 11502861Abstract: A virtual meeting system is discussed herein. An online meeting application places participants in their own virtual location with a common virtual meeting space and adjusts the audio volume and balance on a listener's device to simulate the virtual location of the participant who is speaking. The application includes a trigonometric function to adjust the audio volume and balance based on the location of the listener relative to the speaker. The application can also permit the participants to select their own virtual locations upon entry to the virtual meeting, can assign a virtual location or adjust audio based on a participant's settings, or can allow for parallel meetings.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2020Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: T-MOBILE USA, INC.Inventor: Richard Harrington
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Patent number: 11488115Abstract: Technology is described for a request to reserve a meeting location during a defined time period. The request may include attribute criteria for the meeting location. Candidate meeting locations may be identified that satisfy the attribute criteria specified in the request. The candidate meeting locations may be available to hold a meeting during the defined time period. A fragmentation score that would result from holding the meeting in individual candidate meeting locations during the defined time period may be determined. A target meeting location may be selected from the candidate meeting locations based in part on the fragmentation score for the individual candidate meeting locations. A fragmentation score of the target meeting location may represent less fragmentation than fragmentation scores for other candidate meeting locations.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Devansh Gada, Brendon Xavier Faleiro, Thomas Rozanski, Divyang Mahendrabhai Upadhyay, Hwee Hong Christopher Chew
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Patent number: 11488608Abstract: A computer-implemented technique is presented for profiling an unknown speaker. A DNN-based frame selection allows the system to select the relevant frames necessary to provide a reliable speaker characteristic estimation. A frame selection module selects those frames that contain relevant information for estimating a given speaker characteristic and thereby contributes to the accuracy and the low latency of the system. Real-time speaker characteristics estimation allows the system to estimate the speaker characteristics from a speech segment of accumulated selected frames at any given time. The frame level processing contributes to the low latency as it is not necessary to wait for the whole speech utterance to predict a speaker characteristic but rather a speaker characteristic is estimated from only a few reliable frames. Different stopping criteria also contribute to the accuracy and the low latency of the system.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2019Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: SIGMA TECHNOLOGIES GLOBAL LLCInventors: Juan Manuel Perero-Codosero, Fernando Espinoza-Cuadros
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Patent number: 11487499Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for aggregating active speaker channels, receiving, through an input interface, a selection of a solo speaker channel representing one of the plurality of speaker channels and setting the audio level of any one of the solo speaker channel and at least one non-solo speaker channel, or a combination of both the solo speaker channel and the at least one non-solo speaker channel.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: IPC SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Brett R. Berkowitz, Stephen J. Minutillo, James J. Riccio
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Patent number: 11487498Abstract: In various examples, when a local user initiates an instance of a video conference application, the user may be provided with a user interface (UI) that displays an icon corresponding to the user as well as several other icons corresponding to participants in the instance of the video conference application. As the users converse, the local user may find that a particular participant is speaking loudly compared to the other remote users. The local user may then select an icon corresponding to the particular participant and move the icon away from the local user's icon in the UI. Based on moving the remote user's icon away from the local user's icon, the system may reduce the output volume of the audio data for the participant. Further, if the local user moves the participant icon closer to the local user's icon, the volume for the participant may be increased.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: Henning Lysdal, Ruthie Lyle
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Patent number: 11489967Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems and methods for a collaboration conferencing system to track a total number of concurrently utilized ports across any number of conferencing bridges of the network for a particular customer and one or more billing actions may occur based on this tracking. This may result in an alternate billing option for the customer's use of the system. Further, a telecommunications network administrator may provide access to the collaboration conferencing system based on a total number of concurrently utilized ports rather than on a per conference or per minute basis. With the information of the number of purchased ports by the customer, the administrator may more accurately predict an available capacity for the collaboration conferencing system needed to support all of the users of the system and the potential collaboration conferences.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLCInventors: Andrew J. Broadworth, Robert F. Nance, Gregory T. Ellison
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Patent number: 11483649Abstract: A system includes multiple microphone arrays positioned at different locations on a roof of an autonomous vehicle. Each microphone array includes two or more microphones. Internal clocks of each microphone array are synchronized by a processor and used to generate timestamps indicating when microphones capture a sound. Based on the timestamps, the processor is configured to localize a source of the sound.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Waymo LLCInventors: Choon Ping Chng, Cheng-Han Wu, Ganesh Balachandran, Peter Strohm
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Patent number: 11475911Abstract: In communication performed among multiple participants, at least one of a participant who will start speaking next and a timing thereof is estimated. An estimation apparatus includes a head motion information generation unit that acquires head motion information representing head motions of communication participants in a time segment corresponding to an end time of an utterance segment and synchronization information for head motions between the communication participants, and an estimation unit that estimates at least one of the speaker of the next utterance segment following the utterance segment and the next utterance start timing following the utterance segment based on the head motion information and the synchronization information for the head motions between the communication participants.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2019Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATIONInventors: Ryo Ishii, Ryuichiro Higashinaka, Junji Tomita, Shiro Kumano, Kazuhiro Otsuka
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Patent number: 11461067Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for classifying and displaying electronic data sets relevant to a collaboration context using head mounted displays. Context information corresponding to a collaboration event is leveraged to identify participants for the collaboration event, where natural language processing is applied across the contents of electronic data sets presently available to the participants across their computer devices and network-based storage environments to collect electronic data sets relevant to the collaboration event. The collected data sets are then classified, from the perspective of individual participants, into classes including previously known and previously unknown data sets. The collected data sets are then displayed based on their classes to the participants wearing head mounted displays such that each participant views the same overall set of data sets through their head mounted display, but the data sets displayed within each class may differ between them.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2020Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Raghuveer Prasad Nagar, Sarbajit K. Rakshit, Subba Rayudu Tangirala
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Patent number: 11451595Abstract: A system comprising a first computing device operated by a first driver, a second computing device operated by a second driver, and a server is disclosed. The server may determine one or more characteristics of the first driver based on at least one of listening preferences or telematics data of the first driver. Based on the one or more characteristics of the first driver, the server may assign the first driver to a conference. The server may receive a request from the second computing device for the second driver to participate in conferencing. The server may determine that the second driver has at least one characteristic that matches one of the one or more characteristics of the first driver and may assign the second driver to the conference with the first driver. The server may bridge the first driver and the second driver in the conference.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Allstate Insurance CompanyInventors: Lindsey Jo Thome, Tara Cavallaro Kozlowski
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Patent number: 11449961Abstract: A communication system (150) provides a portable radio (100) that retrieves public safety records in response to a verbal query entered thereto. The communication system (150) includes a bot gateway (122) for accessing and retrieving the public safety records from a plurality of remote public safety databases in response to the verbal query entered into the portable radio. The bot gateway (122) determines a criticality level for the retrieved public safety records. The bot gateway (122) temporarily stores the retrieved public safety records and sends a criticality code to the portable radio. The portable radio generates user alerts indicating the criticality level of the retrieved public safety records based on the code. The portable radio plays out the bot-retrieved search results in response to a further user input to the portable radio.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Craig Siddoway, Jari P. Jarvinen, Erin B. Bryant, Melanie King
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Patent number: 11445149Abstract: A video conferencing system for a reconfigurable meeting room is disclosed. To make the process of reconfiguring a video conferencing system easy and frictionless and in an embodiment, the system may comprise a camera for capturing video of at least a section of the meeting room and to provide video data; a microphone for capturing audio in the meeting room and to provide audio data; and processing circuitry, connected at least with the camera and microphone to receive at least one of the video and audio. The processing circuitry is configured to determine if a change in the layout of the meeting room has occurred, using at least one of the camera and the microphone, and upon determination that the change in the layout has occurred, operate in a proximity joining mode in which the processing circuitry allows linking with at least one proximate video conferencing system for joined operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2021Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: PLANTRONICS, INC.Inventor: Cary Arnold Bran
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Patent number: 11423185Abstract: Aspects of the present invention disclose a method for determining whether to perform mute/unmute functions to secure voice communication on multiple devices to allow for safeguarding of sensitive information of a user. The method includes one or more processors identifying one or more audio communications from a first user to a second user, wherein the one or more audio communications is transmitted utilizing a first computing device. The method further includes determining an objective of the first user based at least in part on the audio communication of the first user. The method further includes determining a set of conditions corresponding to the one or more audio communications and the objective, wherein the set of conditions indicate a vulnerability of personal data of the first user. The method further includes prohibiting the first computing device from transmitting audio data that includes the personal data of the first user.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2020Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Nadiya Kochura, Fang Lu, Anh Uong
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Patent number: 11412015Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for configurable group-based media streams during communication session. Group-based media streams allow a meeting administrator to define how media (e.g., video data, audio data) is shared among meeting participants by assigning the meeting participants to different participant groups. In some embodiments, meeting participants may be assigned into either a presenter group or an audience group. The meeting may be configured such that both video and audio data captured at the device of a presenter is shared with both the other presenters and the audience, while audio and/or video data captured at the devices of the audience is shared with only the presenters, but not the other members of the audience. As a result, the audience members are able to communicate with the presenters during the presentation but cannot communicate with the other members of the audience.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2021Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLCInventor: Michal Aichinger