Abstract: A speakerphone system is provide, comprising: at least one mechanical vibration sensor (MVS) adapted to convert mechanical vibrations in a speakerphone enclosure (enclosure) to a mechanical vibration error signal, and output the same as an MVS output signal; at least one microphone (mic) adapted to convert an input sound acoustic signal into an input sound electrical signal and to output the same as a mic output signal; and circuitry adapted to subtract the MVS output signal from the mic output signal and output the resultant signal as a speakerphone output signal.

Abstract: A speakerphone calibration system (system) is provided herein, comprising: a calibration unit adapted to generate at least one test signal, and further adapted to determine at least one calibration factor in response to at least one test signal, and wherein a first calibration factor characterizes a speakerphone system under test in regard to mechanical vibrations generated in the speakerphone system under test, the mechanical vibrations caused by a first test signal.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a speakerphone system under test is provided herein, comprising: connecting a calibration unit to the speakerphone system under test (SSUT) via a communications interface, and wherein the SSUT further comprises a loudspeaker, microphone (mic), and mechanical vibration sensor (MVS); generating a first test signal by the calibration unit and transmitting the same to the SSUT; generating a first set of mechanical vibrations in response to the first test signal in the SSUT; and determining a calibration factor in regard to the first test signal and first set of mechanical vibrations by the calibration unit.

Abstract: A method for substantially eliminating the effect of mechanical vibration on an audio input to a speakerphone system is provided herein, the method comprising: receiving an input sound acoustic signal at a microphone (mic); converting the received input sound acoustic signal into an input sound electrical signal, and outputting the same as a mic output signal; receiving mechanical vibrations at a mechanical vibration sensor (MVS); converting the received mechanical vibrations into a mechanical vibration error signal, and outputting the same as an MVS output signal; and generating a speakerphone system output signal by subtracting the MVS output signal from the mic output signal.

Abstract: A keypad capable of being configured with multiple button configurations with buttons of various heights is configured to recognize the button configuration through actuations of the buttons. The keypad is placed in a configuration mode by inputting an unresolvable condition to the keypad. Once in the configuration mode, the buttons are individually actuated in a predefined order to configure the size and function of each button.

Abstract: System and method for scheduling a meeting room includes accepting information defining a meeting type, which is associated with at least one preset resources. The method further includes displaying at least one preset parameter based on the meeting type including email address of attendees, receiving preset information from the at least one displayed preset parameter, automatically identifying and reserving a first room that is associated with a maximum capacity number by communicating with a scheduling server the availability of the at least one preset resources based on the received preset information, notifying the organizer of the first room, detecting a number of attendees physically presence in the first room during an attendance time period by utilizing at least one sensor, and sending at least one command to control at least one of the associated preset resources in response to a start time and end time.

Abstract: A roman shade for covering a structural opening comprising a tube adapted to be installed proximate to the top of the structural opening, a shade material having a first end attached proximate to the top of the structural opening, a pair of tracks each adapted to follow a contour of and be attached along one of the sides of the structural opening, a pair of master carriers attached to opposite sides of and proximate to the second end of the shade material and each adapted to travel within one of the tracks, a pair of cords each having a first end attached to the tube and a second end attached to one of the pair of master carriers, and a shade drive unit operably connected to the tube and adapted to rotate the tube to wind or unwind the pair of cords and thereby lift or lower the pair of master carriers within the pair of tracks.

Abstract: A pair of shade brackets and a diverter are provided for diverting a shade material of a roller shade to a fixed drop down position. The pair of mounting brackets are adapted to secure to a structure and retain the roller shade therebetween. Each mounting bracket comprises a diverter retaining portion. The diverter comprises a diverter roller and a pair of bearings disposed on two opposite ends of the diverter roller. The diverter is removably retained between the pair of mounting brackets such that each bearing is engaged by a respective diverter retaining portion and the diverter roller is adapted to freely rotate via the bearings. As the shade material is raised or lowered, the diverter roller rolls on the shade material via the bearings.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for determining which controllable device an audible command is directed towards, the method comprising: receiving at each of two or more controlling devices the audible command signal, the audible command being directed to control at least one of two or more controllable devices controlled by a respective one of the two or more controlling devices; digitizing each of the received audible command signals; attaching a unique identifier to each digitized audible command so as to uniquely correlate it to a respective controlling device; determining a magnitude of each of the digitized audible command; determining a digitized audible command with the greatest magnitude, and further determining to which controlling device the audible command is directed to on the basis of the unique identifier associated with the digitized audible command with the greatest magnitude; performing speech recognition on the digitized audible command with the greatest magnitude; and forwarding a com

Abstract: A hem bar of a cable guided shade adapted to be removably attached to a pair of cables secured along opposite sides of a structural opening. The hem bar comprises a pair of cable engaging portions disposed at two opposite ends of the hem bar. Each cable engaging portion comprises a tubular body with a longitudinal channel extending therein and a slot traversing the tubular body from the top end to the bottom end of the tubular body. The hem bar may removably and slidably engage the pair of cables by twisting the hem bar in a first direction to align each slot in the cable engaging portions with a length of the respective cable, inserting the cables through the slots into the channels in the cable engaging portions of the hem bar, and twisting the hem bar in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to capture the cables within the channels in the cable engaging portions.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, modes, and methods for mounting one or more electronic housings to each other and to a rack mount system, a table mount system, or wall mount system. The mounting system includes a first pair of matching sliding panels that interface with each other in a slidingly engaging manner. Each of the first pair of sliding panels can be mounted to housings prior to being engaged with each other; the engagement of the first pair of sliding panels removably fixes the two housings together; additional housings can be fixed to the first two in a substantially similar manner. The first pair of sliding panels includes a U-shaped sliding panel and a C-shaped sliding panel, and according to a second embodiment, a second pair of sliding panels includes a C-shaped sliding panel and a Pi-shaped sliding panel. The second pair of sliding panels operates in a substantially similar manner as the first pair of sliding panels.

Abstract: A roller shade comprising a shade drive unit having a counterbalancing spring connected to and extending between a stationary spring carrier and a rotating spring carrier over an output mandrel, wherein the output mandrel comprises a length that maintains the spring in a stretched state such that the plurality of coils at the active portion of the spring do not contact each other when the shade material is at the rolled down position to reduce friction in the counterbalancing spring.

Abstract: A cable retractor enclosure having a weighted cable pulley and cable pulley guide rails. The cable pulley is rotatable about a pivot and configured to translate along said grooves when a cable wrapped underneath is extracted from the cable retractor enclosure. The cable extends outside of the retractor enclosure from its upper end and provides a cable end plug that sits within a retractor module insert. Weights may be attached to the cable pulley in order to leverage gravitational forces, which result in a bias causing the cable to retract back into the enclosure. Friction forces against the extracted cable can be used to prevent the gravitational bias the cable pulley exerts (retraction forces) on the cable by bending the cable to lay flat onto a table surface.

Abstract: A cable retractor enclosure having a weighted cable pulley and cable pulley guide rails. The cable pulley is rotatable about a pivot and configured to translate along grooves when a cable wrapped underneath is extracted from the cable retractor enclosure. The cable extends outside of the retractor enclosure from its upper end and provides a cable end plug that sits within a retractor module insert. Weights may be attached to the cable pulley in order to leverage gravitational forces, which result in a bias causing the cable to retract back into the enclosure. Friction forces against the extracted cable can be used to prevent the gravitational bias the cable pulley exerts (retraction forces) on the cable by bending the cable to lay flat onto a table surface.

Abstract: A beamforming microphone array is described herein, comprising: a plurality of microphones each of which is adapted to receive an acoustic audio signal and convert the same to a microphone (mic) audio signal; a wave sensor system adapted to determine locations of one or more people within a predetermined area about the beamforming microphone array and output the same as user location data signal; and an adaptive beamforming circuit adapted to receive the user location data signal and plurality of mic audio signals and perform adaptive beamforming on the plurality of mic audio signals that takes into account the received user location data signal to adapt a plurality of beam signals, one for each of the microphones, to acquire sound from one or more specific locations in the predetermined area; and a plurality of acoustic echo cancellation devices, one for each of the beam signal outputs from the adaptive beamforming circuit, wherein each of the plurality of acoustic echo cancellation devices is adapted to rec

Abstract: A method for operating a beamforming microphone array for use in a predetermined area is provided herein, the method comprising: receiving acoustic audio signals at each of a plurality of microphones, converting the same to an electrical mic audio signal, and outputting each of the plurality of electrical mic audio signals; generating a user location data signal by a wave sensor system, and outputting the user location data signal, wherein the user location data signal includes location information of one or more people within the predetermined area; receiving both the user location data signal and plurality of echo-corrected mic audio signals at an adaptive beamforming device; and adapting one or more beams by the adaptive beamforming device based on the user location data signal and plurality of mic audio signals wherein each of the one or more beams acquires sound from one or more specific locations in the predetermined area.