Patents by Inventor Eran Knaz

Eran Knaz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8885811
    Abstract: A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system includes a management apparatus for managing conferencing resources in a premises. The management apparatus includes a communications link for communicating with a proximity announcing system, which indicates whether a portable communications device is near a conferencing device within the premises. The management apparatus can transmit a message to a proximate portable communication device indicating that a conferencing device is nearby. The proximity announcing system can include wireless transmitters and receivers associated with the premises and with portable communication devices used within the premises for tracking the location of the portable communication devices throughout the premises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventor: Eran Knaz
  • Patent number: 8805928
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and a method for providing a control unit for a multipoint multimedia/audio conference that enables one or more participants to take part in more than one conference simultaneously. The control unit can operate in audio and/or video sections of an MCU and/or Management and Control System (MCS). The MCS, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, controls the participation of at least one participant in more than one conference simultaneously by using a Cross-Conference Database (CCDB). The MCU performs connection changes affecting which participants are associated with one or more conferences based on the information that is stored in the CCDB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Potekhin, Eran Knaz, Moshe Elbaz, Eyal Leviav
  • Patent number: 8428234
    Abstract: A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system includes a management apparatus for managing conferencing resources in a premises. The management apparatus includes a communications link for communicating with a proximity announcing system, which indicates whether a portable communications device is near a conferencing device within the premises. The management apparatus can transmit a message to a proximate portable communication device indicating that a conferencing device is nearby. The proximity announcing system can include wireless transmitters and receivers associated with the premises and with portable communication devices used within the premises for tracking the location of the portable communication devices throughout the premises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventor: Eran Knaz
  • Patent number: 8340272
    Abstract: A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system determines the location of a portable communication device within a premises and sends a prompt to the portable communication device announcing an option to initiate a communication session using local conferencing devices. In response to a request from the portable communication device, the system determines connection information for a remote endpoint and initiates a communication session between the local conferencing device and the remote endpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventor: Eran Knaz
  • Patent number: 8340268
    Abstract: A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system allows a conferencing session conducted on a conferencing device within a premises to be controlled from a portable communication device. The system provides a generic user interface to the portable communication device for controlling the conferencing session. Commands for controlling the conferencing session are entered on the portable communication device and signaled to the conferencing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventor: Eran Knaz
  • Patent number: 8340271
    Abstract: A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system allows a user conducting a communication session on a personal communication device to transfer the communication session to a local conferencing device. The conferencing system prompts the personal communication device with an option to transfer the communication session to the conferencing device. The system obtains contact information for a multimedia endpoint associated with the remote communication device and initiates a connection between the local conferencing device and the remote multimedia endpoint. The system can also transfer a communication session from a local conferencing device to a portable communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventor: Eran Knaz
  • Publication number: 20120206564
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and a method for providing a control unit for a multipoint multimedia/audio conference that enables one or more participants to take part in more than one conference simultaneously. The control unit can operate in audio and/or video sections of an MCU and/or Management and Control System (MCS). The MCS, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, controls the participation of at least one participant in more than one conference simultaneously by using a Cross-Conference Database (CCDB). The MCU performs connection changes affecting which participants are associated with one or more conferences based on the information that is stored in the CCDB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: POLYCOM ISRAEL LTD.
    Inventors: Sergey Potekhin, Eran Knaz, Moshe Elbaz, Eyal Leviav
  • Publication number: 20090285131
    Abstract: A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system allows a conferencing session conducted on a conferencing device within a premises to be controlled from a portable communication device. The system provides a generic user interface to the portable communication device for controlling the conferencing session. Commands for controlling the conferencing session are entered on the portable communication device and signaled to the conferencing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: POLYCOM, INC.
    Inventor: ERAN KNAZ
  • Publication number: 20090284580
    Abstract: A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system determines the location of a portable communication device within a premises and sends a prompt to the portable communication device announcing an option to initiate a communication session using local conferencing devices. In response to a request from the portable communication device, the system determines connection information for a remote endpoint and initiates a communication session between the local conferencing device and the remote endpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: POLYCOM, INC.
    Inventor: ERAN KNAZ
  • Publication number: 20090284579
    Abstract: A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system allows a user conducting a communication session on a personal communication device to transfer the communication session to a local conferencing device. The conferencing system prompts the personal communication device with an option to transfer the communication session to the conferencing device. The system obtains contact information for a multimedia endpoint associated with the remote communication device and initiates a connection between the local conferencing device and the remote multimedia endpoint. The system can also transfer a communication session from a local conferencing device to a portable communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: POLYCOM, INC.
    Inventor: ERAN KNAZ
  • Publication number: 20090285130
    Abstract: A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system includes a management apparatus for managing conferencing resources in a premises. The management apparatus includes a communications link for communicating with a proximity announcing system, which indicates whether a portable communications device is near a conferencing device within the premises. The management apparatus can transmit a message to a proximate portable communication device indicating that a conferencing device is nearby. The proximity announcing system can include wireless transmitters and receivers associated with the premises and with portable communication devices used within the premises for tracking the location of the portable communication devices throughout the premises.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: POLYCOM, INC.
    Inventor: ERAN KNAZ
  • Patent number: 7612793
    Abstract: The disclosed method provides audio location perception to an endpoint in a multipoint videoconference by providing a plurality of audio streams to the endpoint, wherein each of the audio streams corresponds to one of the loudspeakers at the endpoint. The audio streams are differentiated so as to emphasize broadcasting of the audio streams through one or more loudspeakers closest to a position of a speaking endpoint in a videoconference layout that is displayed at the endpoint. For example, the audio broadcast at a loudspeaker that is at a far-side of the screen might be attenuated or time delayed compared to audio broadcast at a loudspeaker that is located at a near-side of the display. The disclosure also provides a multipoint control unit (MCU) that processes audio signals from two or more endpoints according to the positions in a layout of the endpoints and then transmits processed audio streams to the endpoints in a way that allows endpoints to broadcast spatially correlated audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Potekhin, Eran Knaz, Sharon Shani
  • Publication number: 20070064094
    Abstract: The disclosed method provides audio location perception to an endpoint in a multipoint videoconference by providing a plurality of audio streams to the endpoint, wherein each of the audio streams corresponds to one of the loudspeakers at the endpoint. The audio streams are differentiated so as to emphasize broadcasting of the audio streams through one or more loudspeakers closest to a position of a speaking endpoint in a videoconference layout that is displayed at the endpoint. For example, the audio broadcast at a loudspeaker that is at a far-side of the screen might be attenuated or time delayed compared to audio broadcast at a loudspeaker that is located at a near-side of the display. The disclosure also provides a multipoint control unit (MCU) that processes audio signals from two or more endpoints according to the positions in a layout of the endpoints and then transmits processed audio streams to the endpoints in a way that allows endpoints to broadcast spatially correlated audio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Polycom, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Potekhin, Eran Knaz, Sharon Shani
  • Patent number: 7054820
    Abstract: A multipoint controller unit in which the audio signal processing is distributed among several audio ports. The control of the audio signal processing may be centrally or distributively managed by one or more audio controllers. The audio signal processing may include selecting audio streams from a common interface and/or mixing the signals from the common interface. Each audio port may enhance the audio signal and generate control information from the audio signal. The audio ports are synchronized by a common information channel while the audio controllers are synchronized by a common control channel interface. Port fragmentation is reduced since the audio signal processing that relates to an endpoint within a conference is handled by a single audio port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Polycom Israel, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Potekhin, Eran Knaz, Moshe Carmi, Moshe Elbaz
  • Publication number: 20020188731
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and a method for providing a control unit for a multipoint multimedia/audio conference that enables one or more participants to take part in more than one conference simultaneously. The control unit can operate in audio and/or video sections of an MCU and/or Management and Control System (MCS). The MCS, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, controls the participation of at least one participant in more than one conference simultaneously by using a Cross-Conference Database (CCDB). The MCU performs connection changes affecting which participants are associated with one or more conferences based on the information that is stored in the CCDB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Inventors: Sergey Potekhin, Eran Knaz, Moshe Elbaz
  • Publication number: 20020123895
    Abstract: A multipoint controller unit in which the audio signal processing is distributed among several audio ports. The control of the audio signal processing may be centrally or distributively managed by one or more audio controllers. The audio signal processing may include selecting audio streams from a common interface and/or mixing the signals from the common interface. Each audio port may enhance the audio signal and generate control information from the audio signal. The audio ports are synchronized by a common information channel while the audio controllers are synchronized by a common control channel interface. Port fragmentation is reduced since the audio signal processing that relates to an endpoint within a conference is handled by a single audio port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventors: Sergey Potekhin, Eran Knaz, Moshe Carmi, Moshe Elbaz