Abstract: In order to improve a user's task of documenting items that are identified by the user while at a construction site, a computing system may be configured to (i) receive, from a first client station associated with a first user, media content that is descriptive of a given on-site item of a construction site, (ii) apply a speech recognition technique to transcribe audio data included in the media content into text that is descriptive of the given on-site item, (iii) generate a data record for the given on-site item, (iv) pre-populate at least a portion of the transcribed text into one or more fields of the data record for the given on-site item, and (v) cause a second client station to display the data record to a second user for review.

Abstract: In order to improve a user's task of documenting items that are identified by the user while at a construction site, a computing system may be configured to (i) analyze media content captured at a construction site (e.g., an audio or audiovisual recording) that is descriptive of at least one given on-site item identified by a user while at the construction site, (ii) extract, from the captured media content, a set of information for the given on-site item, (iii) based on the extracted set of information for the given on-site item, generate a data record for the given on-site item, and (iv) cause the generated data record for the given on-site item to be presented to the user for review.

Abstract: In order to improve a user's task of documenting items that are identified by the user while at a construction site, a computing system may be configured to (i) analyze media content captured at a construction site (e.g., an audio or audiovisual recording) that is descriptive of at least one given on-site item identified by a user while at the construction site, (ii) extract, from the captured media content, a set of information for the given on-site item, (iii) based on the extracted set of information for the given on-site item, generate a data record for the given on-site item, and (iv) cause the generated data record for the given on-site item to be presented to the user for review.

Abstract: In order to improve a user's task of documenting items that are identified by the user while at a construction site, a computing system may be configured to (i) analyze media content captured at a construction site (e.g., an audio or audiovisual recording) that is descriptive of at least one given on-site item identified by a user while at the construction site, (ii) extract, from the captured media content, a set of information for the given on-site item, (iii) based on the extracted set of information for the given on-site item, generate a data record for the given on-site item, and (iv) cause the generated data record for the given on-site item to be presented to the user for review.

Abstract: In order to improve a user's task of documenting items that are identified by the user while at a construction site, a computing system may be configured to (i) analyze media content captured at a construction site (e.g., an audio or audiovisual recording) that is descriptive of at least one given on-site item identified by a user while at the construction site, (ii) extract, from the captured media content, a set of information for the given on-site item, (iii) based on the extracted set of information for the given on-site item, generate a data record for the given on-site item, and (iv) cause the generated data record for the given on-site item to be presented to the user for review.

Abstract: A technique is directed to interfacing a user to an online meeting. The technique includes performing an evaluation operation on a set of input/output (I/O) devices available for use by the user during the online meeting, each I/O device of the set being constructed and arranged to perform a same I/O function. The evaluation operation assesses online meeting performance of each I/O device of the set. The technique further includes selecting an I/O device based on a result of the evaluation operation. The technique further includes involving the selected I/O device of the set in the online meeting and excluding a non-selected I/O device of the set from the online meeting. Accordingly, the best suited I/O device can automatically be selected to improve the user experience. In some arrangements, rather than automatically switching I/O devices, the user is automatically prompted with a recommended I/O device to use.

Abstract: A technique joins an electronic device to an electronic conference hosted by a conference server. The technique involves sensing, by the electronic device, sound input. The technique further involves receiving, by the electronic device, sound from a sound initiating device (e.g., a primary device of a user). The technique further involves automatically establishing, based on the sound received from the sound initiating device, a communications channel from the electronic device (e.g., a helper device of the user) to the electronic conference hosted by the conference server to enable a user of the electronic device to participate in the electronic conference through the communications channel by using the electronic device. Once the electronic device has joined the electronic conference, a user can operate the electronic device in a variety of ways to enhance the overall experience, e.g., as a control panel to replace a control panel of the sound initiating device.

Abstract: A technique provides user video to an online conference. The technique involves receiving a live user video signal from a camera device. The live user video signal defines a field of view. The technique further involves automatically identifying live initial content of a presentation region within the field of view and live initial content of a privacy region (e.g., a background region) within the field of view. The technique further involves generating, as the user video signal to the online conference, a modified user video signal based on the live user video signal. The modified video signal includes (i) the live initial content of the presentation region within the field of view and (ii) modified video content in place of the live initial content of the privacy region within the field of view. Such operation effectively forms a virtual curtain in which anything in the background is hidden.

Abstract: A technique is directed to interfacing a user to an online meeting. The technique includes performing an evaluation operation on a set of input/output (I/O) devices available for use by the user during the online meeting, each I/O device of the set being constructed and arranged to perform a same I/O function. The evaluation operation assesses online meeting performance of each I/O device of the set. The technique further includes selecting an I/O device based on a result of the evaluation operation. The technique further includes involving the selected I/O device of the set in the online meeting and excluding a non-selected I/O device of the set from the online meeting. Accordingly, the best suited I/O device can automatically be selected to improve the user experience. In some arrangements, rather than automatically switching I/O devices, the user is automatically prompted with a recommended I/O device to use.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support canceling audio streams leaked from a speaker to a microphone so that a clean audio stream of a presenter or viewer speaking at a conference call is transmitted. Here, the audio streams being canceled includes the computer audio stream of an application being run or a material being presented online during a web conference and/or the audio stream received from the rest of the group of participants at the conference call. The computer audio stream is then transmitted in addition to the presenter or viewer audio stream, and separate from any other audio stream captured by the hosting device during the conference call.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support canceling audio streams leaked from a speaker to a microphone so that a clean audio stream of a presenter or viewer speaking at a conference call is transmitted. Here, the audio streams being canceled includes the computer audio stream of an application being run or a material being presented online during a web conference and/or the audio stream received from the rest of the group of participants at the conference call. The computer audio stream is then transmitted in addition to the presenter or viewer audio stream, and separate from any other audio stream captured by the hosting device during the conference call.

Abstract: A technique provides user video to an online conference. The technique involves receiving a live user video signal from a camera device. The live user video signal defines a field of view. The technique further involves automatically identifying live initial content of a presentation region within the field of view and live initial content of a privacy region (e.g., a background region) within the field of view. The technique further involves generating, as the user video signal to the online conference, a modified user video signal based on the live user video signal. The modified video signal includes (i) the live initial content of the presentation region within the field of view and (ii) modified video content in place of the live initial content of the privacy region within the field of view. Such operation effectively forms a virtual curtain in which anything in the background is hidden.

Abstract: A technique joins an electronic device to an electronic conference hosted by a conference server. The technique involves sensing, by the electronic device, sound input. The technique further involves receiving, by the electronic device, sound from a sound initiating device (e.g., a primary device of a user). The technique further involves automatically establishing, based on the sound received from the sound initiating device, a communications channel from the electronic device (e.g., a helper device of the user) to the electronic conference hosted by the conference server to enable a user of the electronic device to participate in the electronic conference through the communications channel by using the electronic device. Once the electronic device has joined the electronic conference, a user can operate the electronic device in a variety of ways to enhance the overall experience, e.g., as a control panel to replace a control panel of the sound initiating device.

Abstract: Methods and systems monitoring performance of acoustic echo cancellation are described. An audio output is generated by applying a first acoustic echo cancellation algorithm to an audio input. One or more performance metrics for the first acoustic echo cancellation algorithm based on the audio output are determined via a second acoustic echo cancellation algorithm. The first acoustic echo cancellation algorithm is different from the second acoustic echo cancellation algorithm. The one or more performance metrics are provided for storage in a memory.

Abstract: Methods and systems monitoring performance of acoustic echo cancellation are described. An audio output is generated by applying a first acoustic echo cancellation algorithm to an audio input. One or more performance metrics for the first acoustic echo cancellation algorithm based on the audio output are determined via a second acoustic echo cancellation algorithm. The first acoustic echo cancellation algorithm is different from the second acoustic echo cancellation algorithm. The one or more performance metrics are provided for storage in a memory.

Abstract: A first computer is remotely accessed by a second computer. Sound output is generated at the first computer, but is selectively muted at the first computer and transmitted to, and output at, the second computer.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support switching between computer audio and presenter audio during a conference call so that one and only one, not both, of the two audio streams is being transmitted to the rest of the conference at any time. More specifically, a switch engine is adopted, which separately takes one or more audio streams captured by a sound mixing component of the hosting device of a presenter and by a microphone attached to the hosting device as its two inputs, and outputs only one of the two inputs at any time. The selected audio output is then processed and transmitted to the rest of the conference with feedback from other audio sources canceled.

Abstract: In a method of providing a performance improvement recommendation for a connection between a first network node in communication with a second network node, information is transmitted from the first node to the second node to provide communication between the nodes, via a number of transmission components. An elapsed time of transmission of the information between a subset of the transmission components is measured, the aggregation of the measurements representing time elapsed for end-to-end transmission of the information that includes preparing, by the first node, the information for transmission and processing, by the second node, the information upon receipt. A determination is made that one of the measured transmission components has a performance that crosses a predetermined threshold. A recommendation is identified to improve the performance of the identified component.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates audio conference systems and methods to expand the capacity a conference call by utilizing both a mixing engine that enables a first group participants to be able to both listen to and speak at the conference call, and a broadcast engine that broadcasts the conference call to a second group of participants who are only interested in listening to, but not speaking at the conference call. During the conference call, participants at the mixing engine and the broadcast engine can be dynamically adjusted.

Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support canceling audio streams leaked from a speaker to a microphone so that a clean audio stream of a presenter or viewer speaking at a conference call is transmitted. Here, the audio streams being canceled includes the computer audio stream of an application being run or a material being presented online during a web conference and/or the audio stream received from the rest of the group of participants at the conference call. The computer audio stream is then transmitted in addition to the presenter or viewer audio stream, and separate from any other audio stream captured by the hosting device during the conference call.