GB2489049A

GB2489049A - Interactive Meeting Participation System Including Portable Client Devices and Server

Info

Publication number: GB2489049A
Application number: GB1104622.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William James Robertson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-03-18
Filing date: 2011-03-18
Publication date: 2012-09-19
Also published as: GB201104622D0

Abstract

An interactive meeting participation system, in the form of a server/client configuration to enable delegate client devices A, B & C to participate via audio, video and data services, provided by one or more servers (1) utilising wired and wireless network platforms with attached administration devices controlling the available services and meeting databases. The delegate devices may run an application enabling participation within the meeting environment, and may utilise built-in or external plug-in peripheral devices for audio, video and data transmission to and from the server. Secondary servers may support the primary server incorporating multiple meeting locations simultaneously. External audio, video and data systems are integrated within a server-side software application to form a single coherent meeting system.

Description

t V.' INTELLECTUAL ..* PROPERTY OFFICE Application No. GB 1104622.4 RIM Date:20 October 2011 The following terms are registered trademarks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Apple Android Intellectual Properly Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.ipo.gov.uk It Interactive meeting participation system This invention relates to an interactive conference and meeting system incorporating audio, video and data services.

In typical events and meetings, delegates are often required to utilise a number of different devices to allow participation.

Such devices may include specialist headsets for simultaneous interpretation, table microphones, voting handsets as well as paper documents. In order to reduce the number of elements which delegates need to carry and to simplify the administration of these devices, this invention proposes a system comprising a single interactive device with a touch screen for each meeting participant, enabling bi-direotional audio, video and data services via a central meeting server over wireless and wired networking platforms.

The delegate device is a portable, platform-independent device and as such may include mobile phone or tablet devices utilising mobile operating systems such as Apple iGS, Android OS, and others. The client application installed on the delegate's own device is downloaded in situ or a device is provided to the delegate with the client application pre-installed.

The hosting service is provided via a central GNU/Linux server, which may be sited locally to the event or remotely within a secure domain, running audio, video and data services. In this case it is possible to combine multiple sites to create one meeting domain with interaction and participation between multiple sites. A database is created for each meeting or event, which includes all the delegate names and administers the registration of delegates and devices, authentication and authorisation and provides the SSL-enorypted, synohronised data service between the server and clients.

Multiple audio channels are streamed to the delegate device's client application, as well as video streams and data streams. The delegate selects the particular stream(s) they wish to monitor and is able to send audio, video and data back to the server via the device's built-in or external plug-in peripheral devices.

The media-streaming subsystem (Server) is fed audio from an external audio system or simultaneous interpretation system via a multi-channel sound interface, which is processed via one or more open-source audio streaming codec to be made accessible to a delegate device.

The media-streaming subsystem (Server) is fed video from an external video system via a multi-format video capture device, which is processed via one or more open-source video streaming codec to be made accessible to a delegate device.

The data service subsystem (Server) is fed data from an internal database and external administration systems, which is processed via an open-source data streaming service to be pushed to a delegate device.

The data service subsystem (Server) receives data from delegate devices, which is processed via a web interface interacting with an open-source database service to be pushed to administration staff devices, technicians or meeting attendants, who will perform their duties using a web application via a browser in their local PC.

The media-streaming subsystem (Server) receives audio from authorised delegate devices' microphones, which is processed via an open-source audio streaming codec to be made accessible to the server for relay to an external sound system, recording or broadcast system.

The server receives video from authorised delegate devices' video cameras, which is processed via an open-source video streaming codec to be made accessible to the server for processing and relay to an external display system, recording or broadcast system.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a typical network layout diagram depicting the server/client configuration Figure 2 shows a typical delegate tablet device Figure 3 shows a typical delegate software user interface Figure 4 shows a delegate tablet device in a horizontal dock In figure 1, a central server 1 connects to wireless and wired networking devices 2 which allow authorised access to administration staff 3, print services 4 and provides multi-channel audio and video streams 5 to the delegate devices. A delegate device (client) is authenticated in order to gain access to the secure meeting network, which is controlled by the Server, with administration by technicians and meeting administration staff using PCs or laptops with administrative rights. Multiple audio channels from an external simultaneous interpretation system and mixing console are injected into the server via a multi-channel sound interface while video sources from a vision mixer or direct video devices are simultaneously injected into the server via a video interface. Audio and video feeds 6 are are output from the server to external video and audio systems for display and/or broadcast.

In figure 2, a delegate holds a typical tablet device running Android OS, with a client application providing access to the streaming services, including critical services such as multi-channel audio streams from an external simultaneous interpretation and selectable video streams of either presentation slides or camera images.

In figure 3, the software interface enables delegates to select an audio stream depending on their language preference, as well as selecting the video stream of preference which may includes alternative presentation slides in their language of preference or images from video cameras. Additional buttons allow delegates to log in / log out, and perform other tasks such as reguesting printouts of presentation slides, making travel arrangements such as booking a taxi, viewing a lunch menu, viewing the meeting agenda and supporting documents, as well as reguesting support from meeting attendants and technical staff.

In figure 4, a delegate tablet device is mounted in a horizontal dock to improve viewing angles and delegate comfort. The dock provides power and charging for the internal battery, as well as offering a wired network connection for higher-bandwidth video streams or where current wireless encryption may not meet security requirements.

Claims

Claims 1. An interactive meeting participation system comprising server and mobile client devices in which meeting attendees connect to a closed meeting network via wired and wireless platforms, gaining access to bi-directional streaming of multi-channel audio, video and data services for the purpose of conducting meetings, events and conferences.
2. An interactive meeting participation system according to claim 1, in which delegate devices run an application enabling participation within the meeting environment.
3. An interactive meeting participation system according to claim 1, in which delegate devices utilise built-in or external plug-in peripheral devices for audio, video and data transmission to and from the server subsystems.
4. An interactive meeting participation system according to claim 1, in which secondary servers may support the primary server, connected across LAN or WAN infrastructures, incorporating multiple meeting locations simultaneously.
5. An interactive meeting participation system according to claim 1, in which administration is performed by authorised personnel using a web interface through a web browser on a laptop or desktop PC.
6. An interactive meeting participation system according to claim 1, in which external audio, video and data systems are integrated within a server-side software application to form a single coherent meeting system.