Speakerphone configuration for conferencing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10855827-B2
Application number	US-201916437616-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2019
Priority date	Apr 8, 2016
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a speakerphone configuration for audio and/or video conferencing that includes a cavity underneath the speakerphone where cable ports are arranged. The arrangement of the cable ports are such that when a power plug is installed in the speakerphone, a telecommunication port is blocked, and vice versa. In addition, the port arrangement allows cables to attach to opposite walls in the cavity such that cables run parallel to each other within the cavity. The disclosed speakerphone may be daisy-chained together and function as a single unit. Therefore a speakerphone according to the disclosure may function as either a master unit, a mid unit, or an end unit in a string of speakerphones depending on how the speakerphone is wired. The port arrangement in the cavity increases ease for setup and daisy-chaining of multiple speakerphone units.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plurality of connected electronic devices, comprising:
a first electronic device configured to be connected to an external audio source; and
a second electronic device configured to be connected to the first electronic device,
wherein each of the plurality of electronic devices includes a housing configured to house at least a speaker and a microphone, the housing including a cavity defined by a well formed in a bottom face of the housing, the well including:
a first wall including a first port; and
a second wall adjacent to the first wall, the second wall including a second port;

wherein, in a first mode, access to the first port is blocked, and, in a second mode, access to the second port is blocked.

2. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device is a master-unit electronic device is configured to be connected to the external audio source to receive audio content from the external audio source and to transmit the received audio content to the second electronic device.

3. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 2 , wherein the well includes:
a third wall adjacent to the second wall, the third wall including a third port; and
a fourth wall adjacent to the third wall, and adjacent to the first wall,
wherein the first electronic device is configured in the first mode in which
the second port of the first electronic device is configured to receive a connector of a first cable such that access to the first port of the first electronic device is blocked;
the third port of the first electronic device is configured to receive a first connector of a second cable connecting the first electronic device to the second electronic device; and
a fourth port in the first wall of the first electronic device is configured to receive a connector of a third cable connecting the first electronic device to the external audio source.

4. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 3 , wherein the second electronic device is an end-unit electronic device configured in the second mode in which
the first port of the second electronic device is configured to receive a second connector of the second cable such that access to the first port of the second electronic device is blocked and the second cable connects the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

5. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 3 , wherein
the first port and the third port are configured to receive connectors of data link cables to selectively connect pairs of electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices;
the second port is configured to receive a connector of a power to connect the first electronic device to an external power source; and
the fourth port is configured to receive a connector of a USB cable.

6. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of electronic devices includes a third electronic device connected to the second electronic device, such that the second electronic device is a mid-unit electronic device configured in the second mode, and the third electronic device is an end-unit electronic device configured in the second mode.

7. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 6 , wherein
the first port of the second electronic device is configured to receive a second connector of the second cable from the first electronic device such that access to the first port of the second electronic device is blocked; and
the third port of the second electronic device is configured to receive a first connector of a fourth cable to connect the second electronic device to the third electronic device.

8. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 7 , wherein
the first port of the third electronic device is configured to receive a second connector of the third cable from the second electronic device such that access to the first port of the third electronic device is blocked, and the fourth cable connects the second electronic device and the third electronic device.

9. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 1 , wherein the cavity further comprises:
a first channel extending between a first side wall of the housing and the well; and
a second channel extending between a second side wall of housing and the well.

10. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 9 , wherein
the first channel has a first depth configured to receive at least one of the first cable or the second cable therethrough;
the second channel has a second depth configured to receive at least one of the first cable or the second cable therethrough;
the well has a third depth configured to receive a connector of the first cable and a connector of the second cable therein; and
the well depth of the well is greater than the first depth of the first channel, and greater than the second depth of the second channel.

11. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 10 , wherein the well includes:
a third wall adjacent to the second wall, the third wall including a third port; and
a fourth wall adjacent to the third wall, and adjacent to the first wall, and wherein
the first channel extends between a top end portion of the first wall of the well and the first side wall of the housing;
the second channel extends between a top end portion of the third wall of the well and the second side wall of the housing; and
further comprising a cable guide formed on the bottom face of the housing, adjacent to a top end portion of the third wall of the well.

12. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 11 , further comprising a fourth port in the first wall of the well,
wherein the cable guide is configured to guide a cable, having a connector thereof connected to the fourth port, from the fourth port through the second channel.

13. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of electronic devices includes a processor configured to:
detect at least one cable connected to the respective electronic device;
determine that the respective electronic device is connected to another electronic device of the plurality of electronic devices based on the detected at least one cable;
determine a type of the respective electronic device including one of a master-unit electronic device, a mid-unit electronic device or an end-unit electronic device, in response to the determination that the respective electronic device is connected to another electronic device;
operate the respective electronic device according to the determined type of the respective electronic device;
determine whether one or more cables are improperly connected to the electronic device based on the detected one or more cables; and
provide an indication of the improper connection using the electronic device.

14. The plurality of connected electronic devices of claim 13 , wherein, in determining the type of the respective electronic device, the processor is further configured to:
determine that the respective electronic device is the mid-unit electronic device in response to detection of a cable connected in the first port or a third port in a third wall of the well;
determine that the electronic device is the master-unit electronic device in response to detection of a cable connecting a fourth port in the first wall of the well to and external audio source; and
determine that the respective electronic device is the end-unit electronic device in response to determination that the respective electronic device is not configured as the master-unit

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Houtchens Steven
• Hauer Göran
• Liljedahl Johanna
• Bodin Daniel

Classifications

• H04M1/2476

  for a visually impaired user (illuminating or arrangements for improving visibility of characters on dials H04M1/22) · CPC title

• H04M1/02

  Constructional features of telephone sets · CPC title

• H04M1/62 Primary

  Constructional arrangements · CPC title

• H04M1/6033 Primary

  for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets (arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08) · CPC title

• H04R1/02

  Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075}) · CPC title