Pairing devices in conference using ultrasonic beacon and subsequent control thereof

A conferencing system in a network at a near-end for conferencing over the network with a far end, the system comprising:

• a loudspeaker for outputting audio in a near-end environment;
• one or more interfaces for communicatively connecting in the network with a first device and for connecting with a far-end in a far-end connection;
• and
• at least one processing unit communicatively connected to the loudspeaker and the one or more interfaces, the at least one processing unit configured to:
• connect with the far-end in the far-end connection;
• output connection information in an imperceptible acoustic beacon in the near-end environment with the loudspeaker;
• connect with the first device based on the first device using the output connection information;
• and
• take over a far-end connection of the first device to the far-end;
• receive content over the network at the near-end from the first device after taking over the far end connection;
• and
• provide content received from the first device to the far end.

A non-transitory programmable storage device or devices having program instructions stored thereon for causing a programmable conferencing system to perform a method of conferencing over a network with a far end via a far end connection, the method comprising:

• outputting, in an imperceptible acoustic beacon in a near-end environment by a second device of the programmable conferencing system, connection information for connecting to a given device of the programmable conferencing system;
• connecting a first device in the near-end environment to the given device by receiving a response in the programmable conferencing system from the first device, the response being based on the first device using the output connection information and requesting connection of the first device to the given device;
• taking over, with the given device, a far-end connection that the first device has with the far-end;
• receiving, at the given device from the first device, content over the network at the near-end after taking over the far end connection;
• and
• providing, from the given device to the far end, content received from the first device.