# US 12,118,206 B2 · Interactive workspace integration system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,118,206 B2 - Document ID: US12118206B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/149,738 - Filed: 2023-01-04 - Published: 2024-07-04 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2023-01-04 - Applicants: Aurora Multimedia Corp. - Inventors: Paul Harris - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12118206B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus - G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)} - G06F 3/147: using display panels - H04L 65/403: Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) - H04R 1/406: {microphones} - H04R 3/005: {for combining the signals of two or more microphones (specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407)} - H04R 5/04: Circuit arrangements, {e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments (combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S)} - G06F 3/165: {Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path} - H04S 3/008: {in which the audio signals are in digital form, i.e. employing more than two discrete digital channels (data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02)} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - H04S: STEREOPHONIC SYSTEMS ## Abstract An interactive workspace integration system for integrating a physical workspace with a virtual workspace. The system includes multiple electronic devices and controller devices disposed in the physical workspace. The controller devices are interconnected and each controller device is configured to interface with the virtual workspace and control the electronic device. Each controller device includes a programmable processor, a base platform having at least two multi-directional microphones, and a display panel. The display panel includes a screen to display a user control interface and a status bar. Each of the controller devices is configured to receive audio signals from the other controller devices and to receive media signals from the electronic devices. Each controller device is configured to generate a control signal based on the user input, the audio signals, and/or the media signals to control the electronic devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A controller device for integrating a physical workspace having at least one electronic device therein with a virtual workspace corresponding to at least one remote or local location to create an interactive workspace communicating with a plurality of controller devices disposed in the physical workspace, comprising: a programmable processor operably coupled to at least one memory device and interfacing with the virtual workspace, wherein the programmable processor is configured to receive media signals from the at least one electronic device and is further configured to generate a control signal based on at least one of the media signals and user input to control the at least one electronic device; a base platform having a length extending from a front edge to a back edge along a horizontal axis, wherein an entirety of the length is parallel to and in contact with a supporting surface, the base platform comprising a first multi-directional beam-forming microphone disposed on the front edge and a second multi-directional beam-forming microphone disposed on the back edge, wherein the first and the second multi-directional beam-forming microphones are configured to capture sound from the physical workspace and convert the sound to audio signals; a first status bar disposed on the front edge of the base platform and configured to illuminate to provide information to a first user; a display panel fixably coupled to the front edge of the base platform and extending upwardly from the front edge towards the back edge at a fixed acute angle, wherein the display panel comprises a front surface, a back surface, and a display screen, wherein the display screen is disposed on the front surface and the fixed acute angle tilts the display screen upwards to optimize a view of the first user, wherein the display screen is configured to display a user control interface and receive user input; and a second status bar disposed on the back surface of the display panel and configured to illuminate to provide information to a second user, wherein the display screen is not visible to the second user; wherein the status bars are programmable to selectively illuminate continuously or intermittently, in a chosen color or combinations of colors, in response to user input in the control interface including at least one of the following: powering on of the multi-directional microphone; requesting of the floor; and voting, wherein the status bars may be configured to intermittently illuminate a particular color for a vote of no or continuously illuminate a particular color for a vote of yes or vice versa; wherein the status bar is further programmable to selectively illuminate continuously or intermittently, in a chosen color or combinations of colors, in response to the availability of a physical workspace. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The controller device of claim 1, wherein the second status bar is disposed adjacent to a top edge of the display panel to increase visibility to the second user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The controller device of claim 1, further comprising a network port disposed on the back edge of the base platform, wherein the network port is configured to enable the controller device to communicate with an ethernet network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The controller device of claim 3, wherein the audio signals comprise uncompressed, multi-channel, low-latency digital audio signals and wherein the first and the second multi-directional beam-forming microphones are configured to deliver over the ethernet network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The controller device of claim 1, further comprising an audio port disposed on the base platform, wherein the audio port is configured to couple to an audio output device, wherein the audio signals are received by the audio output device through the audio port. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The controller device of claim 1, wherein the controller device comprises dimensions in a range between 4 in.×4 in.×4 in. and 8 in.×8 in.×8 in. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The controller device of claim 1, wherein each of the first status bar and the second status bar is configured to indicate an operational state of at least one of the first multi-directional beam-forming microphone and the second multi-directional beam-forming microphone. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The controller device of claim 1, wherein the length of the base platform is equal to a height of the display panel and wherein a distance separating the second status bar from the base platform is maximized.