Personal control apparatus and method for sharing information in a collaborative workspace

A conferencing assembly for use with at least first and second video sources within a conference space, the assembly comprising:

• a conference table assembly including a top member forming a top surface;
• at least one common display screen supported proximate the top surface of the top member;
• a switching device having at least a first input and at least a first output, the first output linked to the at least one common display;
• at least first and second control interfaces secured to the conference table assembly, the first control interface including a first button and a first indicator, the first indicator controllable to visually distinguish at least first and second states in which content from a video source associated with the first control interface is not presented on the common display and in which content from a video source associated with the first control interface is presented on the common display screen, respectively, the first button selectable to toggle between presenting and not presenting content on the common display screen, the second control interface including a second button and a second indicator, the second indicator controllable to visually distinguish at least first and second states in which content from a video source associated with the second control interface is not presented on the common display and in which content from a video source associated with the second control interface is presented on the common display screen, respectively, the second button selectable to toggle between presenting and not presenting content on the common display screen.

A conferencing assembly for use with at least first and second video sources and at least a first common display screen located within a conference space, the assembly comprising:

• a switching device having at least a first input and at least a first output, the first output linked to the at least a first common display screen;
• a first control cable including first and second ends, the first end linked to the switching device and the second end linkable to one of the video sources;
• a second control cable including first and second ends, the first end linked to the switching device and the second end linkable to one of the video sources;
• a first selectable control;
• a second selectable control;
• a first visual indicator controllable to visually indicate first, second and third different states;
• a second visual indicator controllable to visually indicate first, second and third different states;
• and
• at least one processor programmed to perform the steps of:
• (i) monitoring for connection of the first control cable to one of the video sources;
• (ii) while the first control cable is disconnected from the video sources, indicating the first state via the first visual indicator;
• (iii) upon initial connection of the first control cable to one of the video sources, indicating the second state via the first visual indicator;
• (iv) after connection of the first control cable to one of the video sources, monitoring for selection of the first selectable control while content from the video source connected to the first control cable is not presented on the common display screen and, upon selection of the first selectable control, presenting the content from the video source connected to the first control cable on the common display screen and indicating the third state via the first visual indicator;
• (v) after connection of the first control cable to one of the video sources, monitoring for selection of the first selectable control while content from the video source connected to the first control cable is presented on the common display screen and, upon selection of the first selectable control, removing the content from the video source connected to the first control cable from the common display screen and indicating the second state via the first visual indicator;
• (vi) monitoring for connection of the second control cable to one of the video sources;
• (vii) while the second control cable is disconnected from the video sources, indicating the first state via the second visual indicator;
• (viii) upon initial connection of the second control cable to one of the video sources, indicating the second state via the second visual indicator;
• (ix) after connection of the second control cable to one of the video sources, monitoring for selection of the second selectable control while content from the video source connected to the second control cable is not presented on the common display screen and, upon selection of the second selectable control, presenting the content from the video source connected to the second control cable on the common display screen and indicating the third state via the second visual indicator;
• and
• (x) after connection of the second control cable to one of the video sources, monitoring for selection of the second selectable control while content from the video source connected to the second control cable is presented on the common display screen and, upon selection of the second selectable control, removing the content from the video source connected to the second control cable from the common display screen and indicating the second state via the second visual indicator.