# US 2019/0173682 A1 · Method and apparatus for teleconferencing with multiple participants > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0173682 A1 - Document ID: US20190173682A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/207,953 - Filed: 2018-12-03 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04 - Assignees: Vitero GmbH - Applicants: Vitero GmbH - Inventors: Fabian KEMPF - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190173682A1 ## CPC - H04L 12/1818: {Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties} - H04L 12/1822: {Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission} - H04L 12/1827: {Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation} - H04L 65/1089: by adding media; by removing media - 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) - H04M 3/567: {Multimedia conference systems} - H04N 7/147: {Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q)} - H04N 7/152: {Multipoint control units therefor} - H04N 7/157: {defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents (computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827)} - H04N 21/8106: {involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages} - H04N 21/8153: {comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image} - H04M 2201/38: Displays - H04M 2203/359: Augmented reality - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Apparatus and method for teleconferencing with multiple participants using a computer device through which one locally present participant is connected with multiple remote participants, the computer device including one processor device and two output devices. One output device is configured as an optical display device and one output device, as an audio device. The output devices realize a conference environment for the participants. On the display device, a display area is depicted on which a conference environment is depicted and on which the participants in the teleconference are graphically represented by representatives. Through the computer device, a conference environment of an environment type is selectable from a multitude of environment types and by a command an environment type of the conference environment of the teleconference is activated to enable a teleconference with different conference environments or a teleconference with different meeting periods such as different work periods and/or relaxation periods. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for teleconferencing with multiple participants using a computer device through which at least one locally present participant can be connected with at least one remote participant by means of a data link, the computer device comprising at least one processor device and at least two output devices, at least one of the output devices being configured as a display device and at least one of the output devices, as an audio device, wherein the output devices realize a conference environment for the participants, wherein the display device depicts a display area on which a conference environment is depicted and on which the participants in the teleconference are graphically represented by representatives, the method comprising: by means of the computer device, a conference environment of an environment type can be selected from a multitude of environment types and by means of a command an environment type of the conference environment of the teleconference is activated to enable teleconferencing with various conference environments or a teleconference with various meeting periods such as different work periods and/or relaxation periods. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein two environment types differ from one another as regards the displayed optical structure and/or the output acoustic background. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a first environment type provides a conference environment for a first type of atmosphere of the teleconference and a second environment type provides a conference environment for a second type of atmosphere of the teleconference. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein at least in the second environment type of a conference environment a display panel is depicted on the display device which all the participants can perceive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein in a conference environment of the first environment type the participants can position their representatives in pre-defined positions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the first environment type is suitable for a starting phase or an intermission phase or e.g. an activating phase of a teleconference. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein in a conference environment of the first environment type, context-specific background noises are output such as relaxation music or ocean surf or sea gull screams in a conference environment providing a beach atmosphere. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the background noises can be selected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the background noises can be selected context-specific. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein in a conference environment of the first environment type each participant is entitled to actively participate and can speak with other participants. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein in a conference environment of the first environment type each participant can only speak with participants while the representatives of the participants concerned are arranged adjacent to one another or in the same lounge area and/or wherein in a conference environment of the first environment type each participant hears participants at reduced volume while the representatives of the participants concerned are arranged in another lounge area. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein one participant is selected or predetermined as the conference manager. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the conference manager in the second environment type may give to, or take away from, a participant the right to actively participate and/or can arbitrate a position to the representative of the participant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a stage area and an audience area are displayed on the display area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein in another environment type one participant has the sole right to speak and relinquishes his own right to speak to another participant by arbitrating a speaker symbol, handing it over to the other participant. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the teleconference is subdivided in two or more subgroups and each of the subgroups receives its own conference environment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein at least one subgroup can select the environment type of the conference environment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a geometry of the arrangement options of the representatives depends on the environment type. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one representative of a participant is changed in its shape or appearance as the environment type and/or a conference environment background is changed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a participant is provided with different communication tools in conference environments of different environment types. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the representative is additionally depicted on the display panel. ### Claim 22 An apparatus for teleconferencing and participating in teleconferences with multiple participants, comprising: a computer device, through which at least one locally present participant can be connected with at least one remote participant by means of a data link, the computer device comprising at least one processor device and at least two output devices; at least one of which output devices is configured as a display device and at least one of which output devices, as an audio device, wherein the output devices can realize a conference environment for the participants; wherein the display device depicts a display area on which a conference environment can be depicted and on which the participants in the teleconference can be graphically represented by representatives; by means of the computer device a conference environment of an environment type can be selected from a multitude of environment types and by means of a command of an input device, an environment type of the conference environment can be activated to enable teleconferencing involving different conference environments or teleconferencing involving different meeting periods such as different work periods and/or relaxation periods. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the representatives of the participants are arranged on the display device around the display panel.