Signal routing for reduced power consumption in a conferencing system

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates generally to audio reproduction, and more particularly to reduction of power consumption in audio conferencing system components through frequency filtered signal routing.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

#In the accompanying drawings:

#FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary operating environment of a system and method for reducing power consumption in components of an audio conferencing system through selective signal routing, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

#FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary architecture of a base unit of a wireless audio conferencing system such as that depicted in FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

#FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary operating environment of a system and method for reducing power consumption in components of an audio conferencing system through selective signal routing, according to an embodiment of the invention. The depiction is essentially a top view of an exemplary audio conferencing system (ACS) 100 located in a conference room 101. A wireless ACS 100 is utilized in the embodiment shown and described in reference to this figure.

#The ACS 100 includes a console 102 (depicted on a table 103) which is powered by an internal battery or other local power source, and a base unit 104. Sub-system components of console 102 are described in reference to FIG. 4 and sub-system components of base unit 104 are described in reference to FIG. 2. Base unit 104 is provided with a network connection port 106 for connecting to a network. The system and methods described herein are network independent, but exemplary networks include a circuit-switched network such as the public-switched telephone network (PSTN), a packet-switched network such as the Internet, or an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). The network connection port 106 serves as the communication interface between the base unit 104 and the network, thus providing the capability to exchange signals with remote parties via the network. The signals typically represent the speech originating from conference participants at the local endpoint (conference room 101) and from remote endpoints (not shown) connected to and communicating through the network.

#The base unit 104 is preferably provided with a power port 108 for connecting to a power source, such as an electrical wall socket, in conference room 101. Alternative embodiments of the base unit 104 may utilize external power sources other than a wall socket, or may utilize an internal power source such as a battery. The base unit 104 is further provided with an internal or external audio driver 110, commonly referred to as a speaker, for producing sound from an signal. A preferred ACS 100 functions in a manner such that the base unit 104 is utilized to produce the lower end of the audio frequency spectrum, whereas the console 102 is utilized to produce the higher end of the spectrum. Finally, the base unit 104 is also provided with a transmitter 112, the function of which is described in more detail in reference to FIG. 2. Thus, due to the amount of energy required to produce the low frequency audio reproduction and to drive the transmitter 112, the base unit 104 is preferably externally powered.