# US 7,609,286 B2 · Method and apparatus for video conferencing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,609,286 B2 - Document ID: US7609286B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/754,104 - Filed: 2004-01-08 - Published: 2005-07-14 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2004-01-08 - Assignees: Sorenson Communications, Inc. - Inventors: Matthew D. Cupal; Dave Perkes; Doug Jewell; Scot Brooksby - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609286B2 ## CPC - H04N 7/147: {Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q)} - 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} - H04M 1/2535: {adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network (Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16)} - H04M 3/567: {Multimedia conference systems} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - 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) ## Abstract A videoconferencing system couples to a network for providing videoconferencing services to a user. The videoconferencing session is controlled and initiated by a user in a manner consistent with establishing a conventional audio-only session. In one embodiment, an independently operable voice-only telephone handset couples to an audio and video communication device. The videoconferencing session is established by taking the telephone handset to an off-hook status and entering a dialed phone number sequence. The audio and video communication device retrieves a network address corresponding to the dialed phone number sequence and initiates a call sequence corresponding to the retrieved network address until the telephone handset goes into an on-hook status. The audio and video communication device further includes video interfaces for presenting the video aspects to the user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An audio and video communication device, comprising: a first interface for transmitting and receiving voice and image data over a network; a second interface for compatibly coupling and interoperating with an independently operable voice-only telephone handset, said telephone handset inputting and outputting an audio portion of an audio and video communication session; and a controller coupled with both said first and second interfaces, said controller configured to establish said audio and video communication session over one of a wide area or local area network in response to said telephone handset going off-hook, said controller further configured to, upon powering up, retrieve an assigned network address and upon receipt of the assigned network address, transmit the assigned network address to a remote database for correlation with an assigned phone number of the audio and video communication device stored in the remote database. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The audio and video communication device of claim 1, further comprising a remote control interface coupled to said controller and configured to modify operation of said controller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The audio and video communication device of claim 1, further comprising: a video input interface coupled to said controller and configured to interface with a video input device; and a video output interface coupled to said controller and configured to interface with a video output device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The audio and video communication device of claim 3, further comprising the video input device coupled to said video input interface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The audio and video communication device of claim 3, further comprising the video output device coupled to said video output interface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The audio and video communication device of claim 1, wherein said second interface is configured to be compatible with a POTS interface for operably coupling with said telephone handset. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The audio and video communication device of claim 6, wherein said controller is further configured as responsive to DTMF tones generated by said telephone handset. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The audio and video communication device of claim 1, wherein said first interface is configured to be compatible with a voice-over-IP interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The audio and video communication device of claim 1, wherein said independently operable voice-only telephone handset is integrated with said audio and video communication device. ### Claim 10 A video conferencing system, comprising: an independently operable voice-only telephone handset; and an audio and video communication device, including a controller configured to support an audio channel with said telephone handset, a video channel, and an audio and video channel including an audio and video communication session with a network capable of coupling said videoconferencing system with a remote system, said controller further configured to establish said audio and video communication session over one of a wide area or local area network in response to said telephone handset going off-hook, said controller further configured to, upon powering up, retrieve an assigned network address and upon receipt of the assigned network address, transmit the assigned network address to a remote database for correlation with an assigned phone number of the audio and video communication device stored in the remote database. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The videoconferencing system of claim 10, wherein said audio channel is configured according to a POTS interface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The videoconferencing system of claim 11, further comprising an off-hook detector configured to notify said controller and responsive to said telephone handset. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The videoconferencing system of claim 10, wherein said audio and video channel is configured according to a voice-over-IP standard as supported by said network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The videoconferencing system of claim 10, wherein said video channel comprises: a video input interface coupled to said controller and configured to interface with a video input device; and a video output interface coupled to said controller and configured to interface with a video output device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The videoconferencing system of claim 14, further comprising the video input device coupled to said video input interface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The videoconferencing system of claim 14, further comprising the video output device coupled to said video output interface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The videoconferencing system of claim 10, wherein said audio and video channel is configured to communicate with a data network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The videoconferencing system of claim 10, wherein said independently operable voice-only telephone handset is a cordless telephone handset. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The videoconferencing system of claim 10, wherein said independently operable voice-only telephone handset is configured to operate at signal levels compatible with said controller. ### Claim 20 A method for establishing an audio and video communication session, comprising: retrieving a first network address assigned to a first communication device from a network upon powering up said first communication device; transmitting said first network address to a remote database upon receipt of said first network address for correlation with an assigned phone number of said first communication device stored in said remote database; detecting a telephone handset going into an off-hook status and a dialed phone number sequence associated with a second communication device; retrieving a second assigned network address from said remote database corresponding to said dialed phone number sequence associated with said second communication device; and initiating a call sequence corresponding to said network address to establish said audio and video communication session over one of a wide area or local area network. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein said retrieving includes accessing a remote database comprising said network address corresponding to said dialed phone number sequence. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein said initiating a call sequence is compatible with one of H.323, SIP, and proprietary protocols. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein said initiating a call sequence comprises: opening both an audio channel for exchanging audio data with said telephone handset and a video channel for exchanging video data with video input and output devices when said telephone handset is off-hook; opening an audio and video channel with a network; and transceiving said audio data and said video data over said audio and video channel during said audio and video communication session.