Portable devices as videoconferencing peripherals

A programmable storage device having program instructions stored thereon for causing a programmable control device to perform a videoconferencing method, the method comprising:

• connecting a portable device in a videoconference connection to a far-end;
• outputting at the portable device far-end video and far-end audio received from the far-end via the videoconference connection;
• sending near-end video and near-end audio obtained with the portable device to the far-end via the videoconference connection;
• connecting the portable device in a wireless connection to a videoconferencing unit;
• transferring the videoconference connection from the portable device to the videoconferencing unit, wherein transferring comprises obtaining the near-end audio with a microphone of the portable device and sending the near-end audio via the wireless connection from the portable device to the videoconferencing unit for sending to the far-end;
• and
• cancelling the far-end audio output by a loudspeaker of the videoconferencing unit and present in the near-end audio obtained with the microphone of the portable device.

A portable device, comprising:

• a plurality of interfaces communicatively connecting to a videoconferencing unit, a camera, a first loudspeaker, a display, a microphone, and a far-end;
• and
• a processing unit communicatively connected to the interfaces and configured to:
• connect in a videoconference connection to the far-end;
• output far-end video with the display and far-end audio with the first loudspeaker;
• send near-end video obtained with the camera and near-end audio obtained with the microphone to the far-end via the videoconference connection;
• connect in a wireless connection to the videoconferencing unit;
• obtain the near-end audio with the microphone of the portable device and send the near-end audio via the wireless connection from the portable device to the videoconferencing unit for sending to the far-end to transfer the videoconference connection from the portable device to the videoconferencing unit;
• and
• cancel the far-end audio output by a second loudspeaker of the videoconferencing unit and present in the near-end audio obtained with the microphone of the portable device.

A videoconferencing method, comprising:

• connecting a videoconferencing unit in a videoconference connection to a far-end;
• connecting the videoconferencing unit in a wireless connection to a portable device in an environment of the videoconferencing unit;
• obtaining first audio captured with the videoconferencing unit in the environment;
• sending the first audio to the far-end via the videoconference connection;
• obtaining, at the videoconferencing unit via the wireless connection, second audio captured with the portable device in the environment;
• and
• switching to sending the second audio to the far-end via the videoconference connection when the second audio has a greater level than the first audio.

A programmable storage device having program instructions stored thereon for causing a programmable control device to perform a videoconferencing method, the method comprising:

• connecting a videoconferencing unit in a videoconference connection to a far-end;
• connecting the videoconferencing unit in a wireless connection to a portable device in an environment of the videoconferencing unit;
• obtaining first audio captured with the videoconferencing unit in the environment;
• sending the first audio to the far-end via the videoconference connection;
• obtaining, at the videoconferencing unit via the wireless connection, second audio captured with the portable device in the environment;
• and
• switching to sending the second audio to the far-end via the videoconference connection when the second audio has a greater level than the first audio.

A videoconferencing apparatus, comprising:

• a first microphone for capturing audio of the environment;
• one or more interfaces for communicatively connecting to a portable device and a far-end;
• and
• a processing unit communicatively connected to the first microphone and the one or more interfaces, the processing unit configured to:
• connect in a videoconference connection to the far-end;
• connect in a wireless connection to the portable device in the environment;
• obtain first audio captured with the first microphone;
• send the first audio to the far-end via the videoconference connection;
• obtain, via the wireless connection, second audio captured with the portable device;
• and
• switch to sending the second audio to the far-end via the videoconference connection when the second audio has a greater level than the first audio.