# US 9,521,361 B2 · Conference device

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- Number: US 9,521,361 B2
- Document ID: US9521361B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/613,758
- Filed: 2015-02-04
- Published: 2015-05-28
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2011-04-28
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Inventors: Ryota Yano
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9521361B2

## CPC

- H04N 7/142: {Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display}
- H04M 1/02: Constructional features of telephone sets
- 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)}
- H04N 7/147: {Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q)}
- H04N 7/15: Conference systems
- H04N 23/51: Housings
- 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}
- H04N 2007/145: {Handheld terminals}
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A conference device receives and transmits at least one of images and voice via a communication network. The conference device includes a housing having an upper wall; and an operating unit installed on the upper wall. The operating unit includes a first operating member group made up of a plurality of operating members, and at least one different operating member that has a lower frequency of usage as compared to each of the plurality of operating members of the first operating member group. The plurality of operating members of the first operating member group are arranged in a first direction along a top face of the upper wall. The at least one different operating member is disposed, along with one of the plurality of operating members of the first operating member group, in a second direction that runs along the top face and that intersects with the first direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a housing; and
an operating unit provided on a tilted surface of the housing that is tilted relative to a bottom surface of the housing, the operating unit including a first operating member, a second operating member, and a spacer disposed in between the first operating member and the second operating member,
wherein the second operating member seamlessly surrounds the first operating member, and
the spacer is separate from and fixed to the housing while abutting each of the first operating member and the second operating member without being fixed to either of the first operating member and the second operating member, and
the spacer has different heights depending on a height of the tilted surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first operating member and the second operating member differ in function.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is disposed so as to surround the first operating member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the spacer has a cylindrical portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first operating member is inserted in the spacer from a bottom of the spacer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second operating member is disposed so as to surround spacer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second operating member has a cylindrical portion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cylindrical portion has a top face of an outer circumference thereof higher than a top face of the spacer and has a top face of an inner circumference thereof tilted to be lower in height toward the spacer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein apparatus is a conference device configured to transmit and receive at least one of images and voice via a communication network.