Method, device, and system for managing a conference

A method for managing a teleconference, comprising:

• logging in of mobile devices located in a same conference environment for use in the conference environment during a teleconference, the mobile devices comprising a first mobile device, and a second mobile device;
• managing speakers of the logged in mobile devices to utilize the speakers of the logged in mobile devices in the conference environment for output of audio during the teleconference by a speaker management process, the speaker management process comprising:
• after the logging in of the first and second mobile devices, determining speaker capabilities of the first and second mobile devices via a local media controller communicating with the first and second mobile devices;
• assigning roles to the first and second mobile devices for utilization of a first speaker of the first mobile device and a second speaker of the second mobile device during the teleconference via wireless communication with the local media controller, the roles being assigned such that the first speaker is assigned to a first channel for output of audio of the teleconference in the conference environment during the teleconference and the second speaker is assigned to a second channel for output of audio of the teleconference audio in the conference environment during the teleconference;
• managing microphones of the logged in mobile devices to utilize the microphones of the logged in mobile devices in the conference environment to generate a three dimensional microphone field for recording of audio via the microphones during the teleconference for transmission of the recorded audio for the teleconference, wherein the managing of the microphones of the logged in mobile devices comprises using a first microphone of the first mobile device and a second microphone of the second mobile device to form the three dimensional microphone field for recording of the audio via the microphones during the teleconference for transmission of the recorded audio for the teleconference;
• using the three dimensional microphone field to both (i) locate and spatially separate sound sources in the conference environment and (ii) spatially organize sound signals illustrated in a virtual conference room representing the conference environment;
• and
• utilizing at least one camera within the conference environment to identify positions and orientations of the logged in mobile devices within the conference environment;
• wherein the assigning of the roles to the first and second mobile devices for utilization of the first speaker and the second speaker during the teleconference is based on the positions and orientations of the first mobile device and the second mobile device identified via utilization of the at least one camera.

A communication system comprising:

• a local teleconference control positionable in a conference environment configured to communicate with a plurality of mobile devices within the conference environment;
• the local teleconference control configured to log in the mobile devices within the conference environment for use in the conference environment during a teleconference, the mobile devices comprising a first mobile device and a second mobile device;
• the local teleconference control configured to manage:
• (a) speakers of the logged in mobile devices to utilize the speakers of the logged in mobile devices in the conference environment for output of audio of the teleconference in the conference environment during the teleconference by a speaker management process comprising:
• after the logging in of the first and second mobile devices, determining speaker capabilities of the first and second mobile devices and assigning roles to the first and second mobile devices for utilization of a first speaker of the first mobile device and a second speaker of the second mobile device during the teleconference such that the roles are assigned so that the first speaker is assigned to a first channel for output of audio in the conference environment during the teleconference and the second speaker is assigned to a second channel for output of audio in the conference environment during the teleconference,
• (b) the microphones of the logged in mobile devices in the conference environment to utilize the microphones to generate a three dimensional microphone field for recording of audio during the teleconference via the microphones for transmission of the recorded audio for the teleconference and to both (i) locate and spatially separate sound sources in the conference environment and (ii) spatially organize sound signals illustrated in a virtual conference room representing the conference environment, wherein management of the microphones of the logged in mobile devices in the conference environment includes using a first microphone of the first mobile device and a second microphone of the second mobile device to form the three dimensional microphone field for recording and transmission of the audio during the teleconference, and
• (c) cameras of the mobile devices to utilize the cameras of the logged in mobile devices in the conference environment to record video during the teleconference by a camera management process comprising identifying (i) positions and (ii) orientations of the logged in mobile devices to position the cameras of the logged in mobile devices in a camera array to be utilized for recording video within the conference environment to be transmitted during the teleconference;
• and
• wherein the assigning of the roles to the first and second mobile devices for utilization of the first speaker and the second speaker during the teleconference is based on the positions and orientations of the first mobile device and the second mobile device identified via utilization of the cameras.

A method for managing a teleconference, comprising:

• managing speakers of logged in mobile devices by a local media controller to utilize the speakers of the logged in mobile devices in a conference environment for output of audio during the teleconference by a speaker management process, the speaker management process comprising:
• after the logging in of the first and second mobile devices, determining speaker capabilities of the first and second mobile devices via the local media controller communicating with the first and second mobile devices, and
• assigning roles to the first and second mobile devices for utilization of a first speaker of the first mobile device and a second speaker of the second mobile device during the teleconference via the local media controller, the roles being assigned such that the first speaker is assigned to a first channel for output of audio of the teleconference in the conference environment during the teleconference and the second speaker is assigned to a second channel for output of audio of the teleconference in the conference environment during the teleconference;
• managing cameras of the logged in mobile devices by the local media controller to utilize the cameras of the logged in mobile devices in the conference environment for recording of video during the teleconference by a camera management process, the camera management process comprising:
• identifying (i) positions and (ii) orientations of the logged in mobile devices to position the cameras of the logged in mobile devices in a camera array to be utilized for recording video within the conference environment to be transmitted during the teleconference;
• wherein the assigning of the roles to the first and second mobile devices for utilization of the first speaker and the second speaker during the teleconference is based on the positions and orientations of the first mobile device and the second mobile device identified via utilization of the cameras;
• managing microphones of the logged in mobile devices by the local media controller to utilize the microphones of the logged in mobile devices in the conference environment for recording of audio in the conference environment during the teleconference by a microphone management process, the microphone management process comprising:
• testing each of the logged in mobile devices individually to identify a position in an audio pattern of audio data recorded by the microphones of the mobile devices to be output as an audio output feed for the teleconference,
• utilizing the microphones of the logged in mobile devices in the conference environment to generate a three dimensional microphone field for recording of audio via the microphones during the teleconference for transmission of the recorded audio for the teleconference, a first microphone of the first mobile device and a second microphone of the second mobile device being utilized to generate the three dimensional microphone field, and
• using the three dimensional microphone field to both (i) locate and spatially separate sound sources in the conference environment and (ii) spatially organize sound signals illustrated in a virtual conference room representing the conference environment.