Abstract:
A method, system, and computer program product for using a personal communication device as a microphone in a seminar or conference setting. A client is electrically connected to a PA system and one of many hosts can access the PA system by associating with the client. The association can be transferred by the client or the host. Tokens can be generated for each transfer and a map can be created and stored.

Description:
REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS FOR PATENT 
       [0001]    The present Application for Patent is related to the following co-pending U.S. Patent Applications: 
         [0002]    “Wireless Architecture for a Traditional Wire-Based Protocol”, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/179,411, filed Jul. 24, 2008, which claims priority to “Wireless Architecture for a Traditional Wire-Based Protocol”, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/951,919 filed Jul. 25, 2007; 
         [0003]    “Apparatus and Methods for Establishing Client-Host Associations Within a Wireless Network”, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/098,025, filed Apr. 4, 2008; and 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    1. Field 
         [0005]    The presently claimed invention relates generally to communication systems, and more specifically to a method, system, and computer program product for using a personal communication device, such as a mobile phone, as a public address microphone in a local area network. 
         [0006]    2. Background 
         [0007]    During a seminar or conference, one or more speakers give out speeches to the audience in a conference or lecture hall. Usually, a cordless/corded microphone is used during such speeches. The speakers would rotate the microphone to the next speaker. Also, if anyone in the audience has questions or comments, a microphone is rotated amongst the audience. At times, meeting coordinators end up running around to hand over microphones to the audience and/or speakers. In the alternative, several microphones are located in the audience area and they are manually activated for speakers based on the closest microphone to the chosen speaker. Thus, a system is necessary to simplify the process and to avoid the use of specific microphone devices and use devices that most users already have in their possession to replace and use in lieu of the specific microphone devices. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Aspects disclosed herein address the above stated needs by a user using his/her Personal Communication Device (PCD) as a public addressing microphone. Presently, almost everyone uses personal devices for communication. The presently claimed invention solves the above problem using a personal communication device, such as a cellular phone as a microphone for public addressing during a public gathering such as seminar, conference, or the like. While this proposal focuses on using wireless devices for this solution, it is also possible to implement a similar solution using fixed or wired communication devices and a network. 
         [0009]    In a first aspect of the claimed invention a client is electrically connected to a PA system and is associated with a host. In a second aspect, a first host is associated with the client, and a second host is granted permission to transfer the association to the second host. The permission can be granted by the client or the first host. In a third aspect, the client is configured to associate with a first host and a second host requests the association. The first host can grant the association by generating a permission whereby the association is handed over to the second host. The permission can be granted for a specific amount of time or terminated at the will of the first host. A token can be generated each time the association is transferred and a map can be generated and stored for the association transfer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary system using the presently claimed invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is chart showing the operation of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any aspect described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects. 
         [0013]    This scheme allows any user to use his/her PCD as a public addressing microphone.  FIG. 1  shows an exemplary system using the presently claimed invention. As in most public address (PA) systems, at least one output audio speaker  10  is connected  12  to a back end of PA system  14 . This connection can be of any type of connection known in the art, including but not limited to electrical connections, optical connections and the like. Client  16  is the entity that provides audio feed  18  to back-end PA system  14 . As shown, client  16  has an antenna or transceiver system  20  to receive and transmit data to hosts. The hosts in this exemplary aspect include Designated Host_ 1   22 , Designated Host_ 2   22 ′ and Designated Host_ 3   22 ″, which are designated as the speakers, and Non-Designated Host_ 4   24  and Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′, which are not designated as the speakers, hence the audience. Each of the hosts has a host antenna or transceiver system  26  for receiving and transmitting data to client  16 , during Association  1   28  and Association  2   30 . The operation of the system is described below. 
       Operation 
       [0014]    Event coordinator may configure a client to designate the one or more users&#39; PCDs as masters. The devices configured as master would have more control and privileges on the back-end PA system. Henceforth, devices configured as masters are called designated hosts, whereas, other devices are called non-designated hosts. Non-designated hosts access the PA system at the will of the designated hosts. In the speaker-audience usage scenario, speakers&#39; devices act as designated hosts, whereas, audiences&#39; devices act as non-designated hosts. While this disclosure suggests use of designated and non-designated hosts in speaker-audience scenario, it is also possible to have one or all non-designated hosts, one designated host or all designated hosts. In case of the all non-designated hosts, predetermined criteria can be used to select the host that can use the PA system. The client may participate in making such decisions. 
         [0015]    The operation of the claimed system is shown in  FIG. 2 . In a first aspect, an event coordinator configures client  16  to designate Designated Host_ 3   22 ″ as one of the speakers. Designated Host_ 3   22 ″ establishes an Association  1   28  with client  16 , when Designated Host_ 3   22 ″ wants to access PA system  14 . Client  16  is the entity that provides the audio feed to the back-end PA system  14  (e.g., amplifier, audio speakers). When the current speaker, Designated Host_ 3   22 ″, is done speaking or using PA system  14 , he may dissociate from client  16 . The scenario for this first aspect ends here. 
         [0016]    However, in a second aspect it is also possible that a next designated speaker, for instance Designated Host_ 2   22 ′ of  FIG. 1 , may take over the association ownership (equivalent to rotating microphone) from the current speaker, Designated Host_ 3   22 ″. The handover of the association ownership is described in co-pending U.S. Patent Application entitled “Apparatus and Methods for Establishing Client-Host Associations Within a Wireless Network”, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/098,025, filed Apr. 4, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference. Once the association is transferred, client  16  maintains the information about the new speaker, Designated Host_ 2   22 ′. This describes a second aspect for the currently claimed invention. 
         [0017]    Referring again to  FIG. 2 , in a third aspect, when a person from the audience Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′ needs to ask a question or make a comment, he/she uses his/her PCD. Upon activation, the PCD makes a request for an Association  2   32  with client  16 . Client  16  in-turn seeks the permission  34  from the speaker currently having the privilege to use the PA system, in this case Designated Host_ 3   22 ″. Speaker, Designated Host_ 3   22 ″, may grant permission to one of the many requesters in the audience, in this case Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′, to access the PA system. This permission may be for a limited duration or open until it is ended either by the speaker, Designated Host_ 3   22 ″, or audience, Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′. If the speaker, Designated Host_ 3   22 ″, grants permission  36 , client  16  generates a token  38  and sends it to the accepted host, in this case Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′. Client  16  also maintains the mapping for current token, the designated host and non-designated host, in this case Designated Host_ 3   22 ″ and Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′. Upon receipt of the token and granted association permission  36 , via establish requested association, and send token  38 , Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′ starts sending the audio data and the assigned token  40  to client  16 . After verifying the token and sender&#39;s identity from the mapping, client  16  feeds the received audio data  42  to the PA system  14 . Hence, the selected person&#39;s question/comment gets aired. When Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′ is done using the PA system, it may terminate the association with client  16 . 
         [0018]    If the speaker, Designated Host_ 3   22 ″, wants to repossess the ownership of PA system  14  at any point, it does so by notifying client  16 . As a result, client  16  purges the token  38  and the host mapping while dissociating from the current non-designated host, Non-designated Host_ 5   24 ′, and hence ends the access permission  36  provided to Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′. 
         [0019]    Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the speaker, Designated Host_ 3   22 ″, may grant access or permission to another audience member, for example Non-Designated Host_ 4   24  even if Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′, is active. In such an event, client  16  generates a new token, overwrites the existing token, updates the host mapping with the Non-Designated Host_ 4   24  identity, releases the association with Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′, the previous non-designated host, and notifies access permission and allocated token to Non-Designated Host_ 4   24 , as previously described in  FIG. 2 . Non-Designated Host_ 4   24  uses the assigned token while sending the audio data to client  16 . Upon successful verification as described above, client  16  feeds the data  42  to PA system  14 . 
         [0020]    If another speaker, for example Designated Host_ 2   22 ′ takes over the association ownership, client  16  confirms the permission from the new designated host, Designated Host_ 2   22 ′, in order to allow current non-designated host, Non-Designated Host_ 5   24 ′, to continue using PA system  14 . If the new designated host, Designated Host_ 2   22 ′, grants the permission, client  16  updates the mapping table using the information from the new designated host, Designated Host_ 2   22 ′. However, if the new designated host, Designated Host_ 2   22 ′ denies the permission, client  16  flushes the token, and the designated and non-designated host mapping while dissociating from the current non-designated host, Non-designated Host_ 5   24 ′. Hence, it stops airing audio data from any non-designated host until new permissions are granted by a new speaker, Designated Host_ 2   22 ′. 
         [0021]    In yet another aspect of the claimed invention, client  16  can directly grant access to PA system  14  without seeking permission from the current host. 
         [0022]    In another aspect, client  16 , when associated with a designated host, may notify the requester (i.e. audience) that it (client  16 ) would callback when the response is received from the current designated host. 
         [0023]    In yet another aspect, client  16  may store the requests from the multiple users from the audience (non-designated hosts) along with their profile. It may then forward each of the received requests to the speaker (i.e. designated host) sequentially or using a predetermined priority criteria. Client  16  may filter out one or more requests using a predetermined criteria and profile information of the requesting user from the audience. 
         [0024]    Those of skill in the art would understand that information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof. 
         [0025]    Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein, and which may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the presently claimed invention. 
         [0026]    The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. 
         [0027]    The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor, such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal. 
         [0028]    The previous description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the presently claimed invention. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention. Thus, the presently claimed invention is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.