Patent ID: 8842152

Claim:
A collaboration apparatus comprising: a speaker; a video camera; a plurality of audio receivers; a transfer port connected to a network; a display having a touch screen interface; a port connected to a projector or monitor; a light-emitting diode ring; at least one processor; and a memory operatively coupled to said processor, said memory storing program instructions that when executed by said processor, causes said processor to: provide a graphical user interface on said display for managing a conference; administer said conference through said touch screen interface on said display using said graphical user interface; receive pre-recorded audio and video from at least one file; receive live audio and video through said transfer port connected to said network from at least one remote device; provide said pre-recorded audio from said at least one file and said live audio from said at least one remote device to said speaker; receive live audio from said plurality of audio receivers; provide said pre-recorded audio from said at least one file and said live audio from said plurality of audio receivers through said transfer port connected to said network to said at least one remote device; receive live video from said video camera; provide said live video from said video camera and live video from said at least one remote device and said pre-recorded video from said at least one file over said port connected to said projector or monitor; provide said pre-recorded video from said at least one file and said live video from said video camera through said transfer port connected to said network to said at least one remote device; at a first time, illuminate a portion of said light-emitting diode ring in a direction where said audio from said plurality of audio receivers is received; and at a second time, illuminate at least a portion of said light-emitting diode ring in a pattern and color to indicate a call state of said collaboration apparatus.