Videoconferencing Equipment Assembly and Related Methods

Abstract

An assembly of videoconferencing equipment includes a flat panel display, a structure mounting the flat panel display to a support surface, and videoconferencing equipment mounted to the structure. The structure and the videoconferencing equipment mounted to the structure are substantially concealed from view by the flat panel display from a front side of the flat panel display.

1 . An assembly of videoconferencing equipment, the assembly comprising:
 a flat panel display;   a structure mounting the flat panel display to a support surface; and   videoconferencing equipment mounted to the structure;   wherein the structure and the videoconferencing equipment mounted to the structure are substantially concealed from view by the flat panel display from a front side of the flat panel display.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the structure includes an equipment rack having the videoconferencing equipment mounted thereto, and a bracket mounting the flat panel display to the support surface. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the bracket is configured to allow the flat panel display to be pulled away from the support surface and the equipment rack to provide access to the equipment mounted to the rack. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the equipment rack includes a fan and/or temperature sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the videoconferencing equipment includes one or more standard rack mountable pieces. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the support surface is a substantially flat wall without openings for receiving videoconferencing equipment. 
     
     
         7 . A videoconferencing system comprising the assembly of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . A method of installing videoconferencing equipment, the method comprising:
 mounting a structure to a support surface;   mounting a flat panel display to the structure; and   mounting videoconferencing equipment to the structure so that the flat panel display substantially conceals the equipment and structure when viewed from a front side of the flat panel display.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein mounting the structure comprises mounting a bracket and an equipment rack to the support surface. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein mounting the flat panel display comprises mounting the flat panel display on the bracket. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein mounting the videoconferencing equipment comprises mounting the videoconferencing equipment to the equipment rack. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising pulling the mounted flat panel display away from the support surface to provide access to the videoconferencing equipment mounted to the equipment rack. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , performed without mounting a piece of the videoconferencing equipment in a wall cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising mounting the videoconferencing equipment in one or more standard-sized rack units between the display and the support surface, in an equipment rack of the structure. 
     
     
         15 . An assembly of videoconferencing equipment, the assembly comprising:
 an equipment rack and a bracket mounted through the equipment rack to a support surface;   a flat panel display mounted to the bracket; and   videoconferencing equipment mounted to the rack;   wherein the rack and the videoconferencing equipment mounted thereto are substantially concealed from view by the flat panel display from a front side of the flat panel display.   
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the support surface is a substantially flat wall without openings for receiving videoconferencing equipment. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the bracket is configured to allow the flat panel display to be pulled away from the support surface and the equipment rack to provide access to the equipment mounted to the rack. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the equipment rack includes a fan and/or temperature sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the videoconferencing equipment comprises one or more standard rack mountable pieces. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the videoconferencing equipment comprises a codec, a controller, and/or a video/content receiver.