Automatically joining devices to a video conference

Abstract

The present technology allow for a user's portable device to automatically join a videoconference without any action by a user. A collaboration service can be aware of portable devices in a conference room that is an endpoint for a video conference, and learn of identities associated with the portable devices present in the conference room. After the video conference is initiated in the conference room, all devices that are in communication with the collaboration service can also be automatically joined to the conference. Since all conference participants in the conference room have their own portable device that is joined to the conference the portable devices in the conference room act as a second screen available to the video conference. As such video from the conference can be directed to a common conference room display, while conference materials can be displayed separately on the portable devices. Additionally, each conference participant's identity can be added to a conference participant roster automatically.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, at a collaboration service, information regarding a conference, the conference to include content with at least audio and video;   receiving a request to initiate the conference from a first device, the conference associated with a second device; and   joining the second device to the conference, the second device joined to receive a portion of the content.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the second device is automatically joined to the conference upon learning the first device is joined to the conference. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the second device is paired with a conference room device. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first device is a conference room device. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first device is a portable computing device associated with a conference participant. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the request to initiate the conference occurs prior to the receiving of the information. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 upon determining the second device is no longer paired to the conference, presenting a prompt asking whether the conference should be continued or ended.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending a conference roster with information indicating the first device and the second device are in a same location.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the content includes conference materials. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the content includes the video. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 simultaneously sending video of a speaker and conference materials.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 presenting a prompt to the second device requesting confirmation that the second device should be joined to the conference.   
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, the instructions effective to cause a computing system to:
 receive information regarding a conference, the conference to include content with at least audio and video;   receive a request to initiate the conference from a first device, the conference associated with a second device; and   join the second device to the conference, the second device joined to receive a portion of the content.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing system to modify a conference roster when the second device is joined to the conference. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the portion of the content includes the video. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing system to simultaneously send the video to the second device and to a display in a conference room. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 one or more conference services configured to:   receive information regarding a conference, the conference to include content with at least audio and video,   receive a request to initiate the conference from a first device, the conference associated with a second device, and   join the second device to the conference, the second device joined to receive a portion of the content.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more conference services are further configured to add the first device to a conference roster of the conference. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more conference services are further configured to, upon determining the second device is no longer joined to the conference send a prompt asking whether the conference should be continued or ended. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more conference services are further configured to simultaneously send video to the second device and to a display in a conference room.