Teleconferencing interfaces and controls for paired user computing devices

Abstract

Techniques for providing unified user interfaces among actively paired devices, including that first and second devices are actively paired together at a first time based on a determination that the first device is in physical proximity to the second device when the first and second devices are both authenticated for a same user service account; receiving, at the first time, an indication of an actuation of a first user interface control associated with a teleconferencing session and presented by the first device; and causing, in response the receipt of the indication and the determination that the first and second devices are actively paired together at the first time, a real-time component of the teleconferencing session to be rendered by the second device while a first user associated with the user service account is joined to the teleconferencing session as a participant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A data processing system for controlling a paired set of user devices comprised of a first user device having a first user interface and a second user device having a second user interface, comprising:
 a processor, separate from the first and second user devices, the processor providing a pairing service and a control service; and   a memory in communication with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the data processing system to perform functions of:
 receiving a first indication that a first control on the first user device has been activated via the first user interface to request an action relating to a service; 
 determining, via the pairing service, if the first user device is paired with the second user device; 
 in response to determining that the first user device is currently paired with the second user device, designating, via the control service of the processor, the second user interface of the second user device for providing a display for the requested action in response to the first control made via the first user interface, instead of designating the first user device for displaying the requested action made via the first user interface; and 
 based on the designating of the second user device for providing the display for the requested action, causing the requested action to be displayed at the second user device, not the first user device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The data processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein determining if the first and second user devices are paired includes determining if the first and second user devices are within a predetermined physical proximity of one another. 
     
     
         3 . The data processing system according to  claim 1 , wherein determining if the first and second user devices are paired includes determining if the first and second user devices are associated with a same user account. 
     
     
         4 . The data processing system according to  claim 1 , The data processing system of claim  21 , wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the data processing system to perform the functions of, in response to receiving a second indication from the second user device that the second user device refuses to be designated for providing the display for the requested action, designating the first user device for providing the display for the requested action. 
     
     
         5 . The data processing system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the data processing system to perform a function of updating the second user interface without updating the first user interface in response to the first indication. 
     
     
         6 . The data processing system of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the first user device is eligible to be paired with the second user device includes determining whether a user of the first user device has provided an indication that the first user device is eligible to be paired with the second user device or has provided an indication that the first user device is ineligible to be paired with the second device regardless of whether the first device is in physical proximity to the second device. 
     
     
         7 . The data processing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first indication is a join request for a participant to join a communication session and wherein the action comprises an audiovisual presentation of the participant in the communication session. 
     
     
         8 . The data processing system of  claim 1 , wherein designating the second user device for providing the display for the requested action instead of designating the first user device for providing the display for the requested action comprises designating the second user device to serve as an audiovisual endpoint for the requested action instead of designating the first user device to serve as the audiovisual endpoint. 
     
     
         9 . The data processing system of  claim 1 , wherein the display for the requested action on the second user device is provided while the first user device is providing a display relating to a first application different than a second application pertaining to the requested action. 
     
     
         10 . The data processing system of  claim 9 , wherein the first application is an email application, and the second application is a communication session application. 
     
     
         11 . A method for controlling a paired set of user devices comprised of a first user device having a first user interface and a second user device having a second user interface, via a processor, separate from the first and second user devices, the processor providing a pairing service and a control service, the method comprising:
 receiving a first indication at the control service that a first control on the first user device has been activated via the first user interface to request an action relating to a service;   determining, via the pairing service, if the first user device is paired with the second user device;   in response to determining that the first user device is currently paired with the second user device, designating, via the control service of the processor, the second user interface of the second user device for providing a display for the requested action in response to the first control made via the first user interface, instead of designating the first user device for displaying the requested action made via the first user interface; and   based on the designating of the second user device for providing the display for the requested action, causing the requested action to be displayed at the second user device, not the first user device.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein determining if the first and second user devices are paired includes determining if the first and second user devices are within a predetermined physical proximity of one another. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein determining if the first and second user devices are paired includes determining if the first and second user devices are associated with a same user account. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising receiving a second indication from the second user device that the second user device refuses to be designated as for providing the display for the requested action, designating the first user device for providing the display for the requested action. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising updating the second user interface without updating the first user interface in response to the first indication. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein determining that the first user device is eligible to be paired with the second user device includes determining whether a user of the first user device has provided an indication that the first user device is eligible to be paired with the second user device or has provided an indication that the first user device is ineligible to be paired with the second device regardless of whether the first device is in physical proximity to the second device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first indication is a join request for a participant to join a communication session and wherein the action comprises an audiovisual presentation of the participant in the communication session. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the display for the requested action on the second user device is provided while the first user device is providing a display relating to a first application different than a second application pertaining to the requested action. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first application is an email application, and the second application is a communication session application. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions which, when executed by a processor, having a pairing service and a control service, cause a data processing system to perform functions, for controlling a paired set of user devices comprised of a first user device having a first user interface and a second user device having a second user interface, of:
 receiving a first indication that a first control on the first user device has been activated via the first user interface to request an action relating to a service;   determining, via the pairing service, if the first user device is paired with the second user device;   in response to determining that the first user device is currently paired with the second user device, designating, via the control service of the processor, the second user interface of the second user device for providing a display for the requested action in response to the first control made via the first user interface, instead of designating the first user device for displaying the requested action made via the first user interface; and   based on the designating of the second user device for providing the display for the requested action, causing the requested action to be displayed at the second user device, not the first user device.