Oral and video proceedings collection and transcription device

Abstract

A system that enables remote participation in a live proceeding includes a first computer configured to transmit and receive audio and video data with a second computer through a network. An audio mixer is configured to combine a first audio signal received from a microphone with a second audio signal received from the first computer to provide a third audio signal. A capture device is coupled to the audio mixer and to the first computer. The capture device is configured to receive the third audio signal from the audio mixer and a video signal from a video camera coupled to the capture device, and to process the third audio signal and the video signal such that audio and video data of the third audio signal and the video signal may be stored in a computer readable storage medium.

1 . A system enabling remote participation in a live proceeding, comprising:
 a first computer configured to transmit and receive audio and video data with a second computer through a network;   an audio mixer configured to combine a first audio signal received from a microphone with a second audio signal received from the first computer to provide a third audio signal; and   a capture device coupled to the audio mixer and to the first computer, the capture device configured to
 receive the third audio signal from the audio mixer and a video signal from a video camera coupled to the capture device, and 
 process the third audio signal and the video signal such that audio and video data of the third audio signal and the video signal may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the capture device is configured to pause processing of the audio and video data without interrupting the transmission and receipt of audio and video data between the deposition system and the second computer through the network. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a display coupled to the first computer for displaying video data received from the second computer to a user of the first computer. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a splitter having an input coupled to an audio output of the first computer, a first output coupled to an input of the audio mixer, and a second output coupled to a speaker. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a splitter having an input coupled to an output of the microphone, a first output coupled to an input of the audio mixer, and a second output coupled to an audio input of the first computer. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second audio signal received from the first computer is received by the first computer by way of the network from a second microphone directly coupled to the second computer. 
     
     
         7 . A system enabling remote participation in a live proceeding, comprising:
 a computing device including a processor and a computer readable storage medium in communication with the processor, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in the computer readable storage medium;   a first audio splitter having a microphone coupled to a first input, a first output of the first audio splitter coupled to an audio input of the computing device, and a second output of the first audio splitter coupled to a first input of an audio mixer;   a second audio splitter having an input coupled to an audio output of the computing device, a first output of the second audio splitter coupled to a speaker, and a second output of the second audio splitter coupled to a second input of the audio mixer, the audio mixer configured to combine a first audio signal received from the microphone and a second audio signal received from the audio output of the computing device into a third audio signal; and   an audio and video capture device coupled to the computing device, to an output of the audio mixer, and to an output of a video camera, the audio and video capture device configured to receive and process a video signal from the video camera and the third audio signal from the audio mixer such that data comprising the video and third audio signals may be stored in the computer readable storage medium.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the computing device includes a network interface through which the audio and video system is configured to communicate with a remotely located computer. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the audio and video capture device is configured to pause recording of the third audio signal and the video signal without interrupting communication between the audio and video communication system and the remotely located computer to which the audio and video communication system is connected. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the computing device includes encoding software stored in the computer readable storage medium for encoding audio and video data. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the computing device is configured to transmit audio and video data received from the microphone and the video camera to a computer coupled to the audio and video communication system through a network. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device is configured to receive audio and video data from the computer and output the audio data to the second splitter and the video data to a monitor coupled to the computing device in real time. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device is configured to transmit the audio and video data received from the microphone and video camera to the computer in real time. 
     
     
         14 . A method of communicating and recording a live proceeding, comprising:
 establishing a network connection to a computer disposed at a remote location;   receiving first audio data from the computer through the network connection;   outputting the first audio data received from the computer to a speaker and to a sound mixer;   outputting second audio data received from a microphone to the sound mixer;   outputting an audio signal from the sound mixer to an audio and video capture device, the audio signal including a combination of the first and second audio data; and   storing video data received from a video camera and the combination of the first and second audio data in a computer readable storage medium.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving video data from the computer;   outputting the video data to a display; and   displaying an image on the display.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving a signal from a user to cease storing the video data and the combination of the first and second audio data in the computer readable storage medium; and   ceasing to store the video data and the combination of the first and second audio data in the computer readable storage medium in response to receiving the signal,   wherein the network connection with the computer including the transmission of audio and video data is maintained during cessation of the storing of the video data and the combination of the first and second audio data.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 receiving a second signal from a user to restart storing the video data and the combination of the first and second audio data in the computer readable storage medium; and   storing the video data and the combination of the first and second audio data in the computer readable storage medium in response to receiving the second signal.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first audio data is output to the speaker and to the audio mixer from a first audio splitter coupled to an audio output of a computer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising transmitting audio and video data to the computer through the network connection. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second audio data received from the microphone is output to the audio mixer through a splitter that also outputs the second audio data to an audio input port of a computer.