PAIRING DEVICES OF A CONFERENCING SYSTEM

A videoconferencing system has a videoconferencing unit (100) that uses portable devices (50) as peripherals for the system. The portable devices (50) obtain near-end audio and send the audio to the videoconferencing unit (100) via a wireless connection (134). In turn, the videoconferencing unit (100) sends the near-end audio from the loudest portable device (50) along with near-end video to the far-end (30). The portable devices (50) can control the videoconferencing unit (100) and can initially establish the videoconference by connecting with the far-end (30) and then transferring operations to the videoconferencing unit (100). To pair the portable devices (50) with the videoconferencing unit (100), the videoconferencing unit (100) outputs, in an imperceptible acoustic beacon, connection information. The videoconferencing unit (100) is connected to the portable devices (50) by receiving a response from the portable devices (50). The response is based on the portable devices (50) using the output connection information and requesting connection of the portable devices (50) to the videoconferencing unit (100).