US Patent 9699411 Integration of videoconferencing with interactive electronic whiteboard appliances

An interactive whiteboard appliance includes the capability to integrate and manage, in a user-friendly manner, interactive electronic whiteboard sessions and videoconferencing sessions between the interactive whiteboard appliance and one or more client devices. An application manager executing on the interactive whiteboard appliance manages an interactive whiteboard application and a collaboration client executing on the interactive whiteboard appliance to maintain a videoconferencing session window on top of an interactive whiteboard session window during videoconferencing sessions. The application manager also provides graphical user interface controls displayed on the interactive whiteboard appliance that allow users to initiate and manage interactive electronic whiteboard sessions and videoconferencing sessions, including switching between interactive electronic whiteboard sessions and videoconferencing sessions. The approach may be implemented on interactive whiteboard appliances that are not natively configured to allow users to select and/or switch control between an interactive whiteboard session window and a videoconferencing session window.