Aggregated Window Controller for Simultaneous Multi-App Sharing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Collaboration applications like Zoom and Microsoft Teams require presenters to tediously switch between windows during meetings, risking the sharing of confidential information when sharing the entire desktop and complicating window management, especially when trying to share multiple applications simultaneously.

Innovation Solution

A multiple window sharing controller creates an aggregated window that includes content from multiple applications, allowing presenters to select and manage multiple windows for sharing without modifying the collaboration application's screen sharing functionality, enabling simultaneous sharing of multiple windows.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the presenter shares the entire desktop, then all content is visible to participants, but confidential information may be exposed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of contentVSAvoidexposure of confidential information

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the desktop into multiple selectable window regions, allowing the presenter to share only specific application windows rather than the entire desktop. This segmentation enables selective visibility where only intended content is shared while confidential areas remain private.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the presenter shares a single window, then confidential information is protected, but switching between multiple windows is tedious

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of confidential informationVSAvoidtime to switch windows

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple individual window sharing operations into a single multi-window sharing session. The presenter can select multiple windows simultaneously and share them together, eliminating the need to repeatedly stop and start sharing when switching between windows.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows dynamic addition and removal of windows from the shared set during an active sharing session. The presenter can add new windows to share or remove windows from the shared set without interrupting the overall sharing process, enabling flexible window management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If the presenter positions another window over the shared window, then multitasking is enabled, but the shared content shows gray or black boxes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to multitaskVSAvoidquality of shared content

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the display into multiple independent window regions that can be positioned independently. When windows are overlapped, each window's content is captured and displayed separately in the shared view, preventing gray or black boxes from appearing and maintaining content quality while allowing multitasking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If the presenter manages the shared window and another window simultaneously, then multitasking is enabled, but window management becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemultitasking capabilityVSAvoiddifficulty of window management

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary layer that manages multiple window shares. This intermediary handles the complexity of coordinating multiple windows, capturing their content, and presenting them in a unified shared view, allowing the presenter to manage windows intuitively without dealing with the underlying complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11847474B2Simultaneously sharing multiple windows via a collaboration application

Publication Date: 2023.12.19 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

Multiple windows can be simultaneously shared via a collaboration application. A multiple window sharing controller can be employed on an end user device to enable the user to create an aggregated window that includes windows of multiple applications running on the end user device. The multiple window sharing controller can cause this aggregated window to appear as an active window on the end user device. Therefore, when a collaboration application presents windows that the user can select to be shared during a meeting, the aggregated window will be included.