Cloud Video Conferencing System Bridging Protocol Incompatibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current videoconferencing solutions are fragmented and require users to navigate complex trade-offs between price, quality, and compatibility, limiting adoption due to the need for specific hardware and protocols, and lack of seamless communication between disparate systems.

Innovation Solution

A cloud-based Virtual Meeting Room (VMR) system that enables multi-party or point-to-point video conferencing across various proprietary and standards-based endpoints, using a globally distributed infrastructure to process audio and video streams in real-time, allowing for device and protocol-independent communication and transcoding to ensure compatibility and high-quality experiences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If hardware-based videoconferencing systems are used to achieve high-definition quality, then video quality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidhardware requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a cloud-based video conferencing system that acts as an intermediary between users and video communication infrastructure. This cloud system handles all complex hardware requirements, protocol translations, and quality management, allowing users to access high-definition video conferencing through simple software clients without needing complex local hardware equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional hardware-based videoconferencing systems with a software-based cloud platform. Instead of requiring physical video conferencing equipment, the system uses software clients that communicate over standard internet protocols, substituting mechanical hardware dependencies with software-based solutions that achieve comparable or superior video quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If proprietary videoconferencing systems are used to achieve high quality, then video quality is improved, but adaptability to different systems deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidprotocol compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The cloud-based video conferencing system is designed to support multiple protocols and systems simultaneously. It can handle H.323, SIP, WebRTC, and other video conferencing protocols through a single unified platform, allowing different proprietary systems to interoperate without requiring separate specialized infrastructure for each protocol.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The cloud platform serves as a protocol translation intermediary, receiving video conferencing requests from various proprietary systems using different protocols and translating them into a unified internal format. This allows high-quality video communication between systems that would otherwise be incompatible, maintaining both quality and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If expensive hardware systems are deployed to achieve low latency, then video quality is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevideo qualityVSAvoidcapital investment
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The cloud-based system automatically manages video conferencing resources, quality optimization, and infrastructure maintenance without requiring significant capital investment from individual organizations. The service handles scaling, quality management, and latency optimization automatically, allowing businesses to access enterprise-grade video conferencing as a pay-as-you-go service rather than through expensive hardware purchases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Adaptability or versatility

If complex provisioning arrangements are implemented to set up videoconferencing, then system capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem capabilityVSAvoidsetup complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The video conferencing system automatically provisions and configures itself based on user input. When users initiate a video call, the cloud platform automatically handles protocol selection, quality parameter configuration, and resource allocation without requiring users to understand or configure these technical parameters. This maintains high system capability while dramatically simplifying user interaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2569940B8System for novel interactions with participants in videoconference meetings
Publication Date: 2019.10.02 BLUE JEANS NETWORK INC

AI summary

A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support the operation of a Virtual Media Room or Virtual Meeting Room (VMR), wherein each VMR can accept from a plurality of participants at different geographic locations a variety of video conferencing feeds of audio and video streams from video conference endpoints. The approach provides various ways for the participants to the video conference to access, control, and interact with each other during the conference for a customized personal experience. A globally distributed infrastructure supports the sharing of the event among the participants at geographically distributed locations through a plurality of MCUs (Multipoint Control Unit), each configured to process the plurality of audio and video streams from the plurality of video conference endpoints in real time.