Collaboration Platform Image Buffer Control for Moderated Content Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current digital collaboration systems lack the ability to moderate content flow effectively, leading to uncontrolled sharing of information during real-time interactions, which can distract participants and hinder focused discussions or lessons.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that control image buffers to manage content flow, allowing for moderation by hiding or displaying buffer content on nodes, enabling parallel processing without display, and composing content from multiple sources for unified sharing, using state variables to define different working modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If content is shared freely among all participants in real-time collaboration, then ease of sharing and collaboration is improved, but control over content flow and participant attention deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of sharing contentVSAvoidcontrol over content flow
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system (the collaboration platform with image buffer control mechanisms) that mediates between content sources and participants. The platform controls which content from which participant is displayed to whom, enabling both free sharing and controlled flow through a central coordinating layer rather than direct peer-to-peer sharing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If all participants can share and display content simultaneously, then collaboration versatility is improved, but distraction and loss of focus in discussions worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollaboration optionsVSAvoidparticipant distraction
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts content visibility and flow based on the current collaboration mode. Different predefined modes (e.g., presentation mode, discussion mode, breakout room mode) enable the system to adapt its behavior - controlling what content is displayed and to whom - thereby maintaining versatility while preventing distraction through context-appropriate content management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If multiple image buffers are used for parallel processing, then processing efficiency is improved, but system complexity worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparallel processing capabilityVSAvoidimage buffer management
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments content processing into multiple image buffers (e.g., primary buffer, secondary buffer, preview buffer) that can operate in parallel. Each buffer handles specific tasks independently, enabling efficient parallel processing while the segmentation itself provides a structured framework that manages complexity through clear separation of concerns

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Loss of information

If content is displayed on all participant devices, then information accessibility is improved, but network bandwidth and system resources worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation accessibilityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly distributing all content to all participants, the system applies local quality control by sending different content streams to different participants based on their roles and the current mode. For example, the presenter receives full-quality content while other participants receive optimized streams, reducing overall network bandwidth consumption while maintaining necessary information accessibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3427459B1Collaboration platform having moderated content flow
Publication Date: 2021.06.02 BARCO NV
  • EP3427459B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3427459B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b
  • EP3427459B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A system and method for digital collaboration are described wherein a primary node and at least one secondary node are provided connected over a local area network, at least one computing device having a display output, and a control service, where each node is connected to at least one dedicated display device, and each node having at least two image buffers each image buffer having buffered content. For each node, the selection of which buffer content of an image buffer is displayed onto the dedicated display depends on a state variable of the control service.