Combined Virtual Environment for Remote Work Context
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Solution Overview
Problem
In remote working setups, it is challenging to effectively communicate and interact with coworkers between meetings, and there is a lack of a nuanced view of coworkers' availability, as current virtual status indicators are limited and not always accurate.
Innovation Solution
A server device and method that generate a combined virtual environment by associating data from multiple locations, providing a more accurate representation of coworkers' locations and activities, allowing for improved interactions and communication by displaying a virtual combination of different locations, including their availability and context.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If virtual status indicators are used to show coworker availability, then communication between meetings is enabled, but the accuracy and nuance of availability information is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple data sources including location data, activity data, and status indicators into a unified virtual environment representation. This merging of disparate information sources provides a more comprehensive and accurate view of coworker availability beyond simple status indicators.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds spatial and contextual dimensions to availability information by creating a virtual environment that represents physical locations and activities. This transforms one-dimensional status indicators into multi-dimensional contextual information including location, activity state, and environmental context.
2Loss of information
If multiple data sources are integrated to improve availability accuracy, then information completeness improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual environment serves multiple functions simultaneously: it displays location information, activity status, availability indicators, and contextual information about coworkers. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single unified platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual environment as an intermediary layer between raw data sources and user interaction. This intermediary processes and synthesizes multiple data sources into a coherent representation, simplifying the complexity for end users while maintaining information completeness.
Data Source
AI summary
A server device is configured to provide a combined environment and includes processor circuitry configured to determine first parameters indicative of a first location, generate first environment data indicative of the first location, determine second parameters indicative of a second location, and associate the second parameters with the first environment data for providing combined environment data, and output the combined environment data.