Composite Window Collection for Multi-User Collaboration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing computer network communication technologies face challenges in facilitating simultaneous multi-user screen and window sharing due to differences in user devices' capabilities, such as operating systems, video resolutions, and network connection speeds, which complicates collaboration among remote workers.

Innovation Solution

A system that hosts a composite window collection for a group of collaborators, where individual windows are controlled and observed from different computers connected via a network, with a collaboration server managing quality levels and metadata to optimize window sharing and recording, allowing users to filter and replay collaboration sessions based on metadata criteria.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If simultaneous multi-user screen and window sharing is implemented, then collaboration efficiency is improved, but device compatibility and system complexity worsen due to different operating systems, video resolutions, and network connection speeds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollaboration efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that receives screen content from multiple users, standardizes the content format, and distributes it to all participants. This mediator handles the complexity of compatibility across different operating systems and device capabilities, allowing users to collaborate efficiently without directly managing the technical differences between their devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts video resolution, frame rate, and quality parameters based on each user's network connection speed and device capabilities. The server modifies content parameters in real-time to ensure optimal performance across diverse devices, resolving the contradiction between high collaboration efficiency and device compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If composite window collection is hosted for multiple collaborators, then window sharing capability is improved, but network bandwidth consumption and data transmission complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewindow sharing capabilityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of transmitting complete screen recordings of all windows, the system segments and transmits only the specific window content that each user needs to view. The server divides the screen sharing content into discrete window elements and selectively transmits relevant portions to each collaborator, reducing overall network bandwidth consumption while maintaining versatile window sharing capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The server creates a universal composite window collection that can be accessed and viewed by all collaborators simultaneously, regardless of their individual devices or network conditions. This multi-functional approach allows a single standardized stream to serve multiple users with different requirements, reducing total data transmission needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If collaboration recording is formed and stored, then session replay capability is improved, but storage space requirements and data management complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesession replay capabilityVSAvoidstorage space requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and stores only the essential metadata and key interaction data from collaboration sessions, rather than storing complete high-resolution video recordings. By taking out only the critical information needed for replay (such as window states, user actions, and timestamps), the system maintains reliable session replay capability while significantly reducing storage space requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11336704B1Apparatus and method for simultaneous multi-user screen and window sharing, capturing and coordination to form a collaboration recording

Publication Date: 2022.05.17 DATADOG INC

AI summary

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium has instructions executed by a processor to host a composite window collection for a group of collaborators. The composite window collection includes individual windows controlled by individual collaborators and the group of collaborators observe the composite window collection from different computers connected via a network. A composite window collection session recording is formed. The composite window collection session recording is augmented with metadata to form a collaboration recording. Storage rules are applied to the collaboration recording. A request for the collaboration recording is received from a user. The user is prompted for metadata filtering criteria. A filtered collaboration recording is constructed in accordance with the metadata filtering criteria. The filtered collaboration recording is supplied to the user.