Concurrent Secondary Communication Session Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic communication sessions do not allow for seamless secondary private communication within a primary session, leading to negative user experiences due to the need to pause or hold the primary session, complicate private discussions, and expose private conversations to unintended participants.
Innovation Solution
A system that enables a server to identify and manage a subset of devices for a secondary communication session within a primary session, reducing the primary session's output volume and disabling microphones on participating devices until the secondary session is terminated, allowing concurrent participation in both sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If users pause or hold the primary electronic communication session to conduct private discussions, then privacy is maintained, but the primary session is interrupted and participants must wait
Solution Approach 1:
The communication session is segmented into multiple concurrent sessions: a primary session for group discussion and secondary sessions for private conversations. The server divides the participant group into different session contexts, allowing simultaneous participation in both public and private communications without interruption to either.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a temporal dimension by enabling overlapping communication sessions. Instead of sequential private conversations (one after another), the system allows multiple communication layers to exist simultaneously - participants can be in the primary session while also engaging in secondary private sessions, effectively using time as an additional dimension for communication organization.
2Loss of information
If users initiate a separate secondary electronic communication session for private matters, then privacy is achieved, but the process becomes more difficult and complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the functionality of primary and secondary sessions into a unified communication platform managed by the server. Instead of requiring users to manually end one session and start another, the system combines multiple session types within a single application context, automatically managing session creation, participant routing, and resource allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as an intermediary that automatically manages the complexity of session establishment. When a user requests a private conversation, the server handles participant identification, session creation, audio routing, and microphone management without requiring the user to manually configure these parameters, thereby simplifying the operation.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the primary electronic communication session continues during private discussion, then continuity is maintained, but other participants become aware of the private conversation
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different quality attributes to different communication streams. Audio from the primary session is routed differently than audio from secondary private sessions. Participants in secondary sessions receive muted or suppressed audio from the primary session, while primary session participants do not receive audio from secondary sessions, creating localized privacy zones within the overall communication system.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio communication stream is segmented into separate channels: primary session audio and secondary session audio. The server divides the audio flow so that private conversation audio is isolated from primary session participants while maintaining the primary session's continuity. This segmentation allows both sessions to coexist without cross-contamination of audio content.
4Loss of information
If multiple concurrent communication sessions are enabled, then privacy and continuity are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The server serves as a central intermediary that absorbs and manages the complexity of concurrent session coordination. Instead of requiring electronic devices to independently manage multiple session states, audio routing, and participant synchronization, the server centralizes these functions, simplifying the client devices while enabling complex multi-session functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system is designed with universal session management capabilities that handle both primary and secondary sessions through a unified architecture. The server implements multi-functional session management that can simultaneously create, maintain, and coordinate multiple session types using the same underlying infrastructure, reducing overall system complexity despite the increased functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems disclosed herein describe automatically establishing two concurrent electronic communication sessions. Participants of a primary electronic communication session may request a private (secondary) electronic communication session in which only a subset of the participants of the primary electronic communication session can participate. Methods and systems described herein also describe automatically identifying participants of the second electronic communication session based on various factors including predetermined lists, commonality among different users or user identifiers, and geographic location of each participant of the primary and/or secondary electronic communication session. The methods and systems described herein also describe monitoring location of all participants of the primary and secondary electronic communication sessions and causing input and output elements of various electronic devices based on each user's location and/or whether the user is participating in the secondary or primary electric communication session.