Multimedia Conferencing Architecture for Real-Time Data Collaboration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional conferencing systems fail to adequately facilitate real-time data collaboration and communication among users with varying device capabilities, leading to inefficiencies in information exchange and preservation of meeting content.

Innovation Solution

A multimedia conferencing system that includes microphone arrays for high-fidelity audio, digital automatic pan/tilt/zoom cameras for video framing, web-camera capture of whiteboard contents, and a Presentation Chute for document sharing, along with drag-and-drop file transfer and recording capabilities, enabling seamless real-time audio/video communication and data collaboration across disparate locations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional conferencing systems are used, then basic audio/video communication is achieved, but real-time data collaboration and information preservation are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata collaboration capabilityVSAvoidmeeting content preservation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The conferencing system integrates multiple functions including audio/video communication, screen sharing, document collaboration, whiteboard annotation, and automated transcription into a single unified platform. This multi-functional approach enables diverse data collaboration activities (file transfer, co-editing, annotation) within the same conferencing environment, resolving the contradiction by making the system versatile enough to handle both communication and information preservation needs simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs automated actions before and during meetings, including pre-configured recording settings, real-time transcription generation, and automated meeting summary creation. These preliminary and concurrent actions ensure that information preservation is handled automatically without requiring separate manual processes, thereby maintaining data collaboration capabilities while ensuring comprehensive meeting content preservation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If users with varying device capabilities participate in conferencing, then broad accessibility is achieved, but consistent real-time data collaboration experience is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility across devicesVSAvoiddata collaboration consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system detects the capabilities of each user's device and automatically adjusts the data collaboration features available to them. For example, users with advanced devices may access full screen sharing and co-editing capabilities, while users with basic devices receive optimized versions of these features. This localized adaptation ensures that each user experiences appropriate functionality for their device, maintaining ease of operation while providing consistent core collaboration experiences

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The conferencing system acts as an intermediary layer between users with different device capabilities and the data collaboration tools. It translates and adapts collaboration requests and data formats to ensure compatibility across diverse devices, allowing users with varying capabilities to participate in the same real-time collaboration activities without experiencing inconsistency, thereby resolving the contradiction between accessibility and collaboration consistency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If comprehensive meeting documentation is implemented, then information preservation is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeeting content preservationVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The conferencing system performs automated documentation functions without requiring complex manual intervention. Features include automatic recording initiation, real-time transcription generation, speaker identification, and meeting summary creation that happen autonomously during the conference. This self-service approach to information preservation reduces the operational complexity burden on users while maintaining comprehensive meeting documentation through built-in automated processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS7634533B2Systems and methods for real-time audio-visual communication and data collaboration in a network conference environment

Publication Date: 2009.12.15 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate real-time information exchange in a multimedia conferencing environment. Data Client(s) facilitate data collaboration between users and are maintained separately from audio/video (AV) Clients that provide real-time communication functionality. Data Clients can be remotely located with respect to one another and with respect to a server. A remote user Stand-in Device can be provided that comprises a display to present a remote user to local users, a digital automatic pan/tilt/zoom camera to capture imagery in, for example, a conference room and provide real-time information to an AV Client in a remote office, and a microphone array that can similarly provide real-time audio information from the conference room to an AV Client in the remote office. The invention further facilitates file transfer and presentation broadcast between Data Clients in a single location or in a plurality of disparate locations.