Conference Resource Allocation via Participant Endpoint Sharing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional conference management systems face challenges in efficiently allocating resources, leading to either exclusion of participants due to insufficient resources or wastage of resources when too many ports are reserved, resulting in increased costs and reduced availability for other users.

Innovation Solution

A method that uses location information to provide participation instructions to users, allowing them to join a multipoint conference by using the endpoint of another participant, thereby optimizing the use of conference resources such as ports and DSP resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If too few ports are reserved for the conference, then resource utilization is improved, but some participants cannot join the conference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidconference capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts conference capacity by allowing participants to join via different endpoints based on real-time resource availability. When ports are unavailable, the system dynamically routes participants to alternative endpoints (such as mobile devices or other locations) rather than using static port allocation, thereby maintaining conference capacity while optimizing resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If too many ports are reserved for the conference, then conference capacity is improved, but resource wastage increases and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconference capacityVSAvoidresource wastage
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of endpoint usage by allowing participants to access the conference through multiple different endpoints rather than requiring dedicated ports for each participant. This parameter change enables the same physical port to serve multiple participants at different times, reducing resource wastage while maintaining conference capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If dedicated ports are allocated for each participant, then communication quality is improved, but resource availability for other users decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication qualityVSAvoidresource availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements multi-functionality by enabling conference ports to serve multiple purposes and multiple participants through different endpoints. A single port can facilitate communications for different participants at different times or through different access methods, thereby maintaining communication quality while increasing overall resource availability for other users and conferences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP1917796B1Method and system for adding further users when conference resources are not available
Publication Date: 2018.03.14 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP1917796B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP1917796B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A method for managing conference resources includes receiving from an endpoint of a user a call to join a multipoint conference between a plurality of participants. Each participant communicates on the multipoint conference through a respective endpoint. The method includes determining that an insufficient amount of resources exist to allow the user to communicate on the multipoint conference and determining participation instructions to enable the user to communicate on the multipoint conference. The method also includes communicating the participation instructions. Location information associated with the user and location information associated with at least one of the plurality of participants may be used to determine the participation instructions to enable the user to communicate on the multipoint conference.