Dynamic Window Detection for Selective Video Stream Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current online meeting technologies cannot differentiate between applications or windows on a user device, leading to the sharing of entire screens instead of specific content, which frustrates users wanting to share only a single application or portion of the screen.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that detects and allows users to select specific windows on their device for sharing, using object recognition algorithms or helper applications to identify and crop the desired content, while handling overlapping windows by obscuring or replacing their contents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the entire screen is shared during online meetings, then all content is visible to participants, but unnecessary content is exposed and user control is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The screen is segmented into multiple detectable windows or regions, allowing the user to select and share only specific portions rather than the entire screen. The system detects window boundaries and enables selection of individual windows or custom regions, thereby segmenting the sharing content to prevent unnecessary content exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the screen are treated differently - the selected window or region is optimized for sharing while other regions are excluded. The system applies local quality by focusing the sharing stream only on the chosen area, giving it special status compared to the rest of the screen content.
2Loss of information
If window detection is implemented to enable selective sharing, then content control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary component (such as a helper application or overlay interface) is introduced to facilitate window detection and selection. This intermediary acts as a mediator between the user and the sharing system, providing tools to detect windows, display selection options, and manage the sharing process without requiring complex changes to the core sharing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual copy or representation of the detected windows (such as thumbnails, overlays, or markers) to present to the user for selection. Instead of directly implementing complex detection algorithms, the system generates simplified visual copies that make window selection intuitive and ease the detection process.
3Manufacturing precision
If overlapping windows are handled by obscuring content, then content accuracy is maintained, but information loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting and marking overlapping windows before the sharing process begins. It identifies which windows are overlapping and prepares handling strategies in advance, such as selecting the top-most window or allowing user choice, thereby maintaining content accuracy while minimizing information loss through proactive management.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of obscuring the overlapping content, the system inverts the approach by making the overlapping region transparent or by prioritizing the display of the window that should be visible. It reverses the traditional occlusion model to preserve information by showing what should be seen rather than hiding it.
Data Source
AI summary
Presented herein are techniques in which a conference endpoint receives a request to share content generated by a user device with one or more participant devices. The user device is connected to the conference endpoint and the conference endpoint is participating in a communication session with the one or more participant devices. The conference endpoint detects one or more windows displayed on a display of the conference endpoint; receives a selection of a first window; and shares contents of the first window with the one or more participant devices. The conference endpoint detects that a second window is overlapping the first window such that a first portion of the first window is covered by a second portion of the second window; and performs one or more actions with respect to the second portion of the second window.