Ephemeral Video Room Platform for Spontaneous Conferencing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current video conferencing systems lack the spontaneity and serendipity of real-world interactions, often requiring multiple steps and interfaces to initiate and manage video conferences, which can be resource-intensive and cumbersome.

Innovation Solution

The development of ephemeral video room platforms that create temporary, user-specific video rooms with limited access, represented by video cards that expire after a set time, allowing for serendipitous video conferencing with customizable time limits and user controls, including the option to limit participant numbers and display busy indicators.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If traditional video conferencing systems are used, then video conferencing functionality is provided, but the system complexity and number of interfaces increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of initiating video conferenceVSAvoidnumber of interfaces

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple video conference management functions (initiation, participant management, timing controls) into a single ephemeral video room interface. Instead of requiring separate interfaces for different conferencing tasks, the system combines them all within one unified ephemeral room context, directly reducing the number of interfaces while maintaining full functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The ephemeral video room serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a conference initiation point, a participant management system, a timing mechanism, and a content sharing platform. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate specialized interfaces for each function, thereby simplifying the overall system while improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If traditional video conferencing systems are used, then video conferencing is supported, but resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource efficiencyVSAvoidsystem resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements ephemeral video rooms that are automatically created and automatically destroyed after use or after a predetermined time period. This disposable nature ensures that system resources (computing power, memory, network bandwidth) are not permanently allocated but are instead released back to the pool after each conference, dramatically improving resource efficiency and reducing overall system resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically discards ephemeral video rooms after their purpose is fulfilled or time expires, and recovers all associated resources (processing units, memory allocations, network connections). This automatic resource recovery mechanism prevents resource leaks and ensures efficient resource utilization across the video conferencing platform.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Duration of action of moving object

If video rooms are made accessible indefinitely, then user availability is maximized, but system resource usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo room availability durationVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic ephemeral video rooms with configurable lifetimes rather than static permanent rooms. Each room has a predetermined expiration time after which it automatically becomes inaccessible. This dynamic approach allows the system to provide adequate availability for each conference while automatically releasing resources when no longer needed, resolving the contradiction between duration and resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Ease of operation

If access control is simplified, then ease of joining is improved, but participant management control decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of joining video conferenceVSAvoidparticipant management flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements different access control mechanisms for different participants within the same ephemeral video room. The initiator has full control over room creation and participant management, while other participants have standardized join/leave capabilities. This localized differentiation of access rights maintains ease of joining for most users while providing enhanced management flexibility for the room owner where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11711493B1Systems and methods for ephemeral streaming spaces

Publication Date: 2023.07.25 META PLATFORMS INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for providing ephemeral streaming spaces may include (1) providing a user with a digital display of video cards, in which each video card within the digital display corresponds to a contact, of the user, designated as currently available for video conferencing, (2) receiving user input selecting a video card from the digital display, and (3) in response to receiving the user input, initiating a video conference between the user and a contact corresponding to the selected video card. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.