External Visual Cue for Conference Call Interruption Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The rise in remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased interruptions during video and audio conferencing calls, as it is difficult for individuals to determine when someone is actively participating in a conference, resulting in unprofessional and distracting interruptions from family members or roommates.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses visual cues such as flags, lights, or strobes to notify others when a user is participating in a conference call, utilizing downloadable software that communicates with the user's device to detect conference activity and trigger the cue, either through Bluetooth, WiFi, or a USB plug-in, to alert others that the user should not be disturbed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a small indicator light is used to show conference call status, then the device complexity is reduced, but the visibility and notification effectiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary notification device that acts as a mediator between the conferencing system and the user's environment. This external device (separate from the computer) receives status information and provides enhanced visual notification through larger lights, flags, or other indicators positioned in the user's field of view, thereby solving the visibility problem without adding complexity to the core conferencing software
Solution Approach 2:
The notification system transitions from a two-dimensional small LED light on the device to a three-dimensional external indicator that can be positioned strategically in the room. The flag embodiment extends the notification into physical space, creating a spatial dimension that makes the status visible from multiple angles and distances, greatly enhancing notification effectiveness
2Device complexity
If no notification system is used, then the device complexity remains minimal, but interruptions from family members or roommates increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by notifying others of the conference call status before interruptions can occur. The visual indicators (lights, flags) are continuously displayed in advance, providing proactive warning to family members or roommates to avoid entering the workspace or making noise, thereby preventing interruptions before they happen
Solution Approach 2:
The notification system provides continuous feedback about the user's conference call status to the surrounding environment. The visual indicators dynamically respond to the conferencing state, creating a feedback loop that informs others of the user's availability status, enabling them to adjust their behavior accordingly and avoid interruptions
3Loss of information
If internal camera lights are used for privacy indication, then privacy is protected, but the notification reach is limited to only the user
Solution Approach 1:
The notification function is segmented from the private computer system and implemented through a separate external device. This segmentation allows the notification to be decoupled from the privacy-protecting internal lights, enabling the external indicator to broadcast status information broadly across the room or workspace while the internal camera lights continue to serve their privacy function independently
Data Source
AI summary
A system for alerting individuals when a user is a participant of a conference call is provided. The system has a software application downloadable to a one user device associated with a user, wherein the a user device comprises an audio or video interface that allows the user to participate on a conference call, and wherein the software application is configured to detect if the user is on the conference call, a communication interface, and a cue in communication with the software application via the communication interface, wherein the cue is configured to receive an input from software application when the user is on the conference call, and in response, trigger the cue so that the individual is alerted that the user is on a conference call.