Host Interface for Video-Based Speaking Detection in Muted Sessions
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Solution Overview
Problem
In video communication sessions, participants who mute their microphones may inadvertently miss opportunities to speak, as their attempts to contribute can go unnoticed by hosts or other participants, due to the lack of effective notification mechanisms for when a muted participant wants to speak.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a host user interface that monitors audio and image streams from connected devices, detects gestures or mouth movements indicating an attempt to speak, and alerts the host or unmuting the participant, allowing them to become a presenting participant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a participant mutes their microphone to prevent interruptions, then ambient noise and feedback are reduced, but the participant's attempts to speak go unnoticed and contributions are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by monitoring video streams for mouth movements and gestures, then notifying the host and other participants when a muted participant attempts to speak. This creates a feedback loop that allows muted participants to communicate their desire to contribute without unmuting, thus preventing noise while preserving information flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism (video analysis and notification system) that mediates between the muted participant and the host. Instead of direct audio communication which causes noise, the video-based intermediary detects speaking attempts and transmits this information to the host, who can then decide when to unmute the participant.
2Ease of operation
If the host manually manages muting and unmuting participants, then control over who speaks is maintained, but attempts by muted participants to speak may go unnoticed
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by automatically detecting when a muted participant attempts to speak through video analysis of mouth movements and gestures. This automated detection supplements the host's manual control, ensuring that speaking attempts are not missed while the host retains ultimate control over unmuting decisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to the host by automatically detecting and notifying them when a muted participant attempts to speak. This feedback mechanism enhances the host's ability to manage the session by ensuring they are aware of all speaking attempts, combining automated detection with manual control.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a participant forgets to unmute their microphone, then noise prevention is maintained, but the user experience degrades when they seek to speak
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback to participants by detecting when they attempt to speak while muted through video analysis. This feedback mechanism helps participants realize they are muted without needing to manually manage their mute status, improving user experience while maintaining noise prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The video-based intermediary system detects speaking attempts and can notify the participant or host, serving as a reminder mechanism that helps participants remember to unmute when appropriate, thus improving user experience without compromising noise control.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the camera is turned off for privacy, then privacy is protected, but other participants cannot see when the local participant wants to speak
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the video feed to selectively analyze specific regions (such as mouth area) for speaking detection while maintaining privacy. This allows the system to detect speaking intent without necessarily transmitting or displaying the full video stream, thus balancing privacy protection with information transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary processing layer that analyzes video data for speaking detection while protecting privacy. The intermediary can detect mouth movements and gestures indicating speaking intent without requiring the full video stream to be transmitted or displayed to other participants, thus maintaining privacy while transmitting speaking intent information.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device, computer program product, and method enable hosting a communication session with customizable roles for participants that provides an adjustable balance of interaction and decorum. A controller configures the electronic device to identify, within an image stream from a next one of two or more second electronic devices that is not currently selected to present to a video communication session, at least one of a speaking movement of a mouth of a non-presenting participant or a gesture by the non-presenting participant to provide an audio input via the next second electronic device. In response to the identified speaking movement or the gesture, a host user interface of the electronic device presents an alert and enables host toggling of a selected one of the electronic device and the two or more second electronic devices to present a corresponding audio and video stream to the video communication session.