IWB Collaboration Manager Cross-License Authentication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) appliances face challenges with 'shallow integration' of third-party videoconferencing solutions, leading to limited functionality integration, increased computational resources, UI clutter, and inability to manage enterprise client applications, as well as user authentication and communication issues across different videoconferencing services.

Innovation Solution

A management service on IWB appliances that uses a 'deep integration' approach through the OneLaunch Manager, providing a unified API and centralized management for third-party collaboration services, enabling cross-license collaboration and unified user authentication, and managing license keys to facilitate seamless interaction across disparate services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple third-party videoconferencing solutions are integrated using shallow integration, then the IWB can support multiple collaboration services, but the device complexity and computational resources required increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport for multiple collaboration servicesVSAvoidmanagement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a wrapper application interface as an intermediary layer between the IWB and multiple third-party videoconferencing solutions. This wrapper provides a unified API that abstracts the complexity of individual services, allowing the IWB to manage multiple collaboration services through a single interface rather than directly integrating each service separately.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The wrapper application interface is designed to be universal, supporting multiple different videoconferencing services through a common API. This allows the IWB to work with various collaboration services (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Webex) without requiring separate integration logic for each service, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If each third-party videoconferencing solution is implemented as a separate process, then service functionality is maintained, but the graphical user interface becomes cluttered with multiple controls

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice functionalityVSAvoidgraphical user interface clarity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the user interfaces of multiple third-party videoconferencing solutions into a single unified graphical interface through the wrapper. Instead of displaying separate controls for each service (Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Webex), the wrapper presents a consolidated interface that provides access to all services, thereby maintaining service functionality while eliminating UI clutter.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If users authenticate with each videoconferencing solution separately, then service-specific authentication is achieved, but the authentication process becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidauthentication time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The wrapper application interface performs preliminary authentication actions by establishing a single authentication mechanism that works across multiple videoconferencing services. Instead of requiring users to authenticate separately with each service, the wrapper handles authentication in advance through a unified process, reducing the time and steps required while maintaining the security requirements of individual services.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If shallow integration is used to support enterprise client applications, then application functionality is provided, but the complexity and UI clutter increase beyond manageable levels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenterprise application supportVSAvoidmanagement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wrapper serves as an intermediary that enables enterprise client applications to be supported on the IWB without directly integrating each application. The wrapper provides a standardized interface that abstracts the complexity of enterprise applications, allowing them to function on the IWB while keeping management complexity at manageable levels through centralized control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10250592B2Approach for accessing third-party content collaboration services on interactive whiteboard appliances using cross-license authentication

Publication Date: 2019.04.02 RICOH CO LTD

AI summary

An approach for managing collaboration on IWBs allows users of different third-party collaboration services to participate in collaboration meetings on IWBs. The approach allows the users to use collaboration functionality provided by IWBs, such as annotation, and to communicate with each other, even though the users are using different third party collaboration services. The approach uses a collaboration manager that provides a “single wrapper” application program interface (API) and centralized management of collaboration meetings, including license key and token management, cross-license collaboration, user management and meeting management. The collaboration manager acts as a mediation layer that handles the APIs of different third-party collaboration services and allows users using heterogeneous collaboration clients to participate in collaboration meetings.