Per-Participant Meeting Audio Routing to Prevent Echo and Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Virtual meetings with multiple devices proximate to each other in the same physical location experience audio distortion issues such as feedback and echo, leading to inefficient manual audio management, isolation of participants, and poor audio quality when using shared devices.
Innovation Solution
Systems and methods that dynamically manage audio streams on a per-participant basis, filtering out redundant and ambient sounds, and synchronizing audio output to prevent feedback and echo, while maintaining natural interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple devices are used in the same physical location for virtual meetings, then collaboration and social interaction are improved, but audio distortion issues such as feedback and echo occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio processing into per-device streams, creating separate audio output streams for each device based on intermediate audio streams from remote users. This segmentation allows independent control and processing of audio for each device, preventing feedback and echo while maintaining multiple active devices in the same location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by generating device-specific audio output streams tailored to each device's location and usage context. Each device receives customized audio processing that accounts for its specific acoustic environment, enabling high-quality audio without feedback or echo for each individual device.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If manual audio management is implemented to avoid feedback and echo, then audio quality is improved, but operational efficiency deteriorates due to tedious coordination
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically managing audio streams for each device without requiring manual coordination. The server dynamically generates and distributes appropriate audio output streams to each device based on current meeting conditions, eliminating the need for participants to manually mute or coordinate audio settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the system continuously monitors audio conditions and dynamically adjusts audio stream distribution. The server receives audio input from microphones, processes it through intermediate streams, and provides optimized output streams back to each device, creating a closed-loop system that automatically prevents feedback and echo.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If headphones are used to prevent feedback and echo, then audio quality is improved, but social interaction and natural hearing are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using headphones that isolate each user, the patent segments audio output by device, allowing multiple devices to play audio simultaneously in the room. This enables participants to hear both the virtual meeting audio through their devices and natural in-person conversations, maintaining social interaction while preventing feedback and echo through per-device stream management.
4Device complexity
If a single shared device is used for audio input and output, then device complexity is reduced, but audio quality and participant identification deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes each device universal by enabling it to function as both an independent audio input and output device while participating in the same virtual meeting. Each device maintains its own audio stream, allowing the system to utilize multiple devices simultaneously without requiring complex configuration, while preserving high audio quality and participant identification through per-device processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods and apparatuses are described for managing audio data received from users during a virtual meeting. First and second users, co-located at a particular location, may be participating in the virtual meeting via a first and second computing devices. Third and fourth users, remotely located from the particular location, may be participating in the virtual meeting via one or more computing devices. A first intermediate audio stream corresponding to the detected voice of the third user and a second intermediate audio stream corresponding to the detected voice of the fourth user may be generated. First and second audio output streams may be generated based on the first and second intermediate audio streams. During the virtual meeting, the first audio output stream may be output by the first computing device and the second audio output stream may be output by the second computing device.