Meeting Base Unit for Automatic Functional Device Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic meeting systems often rely on low-quality audio and visual signals from portable devices, and as meetings grow larger, there is a need for high-quality audio and visual sharing among participants without the need for manual configuration or additional software installation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for connecting a processing device to a functional device via a base unit using a generic communications protocol, allowing for the sharing and combining of peripheral device functionalities across multiple processing devices, with support for vendor-specific drivers and wireless communication, enabling high-quality audio and visual streaming in a unified communication environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If portable devices (laptops, mobile phones) are used for audio and visual communication in meetings, then device portability and ease of use are improved, but audio and visual quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a base unit as an intermediary device between participants' portable processing devices and the meeting room's high-quality functional devices (microphones, speakers, displays). The base unit receives data from portable devices via wireless communication and transmits it to appropriate functional devices, enabling high-quality audio and visual output while maintaining the ease of use of portable devices.
2Reliability
If high-quality functional devices are provided for large meetings, then audio and visual quality are improved, but device complexity and configuration requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base unit automatically detects available functional devices and configures appropriate data transmission routes without requiring manual configuration by users. The system self-manages the complexity of connecting multiple high-quality functional devices to multiple participants, eliminating the need for users to understand or configure the underlying system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit serves multiple functions: it acts as a wireless communication receiver from portable devices, a router that directs data to appropriate functional devices, and a manager that handles device detection and configuration. This universal functionality allows a single device to manage the complexity of connecting multiple high-quality functional devices to multiple participants.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual configuration and software installation are required for meeting systems, then system adaptability is improved, but ease of operation and setup time worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The base unit performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting available functional devices and pre-configuring data transmission routes before participants need to use the system. This automatic detection and configuration eliminates the need for manual setup, software installation, or system configuration, allowing participants to join meetings immediately upon connecting their portable devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A first peripheral device for making a functional device available to a processing device. The first peripheral device is configured to expose at least one fixed or configurable endpoint and to receive first processed video data. The first peripheral device is configured to process the first processed video data to generate second video data and to make the second video data available, such that the operating system of the processing device is configured to capture the second video data and to make the second video data available through a custom or standard driver to an application running on a processing device. The first peripheral device is configured to receive a third video data, and to process the third video data to form a second processed video data, and to transmit the second processed video data to the base unit.