Multilocation Video Conferencing with Bidirectional Audio
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video conferencing systems for childcare and enterprise settings are limited by one-way communication, where parents can only see their children but not hear them, and are restricted to one-to-many communications, preventing individual interactions.
Innovation Solution
A system that enables multiple users to video conference from separate locations, allowing two-way video and audio communication, with the ability for participants to view each other and communicate separately, using video conferencing units, cameras, and audio communicators connected through networks, and identification units for tracking and controlling video recording.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If one-way video monitoring is used in childcare facilities, then parents can see their children, but audio communication and two-way interaction are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines video monitoring and audio communication capabilities into a unified system. The childcare facility camera system is merged with two-way audio communicators, allowing parents to both see and hear their children simultaneously through the same interface, eliminating the need for separate audio devices while restoring communication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides multi-functionality by enabling the camera system to serve dual purposes: continuous monitoring and interactive communication. The same video feed used for monitoring also serves as the basis for two-way audio-visual communication, allowing the system to adapt between passive observation and active interaction modes.
2Ease of operation
If one-to-many video conferencing is used in enterprise settings, then all participants see the same images, but individual communication between participants is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the unified video feed into individual participant views. Each participant receives a dedicated video stream from every other location, allowing them to view individual speakers separately rather than a single composite view. This segmentation enables private conversations between specific participants while maintaining the conference structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a dimensional layer to video conferencing by providing multiple simultaneous video streams rather than a single broadcast feed. Each participant operates in their own dimensional space with access to all other locations, enabling selective viewing and private communication channels within the broader conference context.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system of video conferencing. The video conferencing generally relates to supporting video and/or audio conferencing between remotely located individuals. The method and system permit multiple individuals at one location to be viewed from one or more locations located remotely therefrom.