Multipoint Communication Server Replication Inhibition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio and video conferencing systems fail to effectively cancel echoes and prevent redundancy between participants located in close proximity, leading to distractions and unnecessary data transmission.
Innovation Solution
A multipoint communication server that uses a session control interface, media processing unit, and localization system to inhibit the replication of media streams from specific endpoints, generating downstream streams based on replication inhibition sets, which include endpoint identifiers of participants in close proximity, thereby avoiding echo and redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If media streams are replicated and distributed to all participating endpoints, then complete communication coverage is achieved, but echo and redundancy occur for participants located in close proximity
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different stream distribution policies to different endpoints based on their spatial locations. Participants located in close proximity (within earshot distance) receive inhibited replication of media streams from nearby participants, while participants at distant locations receive full replication. This localized differentiation eliminates echo and redundancy for co-located participants while maintaining complete communication coverage for all participants.
2Loss of information
If media streams are replicated to all endpoints, then all participants receive complete audio/video content, but bandwidth consumption and processing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes resource allocation by applying selective replication inhibition based on endpoint locations. Media streams are replicated only to endpoints that genuinely need them (those not in close proximity to the emitting endpoint), reducing unnecessary bandwidth consumption and processing costs while ensuring all participants receive complete media content when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of fully replicating media streams to all endpoints (excessive action), the system applies partial replication only where necessary. By inhibiting replication for co-located participants who can hear each other directly, the system reduces resource consumption while maintaining sufficient media stream completeness for effective communication.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If existing echo cancellation techniques are used, then some echo prevention is achieved, but they fail to identify co-location of endpoints and cannot prevent redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a localization system as an intermediary component that uses beacon technology to accurately detect and report the physical locations of endpoints. This intermediary provides precise co-location information to the media processing unit, enabling reliable identification of participants in close proximity and accurate application of replication inhibition to prevent both echo and redundancy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A multipoint communication server (8) for establishing multipoint communication between a plurality of endpoints (A-F), the multipoint communication server comprising: a data repository containing the set of endpoints identifiers wherein each endpoint identifier corresponds to a participating endpoint, a media processing unit configured to receive an upstream media stream (29) from an emitting endpoint (C), the media processing unit being further configured to generate a plurality of downstream media streams (127-132) for the participating endpoints, wherein the data repository further contains a replication inhibition set which consists of a subset (C, D) of the set of endpoint identifiers and comprises at least the endpoint identifier of the emitting endpoint (C), - wherein the media processing unit is configured to generate the downstream media stream (129, 130) for each participating endpoint whose endpoint identifier belongs to the replication inhibition set so that the downstream media stream does not replicate the upstream media stream (29).