Persistent Co-Presence Videoconferencing Audio Routing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current online video conferencing systems fail to effectively emulate a real-world environment, leading to inefficiencies such as audio feed superposition, inability to conduct multiple conversations simultaneously, and require pre-planned connections, which increase friction for remote collaboration.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows users to connect to an online meeting room, where client devices can initiate and manage connections, detect user presence, and attenuate or play audio feeds based on conversation status, enabling multiple conversations and efficient audio stream management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a centralized server combines all audio feeds into a single audio stream for each user, then all users can listen to all users talking, but multiple separate conversations cannot occur simultaneously and audio quality deteriorates due to superposition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio stream into separate channels for each user, allowing the system to selectively mix and transmit audio feeds. Instead of combining all audio into a single superposed stream, the server can create distinct audio channels that enable multiple separate conversations to occur simultaneously without interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic audio routing where the system can adaptively control which audio feeds are mixed and transmitted to which users based on conversation context. This dynamic approach allows the system to switch between different conversation groups and manage multiple simultaneous conversations by adjusting audio stream composition in real-time.
2Reliability
If users must pre-plan and explicitly connect to video conferencing system at agreed time and address, then connection can be established, but friction increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing meeting rooms and generating persistent connection addresses before users need to join. The system proactively prepares the collaboration environment, allowing users to simply connect to the pre-configured meeting room address without needing to coordinate timing or negotiate connection parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables self-service by allowing users to independently join meeting rooms using persistent addresses without requiring manual invitation exchange or coordination with other participants. The system automatically manages connection establishment, eliminating the need for users to pre-plan connection details with each other.
3Reliability
If a user must explicitly accept a call invitation, then call connection can be confirmed, but collaboration friction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by automatically establishing connections between users in the same meeting room without requiring explicit call acceptance. When users join the same persistent meeting room, the system automatically routes their audio and video streams to each other, eliminating the need for manual call acceptance while maintaining reliable connection establishment.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a system for connecting to an online meeting room with multiple people. A first client device of a first user initiates a connection to the online meeting room. After the connection has been initiated, the first client device starts receiving video data and audio data from one or more client devices of one or more other users connected to the online meeting room. While connected to the online meeting room, the first client device displays a video stream based on the received video data from the one or more client device of the one or more other users connected to the online meeting. Upon receiving a request from a second user to start a conversation with the first user, the first client device plays an audio stream based on the audio data received from the client device of the second user.