Proxy Device for Asynchronous Meeting Video Interaction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Participants with large time zone differences or scheduling conflicts often miss meetings, and reviewing recorded meetings is tedious and lacks interaction opportunities.

Innovation Solution

A proxy representative system that allows pre-recording video messages for a meeting, with a physical device at the meeting to play these messages and capture reactions, enabling asynchronous participation and interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If video recording is used to allow participants unable to attend to catch up on the meeting, then participants can access meeting content, but reviewing recorded meetings becomes tedious and time-consuming with no interaction opportunity

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveMeeting participation flexibilityVSAvoidTime required to review recorded meetings

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a proxy representative that is a copy of the absent participant's video feed, allowing them to virtually attend the meeting without reviewing recordings. The proxy device displays the absent participant's video stream in real-time, enabling synchronous participation without requiring post-meeting review time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The proxy device acts as an intermediary between the absent participant and the meeting. It receives and displays the absent participant's video feed, and captures reactions from other participants, serving as a communication bridge that enables interaction without the absent participant being physically present.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If participants attend meetings in real time, then interaction opportunities are maximized, but participants with time zone differences or busy schedules cannot attend

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveMeeting attendance convenienceVSAvoidInteraction and discussion content

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a proxy representative that replicates the absent participant's presence by displaying their video feed during the meeting. This allows the absent participant to maintain visual presence and receive real-time interaction opportunities without being physically present at the meeting location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The proxy device captures reactions and responses from meeting participants in real-time, providing immediate feedback to the absent participant. This feedback mechanism ensures that interaction content is preserved and transmitted back to the absent participant, preventing information loss despite remote participation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If a proxy device is used to represent absent participants, then interaction opportunities are preserved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveAsynchronous participation capabilityVSAvoidProxy device requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The proxy device is designed to perform multiple functions: displaying video feeds, capturing reactions, and transmitting feedback. By consolidating these functions into a single device, the system reduces overall complexity compared to using separate systems for each function while maintaining asynchronous participation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10163077B2Proxy for asynchronous meeting participation

Publication Date: 2018.12.25 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Embodiments described herein relate to enabling a lightweight way of recording and sharing video messages intended to provide input to a future meeting that cannot be personally attended. A person who cannot attend the meeting pre-records their thoughts and remarks for the meeting as video clips for presentation at the meeting. A physical device with at least a display is presented at the meeting. The physically present participants can play the pre-recorded clips on the device. Video of participants' responses to the clips is recorded and made available so that the represented attendee can view the participants' responses.