Adaptive Video Conference Interfaces for Screen-Responsive Participant Layouts

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video conference techniques are cumbersome and inefficient, requiring multiple key presses or keystrokes, wasting user time and device energy, particularly in battery-operated devices.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a user interface that dynamically adjusts the display of participant representations based on changes in screen dimensions, using a grid pattern with larger and smaller representations in different regions, and concurrently displaying shared content in a two-dimensional array.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a complex user interface with multiple key presses is used to manage video conference sessions, then the functionality and control options are comprehensive, but the time required and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface simplicityVSAvoidtime for multiple key presses

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting screen dimension changes and pre-adjusting the user interface layout before the user needs to interact with the video conference controls. The interface dynamically reconfigures participant representations and control elements based on detected dimensional changes, eliminating the need for users to manually navigate through multiple screens or keys to adjust the interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The user interface is made dynamic by continuously monitoring screen dimensions and automatically adjusting the display of participant representations, control elements, and layout configurations in response to detected changes. This dynamic adaptation allows the interface to transform from a static, complex multi-key structure to an optimized layout without user intervention, reducing both time and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If a complex user interface with multiple key presses is used to manage video conference sessions, then the functionality and control options are comprehensive, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface simplicityVSAvoiddevice energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting screen dimension changes and pre-adjusting the user interface layout before the user needs to interact with the video conference controls. The interface dynamically reconfigures participant representations and control elements based on detected dimensional changes, eliminating the need for users to manually navigate through multiple screens or keys to adjust the interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The user interface performs self-service by automatically detecting screen dimension changes and adjusting its own layout, control element positions, and participant representations without requiring user input. This self-adjusting mechanism eliminates the need for users to press multiple keys or navigate through menus, thereby reducing both time consumption and energy consumption while maintaining comprehensive functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If the user interface displays all participant representations with the same size, then the layout is simple, but the cognitive burden on users increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecognitive burden reductionVSAvoiduser interface complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The user interface applies local quality by displaying different sizes of participant representations based on their relevance and importance in the current video conference context. Important participants or those requiring more attention are displayed with larger representations, while less critical participants have smaller representations. This localized differentiation reduces cognitive burden by visually prioritizing information without requiring complex manual adjustments from users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The user interface is made dynamic by continuously monitoring screen dimensions and automatically adjusting the display of participant representations, control elements, and layout configurations in response to detected changes. This dynamic adaptation allows the interface to transform from a static, complex multi-key structure to an optimized layout without user intervention, reducing both time and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12449961B2Adaptive video conference user interfaces

Publication Date: 2025.10.21 APPLE INC

AI summary

The present disclosure generally relates to user interfaces for managing video conference sessions. In some embodiments, a video conference interface updates when participants join and/or leave the video conference session. In some embodiments, a video conference interface includes a representation of content being shared in the video conference session.