Communication Session UI Layout Templates for Consistent Content Presentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing collaboration systems often rearrange content layouts during communication sessions unpredictably, leading to user confusion, reduced productivity, and inefficient use of computing resources.

Innovation Solution

Implement a consistent interaction model by allowing users to define and pin display areas within a user interface, storing these arrangements as view templates, and sharing them across participants to maintain a consistent layout throughout and across sessions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the system automatically arranges content based on participant activity, then the content presentation adapts to meeting dynamics, but the layout becomes inconsistent across different meetings causing user confusion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent arrangement adaptabilityVSAvoidlayout consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary arrangement of content in a template definition phase before the actual communication session begins. This pre-arranged template serves as a stable foundation that maintains consistency across multiple sessions, while still allowing for dynamic adjustments during the session through the established framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of layout arrangement from dynamic session-based automatic arrangement to a predefined template-based arrangement. This parameter change stabilizes the layout composition across different sessions while maintaining adaptability within each session through the template structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the system frequently rearranges content during communication sessions, then the content presentation responds to user needs, but computing resources are wasted on continuous layout adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent presentation responsivenessVSAvoidcomputing resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs the computationally intensive layout arrangement work in advance during template definition, rather than continuously during each communication session. This preliminary action reduces real-time computing resource consumption while maintaining responsive content presentation through the pre-established template framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the system provides dynamic content arrangement, then user engagement can be optimized, but important content may be misplaced or hidden reducing user productivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser engagement optimizationVSAvoidcontent visibility reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary arrangement of content in a template definition phase before the actual communication session begins. This pre-arranged template ensures that important content is reliably positioned in appropriate display areas, while still allowing for controlled dynamic adjustments during the session to maintain user engagement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the arrangement parameter from fully dynamic session-based positioning to template-guided positioning. This ensures reliable content placement according to the predefined template structure, while maintaining user engagement through the ability to make controlled adjustments within the template framework during the session.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3954113B1Providing consistent interaction models in communication sessions
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP3954113B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3954113B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3954113B1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

The techniques disclosed herein improve existing computing systems by providing consistent interaction models during communication sessions. A system configured according to the disclosure presented herein can improve user engagement during communication sessions and conserve computing resources by enabling users to define arrangements of display areas in a user interface (UI) for presenting content during a communication session and to utilize the same pre-defined arrangement during multiple communication sessions. The arrangement can be presented to all or some of the participants in a communication session. By providing a consistent arrangement of display areas that render content to participants in communication sessions, the participants can be more engaged and productive, thereby improving human-computer interaction and conserving computing resources.