Synchronized Conference Recording and Playback System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current conference systems lack the capability for efficient recording and playback of online conferences, which limits the ability to capture and revisit valuable meeting content, such as audio and visual elements, and participant interactions.

Innovation Solution

A conferencing system and method that establishes an audio conference, presents a conference interface displaying participant objects, synchronously records the audio conference with accompanying content, and allows for playback of the recorded session, enabling participants to revisit the conference details.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If conference systems provide real-time audio and visual communication capabilities, then communication convenience is improved, but the ability to record and preserve meeting content is lacking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeeting contentVSAvoidrecording and playback capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by establishing recording functionality before the conference concludes. The conferencing system continuously records audio and visual content during the entire meeting, capturing participant videos, shared screens, and chat messages in real-time, so that all meeting content is preserved and available for later playback without requiring additional post-meeting actions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The conferencing system is enhanced with multi-functionality by integrating both real-time communication capabilities and recording/playback functionality into a single system. The system can simultaneously conduct live conferences and record them, then provide on-demand playback, making it versatile for both synchronous and asynchronous communication needs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of information

If the system records all conference content including audio, video, and shared screens, then information completeness is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconference contentVSAvoidrecording system
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple recording functions into a unified process. The conferencing system combines audio recording, video recording of participants, screen sharing capture, and chat message logging into a single integrated recording mechanism, reducing the complexity that would arise from managing separate recording systems for each content type

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates digital copies of all conference content during the meeting. Audio streams, video feeds, screen shares, and chat messages are copied and stored as recorded data, allowing the original conference to proceed in real-time while preserving exact replicas for later playback without interfering with the live interaction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If participants can access and review recorded conference content, then collaboration efficiency is improved, but time consumption for reviewing meetings increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollaboration efficiencyVSAvoidreview time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback mechanisms that allow participants to quickly navigate and search within recorded content. By enabling efficient access to specific segments of the recording through indexes, timestamps, or search functionality, participants can review only the relevant portions of meetings rather than watching entire recordings, reducing time consumption while maintaining collaboration efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3065339B1Record and playback in a conference
Publication Date: 2020.02.12 AMERICAN TELECONFERENCING SERVICES LTD
  • EP3065339B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3065339B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3065339B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Various embodiments of systems, methods, and computer programs are disclosed for recording and playing back an online conference. One such method comprises: a conferencing system establishing an audio conference between a plurality of participants accessing the conferencing system via a communication network; the conferencing system presenting the audio conference and a conference interface displaying a participant object identifying each of the participants in the audio conference; synchronously recording the audio conference with content presented in the conference interface; storing the synchronized audio conference and content; and playing back the synchronized audio conference and content.