Teleconference Audio Stream Segmentation for Parallel Discussions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current teleconference solutions do not allow for private discussions between participants without interrupting the main meeting, requiring separate communication channels or parallel chats, and cannot handle simultaneous participation in multiple meetings.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that enables a parallel discussion group to be set up within an ongoing teleconference, where digital representations of speech are separated from the main conference, allowing participants to engage in private discussions while still hearing the main meeting audio, using a communication network to manage and control audio streams.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a separate communication channel is used for private discussion, then privacy of discussion is improved, but device complexity and operation complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy of discussionVSAvoidcomplexity of communication system

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The audio stream from the teleconference is segmented into multiple separate audio streams, each corresponding to a different discussion group. The system divides participants into different groups (e.g., main conference group and private discussion group) and creates separate audio pathways for each group, allowing selective listening without requiring separate physical communication channels or devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The teleconference system acts as an intermediary that processes and routes audio streams between participants. It mediates the audio distribution by receiving audio from all participants, processing it into group-specific streams, and distributing the appropriate streams to each participant based on their selected discussion group, thereby enabling privacy without external communication channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a separate communication channel is used for private discussion, then privacy of discussion is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy of discussionVSAvoidease of setting up private discussion

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically manages audio stream segmentation and distribution without requiring manual configuration by participants. When participants join different discussion groups, the system self-adjusts the audio routing, automatically creating and distributing the appropriate audio streams based on group assignments, thereby eliminating complex setup procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If parallel teleconference meetings are used, then ability to follow multiple discussions is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to meeting being put on hold

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to follow multiple discussionsVSAvoidefficiency of participation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple discussion groups into a single teleconference session, allowing participants to simultaneously access multiple discussion streams within one meeting context. Instead of requiring separate parallel meetings, the system combines all discussion groups (main conference and private discussions) into one unified session where participants can switch between or listen to multiple audio streams concurrently, maintaining continuous participation without interruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If audio streams are separated for parallel discussion, then privacy of discussion is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy of discussionVSAvoidcomplexity of audio stream management

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The teleconference system performs multiple functions using a single audio processing architecture: it handles both main conference audio distribution and private discussion audio distribution simultaneously. The same system components process, segment, and distribute audio streams for multiple discussion groups, eliminating the need for separate dedicated systems for each discussion type and reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12015655B2Method and system for handling a teleconference

Publication Date: 2024.06.18 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

A method performed by a system of a communication network includes obtaining digital representations of speech detected from communication devices connected to a teleconference, and receiving a request for a parallel discussion from a first of the communication devices with a subgroup of the communication devices. Further, the system sets up a parallel discussion group for the first communication device and the subgroup of communication devices, provides the digital representations of speech of the first communication device and the subgroup of communication devices only to the devices of the parallel discussion group so that each device of the parallel discussion group is able to play back the digital representations of speech of the other devices of the parallel discussion group, and provides the digital representations of speech of the plurality of communication devices except the first communication device and the subgroup of communication devices.