Transmission Management Apparatus for Dynamic Quality Level Assignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current videoconference systems face challenges in managing content data transmission, as they often require high image and sound quality across all terminals, which can lead to inefficient use of communication bandwidth and increased costs, especially when not all applications necessitate such high quality.

Innovation Solution

A transmission management apparatus and system that dynamically manage sessions by establishing multiple quality levels of image and sound data transmission (low, intermediate, and high resolution) based on bandwidth availability and specific application needs, using a relay apparatus to optimize data transfer between terminals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high image quality and high sound quality settings are applied to all transmission terminals, then communication productivity and detection of communication partner circumstances are improved, but communication band is narrowed and transmission costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication productivityVSAvoidcommunication band
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by setting different image quality levels (high, intermediate, low) and different sound quality levels (high, intermediate, low) for different transmission terminals based on their specific application requirements. Instead of uniformly applying high quality to all terminals, the system selectively assigns quality levels to match each terminal's needs, thereby improving communication productivity for terminals that require it while conserving communication band for terminals that do not.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by allowing the image quality and sound quality settings to be dynamically adjusted based on the type of application being used at each transmission terminal. The system can change quality levels in response to changing application requirements, enabling flexible adaptation between high productivity modes and bandwidth conservation modes as needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If high image quality settings are applied to all transmission terminals, then image data transmission quality is improved, but communication band is narrowed and transmission costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage data transmission qualityVSAvoidcommunication band
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different image quality levels (high, intermediate, low) to different transmission terminals based on their specific application requirements. For example, terminals used for applications requiring detailed visual information receive high image quality settings, while terminals used for applications where visual detail is less critical receive intermediate or low settings, thereby optimizing the use of communication band.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If high sound quality settings are applied to all transmission terminals, then sound data transmission quality is improved, but communication band is narrowed and transmission costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound data transmission qualityVSAvoidcommunication band
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different sound quality levels (high, intermediate, low) to different transmission terminals based on their specific application requirements. Terminals used for applications where audio quality is critical receive high sound quality settings, while terminals used for applications where audio quality is less important receive intermediate or low settings, thereby optimizing communication band utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Reliability

If high image quality and high sound quality settings are applied to all transmission terminals, then transmission reliability is improved, but transmission costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidtransmission cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different quality levels to different transmission terminals based on their specific application requirements. This ensures that terminals requiring high transmission reliability for critical applications receive high image and sound quality settings, while terminals used for less critical applications receive lower quality settings, thereby reducing overall transmission costs while maintaining necessary reliability levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3068072B1Transmission management apparatus, transmission system, transmission management method and recording medium
Publication Date: 2019.12.04 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP3068072B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3068072B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3068072B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3C

AI summary

A transmission management apparatus for managing a session performing transmission/reception of content data via a relay apparatus includes a service information management unit configured to manage service management information in which service identification information identifying service content provided to each of a plurality of transmission terminals, and service content corresponding to the service identification information are stored preliminarily; a service identification information acquisition unit configured to acquire service identification information of each of the transmission terminals participating in the session; a service content determination unit configured to determine the service content of the session, based on the service identification information acquired by the service identification information acquisition unit and the service management information; and a session control unit configured to report session information based on the service content of the session determined by the service content determination unit to the relay apparatus.