Video Conference Content Sharing for Real-Time Collaborative Editing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video conferencing systems lack the ability for participants to interact with and collaboratively edit shared content objects in real-time, limiting effective collaboration during virtual meetings.
Innovation Solution
A method where a content object is shared within a video conference using a software application executed within the video conferencing application's execution environment, allowing participants to access and edit the content based on their access levels, with the application being seamlessly installed or obtained from a provider as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If screen sharing is used to display content during video conference, then content visibility is improved, but real-time interaction and collaboration capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a digital copy of the content object that is distributed to all participants. Each participant receives and can interact with their own copy of the content object, enabling simultaneous independent interaction while maintaining synchronization through the shared data structure. This resolves the contradiction by allowing both full visibility (through the shared object) and real-time interaction (through individual copies).
Solution Approach 2:
The video conferencing application serves as an intermediary that mediates between the content owner and all participants. It manages the shared data structure, handles access level permissions, and coordinates the distribution and synchronization of content objects. This intermediary enables both visibility and interaction by managing the complex coordination required for real-time collaborative editing among multiple users.
2Ease of operation
If software application is pre-installed on each participant's device, then application accessibility is improved, but device complexity and installation burden deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring permanent installation of software applications on each device, the system distributes lightweight copies or wrappers of the application functionality. These copies are temporary and can be obtained on-demand from the content owner's device or a server, eliminating the need for complex pre-installation while maintaining full application functionality during the conference.
Solution Approach 2:
The video conferencing application itself is designed to be universal and multi-functional, capable of hosting and executing multiple different content applications without requiring separate software installations. The conferencing platform provides a universal execution environment that can run various content objects (documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc.) directly, eliminating the need for participants to install specific application software for each type of content.
3Productivity
If content object is shared with all participants, then collaboration capability is improved, but access control and security management deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements local quality control by assigning different access levels to different participants based on their specific needs and roles. Each participant receives the content object with their own set of permissions (read-only, comment, edit, etc.), allowing broad collaboration while maintaining fine-grained security control. This resolves the contradiction by enabling both widespread collaboration and individualized access control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback mechanisms where the content owner can monitor and adjust access levels in real-time based on collaboration needs. The video conferencing application tracks participant interactions and can dynamically modify permission settings, ensuring that security control remains manageable even as collaboration expands among multiple participants.
Data Source
AI summary
One example method includes joining, using a video conferencing application, a video conference hosted by a video conference provider, the video conference having one or more participants; executing, within an execution environment provided by the video conferencing application, a software application to access a content object; receiving a command to share the content object to the one or more participants; and providing the content object to the one or more participants via the video conference provider.