Video Pane Layout Generation With Minimum Size Constraints

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Solution Overview

Problem

Video conferencing systems often render video panes too small on smaller screens, leading to a suboptimal user experience due to the lack of a minimum size limit, resulting in heavy protocol overhead and delayed responsiveness to changes in conference properties.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where receiving devices communicate a minimum video pane size to sending devices, allowing them to ensure suitable pane sizes without unnecessary communication, and enabling immediate layout adjustments based on screen size and conference changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If video conferencing systems transmit all video signal data without selective filtering, then complete video quality is maintained, but protocol overhead increases and transmission efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotocol overheadVSAvoidvideo quality completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and transmits only the necessary video signal layer data required for displaying the determined layout, rather than transmitting all video signal data. This selective extraction reduces protocol overhead while maintaining the video quality needed for the specific display configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by transmitting only the sufficient portion of video data needed for the current layout requirements. Instead of transmitting complete video data regardless of needs, the system transmits exactly what is necessary for the determined layout, reducing unnecessary data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Adaptability or versatility

If video pane layout is adjusted without minimum size constraints, then layout flexibility is maximized, but user experience deteriorates due to unsuitably small panes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelayout flexibilityVSAvoiduser experience
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes minimum video pane size limits as predetermined constraints before layout generation. By setting these limits in advance, the system ensures that all generated layouts automatically comply with user experience requirements, preventing unsuitably small panes while maintaining flexibility within the defined boundaries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Speed

If video conferencing systems wait for protocol signals to detect changes in conference properties, then communication protocol simplicity is maintained, but responsiveness to changes is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponsiveness to changesVSAvoidcommunication protocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary determination of the video pane layout based on current conference properties and minimum size constraints before transmission. This allows the receiving device to immediately display updated layouts without waiting for additional protocol signals, improving responsiveness while keeping the protocol relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3014871B1Generating a video pane layout
Publication Date: 2021.12.01 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP3014871B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3014871B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~2
  • EP3014871B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

A first video conferencing device determines pane sizes of a plurality of video content to be displayed at a second video conferencing device, where the pane sizes are determined based on a minimum video pane size of the second video conferencing device. The first video conferencing device then transmits, to the second video conferencing device, a video stream including at least a subset of the plurality of the video content with the determined pane sizes. The determined pane sizes are equal to or greater than the minimum video pane size.