Videoconference Connection Control for Unregistered Participant Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing videoconference systems require users to register before participating, leading to inconvenience when unregistered users attempt to join mid-session, as they must undergo an additional registration process, which is time-consuming and inconvenient.

Innovation Solution

A connection control system that allows unregistered users to participate in a videoconference without managing additional data by using a relay terminal to facilitate communication between terminals, enabling real-time state management and seamless integration of participants.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a user registration process is implemented for videoconference participation, then security and access control are improved, but user convenience and participation speed deteriorate when unregistered users need to join

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess controlVSAvoidparticipation convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The management system acts as an intermediary between the terminal and the videoconference session. When a terminal requests to participate in a session, the management system mediates the authentication process by checking whether the terminal ID is included in the session information. This intermediary mechanism enables automated admission control without requiring manual registration, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining access control reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If manual registration is required for each videoconference session, then access security is maintained, but time consumption and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess securityVSAvoidregistration time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The session information is prepared in advance by the management system, which includes the terminal ID of the participating terminal. Before the videoconference session begins, the management system generates and stores this session information containing authentication data. When a terminal requests to join, the pre-prepared session information is immediately used for authentication, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual registration while maintaining access security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal performs self-authentication by requesting session information from the management system using its terminal ID. The management system automatically verifies the terminal ID against the pre-stored session information and grants access without human intervention. This self-service mechanism eliminates manual registration steps, reducing time consumption while preserving access security through automated verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a permitted user list is managed for each conference, then access control is improved, but system complexity and data management burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess controlVSAvoiddata management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the authentication data from complex permitted user lists and reformulates it as simple session information containing terminal IDs. Instead of managing comprehensive user lists with multiple attributes, the system extracts only the essential terminal ID information needed for authentication. This extracted session information is stored and managed by the management system, significantly reducing data management complexity while maintaining access control functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The session information structure is designed to be universal and multi-functional. It contains the terminal ID that serves multiple purposes: authentication verification, session identification, and access control. This single universal data structure replaces the need for complex permitted user lists, reducing data management complexity while maintaining comprehensive access control capabilities across different videoconference sessions.

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

Data Source

PatentEP2493143B1Apparatus, system, and method of controlling connection among terminals and recording medium storing connection control program
Publication Date: 2017.12.27 RICOH CO LTD
  • EP2493143B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2493143B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2493143B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

When a request for participating in a session being performed by a plurality of participating terminals is received from a terminal that is not participated in the session, a system extracts identification information of one or more candidate terminals that are associated with the participating terminal for each one of the plurality of participating terminals, and determines whether identification information of the terminal that sends the request is included in the extracted candidate terminal identification information to generate a determination result. The determination result is used to determine whether to allow the terminal that sends the request to connect with the plurality of participating terminals to participate in the session.