Shared Virtual Canvas for Real-Time Multi-Location Collaboration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current collaboration technologies over multiple locations, such as web-based conferencing and cloud-based collaboration tools, are limited in real-time video handling and simultaneous editing, with only one presenter able to mirror their display, and require synchronization through a cloud server, which is inefficient for live video feeds and asynchronous collaboration.
Innovation Solution
Establishing a peer-to-peer connection between display computers to create a shared virtual canvas, allowing objects to be manipulated simultaneously and streamed directly, with data changes sent in real-time, and using a cloud server as a relay or not, to handle live video feeds and file sharing efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cloud-based collaboration tools are used to host sessions and synchronize documents, then multiple users can edit documents simultaneously across locations, but bandwidth consumption increases and real-time video handling becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments data transmission by distinguishing between static document content and dynamic video content. Document data is synchronized only when changes occur, while video content is streamed independently. This segmentation allows simultaneous editing without requiring continuous full-screen synchronization, reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining real-time collaboration capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a peer-to-peer connection as an intermediary for video content, bypassing the cloud server for video transmission. This mediator enables direct video streaming between presenter and viewers, eliminating the need for cloud-based video relay and significantly reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining real-time video handling efficiency.
2Speed
If the entire screen is streamed to remote computers at full refresh rate, then real-time display mirroring is achieved, but latency increases and bandwidth is consumed inefficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by transmitting only the regions of the screen that contain active content or have changed, rather than streaming the entire screen at full resolution. Video content is streamed at optimized quality levels appropriate for each user's display capabilities, reducing transmission time and latency while maintaining real-time mirroring performance.
3Stability of the object's composition
If cloud server synchronization is used for all content changes, then document consistency is maintained across all locations, but real-time video streaming efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments content into two distinct synchronization paths: document changes are routed through the cloud server for consistency maintenance, while video content is streamed directly via peer-to-peer connections for efficiency. This segmentation allows document consistency to be maintained without compromising video streaming performance, as each content type uses the most appropriate transmission method.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dual-path architecture where the cloud server acts as an intermediary only for document synchronization, while video content bypasses the server entirely through direct peer-to-peer connections. This mediator approach maintains document consistency through centralized coordination while enabling efficient video streaming through decentralized direct transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of collaborating between a first display computer associated with a first display at a first location and a second display computer associated with a second display at a second location includes establishing a connection between the first and second display computers, opening a virtual canvas to be shared by the first and second display computers, the virtual canvas to be displayed on the first and second displays simultaneously, and sending an object between the first and second display computers by sending data associated with the object on the virtual canvas stored on the first display computer from the first display computer to the second display computer to be stored locally, thereby creating a shared canvas, wherein objects are at a single location on the shared canvas Live objects are treated differently than non-live objects.