Virtual Group Streaming for Online Education

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current technologies for online content delivery in educational settings struggle to replicate the in-class experience, resulting in an awkward and clumsy content delivery/consumption experience due to limitations in existing software and hardware.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for online content delivery that establishes audio and/or video streams from control/management computing devices to participant computing platforms, subdividing participants into virtual groups to share content exclusively among group members, and allowing instructors to control the distribution of streams and manage participant interactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If current software and hardware ensembles are used for online content delivery, then content delivery is possible, but the content delivery/consumption experience is awkward and clumsy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent delivery experienceVSAvoidseamlessness of classroom experience
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the classroom into multiple virtual groups, allowing participants to be divided into smaller collaborative units. This segmentation enables more manageable and less overwhelming online interactions, improving the overall ease of operation and experience quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control/management computing devices act as intermediaries between instructors and participants, automatically managing group formations, stream distributions, and participant assignments. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of online delivery, making the experience more seamless and less awkward for users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If participants are subdivided into virtual groups for exclusive content sharing, then collaborative learning is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollaborative learning capabilityVSAvoidvirtual group management system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the participant base into multiple virtual groups that can independently share content and collaborate. This segmentation enables versatile collaborative learning scenarios while the automated management system handles the complexity of group coordination, stream assignments, and participant assignments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The virtual groups are dynamically formed and managed by the control computing devices, which can automatically adjust group compositions, assign members to appropriate groups, and manage content distribution in real-time. This dynamic management enables adaptability for various collaborative learning needs without requiring complex manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Extent of automation

If instructors have full control over stream distribution, then management capability is improved, but ease of operation for participants deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstructor control capabilityVSAvoidparticipant interaction simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Participants are automatically assigned to virtual groups and receive appropriate content streams without manual intervention. The system self-manages the distribution of audio and video streams based on group assignments, eliminating the need for participants to manually configure their reception parameters while maintaining instructor oversight and control capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4179416B1Systems and/or methods for online content delivery
Publication Date: 2025.05.14 ENGAGELI INC
  • EP4179416B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4179416B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4179416B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Methods, apparatuses, and/or articles of manufacture may be implemented to establish an audio and/or video stream from one or more control/management computing devices utilizing an electronic communications network. The method may further include subdividing, by the instructor computing platform, the plurality of participant computing platforms into one or more virtual groups, in which a first virtual group of the one or more virtual groups acquires the audio and/or video stream and exclusively shares the audio and/or video stream generated by the one or more participants of the first virtual group between or among members of the first virtual group.