Multi-screen Virtual Videoconference Spatial Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional videoconferencing technologies lack the social interaction and spatial awareness that in-person meetings provide, leading to difficulties in private conversations and effective communication, especially with multiple participants, and often suffer from performance issues due to bandwidth and hardware limitations.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that enables users to share two-screens in a three-dimensional virtual environment, where avatars represent participants and presentation streams are mapped onto three-dimensional models, allowing for enhanced spatial awareness and improved communication through adjustable volume areas and presentation sharing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple video streams are transmitted in a virtual conference, then more participants can be included, but system performance slows down due to bandwidth and hardware limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the conference space into multiple virtual rooms, each capable of handling a limited number of participants independently. This allows the overall system to support many more participants by distributing them across multiple segmented spaces rather than overwhelming a single conference environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces spatial dimensionality by creating three-dimensional virtual environments with multiple rooms and spaces. This dimensional expansion allows participants to be organized in different physical locations within the virtual space, enabling the system to handle larger numbers of participants without degrading performance in any single area.
2Quantity of substance
If audio streams from multiple speakers are mixed equally, then all participants are heard, but private conversations become impossible and dialogue quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by allowing different audio mixing characteristics in different spatial locations. Participants can have private conversations in nearby virtual spaces while other participants hear only the general conference audio. This enables both public speaking and private dialogue to coexist without degrading either.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the audio environment into different spatial zones with independent audio mixing. This allows the system to maintain high-quality dialogue for small groups in private spaces while simultaneously supporting multiple public speakers in the main conference area.
3Loss of information
If screen sharing is enabled for collaboration, then information can be shared, but bandwidth consumption increases and system resources are strained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by allowing screen sharing in specific virtual rooms rather than broadcasting to all participants. This enables information sharing with only the relevant subset of participants, significantly reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining full collaboration capability for those who need it.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a web-based videoconference system that allows for multi-screen sharing. In some embodiments, data specifying a three-dimensional virtual space is received. The three-dimensional virtual space comprises a plurality of participants and an avatar representing each of the plurality of participants and three-dimensional models of a plurality of presentation screens. Multiple presentation streams may be shared on different presentation screens simultaneously.