VR Video Conference Layout for Multi-Participant Focus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional video conference systems often present participants as individual tiles on a screen, which can be confusing and tiring, leading to a loss of concentration, especially when the number of participants is large or the focus shifts between speakers.
Innovation Solution
Reproduce videos of multiple participants on spatially arranged video reproduction areas or spaces within a three-dimensional virtual reality environment, allowing users to adjust their viewpoint and viewing direction, mimicking a real-world conference setting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If videos of multiple participants are displayed as individual tiles on a screen, then all participants can be shown simultaneously, but the user experience becomes confusing and tiring leading to loss of concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional flat tile arrangement to a three-dimensional virtual reality environment where participants are positioned in spatial locations. This dimensional change allows multiple participants to be displayed simultaneously while providing natural depth perception and spatial relationships, reducing cognitive load and maintaining user concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved or spherical arrangement of participant video feeds in the virtual reality space, creating a more natural field of view distribution. This curved spatial arrangement allows users to scan participants more naturally compared to rigid rectangular grid layouts, reducing eye strain and maintaining engagement.
2Quantity of substance
If the number of participants is large, then more people can be included in the conference, but some participants cannot be presented or the perception changes depending on the current speaker
Solution Approach 1:
By arranging participants in a three-dimensional virtual space rather than a flat 2D grid, the system can accommodate many more participants simultaneously within the user's field of view. The depth dimension allows participants to be positioned at different distances and angles, ensuring all remain visible without overcrowding any single viewing area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic spatial positioning where participants can be individually positioned in the virtual space based on their importance, current speaking status, or user preferences. This allows the system to maintain visibility of all participants while enabling selective focus on specific individuals through natural head or eye movements.
3Ease of operation
If participants are arranged in a planar seminar room layout, then fixed seating positions are provided, but the arrangement remains two-dimensional and lacks realism
Solution Approach 1:
The patent elevates the traditional planar seminar room layout into a three-dimensional virtual reality environment. Participants are positioned at spatial coordinates that replicate real-world conference geometries, adding depth and volumetric presence while maintaining the organizational structure of fixed seating arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual copy of a physical conference environment, replicating the spatial relationships and seating arrangements of a real meeting room. This virtual reproduction provides the realism and immersion of an in-person conference while maintaining the structured organization of fixed positions, all within a manipulable 3D space.
Data Source
AI summary
A Video conference apparatus (100) is configured to reproduce videos (110a,110b) of a plurality of video conference participants on a plurality of video reproduction areas (120a,120b; 220a-220c; 420a-420d; 470a-470h) or video reproduction spaces that are arranged in a spatial virtual reality environment (120; 200; 300; 400; 450). The video conference apparatus is configured to render the spatial virtual reality environment (120; 200;300;400;450) with the video reproduction areas (120a,120b; 220a-220c; 420a-420d; 470a-470h) or video reproduction spaces to a total image (112) for a single video conference participant. A video conference method and a computer program are also disclosed.