Concurrent Screen Sharing By Multiple Users Within A Communication Session

What is this patent about?

’026 is related to the field of digital communication, specifically addressing the need for improved collaboration in remote communication sessions. Existing communication platforms typically restrict screen sharing to a single participant at a time, hindering real-time collaborative work where multiple participants need to simultaneously display their screens or application windows.

The underlying idea behind ’026 is to enable concurrent screen sharing among multiple participants in a communication session. This involves capturing and displaying screen elements (e.g., application windows, entire screens) from multiple users simultaneously on the communication interfaces of other participants. The system dynamically manages multiple video streams, allowing users to view and interact with various shared screens concurrently.

The claims of ’026 focus on a method implemented within a communication system. The method involves connecting participants to a communication session, receiving requests from multiple participants to share their screen elements, capturing and displaying these screen elements concurrently to all participants, and providing users with control over the configuration and arrangement of the displayed screen elements. The claims also cover detecting multi-monitor setups and displaying different shared screens on each monitor.

In practice, the invention allows participants in a video conference to share their screens simultaneously, fostering a more collaborative environment. For example, multiple developers can share their code editors, or students can present their work concurrently. The system captures video streams of the shared screens, compresses them for efficient transmission, and displays them on each participant's interface. Users can then resize, reposition, or select which screens to view, tailoring the display to their needs.

’026 differentiates itself from prior solutions by removing the limitation of single-user screen sharing. This is achieved through a combination of techniques, including efficient video encoding/decoding, dynamic layout management, and user interface controls for screen selection and arrangement. Unlike traditional systems where one user must stop sharing before another can begin, ’026 allows for a seamless and continuous flow of information, enabling more fluid and productive remote collaboration. The system also supports multi-monitor setups, further enhancing the viewing experience for users with multiple displays.