Arbiter for Shared Audio Visual Resource Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for controlling shared audio or visual resources, such as in vehicular and home entertainment systems, are complex and require manual interventions, leading to inefficiencies and increased error rates as users navigate between different devices and services.
Innovation Solution
A system and method where an arbiter module determines new ownership state information for shared audio or visual resources based on requests and transition conditions, communicating these changes to a controller interface to seamlessly manage output between processes on embedded systems and mobile devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual control methods are used for shared audio or visual resources, then users can directly control device output, but the system becomes complex and error-prone as the number of devices and services increases
Solution Approach 1:
An arbiter process is introduced as an intermediary between multiple requesting processes and the shared audio or visual resource. The arbiter receives control requests, determines ownership based on predefined conditions, and manages resource allocation automatically, eliminating the need for complex manual control while reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automated self-service through the arbiter process that autonomously evaluates control requests against ownership conditions and makes decisions without user intervention. This automation handles the complexity internally while presenting a simple interface to users, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
2Productivity
If automated arbitration is implemented for resource control, then transition efficiency improves, but the arbitration logic and state management become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The arbitration system is segmented into distinct functional components: the arbiter process that receives requests, the state information that tracks ownership, and the transition conditions that define ownership rules. This segmentation allows efficient automated transitions while organizing complexity into manageable, independent modules that can be developed and maintained separately.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple processes can access shared resources simultaneously, then system versatility increases, but control conflicts and errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic ownership where the control of shared audio or visual resources is not fixed but changes based on runtime conditions and requests. The arbiter continuously evaluates transition conditions and adjusts ownership dynamically, allowing multiple processes to access resources appropriately while maintaining control reliability through automated conflict resolution.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for negotiating control of a shared audio or visual resource are disclosed. A request for control of a shared audio or visual resource is received at an arbiter. The arbiter maintains existing state information for ownership of the shared audio or visual resource and ownership transition conditions of the shared audio or visual resource. The request is received from one of a process executing on an embedded system and a process executing on a mobile computing device. New state information regarding ownership of the shared audio or visual resource is determined based at least in part on the request for control and the ownership transition conditions. The new state information indicates which of the processes controls output of the shared audio or visual resource.