Network Audio Directory Server for Source Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
As the number of available audio sources increases in networked audio communications, consumers face challenges in monitoring and selecting desirable audio content, leading to reduced frequency of monitoring individual sources and varying user preferences.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that detect audio content from multiple sources, send directory packets with network addresses to a network directory server, and request audio content through the network, applying selection criteria to prioritize and manage audio packets for efficient delivery and playback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of monitored audio sources increases, then the variety of available audio content increases, but the frequency of monitoring each individual source decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a directory server as an intermediary component that centralizes the monitoring and listing of audio sources. Instead of each client directly monitoring multiple sources, the directory server acts as a mediator that collects source information, maintains a directory, and provides it to clients. This resolves the contradiction by enabling clients to access a wide variety of sources through the intermediary without each client needing to monitor all sources directly, thus maintaining high monitoring frequency while providing source variety.
2Ease of operation
If a directory server is introduced to manage multiple audio sources, then the ease of selecting and monitoring sources improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The directory server is designed with multi-functionality, serving as a universal component that handles source registration, directory maintenance, information distribution, and client coordination. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional server, the system improves ease of operation for clients while minimizing the increase in overall system complexity compared to having separate specialized components for each function.
3Loss of information
If selection criteria are applied to filter audio sources, then the relevance of delivered content improves, but the processing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements preliminary action by having the directory server pre-process and organize audio source information according to selection criteria before clients request content. The server maintains an organized directory structure and pre-filters sources based on available information, so when clients make requests, the filtering work has already been done or is significantly reduced. This resolves the contradiction by performing filtering operations in advance, reducing both the processing time at request time and improving content relevance.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of communicating audio through a network. The method includes detecting audio content from an audio source by a first network terminal, sending a directory packet including a network address of the detected audio content to a second network terminal, and requesting the audio content through the network by the second audio terminal. The further step of storing the detected audio content in a buffer for audio packets identified by packet identities may be added. The sending a directory packet step may include sending a packet identity, and the requesting step may include specifying an audio packet according to the packet identity. A further step of sending a source packet including the network address of the detected audio content to a network directory server by the first network terminal may be added. The network directory server may execute the sending a directory packet step.