Audio Source Content Preview Without Playback Interruption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current audio content receiving devices cannot display information about available content from other sources without requiring users to change their current audio source, limiting users' ability to make informed decisions about switching between sources.
Innovation Solution
The device gathers and processes information about audio content from multiple sources and displays a description or list of available content from pre-selected or all sources, allowing users to view options without changing their current audio source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the device displays information about audio content from multiple sources, then users can make informed decisions about switching sources, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the audio content information by source (e.g., terrestrial radio, satellite radio, internet radio) and presents them as separate, organized sections. Each source is divided into individual content items with distinct metadata fields, allowing the device to manage and display information from multiple sources without overwhelming complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary information layer that sits between the raw audio content streams and the user interface. This intermediary layer processes and standardizes metadata from various sources, converting diverse input formats into a unified display format that reduces the complexity burden on the device.
2Loss of information
If the device gathers and processes information from multiple audio sources in real-time, then users can see current available content, but the use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic information gathering and updating cycles rather than continuous real-time monitoring. The device periodically queries available audio sources for content information and refreshes the display at scheduled intervals, reducing energy consumption while still providing users with current content availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary information gathering about available audio content in the background before users need to make switching decisions. By pre-fetching and caching content metadata from multiple sources, the device reduces the need for frequent active querying, thereby lowering energy usage while maintaining up-to-date information.
3Loss of information
If the device displays detailed information from all available sources, then users have complete information for decision-making, but the area of display required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display into hierarchical sections: an overview section showing summary information from multiple sources, and detailed sections that can be accessed individually. This segmentation allows complete information to be available while fitting within limited display area by organizing content in manageable, scrollable segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes multiple display dimensions including time (sequential scrolling through sources), space (multi-page or multi-column layouts), and hierarchy (summary vs. detailed views). By transitioning from a single-dimension exhaustive list to multi-dimensional organization, the device presents complete information within constrained display area.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing information to the user of receiving device of audio content to determine what other content besides that which is currently being listened to is available through the receiving device without changing what is being listened to. This will take information being provided by the sender of the audio content or others and make it available to the user of the receiving device in such a way that they can know in real time, or near real time, what audio content is available through other means on the device. This will allow users to make more informed decisions about changes to the audio content they are listening to, thus preventing or minimizing changes that prove to be misguided due to the content of the channel the user switches to being something they don't want to hear. This will also enable the user to make changes when they become aware, via the information provided about the content of other sources, that there is something they would prefer to hear as compared to that which they are currently listening to as well as compared to the other available options. Essentially, this invention will provide users with information about the audio content choices of a receiving device without the need for the user to sample each source that may or may not have something that the user wishes to listen to.